Drones, once-obscure tech gadgets only used by professionals in certain industries, have blown up in popularity in the last several years. Several companies, in particular DJI, have made drones accessible to the consumer level, thus giving birth to a legion of drone enthusiasts who use these little flying machines to do everything from aerial photography or videography to simply recreation. If you think that is as far as consumer drones can go, think again. The drone scene is set to soar to new heights with the all-new DJI FPV, the latest drone from the Chinese company.
Types Of Consumer Drones And FPV Drones
Over the years, we have seen many consumer drones in all shapes and sizes flooding the market. At the very basic, we have miniature-sized toy drones that are smaller than the palm of our hands. They are pretty harmless, kid-friendly, and provide enough entertainment for people who just want to see some objects fly.
Then we have the more sophisticated drones that can fly kilometres away and are equipped with a whole load of high-tech features. These drones—like the DJI Mini series, DJI Spark, and the DJI Mavic series—are the mainstay for drone enthusiasts who want to capture stunning photos and videos from the sky’s vantage point.
That leads us next to FPV drones, a new breed of drones that makes taking to the skies more immersive than ever before. While piloting conventional drones commonly involves looking at a screen (it can be a smartphone or a tablet) attached to a controller, FPV (first-person view) drones come with goggles that drone pilots strap on their head to get “inside” the cockpit of the flying drone. They zip around at high speed and are made primarily with one application in mind: drone racing.
What Is DJI FPV?
The top drone company made its first foray into the FPV drone scene with the aptly-named DJI FPV. The DJI Digital FPV System is designed for the drone racing industry. It consists of the DJI FPV Air Unit Mobile, DJI FPV Camera, DJI FPV Goggles, and DJI FPV Remote Controller.
The system features DJI HD Low Latency FPV Transmission which enables pilots to race more smoothly with a latency within 28 milliseconds, coupled with a transmission range up to 4km and a stunning HD view. On top of that, it also utilises a two-way communication system to stabilise signal connections, giving more flexibility to pilots while manoeuvring through challenging areas.
Components Of The DJI FPV
The drone itself—the DJI FPV Air Unit—records videos at 1080p/60fps during flight to provide pilots with clear and smooth aerial footage. It packs two antennas (both of which are receivers and transmitters) that ensure reliable image transmission through broader signal coverage. It also connects to the DJI FPV Remote Controller wirelessly without the need for any additional receivers. Meanwhile, the DJI FPV Camera on the drone has a 150-degree ultra-wide-angle lens to provide pilots with expansive views.
The DJI FPV Goggles (V2) has two screens and multi-antenna technology for stable video transmission. Four omnidirectional antennas are included to strengthen signal receiving and communication between goggles, the drone air unit, and the remote controller. Despite its intimidating look, the goggles are light and comfortable to wear on the head, even for spectacles-wearing pilots.
The DJI FPV Remote Controller (V2) features an ergonomic design with two adjustable control sticks and a good amount of grip. It allows pilots to fly the drone for up to 4km away with latency as low as 7 milliseconds. There is also the new DJI Motion Controller that uses hand motions to control the drone.
What Can You Do With The DJI FPV Drone?
FPV drones offer pilots the next best flying experience short of being in an actual aircraft’s cockpit. Filling up your entire visual field with a bird’s-eye view from high above is much more immersive with a dedicated pair of goggles than staring at a small display. Also, the DJI FPV drone is for you if you like the thrill of flying your drone really fast (although we have not heard much of drone racing events in Malaysia). It can reach 100kph from zero in just two seconds.
Of course, you can also use the drone for aerial photography/videography as it is capable of 4k/60fps recordings. Safety-wise, it comes with built-in advanced safety features that include forward and downward sensing, Smart Return to Home, Low Battery Return to Home, emergency brake and hover, as well as auxiliary bottom light. On the software side, it has a dedicated mode that combines the freedom of flying with the simplified controls of previous DJI drones.
DJI FPV Drone Price & Availability In Malaysia
You can purchase the DJI FPV drone combo in Malaysia from the DJI Official Store on Shopee Malaysia. The retail price starts at RM5,299, which gives you the basic combo package consisting of the drone, the goggles, and the remote controller.
If you want to go all out, you can get the bundled combo with the DJI motion controller and the Fly More Kit (which includes additional accessories) at RM7,397. There are various other combo packages in between which you can choose to suit your needs.
The Most Immersive Flying Experience, From The Ground
Yes, no doubt it is costly. But there also isn’t anything in the consumer market quite like the DJI FPV drone that gives you a cockpit-flying experience as close as piloting an actual aircraft. Not even virtual reality can create that kind of realism. For aspiring pilots or even former pilots who yearn for the sky, that itself is priceless.
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