FPV drone: where to start for a beginner?.

Contents

1 Introduction
2 Main components of FPV drone
3 Dimensions FPV drone
3.1 Dimension table
4 Step 1. Add. accessories
4.1 Control panel
4.2 FPV goggles / helmet
4.3 Pairing devices
4.4 Battery
4.5 Charger
5 Step 2. Teach
5.1 Simulators
6 Step 3. Practice
6.1 Recommended micro FPV drones
7 Summarizing
8 Videos

Introduction

The advanced user drone park usually includes several drones, which in turn are divided into GPSFPV drones

The rapidly gaining popularity of FPV drones / quads / quadrics is the exact opposite of GPS drones. It was this niche that gave birth to spectacular drone racing and drone freestyle. In a hobby, such UAVs are used to implement free dynamic flight in the first person mode, which allows the user to give the user an indescribable sensation - the flight of a bird. The aforementioned freedom of flight becomes available due to the absence of any electronic restrictions in FPV drones, both in power and in control. Ideally, such drones are assembled and configured by the user from scratch

Serial models are usually available to the consumer in BNF or PNPbattery (available only for BNF kit), remote control, FPV goggles / helmet (rarely FPV monitor) and charger are purchased separately. FPV drone control is possible only in one - Acro mode (excludes electronic assistants responsible for auto stabilization and holding the drone position), which requires the user to have special piloting skills, which are developed exclusively during long training sessions. In other words, a beginner will not be able to fly such a drone the first time.

Note that some sellers put batteries in PNP equipment, so you shouldn't be surprised if you come across such a kit.

In this article, we will walk the novice user step by step on where to start to quickly enter and grow into the FPV drone niche.

The main components of an FPV drone

To get right to the development of the topic, it is best to start with an overview of the main components of an FPV drone, thanks to which the drone can fly and the pilot can use it. First Person Control:

Frame
Flight Controller
Motors
Propellers
Speed Controllers (ESC)
FPV Camera
VTX
Receiver
Antennas
Battery
Control panel (control equipment / transmitter)
FPV goggles / helmet / monitor

Components such as ESCs can be executed in a 4-in-1/4-in-1 form factor (as a single board), which allows them to be located in the center of the drone above the flight controller.

FPV Drone Sizes

In the drone hobby FPV drones are divided into two main size groups, Micro and Mini. Which specific group the drone belongs to is predetermined by its frame - the main frame on which all the components of the drone are mounted. Frame size is the diagonal distance between two quad motors. Micro FPV drones - frame sizes ranging up to 150mm. Mini FPV drones - frame sizes range from 150-305mm. The drones from the mini group are not toys, they are powerful and can reach speeds up to 160 km / h and even more, and this is what you will strive for as you grow. It is recommended to start entering the racing drones niche with micro quadrics, as they act as a kind of "go-kart" before moving to high-speed "race cars".

Note! In addition to the group, the size of the frame also determines the size of the propeller that can be mounted on it. That is, each frame is designed for a specific propeller size, so in hobbies the frame is also referred to depending on the propeller size. So when you hear people mention "5" props, it means they are talking about a 5 "props frame.

Dimension table

Step 1. Add. accessories

As we noted above, the best production FPV drones often come in two possible configurations: BNF (includes: drone, battery, receiver, charger) and PNP (includes: drone, receiver). In order to lift such a drone into the sky, you will need to purchase the missing accessories, without which it will be impossible to fly, including in first-person mode. Accordingly, for the BNF configuration, these missing accessories are: a remote control and FPV goggles (helmet / monitor), and for PNP configuration: a remote control, FPV goggles / helmet (less often an FPV monitor), a battery and a charger. Below we will tell you about the most relevant companion devices today, which are best suited for promoting in a hobby.

There is also ARF equipment in which the drone comes in a completely disassembled state (designer). Such a complete set will require from you the skills of owning a soldering iron and not only that, in general, the lot of already advanced users. Less often, but still there is a RTF package, which has everything you need for FPV flight (drone, remote control, FPV goggles / helmet / monitor), battery, charger), you just need to charge Battery and you can take off.

Control panel

As a rule, the control panel of GPS drones

Frsky (TX protocols: D8 / D16 / LR12; RX protocols: SBUS / FPort)
Flysky (TX protocols: AFHDS / AFHDS 2A; RX protocols: IBUS)
Spectrum (TX protocols: DSM / DSM2 / DSMX; RX protocols: DSM / DSM2 / DSMX)

Note that there are multi-protocol control equipment on the market that allows you to interface with various receivers, including with the above mentioned.

Recommended remotes

The remotes presented below have stood the test of time and are the best solution for entering and promoting a hobby today. The best products are from Frsky, they are preferred by most fans of the drone hobby from amateurs to professionals:

Frsky

Taranis X9D Plus

Taranis X9D Plus Special Edition

Taranis QX7S

Taranis QX7

Spectrum

Spectrum DX6

Spectrum DX8

Flysky

Flysky I6

Flysky I6S

Turnigy Evolution Pro

Universal control equipment

Inexpensive multi-protocol control equipment has positively proven itself in the unmanned hobby. Supports about 40 known protocols including those mentioned above.

Jumper T8SG v2.0 Plus

The control panel in the UAV racing niche belongs to the same group of devices, which, with the right choice, can go from a beginner to an advanced pilot without replacement.

FPV goggles / helmet

FPV goggles / helmet is the next additional accessory that you need to purchase, so how without them flying in the first person (FPV) mode will be impossible. Compared to remotes, the range of FPV goggles produced is much wider. We tried to collect the most successful models from different manufacturers that are available for purchase today, which have managed to positively prove themselves in practice, and have arranged them in ascending order in terms of price and manufacturability.

Recommended FPV Goggles / Helmets

Eachine VR006

Eachine VR-007 Pro

Eachine EV100

SJ RG01

Eachine EV800

Eachine EV800D

Eachine Goggles Two

Skyzone SKY02C

Eachine EV200D

Fatshark Attitude V5

Aomway Commander

Aomway Commander V2

Skyzone SKY03O

Fatshark HDO2

Orqa FPV. ONE

DJI FPV Goggles

Also, flying in first person mode can be realized via FPV monitor but due to its less immersive effect, it is less commonly used by FPV drone pilots.

Pairing devices

Remote control receiver

As we said above, each of the presented remotes interacts directly with a specific receiver developer. In order for them to start interacting, they will need to be linked (bind / bind). This process is simple and one-time, but for each console and receiver it is implemented in its own way. Step-by-step visual instructions can be found in the FPV drone manual or on YouTube.

FPV goggles video transmitter

Pairing FPV goggles with a video transmitter (VTX) is the same as searching for TV channels on a TV. After turning on the drone, it is enough to start the autosearch of the broadcast video channel via the goggles interface (if this function is available for the FPV goggles / helmet ), or perform the search manually and you can take off. The goggles / helmet can be powered both from the built-in and from an external battery. The built-in battery is usually charged from the charger supplied with the goggles / helmet, and the external battery is charged from the charger, which you will definitely buy in addition to charge the drone's batteries.

Battery

If a rechargeable battery is not included in the package of the selected FPV drone model ( PNP packageLiPo ) choose a battery from a number of well-known third-party developers. In this case, in addition to the recommended characteristics, the user should pay attention to the connecting connector of the drone's power cable, which, as a rule, is of the following types: JSTJST-PH 2.0BT2.0XT30XT60

Recommended batteries for micro FPV drone:

1S (3.7V / 3.8V) LiPo batteries

Luminier 1S 3.7v 205mAh 25C

New Bee Drone Nitro Nectar 1S 3.7v 250mAh 30C

Tattu 1S 3.7v 220mAh 45C

GNB 1S 3.8v 300mAh HV 30C

BetaFPV 1S 3.8v 300mAh HV 30C

GNB 1S 3.7v 350mAh 80C

Eachine 1S 3.8v 460mAh HV 50C

Emax 1S 3.8v 450mah HV 80C

GNB 1S 3.8v 520mAh HV 80С

2S (7.4V /7.6V) LiPo battery

BetaFPV 2S 300mAh 45C

Tattu 2S 300mAh 45C

URUAV 2S 300mAh HV 80C

GNB 2S 300mAh HV 80C

Acehe 2S 450mAh 75C

GNB 2S 650mAh 60C

XF Power 2S 450mAh 75C

GNB 2S 450mAh HV 80C

3S (11.1 / 11.4V) LiPo batteries

GNB 3S 300mAh 80C HV

BetaFPV 3S 450mAh 75C

CNHL Ministar 3S 450mAh 70C

Infinity 3S 550mAh 70C

RDQ series 3S 450mAh 80C

GNB 3S 550mAh 80C

Tattu 3S 450mAh 75C

GNB 3S 450mAh 80C HV [38 1]

GNB 3S 520mAh 80C HV

GNB 3S 650mAh 60C HV

Acehe 3S 650mAh 75С

When choosing LiPo, always stick to reputable brands to ensure decent quality and performance. Remember, once you save on LiPo, you can pay very dearly for it! More details about lithium-polymer batteries, how to select them correctly, safely operate, charge, store and dispose of them can be found in our review.

Charger

This is the next additional device that will need to be purchased, as any battery needs to be charged after use. There are many chargers available on the global market (Amazon, Ebay, AliExpress, GearBest, Banggood, etc.), but as with battery / control equipment, not all of them are equally useful. A correctly selected charger can not only serve well for a long time, but also maintain the maximum energy efficiency of the battery throughout its entire service life. Below, we have selected for you a number of the most successful chargers that have managed to positively recommend themselves in any of our hobbies.

Recommended chargers

Batteries indicated in the list are universal devices and can charge batteries of various types and capacities used in hobbies both for powering UAVs and other radio models and not only. We also note that the charger kits do not always have all the necessary adapters for charging the battery, but they can always be purchased separately.

SKYRC B6 AC V2

Important! The presented model is in great demand in the hobby, and therefore there are a large number of fakes on the market, which in turn are famous for their short service life and unsatisfactory charge quality! Before buying, always check with the seller for information about the originality of the product. For your information! On the back of the branded charger, there is always a security code

SKYRC IMAX B6 mini

Important! The presented model is in great demand in the hobby, and therefore there are a large number of fakes on the market, which in turn are famous for their short service life and unsatisfactory charge quality! Before buying, always check with the seller for information about the originality of the product. For your information! Onthe back of the branded charger, there is always a security code

ProLead RC B6 80AC

Tenergy TB6AC 80W

SKYRC Q200