Just bought RE goggles

[CaptainRisky]

I've just bought a set of racing edition goggles to use with my Mavic Pro Platinum. I hadn't noticed the goggles section in the forum, and now I've been reading here I'm getting a bit paranoid that I've bought the wrong model. Should I have bought the white ones instead?

Does this model have issues, or was it sorted out with firmware updates? My MPP, controller and batteries are all running the last firmware DJI put out for this model, so I'm assuming the GO 4 app will just offer to update the goggles when I link them to the drone?

I'm seeing some range issues with Mavic 2's, but I've got the old Platinum model and the DJI pages says 7km range. Is this true?

Anything I need to look out for? Do I use the antenna or no?

Thanks for any tips and advice. They should be here soon.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

No the RE are the better of the 2 suitable goggles for the early Mavics, slightly less latency . . . but in reality it'd be hard to pick the difference.
I have the RE for my M1P, they work flawlessly.
You'll find the M1P / MPP and RE Goggles manuals both online with a search, both explain all the features you can use on the RE (and white) goggles, basically ALL the goggles features on those drones

No, I don't use the antenna, read up the manual think you can for some channel scenarios, but up to a km, no problems without them fitted.

7km range ?
With open signal LOS I'd say very possible in your sort of rural location.
Bearing in mind VLOS rules, I know you have a fairly unique situation in properties around you, but remember the manned aircraft thing can still happen and that's what VLOS rule is for, situational awareness and the ability to react / adjust your flight to suit.
Not possible in reality if you can't see the drone or the aircraft.

 

[jspil]

The antenna is for analog use with non DJI racing drones. I have a Swellpro Spry+ that uses 5.8 Mhz for video transmission and the RE goggles work amazingly well with it.

 

[CaptainRisky]

Cheers guys.

I saw something about change of account/ownership or something being an issue when buying secondhand. Is that actually a thing?

Of course I'll be very careful in my use, and the wife is there as my spotter. I was only asking about the 7km range in the context that I was wondering if the claimed range of the RE goggles is the same as the controller, and I did see some posts about the range with the MP2 being crap. I'm not going to fly my drone 7km out as I'd never get it back if it went down.

I'm thinking these should be awesome for my planned drone fishing attempts. Again I've got some remote and secluded beaches around here where I can fly out a couple of hundred meters VLOS, then tilt straight down to see over the water and flip my goggles down (with spotter handy) for a quick look at the fish action before releasing my line. Sounds good in theory.... big plans.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

The REALLY nice thing about white or RE Goggles and M1P, MPP, M2 drones, is they work cordless with the original occusync, AND you can still use your regular device.
Very nice for giving others a pilot seat ride

Also handy as you can tilt up goggles and have the screen for take off and landing (for safety, I usually don't use RTH), or at any time though landing time can take the eyes a few secs to readjust to daylight.

 

[CaptainRisky]

The REALLY nice thing about white or RE Goggles and M1P, MPP, M2 drones, is they work cordless with the original occusync, AND you can still use your regular device.
Very nice for giving others a pilot seat ride

Also handy as you can tilt up goggles and have the screen for take off and landing (for safety, I usually don't use RTH), or at any time though landing time can take the eyes a few secs to readjust to daylight.

Yes I very much like that I can have the tablet there as well, and that I can take the wife/kids for a "ride" with the goggles.

It almost seems they haven't made anything as good or practical since. I'm very happy with the combo I've picked in the MPP and RE goggles.

I'm actually looking for a cheap second set so I've got a bunch of batteries and the older/rougher of the 2 drones can be used for high risk ventures like fishing. I've found one set for 300 with the ribbon cable issue but 4 batteries (he's not answering his ad though), and another working with a little bit of crash damage for around the same price.

I like the idea of doing some mods, but don't want to mess with my immaculate MPP... need a "crash test dummy" for a spare!

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I like the idea of doing some mods, but don't want to mess with my immaculate MPP... need a "crash test dummy" for a spare!

Yes a good idea . . . shame to take out a MPP doing the fishing drops.
A decent M1P is all you need, and the beauty there is with a 2nd controller you could set it up to work 2 controllers with either drone, a master and slave, so you can let even totally inexperienced pilots / young folk try your drone with very little risk.

Never had one, but the Gannet release using the LED light switching seems solid, there are other less costly 'mechanical' devices / ways you can deploy a line.
Always watch the line load, wind effect on line and extra forces on a drone.

 

[CaptainRisky]

Yes a good idea . . . shame to take out a MPP doing the fishing drops.
A decent M1P is all you need, and the beauty there is with a 2nd controller you could set it up to work 2 controllers with either drone, a master and slave, so you can let even totally inexperienced pilots / young folk try your drone with very little risk.

Never had one, but the Gannet release using the LED light switching seems solid, there are other less costly 'mechanical' devices / ways you can deploy a line.
Always watch the line load, wind effect on line and extra forces on a drone.

I think the Gannet got away with some overpricing as they were first in. There's some decent looking ones on ebay using the same light sensor principle and a simple servo arm for about 50 bucks. I'll start there.

 

[CaptainRisky]

OK, these things are awesome!

Haven't flown with them yet, but just linked them and tried the gimbal head tracking which is just unbelievable.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Try the FPV mode, easy to toggle on / off with controller C1 I think it is.
The locked gimbal really gives you a pilots perspective.

 

[jspil]

A follow up to my earlier comment. The range I am getting with my M2P is really bad for some reason. Even in a wide open field the signaidal starts breaking up at roughly 700 feet distance and 300 feet altitude. Research I did before purchasing the goggles used said that the range should be much better. What a I missing?

 

[CaptainRisky]

Try the FPV mode, easy to toggle on / off with controller C1 I think it is.
The locked gimbal really gives you a pilots perspective.

It seems I have to turn the head tracking back on each time I start it if I want it. It doesn't seem to save the last setting. I haven't flown with that on yet, I just did it in the fixed setting in the backyard today which was fine for now. I see the head tracking gimbal being useful if I fly a waypoint mission, as I could look around while it did it's thing. Amazing picture by the way! I used my reading glasses with the goggles and it worked very well.

I use the C1 to bring up my battery status, I just like to do that. I use the C2 to turn the front LED's on/off, just because I plan to use this setup to release a fishing line, and the release mechanism is activated by a light sensor. I've found that when the goggles are switched on you lose C1/C2 on the controller, and they are activated by the 2 buttons under the RH side of the goggles, which I don't really like as I can still feel them just fine on the controller while wearing the goggles and would prefer that.

It seems the goggles disable the 4 way lever/jog switch on the controller as well (does it?), and I can't find any reference to how it's done on the goggles. I've got my switch set for just up/down with the gimbal, again to use (hopefully soon) with my fishing release mechanism. Big plans... mark a waypoint mission over an area of beach, watch down for fish, spot fish, pause mission and "bombs away!"

So how to I flip the gimbal up/down while wearing the goggles?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

With goggles on, my C1 toggle on / off the FPV flight mode (gimbal fixed / locked in horizontal, so vision like aircraft turns).

My 5D button still toggles gimbal up / down with goggles on I think, not 100% sure, don't use that a lot.
Would be good for fishing though, look down fast, look up again fast.

 

[CaptainRisky]

With goggles on, my C1 toggle on / off the FPV flight mode (gimbal fixed / locked in horizontal, so vision like aircraft turns).

My 5D button still toggles gimbal up / down with goggles on I think, not 100% sure, don't use that a lot.
Would be good for fishing though, look down fast, look up again fast.

I'm almost certain my 5D button doesn't work with the goggles on, but to be honest it's all so daunting that I'm not fully over all the controls yet. I'll check again.

Yes, for fishing flicking the gimbal up and down fast will be very handy. I need to learn waypoints and practice plotting a route so I can be looking down at the water as it runs its mission.

Took my MPP out to 2.5kms with the goggles today (over private and remote land, with full permission of the owner), and they worked flawlessly. I am very impressed with this combination. This time I saw a power line and flew higher over it, not watched it in shock from 3m away on my laptop back at the house. You really have to watch trees as well... they seem to have magnets in them.

Now to find a second, bit rougher/cheaper MP1/MPP to tie a fishing line to and fly low over salt water... not doing it to my nice clean MPP.