Delving into FPV...... slippery slope?

Sparrk · Aug 7, 2017

Mavic owner with 60l’ish flights. I recently spent a few Saturday’s hanging with FPV’rs in DFW and watched severe crash after severe crash (without major defect). DJI owners might cringe at the frequency and sound of these quads hitting a tree or course element. ) I know that I did. One participant asked how many times I’ve replaced my props. Since I have yet to hit anything, I’m still on my first set of props. Friendly ridicule followed. A good group of guys and now a bunch of more disposable quad equipment is on order.

Kate · Aug 7, 2017

Yeh, ive only ever tried FPV hovering, switching it off for fear it would end in tears

Nice that they were nice, and got you into it rather than intimidate you out of it, like
some R/C pilots might have done

Clinton1 · Aug 7, 2017

You are going to have a blast with Fpv racing quads. The guys in that side of the hobby is also very open and friendly, they welcome anyone to dip there toes into there side of the pool. You are going to learn a lot, not the easy way of flying a Dji product.

colinfowler · Aug 7, 2017

I know a few guys that have DJI gear, but also fly FPV stunt and race drones.
they are all happy to let anyone borrow someone's goggles paired with another flying, then let us have a go.
these drones are much more crash friendly.

QuadKid · Aug 7, 2017

Yup, best of both worlds, practice, practice, practice, build, build & build and then you can do this!

I fly a Martian 230 class FPV
IMG_6374 — Postimage.org

RCKable · Aug 7, 2017

I know we are a mavic forum but if anyone has a link to a "beginner" RTF racer I'd appreciate it..read more to learn why.
I went to a park today and was flying. While just joy flying my daughter kept saying do you hear that? Well I went up about 250' and flew towards the sounds. A man and 2 kids (boy/girl) were zipping around with FPV racers. I kept mine up in the air off to the side as we walked up to them. Got talking to them they checked out my Mavic (he was rather impressed), we checked at those racers, holy crap those things can move. My Daughter has flown Syma Quad's and a Promark P70 but they let her fly one they keep just to "dash and smash" (his words), that had different modes, they put it in beginner mode for her and she loved it. She finally tried it with some big goggles on she hit a branch and all I could think was "**** thats gonna cost me", the boy runs over flips and screams all good fly away. Well my daughter has been watching videos on them for 3hours now, which is why I asked about the a RTF link.
**** this hobby!!!!

rydfree · Aug 7, 2017

FPV Racing is great . Zipping in between trees ,flipping and rolling a few feet off the deck is awesome in the goggles . I have a Immersion RC Vortex 285 and that thing has taken a beating . The most it ever cost me at once was head on into a tree that broke the front plate and the camera . About $60 , LOL . The folding and modular design takes crashes very well .

Vortex Race Quad 5.8 GHz 350mW Kit | Horizon Hobby

Sparrk · Aug 7, 2017

I'm going with a Wizard 220. There are several variations on the market and several vendors, including US dealers like Grayson Hobby. I figured that I'd start with a relatively inexpensive RTF kit while I research a build to do. The Wizard has some decent reviews from what I could find.

QuadKid · Aug 7, 2017

This is what I started with after the " Toy Quads", very forgiving, pretty fast and has a nice 700TVL FPV Camera, good learning quad, not cheap, you get what you pay for. It is proprietary comes with a DEVO 7 TX, RTF version runs around $399.00 complete, you can find them on sale for $349.00 from time to time.
Very rugged, even has a aluminum roll cage built into it. And a bright Headlight for flying LOS.

This is a good deal, not the 3D but you will never use the 3D once you learn to fly ACRO

Walkera F210 RTF1 Quadcopter Racing Drone w/ DEVO 7, 700TVL Camera & 2 Batteries | eBay