Many people know about drones made by DJI but most have not heard of FPV. What is FPV? FPV stands for First Person View and utilizes a camera on the drone to show the pilot what it sees, this is not inherently different from DJI. However, FPV pilots use goggles with screens in them like VR headsets to display the camera feed and become immersed into the drone's world.
FPV provides a new perspective and freedom on drones and how they can be used. This style of drone is being used today for racing, cinema, and for fun. By seeing through the goggles and and having no software stabilization, like from DJI, the skill of the pilot is let loose. To do this type of flight, the gimbal is taken off of the drone and instead a fixed camera is installed. This makes it so the perspective of what the pilot sees never changes and it looks as if the pilot is actually flying. All different types of these drones are built based on the design intent. For racers, they need something fast, light, and durable in the event of a crash. For someone in cinema, they might require a larger, more powerful drone to carry a heavier camera but still be able to fly freely. For someone flying for fun, they might want cheap, durable parts to minimize crash repairs.
Cinematic drones are particularly special to me since that is how I fly.. The type of video that can be captured with this tool is incomparable to any other drone. For example, this shot flying through the flames of a flamethrower. This would be completely impossible with any other drone.
The capabilities of this technology is incredible and only gets better by the day. Newer frames have been designed to carry full sized RED Digital cinema cameras which are significantly heavier than a standard GoPro strapped on top. Either way, cinematic footage is unique and eye catching when coming from an FPV drone no matter which recording device is utilized.
Racing drones are special in their own right because these are built and designed by people with the sole intent to make their rigs lighter, faster, more durable, and more powerful than before. They squeeze out every ounce of power and shred every gram of weight possible to get faster lap times. The shear performance that can be attained by these machines is outrageous compared to any other motorized equipment. The power to weight ratio is significantly higher than anything else, especially when compared to a car.
For hobbyist, drones can be a really fun experience after the initial investment. It isn't cheap to get into FPV, but if you can swing the price of entry then it is one of the most exciting hobbies a consumer can have. It is as close to being able to fly whenever you want as possible. Not only this, but they can create an income with some practice and give you a return on your investment to the hobby.
FPV is unique and brings with it a new door for opportunity in terms of competition, fun, and media. In the future I expect to see FPV become more popular and for it to appear on TV more in the form of ads and streamed races. I hope to help facilitate the hobby by explaining how the drones work, how to build them, and what it will cost. Stay tuned into the blog to learn more about FPV drones and join the community.
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