Why use a head-tracker?

[FPVAirCombat]

It provides better situational awareness. Like driving a car, we naturally look into the direction of the turn before we make a turn. It’s what feels natural and the head movements are 2nd nature.

 

[FlamingRCAirplanes]

Hey I want to show you what I did with an arduino nano and an MPU6050 IMU!!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Tha

Hey I want to show you what I did with an arduino nano and an MPU6050 IMU!! View attachment 215686 View attachment 215682 View attachment 215683 View attachment 215684 View attachment 215685

that head-tracker looks really tiny! Is it IMU only or does it have magnetometer as well? Does it drift over time?

Intriguing gimbal solution, very low profile. Good for application at the nose!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Another simple head-tracker FPV setup with no flight controller, no gyro. Tons of fun practicing precision aerobatics in a nimble jet :

 

[FlamingRCAirplanes]

Tha

that head-tracker looks really tiny! Is it IMU only or does it have magnetometer as well? Does it drift over time?

Intriguing gimbal solution, very low profile. Good for application at the nose!

Yes, It is in IMU only, when I revisit it I plan to use a MPU9250, it has a built in magnetometer. And yes it does drift. So I just sit in an office chair when I use it so I can make up for the drift.

 

[FPVAirCombat]

I like very smooth control inputs when flying FPV. And in a big jet like Freewing MiG-29, the “in cockpit” experience with head-tracking is so realistic! Go up high to enjoy a second sunset, look around and check out the mountain ranges. Then swoop down and do some lazy aerobatics, all the while runway can be in view with a simple head turn to keep orientation. So much fun it’s hard to describe

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Time to truly put the head-tracker and smooth, precise-tracking pan & tilt gimbal to test in jet dogfight, DCS style:

 

[FPVAirCombat]

And "keeping up foreign relations" - bird watching - cause he was inverted

 

[Flying Monkey fab]

I recently got goggles and a couple of flight units so I very much appreciate this thread.

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Glad you are finding it useful! I have some friends that have tracker, but they hardly move their head at all when flying. I crank my head like crazy when I use a fixed camera FPV, trying to make it move. HT is intuitive and second nature to me. I forget it’s there

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Another aerobatics video, this time in calm wind at dusk, with low rates to really smooth out the flight. Enjoy!

I find having instrument panel in view to gauge attitude against horizon is very useful especially with head-tracker. Some people position head-tracking camera at the nose of plane without any obstruction in view; it could be hard to tell where the nose is pointed exactly and could contribute to motion-sickness without the fixed reference.

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Thanks to Cliff (dlktdr) and collaborators for the open source head-tracker build! I am really enjoying the wireless feature not worrying about tugging the trainer chord. I move my head a lot in flight. Smooth, fast, and precise tracking meaning not having to recenter HT at all during flight is great. I forget HT is there and just feel I am one with the plane. Dare I say, I feel like a fighter pilot

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Sharing a fun “follow the leader” flight video. It’s hard for lead to shake off the pursuit with good head-tracking FPV setup. Enjoy!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Adding a reflector sight coupled with head-tracker really accentuates immersive FPV flying experience and makes one feel like being in their own jet fighter! Perfect for fulfilling the need for speed after watching Top Gun Maverick!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

And here's why a reflector sight is needed instead of hand drawn crosshairs/reticle:

 

[FlyingMonkey]

I purchased the MotionSic gimbal and head tracking combo. Hope to get it set up and flying this week, I'll post the results here soon!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Looking forward to your report.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Ok... the "report" in the Cliff Notes version.

The good news.

SUCCESS!

Bad news, it was a bit of a fight. Not because of the products, just trying to rush to get it all together and running into some hardships.

Result...

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Haven't checked into Flitetest forum for a while. The PT-17 above looks pretty good. Just need to center the camera and clear the windshield a bit for better forward visibility.

Here' is my latest foray into highly contested air space over Taiwan in a Zero. Haha, kidding. Just visiting a new RC field there near Taipei, Taiwan. Notice the proper reflector sight which corrects for parallax in aiming when camera is not perfectly centered (essential with HT application). In addition to being an excellent munitions aiming aid, the sight doubles as accurate attitude indicator. When it's properly calibrated, the reticle lines up with horizon to indicate level flight. Very precise at indicating climb and descend, very useful at low attitudes to keep from hitting ground. Enjoy!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Checking in again, this time trying to dogfight a F-22 Raptor using reflector sight in a ViperJet. Surprisingly, I discover wake turbulence can throw off a pursuing plane’s aim very effectively