Review-comparison...FPV Masks: Magicmask/Dronemask vs cheap VR goggles

[vindibona1]

It's been a LONG winter and I'm finally getting the urge to go back out and fly. I had some ailments that kept me inside all winter. So both boredom and curiousity collided and I decided I wanted to try a pair of those Magimask/Moviemask/Dronemask (all the same product. A little pricey but I haven't filled up the gas tank in over a month.

What got me curious about the DroneMask last year was that it didn't require a special program to use. No Litchi or DroneVR required. You can fly it with DJI fly or any other interface. How did it compare to the $28 VR goggles I got and reviews last year? While preliminary, the answers are mostly in. There are pros and cons to both types of non-DJI FPV/VR goggles.

First the Dronemask:

It's well built, but heavy. 450 grams, which wasn't noted in the specs. It's pretty easy to use. Clamp your phone in, turn on Fly, Go4, Litchi (in normal mode and you're ready to go. It has focus adjustment that moves the outer housing closer or further away. I you happen to need reading glass magnification it moves further away. However the it creates a longer lever arm on the "fulcrum" of the straps that hang on your head. That increases perceived weight significantly. In my case I use an iPhone XR which itself weigh 250 grams. So I'm hanging 700 grams on my head. However it has GOOD adjustable straps so at least it stays put. They didn't skimp on materials but you pay for it with weight.

It works as described. Open the program, set the settings close it up and go. The one other big negative that I see is that the closure is used with zippers. Since the phone is held in place inside, a "clip" closure system would have been far more convenient. With drones that have the Mini 2 type controller it can be a pain because you don't have C1 and C2 buttons and the toggle and two scroll wheels like the Mavic 2 does. The good news is that since the phone is held in place you can pop open the front, make the changes and then zip it up a bit. The other thing is that I found it too heavy to stay on top of my head when I wanted to eyeball the drone.

Now the $28 VR goggles...


I've been using the Pecosa brand of VR Goggles and out of the box found them needing a lot of fixes. But $28? So I decided to stick with them for the time (last year). The thing is with VR Goggles you need an interface that has a split screen function, unlike the Dronemask (you are just looking at the phone screen, so you can use with any program- even regular movies/tv from your phone. The two programs that I found worked well were Litchi and DroneVR. I had been waiting until recently until Litchi supported the Mini 2. I'm not sure if DroneVR caught up yet (though it works great with my Mavic 2).

The Pecosa VR's weigh 291 grams, 160 grams lighter. These were lighter than the first pair of VR goggles I bought and returned, specifically because of the weight (and quality) issues. It has a pop-off front which lightens it up some if you take it off. It's held in magnetically, so I installed a tab to pop it off easily.

The main issues that I have with the Pecosa is comfort (out of the box) and adjustability for presbyopia (needing reading glasses). It's maximum adjustment wasn't enough for my modest presbyopia. So I ended up installing a pair of reading glasses inside, I also found that pushing the phone further away from the mounting face improved the focus adjustability. (see photos). The other issue that I had was that they didn't put the right padding/support at the nose, so I had to do some creative padding (with chair felts) which seems to work pretty well and puts the weight comfortably on my nose rather than just hanging off the back of my head. (see photos below)

Software comparison:
The one advantage of the VR goggles is that in conjunction with Litchi or Drone VR raising the head up and down moves the gimbal up and down without the controller's scroll wheel. With the Mavic 2, you can move the camera up and down but pan left and right as well. The coolest thing with that is that you can fly by something and continue to turn your head toward it and camera just points at it. Not available with the drones that don't have camera panning. But you can still tilt up and down. With DJI Fly or Go4 you do not have an FPV function, but with the Dronemask and Fly/Go4 all the control on the controller. What Dronemask is is an on-face image magnifier. Simple to use and can work with any drone and most reasonably sized phones.

So far I've only flown Dronemask for an indoor test because I don't have VO available. It seems to work reasonably well for what it is. But it's priced at $169, which is 6x the cost of the VR goggles. I'm on the fence about keeping them but will requires some more testing, hopefully in the next few days.

Bottom line; If you can utilize Litchi or DroneVR and don't mind a bit of customization, I think the VR goggles are a great buy. If you want simplicity of interface and a decent (but heavy) mask out of the box with no special software required, the Dronemask might be a good choice if you don't mind the price tag.

So that's the full comparison/review.

 

[Traveler99]

Thanks for the good review. I was in somewhat the same situation, wanting a better visual interface with the drone and not fully satisfied with the screen visibility on my iPhone 12 Pro Max in sunlight. I found myself straining to see the screen and all the small icons and print, especially with the sun washing out the visibility of the screen. I also wear readers for close/small print which just makes the brightness of the sun more problematic.

I also was intrigued with FPV / more immersive visual experience while flying my Air 2S. I found a 15% off deal and bit the bullet and ordered the Dronemask. It was $140 shipped with no sales tax added. It just arrived a few days ago and I've now had a chance to test it out and I can say I'm impressed.

First the bad: I agree with you about the weight, it's fairly heavy, but that's the weight of the phone mostly. The Dronemask seems well padded and well constructed and the straps do a good job holding it in place. Being a former military pilot, it reminds me of some of the gear we had to fly with, helmut, oxygen mask, NVGs, etc... At first they seem bulky, inhibiting and a real PITA. But you get used to them. By my third battery I almost forgot I had the Dronemask on for a moment.

The Good: The immersive visual experience and ability to control your drone are truly amazing! Since I could really see everything very clearly and in great detail I was immediately able to control my drone much better and much more precisely. The view in the mask is almost like a theatre movie screen.

I think the price is a little steep, but for me they add major enjoyment to the whole drone flying experience.

I do want to try some FPV goggles with Litchi or DroneVR but I don't want a pixilated, low resolution visual experience with that option and I'm concerned that's what will result with the screen divided in two.

 

[Captain Spock]

Really appreciate your review. I must wear eyeglasses as I have double vision and am nearsighted. So, being able to see whatever screen is displayed is of utmost importance to me. Out of all the goggles, which ones would you recommend for me with my eyesight? Is Pecosa the best?

 

[vindibona1]

Really appreciate your review. I must wear eyeglasses as I have double vision and am nearsighted. So, being able to see whatever screen is displayed is of utmost importance to me. Out of all the goggles, which ones would you recommend for me with my eyesight? Is Pecosa the best?

I like the Shinecon ones w/o the ear things or remote. About $30. I’ll post a photo later. What I like about the Shinecon is that it’s the easiest one to access your phone and reinsert should you need to access the screen.

If eye alignment is an issue DroneVR app has an adjustment in the app that can be used In conjunction with the goggles. Most glasses can fit in the goggles even though they are compact and lightweight.

 

[vindibona1]

@Captain Spock
Here are the goggles that I think are the best budget VR goggles of the ones that I've tested.
What you see in the photo are the goggles with a BLUE PHONE inserted into the goggles. It's hard to make out that its a phone and could be mistaken as part of the goggles. But it's a phone. It just slides down and held in place. The goggles with the "tray" are heavy, though the trays make them recenter when re-inserted. The Pecosa goggles were my second pair but needed a whole lot of modifications to make them work for me. Getting the phone in and out and centered was problematic. It didn't have enough focusing adjustment so I had to insert silicone pads to push the phone futher away. With that, th "ledge" that the phone is suposed to sit on isn't wide enough. I also had to put padding in at the nose as it seems to have been molded for people with small noses (mine is medium to M/L.).

I had mentioned DroneVR, but need to mention that it is more conducive to iOS than to Android as the menus and features are different.

I hope this helps.

 

[Bebopperoo]

I was a goggles maniac, trying anything and everything to get fpv with my Mavics , spark, and bebop.
Then I found this, which is way better than goggles. Works in all light. Enables my Ipad to be used, allows full access to the screen, and is just better than goggles in every way. Eye distance to screen is about 13 inches, glasses no problem.

 

[Bebopperoo]

Top half can also be removed, providing a sun shade experience instead of a dark room experience

 

[Captain Spock]

@Captain Spock
Here are the goggles that I think are the best budget VR goggles of the ones that I've tested.
What you see in the photo are the goggles with a BLUE PHONE inserted into the goggles. It's hard to make out that its a phone and could be mistaken as part of the goggles. But it's a phone. It just slides down and held in place. The goggles with the "tray" are heavy, though the trays make them recenter when re-inserted. The Pecosa goggles were my second pair but needed a whole lot of modifications to make them work for me. Getting the phone in and out and centered was problematic. It didn't have enough focusing adjustment so I had to insert silicone pads to push the phone futher away. With that, th "ledge" that the phone is suposed to sit on isn't wide enough. I also had to put padding in at the nose as it seems to have been molded for people with small noses (mine is medium to M/L.).

I had mentioned DroneVR, but need to mention that it is more conducive to iOS than to Android as the menus and features are different.

I hope this helps.

View attachment 158163

@vindibona1: WOW! TY for that detail. Really appreciate it. Merry Christmas!

 

[vindibona1]

@vindibona1: WOW! TY for that detail. Really appreciate it. Merry Christmas!

You are most welcome. As horrible as COVID was (and still is) it provided a silver lining to do stuff to breaak the boredom of months of Groundhog Days. I don't know if the thread you read said that I also have a DroneMask/MagiMask. That one is an interesting but more expensive beast. I haven't used it much (the thing is gawd awful heavy and expensive) but it opens up FPV opportunities without 3rd party apps.

If you're going to do the FPV thing with the VR goggles I recommend, in addition to Litchi, you get DroneVR (if you have iOS). It offers some features such as adjusting for pupliary distance, helping to correct double vision that Litchi doesn't have.

If you have a Mavic 2 pro or drone whose gimbal can also pivot left and right it's pretty freaky that you can get the camera to go up/down/left/right by just turning your head. Essentially you can just turn to look at a subject and the camera will go there without stick manipulation.

 

[vindibona1]

I was a goggles maniac, trying anything and everything to get fpv with my Mavics , spark, and bebop.
Then I found this, which is way better than goggles. Works in all light. Enables my Ipad to be used, allowsView attachment 158165 View attachment 158166full access to the screen, and is just better than goggles in every way. Eye distance to screen is about 13 inches, glasses no problem.

Are you going to keep what it is a secret? What is it, a Hoodman?

 

[Captain Spock]

You are most welcome. As horrible as COVID was (and still is) it provided a silver lining to do stuff to breaak the boredom of months of Groundhog Days. I don't know if the thread you read said that I also have a DroneMask/MagiMask. That one is an interesting but more expensive beast. I haven't used it much (the thing is gawd awful heavy and expensive) but it opens up FPV opportunities without 3rd party apps.

If you're going to do the FPV thing with the VR goggles I recommend, in addition to Litchi, you get DroneVR (if you have iOS). It offers some features such as adjusting for pupliary distance, helping to correct double vision that Litchi doesn't have.

If you have a Mavic 2 pro or drone whose gimbal can also pivot left and right it's pretty freaky that you can get the camera to go up/down/left/right by just turning your head. Essentially you can just turn to look at a subject and the camera will go there without stick manipulation.

@vindibona1 You should change your name to GoggleMan! I am an iOS user so DroneRV is sure worth investigating

 

[guru]

I was a goggles maniac, trying anything and everything to get fpv with my Mavics , spark, and bebop.
Then I found this, which is way better than goggles. Works in all light. Enables my Ipad to be used, allowsView attachment 158165 View attachment 158166full access to the screen, and is just better than goggles in every way. Eye distance to screen is about 13 inches, glasses no problem.

Hi what's the brand of it?

 

[Bebopperoo]

Sorry guys, it's just occurred to me what a speciality item this is. It was sold as a branded item by a local drone company (South Africa), but stocks have not been replenished since it sold out, and as the company is now up for sale, stock replenishment is unlikely for a while.
However, the concept of a sun hood, with the added top section, seems to me to be more convenient than the mask idea.
The other advantage is that all the masks magnify the image, which magnifies pixels. Unless you have the best full hd plus screen, you'll notice the dots. Using a screen hood and top obviates this problem.(I do have one extra one, which I will happily swap for a Mavic 3, provided you pay for shipping!).
Possibly do a Google search on the photos to source?
(I do have the DJI white goggles, which I use with my Mavics occasionally, but even with its excellent picture and Mavic specific features, I still use the hood for almost all my flying, except FPV.)
The biggest advantages-
Simply lift your head to view your surroundings
Use your iPad (10" screen)
Very easy access to touch screen
Remove top section for ordinary sun hood
Can leave flaps open for some ambient light
Weight can be transferred via controller to lanyard
Feels very natural to use

If I can source more of these, I'll post details here, but definitely worth checking out.

 

[umanbean]

Hi what's the brand of it?

I know it's not a Hoodman, but the true 'hood' (as opposed to the rather useless three-sided sun shades) pictured in post #6 looks very much like the Hoodman Aviator HAV1KIT Sunshade Hood Base Plus Extender kit iPad Mini 8 Inch Tablets https://a.co/d/bTqxofL -available from Amazon.

Their HAV1 fits the iPad Mini or other 8 inch tablet. Other models are available for other-size tablets

I'm a cheapskate at heart so made one from thin cardboard, same dimensions as the Hoodman... works great!

 

[Bebopperoo]

Yes, looks like the HAV3 plus the hood extender. Mine has 2 flaps instead of the split curtain, but otherwise similar. With almost 3 times the screen area (10" iPad) compared with the 6" screens of the smart controllers, this is way better than any other option I'm aware of .

 

[Captain Spock]

@Bebopperoo and all: Coupla questions: Website video shows the operator using the hood while the hood-iPad-controller combo is standing on a level surface. Am thinking weight and stability.
What's your take on using the setup while standing without base support?
Does the attachment to the controller come with the hood (not clear to me)? And whether it will fit a standard dji mini 2 controller. (what do you use for a controller)?
Appreciate any help you can provide.
(FYI I am struggling using a DroneMask2 as I am farsighted and have double vision. Still trying to make it work).
CS

 

[Bebopperoo]

In my pics, at the base of the hood is a tablet holder, lots available on Amazon. The small rectangular base of the tablet holder fits into all the Mavic controllers, as well as the rc-n1, or any controller that can hold a phone, and attaches to the iPad with a clamp. I use it with both my Mavic and rc-n1 controllers, but it's fine with all DJI controllers.
The hood is actually quite light, and although I started using the hood without the tablet holder by putting it on a portable computer table (angled towards me) and holding the connected controller, I now use it hand held in the tablet holder all the time. I almost always fly seated, so just rest in in my lap, or u can use a lanyard. (Make a portable seat part of your basic equipment).

 

[Bebopperoo]

Attaches like this

 

[Captain Spock]

In my pics, at the base of the hood is a tablet holder, lots available on Amazon. The small rectangular base of the tablet holder fits into all the Mavic controllers, as well as the rc-n1, or any controller that can hold a phone, and attaches to the iPad with a clamp. I use it with both my Mavic and rc-n1 controllers, but it's fine with all DJI controllers.
The hood is actually quite light, and although I started using the hood without the tablet holder by putting it on a portable computer table (angled towards me) and holding the connected controller, I now use it hand held in the tablet holder all the time. I almost always fly seated, so just rest in in my lap, or u can use a lanyard. (Make a portable seat part of your basic equipment).

thanks for the explanation. appreciate it
CS