How to get into FPV Drones - Beginners Guide
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If you're interested in FPV drones, then you’re in the right place. Having been there myself, I understand how overwhelming it can be. I’ll try to cover everything I can to get you started in FPV and point you in the right direction so you don’t get lost along the way!
What Is FPV?
FPV stands for "first person view". In the RC community, or more specifically, the drone world, it relates to viewing or piloting the drone from the drones view, or cockpit perspective. This is accomplished by wearing a set of goggles that are linked to a forward facing camera on the drone. Flying FPV drones adds an element of immersion that makes it feel like you're actually flying inside your craft instead of just operating it remotely. The controls on FPV drones are also almost entirely manual. Though this is much more complex and requires a high level of skills, the pilot has a lot more flexibility and freedom than standard autonomous drones.
FPV Style
FPV piloting is a completely manual mode of piloting and very different from autonomous drones allowing full freedom and flexibility of flight. Once the controls are mastered, how its flown is up to the creativity of the pilot. There are 4 main categories of FPV flying.
Freestyle - Freestyle FPV is an acrobatic form of flying where the primary goal is performing aerial tricks. This style of flying is typically jarring to viewers who aren’t FPV pilots as it is usually heavily based on flips, rolls, and flying through narrow gaps. The better Freestyle pilots pride themselves on taking smooth lines and stacking tricks together that keep good rhythm. In the FPV world this is called “Flow”!
Racing - Drone Racing is the sporting aspect of FPV. There are competitions at all levels all over the world but the most popular is the Drone Racing League, DRL.
Cinematic - Cinematic FPV pilots use the freedom and versatility of FPV drones as a means to shoot unique and incredible cinematic footage. This has become widely popular in recent years for vehicle tracking shots in car and truck commercials, promo videos, action movie sequences, and more!
Long Range - Long Range FPV is typically a bit more specialized with the equipment but allows the pilot to reach much greater distances. This often pairs well with Cinematic style FPV where the pilot will shoot a cinematic shot over a long distance such as tracking a mountain ridge.
[GoPro Hero 11 Mini - 4K60 - DJI Goggles V1 - Custom FPV 5” Race Drone - TBS Tango 2]
Getting Started
Components of an FPV System - There are three main components to an FPV System: The Drone, Goggles, and Radio Transmitter. The Radio Transmitter is how you control the actions of the Drone. It is a great starting point if you’re interested in FPV drones because you can connect it to your computer and start flying simulators without purchasing any additional gear or making larger financial commitments before you’re even able to fly confidently. The TBS Tango 2 is a great Transmitter to consider and a perfect first purchase to enter the FPV world!
Simulators - There are a lot of great Simulator options available today for FPV Drones. Each has its little pros and cons, but for the most part they are all very valuable. People to to get to serious in there expectations of Simulators and really nit pick the physics and/ or graphics. Keep an open mind and focus on the purpose of using the simulators as a tool for skill development of flying FPV drones.
DRL - Drone Racing League is probably the most popular simulator today. It is the official simulator of the professional Drone Racing League and as such puts emphasis on the racing aspects of FPV. This is a great simulator and a great tool for building skills. If your focus is mainly Cinematic flying I recommend still getting in some race time. Pushing times and hitting gates is a fast way to polish your skills, and DRL is the leader in this space. I probably use DRL the most these days.
Liftoff - Liftoff is another great and popular sim that has some of the best graphics and tends to focus more on realism. I started with this sim and still enjoy it a lot for practicing cinematic lines, freestyle, and to shake things up from time to time. Liftoff also has several expansion packs that are worth exploring. One places moving vehicles in the maps which is a huge feature for the cinematic pilots who want to practice tracking moving targets.
Velocidrone - Velocidrone is another highly popular FPV drone simulator worth looking into. I admittedly have not used Velocidrone to date, but it……
FPV Drone Components - FPV drones are a much simpler construction than commercial drones. They do not have all the tech on board that allows for autonomous flight, crash avoidance sensor, etc. FPV Drones consist of 6 main components: The Frame, ESC, Flight Controller, Air Unit, & Motors.
Frame - The backbone of the Drone. Frames are usually made of carbon fiber so they are lightweight and durable.
ESC - Electrical Speed Controller. This controls the speed of the motors by raising and lowering voltage.
FC - Flight Controller, or FC for short is the drone brain. It takes the pilots commands and sends it to the ESC to adjust the power of the motors.
Motors - The motors of course are what spin the props to create flight!
Air Unit - The Air Unit is a module and camera that sends a video feed from the drone to your FPV goggles.
Analog VS Digital - Analog video is the original technology of FPV and where it all started. The video is a much lower quality than the newer Digital Video products but typically has lower latency and greater range. Digital FPV offers HD quality video which enhances the flying experience and makes it easier to use. Digital has become a lot more mainstream in recent years but Analog is still desirable for specific uses such as Long Range FPV.
BNF VS DIY - BNF, or Bind N Fly, also called RTF, or Ready to Fly, refers to FPV drones that are factory built. These often cost more than if you were to buy the parts individually and assemble the drone yourself. It is certainly nice to unbox a new bird and simply bind it to your controller and goggles and be in action. This is something I definitely recommend when starting out as there is already a lot to learn and take in so its a nice way to get in the air and enjoy the hobby a little bit before going down the build and repair rabbit hole. Trust me, you will get plenty of opportunity to build and rebuild FPV drones.
Extras & Accessories -
Backpack - Given the amount of gear, and the places you will most likely be taking it, a dedicated drone backpack is pretty much a must have item. My favorite is the Torvol Pit Stop. Originally designed for Drone Racing, the Torvol Pit Stop comes with a rain cover, a fold out worktop, a fire resistant battery bag, plenty of room and compartments for your gear, and exterior mounting options for several quads.
Batteries - Batteries typically last 3 to 5 minutes per flight in a high performance FPV drone. Their are exceptions of course such as the Flywoo Explorer that sees flight times around 22 minutes, but for the most part flights are relatively short so you will want to have a decent stockpile of batteries on hand. Batteries are offered in many different cell counts (Noted by the “S” designation. So for example a 4S battery has 4 cells connected in Series), and voltages. You will want to stick to the battery spec that is rated for your drone. I am currently flying a lot of Full Send batteries as well as a variety of budget Batteries from CHL (China Hobby Line) that I have been having pretty good success with.
Charger - There area variety of different chargers available for LiPo batteries to choose from on the market. I currently use this Hota D6 Pro Smart Charger. It charges everything from 1S to 6S, and allows me two charge two batteries simultaneously. It also has a built in wireless charger on the top which comes in handy for topping off my phone from time to time.
Props - Props are probably the product you will end up buying the most of in your FPV journey. The good news is they are cheap and quick to change out! I keep about 6 sets on hand for each type of quad in my fleet.
Tools - To keep your drones flying, you will inevitably end up with a dedicated workstation (more on that below) for repairs and builds, but keeping a small tool kit with your gear can be super handy for rapid field repairs and prop changes. I use this 11-1 Professional Multitool set. This set comes with a prop tool, and all the necessary drivers for the common hardware of FPV drones. The prop tool that comes with is fine, but I stuck in away in my bag as an extra and replaced it in the main tool kit a Multipurpose Prop Tool.
[11-1 Professional Multitool Kit and my Multipurpose Prop Tool]
[My Torvol Drone Bag loaded up and ready to go with 3 FPV quads]
Where To Fly FPV Drones?
There are of course drone laws that restrict where you are allowed to fly. These change from time to time so you’ll want to keep that in consideration. There are several great apps available today that you can check before you decide to fly. The most obvious No Fly Zones are; Government Buildings, Military Installations, Airports (and there Approach and Departure Ends), National Parks, and Sporting Events.
Depending on the type of flying experience you want to have, there are a variety of really fun places where you can fly your drones. In the beginning its best to look for a park or location that offers plenty of room for maneuvering with some large wide open spaces. As you get the hang of it, you’ll start to identify potential locations that fit your flying style. Popular locations include; remote scenic areas, forests, mountains, waterfalls, abandoned buildings, and parks to name a few.
What If I Crash My FPV Drone?
It’s not if, but when. You will most likely actually crash on your first flight. FPV Drones are pretty resilient. Damage of course depends on the severity of the crash however in most cases the Drones are just fine. The most common damage is a broken prop or two. Of course every once in awhile you may really tune it up good and be forced to tear it down and replace some parts. This may sound a bit daunting at first but as I mentioned earlier, FPV drones are pretty simple and consist of only a few components. Once you get up to speed on them, replacing parts or doing rebuilds becomes pretty routine.
Recovery - When first starting out you will most likely keep your flights pretty close so crash recovery isn’t typically a huge problem. Most early crashes happen on landings. As you get more brave and venture out, or start doing freestyle and shooting gaps, things tend to get more interesting. For some reason it seams that drones don’t like to crash in easy to access locations. That said, the first major hurdle you have when your FPV drone goes down is to locate it, and affect a recovery!
Locating a downed drone
Goggle Recording - When setting up your FPV system, I highly recommend setting your goggles to record your FPV video feed when the Drone is armed. This will start a recording of your flight when you takeoff. This data can be a huge help when trying to locate a downed drone as you can playback the moments before the crash to help get you close.
Bright Colors - If you ever wondered why FPV drones don’t look sleek, stealthy, and expensive and instead tend to be a collage of bright and random colors, you have your answer. The stylish Grey and Black color schemes are tough to find when they go down. Bright clashing colors stand out a lot more and make locating a downed drone much simpler!
Beepers/ Beacon - I know I said FPV drones are made up of 5 components, but you can add some extras. A beeper and beacon is nice to have. The flashing light isn’t much help during the day, but if your goggle feed can get you close, the beeper can finish the job!
GPS - GPS can also be added to FPV Drones. This will display the coordinates in your goggle feed. Tracking the last known coordinates should get you close enough to finding your downed drone.
Recovery Tools & Gadgets
Gravity Hooks - Gravity Hooks are a handy little device to keep with your drone gear. They are small, lightweight, and pack down well. When needed, they are easy to setup and use. They work surprisingly well (see video below!). Of course, you have to have access above the downed drown to be able to hook it, but that’s what another drone is for right? Lol.
Hook Pole - An extendable pole with a hook is always a solid option for the all to common tree rescue. A tool like this worth keeping on standby!
[A good example of how adventurous a Drone recovery can become, and how valuable those Gravity Hooks are!]
Repair - After you crash a drone and get it recovered, you want to examine it good. Minor issues like broken props can be quickly fixed with your field kit, or 11-1 Tool Kit we talked about earlier. Many drone pilots even keep portable soldering tools with them and will tackle almost any repairs on the fly. A dedicated workstation in a more controlled environment is always a bit more appealing however.
Wowstick - The 11-1 tool kit offers some nice drivers for quickly disassembling FPV frames and getting access to components and solders, but its hard to beat electric tools! The Wowstick is a portable electric screw driver with 64 bits that will cover all of your FPV needs. This welcome addition to the workbench speeds up disassembly and assembly and takes some stress off your hands.
Soldering Station - Soldering tools are the heart and soul of the FPV workbench. I personally like a dedicated soldering station for my workbench because it has some helping hands, a magnifier with led light to help you see, as well as customizable temperature control that gets to temperature very fast so your not having to wait on the tool.
Soldering Mat - A silicon soldering mat is great to have if your going to be doing any regular amount of soldering. The mat can resist very high temperatures which protects your work area and increases safety. They come with built in compartments which help prevent misplacing parts and tools. The silicon construction is also great for collecting solder splash and debris because it doesn’t stick to it.
Hot Air Rework - Hot Air Rework Stations are great for getting hot air to specific places like reseating a solder joint without affecting the rest of the component. With FPV drones, a lot of the work is smaller and in tighter areas so they also come in very handy for shrinking heat shrink tubing.
[The soldering station on my FPV Drone workbench]
Additional Resources
There is so much to cover regarding the FPV Drone hobby that its impossible to put it all in one article. Hope fully this is enough to get you started. Here are some additional great resources for both learning more about FPV Drones and sourcing parts, gear, and equipment.
Raceday Quads - RDQ is a solid company with a great reputation that typically gets orders out very fast with the intent to keep you flying! They have a large catalog of Drones, Parts, Gear, Tools, and more!
Get FPV - GetFPV is another great source for Quads, Parts, Gear, Tools, and more. Like RDQ, they have a solid reputation and tend to ship quickly.
China Hobby Line - China Hobby Line is a great source for batteries. They often toss out some pretty wild deals. Its worth being on their mailing list.
Joshua Bardwell - Joshua Bardwell is an FPV pilot and YouTube creator who offers up his knowledge and experience to help others and grow the hobby. If you need any help or guidance along the way, it’s not beneath him to respond to you. He is a pretty down to earth guy and definitely worth following.
Oscar Liang - Oscar Liang is an FPV Blogger that like Joshua Bardwell, offers up a ton of great knowledge about the hobby. His blogs are a great resource for beginner FPV pilots.
