DJI FPV – the ultimate action drone?
Experiencing the fascination with drones perspectives that are otherwise not seen in everyday life has long been part of DJI’s success. With the DJI FPV, a new type of drone has now been presented, which enables a completely new flight experience in a simple way. The DJI FPV combines the first-person view, the high-speed performance of racing drones, the cinematic camera work of traditional drones, and the security and broadcast technology of DJI’s leading hobby drones.
We already had the opportunity to test the Mavic Mini a week before the official launch. Of course, you can’t do a completely detailed test in one week, but due to our long experience with DJI drones, we feel able to give an initial rating, which we will adjust again in the next few weeks if necessary.
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DJI FPV – Technical Data & Design
The first thing that strikes you about the DJI FPV is its sporty design. Even when the vehicle is standing, it can be seen that the 4 motor arms are not arranged horizontally like a classic drone, but are inclined at an angle of ~ 30 ° in the direction of flight.
In the following we have compiled the most important technical data for you
Technical data DJI FPV
| Max speed | M mode: 39 m / s S mode: 27 m / s N mode: 14 m / s |
| Max speed | 0-100 kph: 2 s (in ideal conditions while flying in M mode) |
| Max Service Ceiling Above Sea Level | 6,000 m |
| Max flight time | 20 mins (measured while flying at 40 kph in windless conditions) |
| Max hover time | Approx. 16 mins (measured when flying in windless conditions) |
| Max Flight Distance | 16.8 km (measured while flying in windless conditions) |
| Max Wind Speed Resistance | 39-49 kph (25-31 mph) |
| Operating temperature | -10 ° to 40 ° C (14 ° to 104 ° F) |
| Transmitter Power (EIRP) | 2.400-2.4835 GHz FCC: ≤ 31.5dBm CE: ≤ 20 dBm SRRC: ≤ 20 dBm MIC: ≤ 20 dBm 5,725-5,850 Ghz FCC: ≤ 31.5 dBm CE: ≤ 14 dBm SRRC: ≤ 25.5 dBm |
| Number of antennas | Four |
| GNSS | GPS + GLONASS |
| Hovering Accuracy Range | Vertical: ± 0.1 m (with vision positioning) ± 0.5 m (with GPS positioning) Horizontal: ± 0.3 m (with vision positioning) ± 1.5 m (with GPS positioning) |
| Supported SD cards | microSD (up to 256GB) |
Camera and gimbal data DJI FPV
| sensor | 1 / 2.3 ”CMOS |
| Lens | FOV: 149.4 ° 35 mm format equivalent: 14.66 mm Aperture: f / 2.86 Focus Mode: Fixed Focus Shooting Range: 0.6 m to ∞ |
| ISO | 100-3200 |
| Shutter speed | 1 / 8000-1 / 60 s |
| Max image size | 3840 × 2160 |
| Photo format | JPEG |
| Video resolution | 4K: 3840 × 2160 at 50 / 60fps * FHD: 1920 × 1080 at 50/60/100 / 120fps * * The 150 ° FOV is only applicable when shooting at 50 or 100fps, and 142 ° when shooting at other frame rates. |
| Video format | MP4 / MOV (H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC, H.265 / HEVC） |
| Max video bit rate | 120 Mbps |
| Color Profile | Standard, D-Cinelike |
| RockSteady ICE | Available |
| Distortion Correction | Available |
As you are used to with DJI, the FPV drone is also equipped with sensors pointing forwards and downwards.
The batteries have a capacity of 2000 mAh.
The DJI FPV Googles rely on the new O3 system, the third generation of OcuSync technology, and have a range of up to 6km in Europe.
Also important at this point is that the DJI FPV also has an ADS-B receiver installed to warn pilots when manned aircraft or helicopters are nearby.
It is important to note at this point: In many countries, drone pilots who fly with FPV goggles must be accompanied by an observer in order to be aware of dangers in the airspace.
DJI FPV – flying experience for beginners to professionals
The DJI FPV enables everyone to enter the world of first person drones. There are several different Flumodi which should give every pilot an easy start, depending on their ability.
- Normal mode (N mode): While operating in N mode, the DJI FPV operates similarly to other DJI drones and hovers in place using GPS and / or visual positioning systems (VPS) on the bottom of the drone. N mode is the best flight mode for beginners and allows for front obstacle detection to be activated. It warns pilots when there are obstacles nearby and automatically reduces their speed. Pilots then have to manually initiate an evasive maneuver in order to avoid detected obstacles.
- Manual mode (M mode): You can take full control of the drone with the M-mode, which is designed for experienced pilots. In M mode, all sensors and obstacle detection are deactivated.
- Sport mode (S mode): The S-mode is a new hybrid mixture of M- and N-mode and combines the dynamic movement functions of the M-mode as well as the most important safety features of the N-mode. S mode is the golden mean of the three modes and is designed to give pilots more space to explore their skills and get used to FPV flight.
The emergency brake button is particularly worth mentioning in this context. Regardless of which mode and which flight condition the drone is currently in, after pressing this button, the DJI FPV uses its control systems to bring the drone into a stationary hovering state as quickly as possible.
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Especially when the drone is at full flight speed and then throws itself with full force in the opposite direction after pressing the emergency brake button, it looks very spectacular.
Flying experience DJI FPV
Since I already have a lot of flying experience with the DJI drones (see also our test on the DJI Mavic Mini – the ultimate mini drone), the entry into the DJI FPV was possible for me without any problems.
In normal mode, the DJI FPV flies like you are used to from all DJI drones. Whereby it is also noticeable here that it is much more direct and also faster in acceleration.
As someone who likes to fly with a PC or console, the DJI Googles were not a change for me at all. Another important note here: If you want to fly the FPV drone with your glasses on, take an observer with you who can keep an eye on the drone and the surrounding area. I also think it goes without saying that you should inform yourself beforehand about insurance and flight tickets.
As someone who has flown a lot with drones, the normal mode is quite nice, but it gets really exciting in the sport mode. The sport mode is a kind of hybrid of the normal flight characteristics of the drone and the potential that it has in manual mode. In the video for the article you get a good impression of the flight feeling.
The WOW factor when flying is mainly due to the good quality of the FPV glasses. DJI describes it as follows:
O3 broadcast is the next step in FPV broadcast technology. It offers a transmission range of 6 km, automatically switching double frequencies, a high bit rate of 50 Mbit / s and state-of-the-art interference immunity to ensure reliable transmission. Introduced in 2019, the DJI HD transmission system launched the world’s first low-latency HD digital feed. The new DJI FPV System uses the same technology to deliver a crystal clear image with extremely low latency to the goggles. Pilots can choose from several display options, such as:
- HD mode: See the world in 1440 × 810 pixels, 60 fps and a field of view of 142 ° or with 50 fps and a field of view of 150 °. In this mode the latency is ≤40 ms.
- Low latency mode: In this mode, pilots activate high frame rates for a more cinematic look, and the latency is further reduced to ≤28 ms. The resolution is 1440 × 810 pixels with 120 fps and a field of view of 142 ° or 100 fps and a field of view of 150 °.
- Spectator mode: In spectator mode, the pilot’s view can be shared with up to eight additional goggles so that spectators can experience the flight up close.
Another innovation is the new motion controller. As an experienced pilot, I was a little skeptical about this new control method, which reminded me a lot of the controller on a Wii. But similar to the console, flying with the motion controller is very intuitive and a lot of fun.
Teaching material and an updated DJI Fly app for quick learning
The numerous interactive and realistic aids help pilots take off quickly and with confidence. The DJI FPV uses the latest version of the DJI Fly app, which now includes detailed tutorials on how to operate the DJI FPV. The newly developed DJI Flight Simulator is a free app that helps beginners learn basic flight movements in a simple, fun, and risk-free environment. With the simulator, pilots can fly in different settings using the remote control.
Incredible flight performance, breathtaking footage
In addition to providing incredible flight performance, the DJI FPV can also capture dynamic footage that can be shared with the world. The integrated 4K / 60fps camera with 120 Mbit / s is located on a uniaxial gimbal and offers stability even during complicated maneuvers, while it can rotate vertically for unique viewing angles. In addition, RockSteady stabilization technology smooths out shaky footage and eliminates distortion effects when shooting with fast movements. The unattractive fisheye effect common in FPV recordings is removed by the advanced distortion correction. Pilots can record footage in 4x slow motion in 1080p and 120 fps to relive unforgettable moments in every detail. The footage can now be saved in H.265 or H.264, which means that less storage space is required. At the same time, however, the fine details are preserved during compression.
Prices and availability DJI FPV
The DJI FPV is available immediately at Store.dji.com and from authorized retail partners. DJI FPV can be purchased in different options. The DJI FPV Standard Combo contains the FPV drone, remote control 2, FPV Goggles V2, all necessary cables and a battery for a price starting at € 1,349. The DJI FPV Fly More Kit is also available. It contains two Intelligent Flight batteries and a special battery charging station for a price starting at € 279. The optional motion control unit (motion controller) is available separately and can be purchased from € 149. Additional information is available here: www.dji.com/dji-fpv
DJI Care Refresh
DJI Care Refresh is now available for the DJI FPV. For an additional fee, DJI Care Refresh (1-year contract) offers comprehensive protection with up to two replacement devices within 12 months. The 2-year contract provides for 3 replacement devices within 24 months. With DJI Care Refresh Express, you can get your replacement device even faster. DJI Care Refresh also offers exclusive VIP customer service and free shipping in both directions. DJI Flyaway Protection is not available for this product. A full list of all the details can be found at: www.dji.com/service/djicare-refresh.
First interim conclusion of the DJI FPV (as of March 2021)
Personally, I was very enthusiastic about the DJI FPV drone. I’ve always wanted to go into first person flying, but the amount of work and complexity has always put me off so far.
I can very well imagine that the DJI FPV can reach a clientele here that looks similar.
I will continue to use the DJI FPV for the next few weeks and also try to open up the manual flight mode for me. I will then continue to report on my progress here.
