Early days FPV Newbie questions

[Balmybaldwin]

Hello, I'm new here (and to flying MRs)

Currently running a DJI F450 with Naza M V2 & GPS, and learning to fly it LOS (and will be for at least a few months), but my long term plan is to go fpv, so I'm starting to do my research into what I need. (I'm also not sure that I won't build a custom frame that is more easily transportable, but that's another question entirely - my point is that I'm treating the dji frame is just a starter frame)

It seems as ever to be no end of different suppliers/specs and combinations available... from "starter kits" with vTx,vRx,monitor etc included to individual items. What should I really be looking at in terms of specs (i.e. what's important?)

What are the advantages/disadvantages of goggles over a screen?

I read that of the various frequencies for vtx/vrx 900mhz tends to suffer least from interference in terms of transmitting around trees, buildings etc Is this right? Is there much difference? Is vTx power more important? As I'm using 2.4 Ghz for my main Tx and have GPS, am I right in thinking that the only frequencies available to me are 5.8Ghz and 900Mhz? (Also I'm UK based does that change what I can use?)

Whilst I want to do aerial photography and FPV, I'm not convinced I want my GoPro to be my FPV camera, and would rather keep this for filming, as I'm guessing the tx/rx process will either need to be expensive, or to transmit a much lower resolution that I would want to film in? Also, I'm likely to want to film to the side rather than straight on, and it will make life easier if I don't have to fly sideways to film a subject. To that end I'm thinking I want a small security type camera for FPV view, before adding a seperate gimbal mounted main camera (possibly operated by a second operator). Does this sound like a good idea?

Ideally I would like quite a lot of redundancy in transmission range for the video feed (i.e. a range greater than my Tx provides) so if it goes out of range and auto lands/plumets from the sky I still have a video feed to locate the drone/pieces more easily so what kind of vTx power should I be looking at (I'm running a 2.4Ghz Devo 10 tx)

For those that are UK based, who are your favourite suppliers of bits? do you buy UK or import (and do you get hit by tax?) prices seem much better in the US

Many thanks for your help folks

 

[kloner]

for what gear, it's usually brand related so if you want an immersion 25mw 5.8, you need that rx. You want to make sure the bands you use are legal. you want to make sure there compatible with everything else on the rig. Generaly cheap fpv tx's have a huge noise floor and make everything you have suck range wise, higher quality stuff is lawmate or immersion to me.

no redundancy on a system required but a backup ground system would be a better idea.... have two single channel systems, get a nice cp antenna set. the new magic mushroom ones, aka ultra bluebeams work rad on the receiver, and a rubber duck on the craft. makes the rig alot more crash survivable and the rubber ones are cheap.

to do serious imagry, you need to see out of the camera view so stuff is framed. you don't want to fly from that, so get a dji osd or a camera switch and it'll let you flip between two views with a switch on the tx.

pretty sure your restricted to 25mw vtx,,,,, i know the immersion will go 5+ miles in perfect conditions

 

[Topflight]

for what gear, it's usually brand related so if you want an immersion 25mw 5.8, you need that rx. You want to make sure the bands you use are legal. you want to make sure there compatible with everything else on the rig. Generaly cheap fpv tx's have a huge noise floor and make everything you have suck range wise, higher quality stuff is lawmate or immersion to me.

no redundancy on a system required but a backup ground system would be a better idea.... have two single channel systems, get a nice cp antenna set. the new magic mushroom ones, aka ultra bluebeams work rad on the receiver, and a rubber duck on the craft. makes the rig alot more crash survivable and the rubber ones are cheap.

to do serious imagry, you need to see out of the camera view so stuff is framed. you don't want to fly from that, so get a dji osd or a camera switch and it'll let you flip between two views with a switch on the tx.

pretty sure your restricted to 25mw vtx,,,,, i know the immersion will go 5+ miles in perfect conditions

KLONER
Looking to get a set of fpv goggles, with the main reason being it's difficult to see monitor, regardless of the size, when it is bright and sunny out. Have a few questions questions, as there is no place around here to try them on.
What is the best set of goggles on the market today
Are most transmitters 5.8 s systems? I currently use DJIs 5.8
I don't need glasses for distance, but need them for reading. Should I be ok without glasses?
Do you usually use a spotter to keep an eye on your bird
Is it better to have a good receiver system that is cabled to the goggles, or get a self contained goggles so as not to have all the cables.
Any other information I need to be concerned with? Thanks

 

[kloner]

I'm not a goggle guy so have no idea on whats best.... there is some buzz about immersion or fat shark 5.8 hd goggles, has a built in dvr... think i saw $550. alot of people use the dominator set.... so expensive and so hard to use IMO. the goggles offer things for people with glasses, the doms have a distance adjustment

your dji vtx is not compatible with fat shark goggles, you'll need a matching vtx to the goggles

I use a monitor, it lets you do los circles while getting used to what all is going on that makes it easier to look down, get some fpv, look back up at the model..... i tried goggles, it is the hardest most challenging way to fpv, bar none.

depending on your country, you may need amature radio licensing

good luck

 

[Topflight]

I'm not a goggle guy so have no idea on whats best.... there is some buzz about immersion or fat shark 5.8 hd goggles, has a built in dvr... think i saw $550. alot of people use the dominator set.... so expensive and so hard to use IMO. the goggles offer things for people with glasses, the doms have a distance adjustment

your dji vtx is not compatible with fat shark goggles, you'll need a matching vtx to the goggles

I use a monitor, it lets you do los circles while getting used to what all is going on that makes it easier to look down, get some fpv, look back up at the model..... i tried goggles, it is the hardest most challenging way to fpv, bar none.

depending on your country, you may need amature radio licensing

good luck

Thanks for the information. What size and make of monitor are you using and how good is it flying on bright days? I was out a couple days ago and it was sunny with lots of snow on ground and almost impossible to see monitor image. You use a shroud of any kind?

 

[kloner]

you want the fpv shop monitors, there pretty much all the same... the 7-8" variety has a down arrow on the face that lets you change contrast like the goggles have,,,, the rest of the sizes make you navigate into the osd to change which is the last thing you want..... a good camera for this will be constantly auto adjusting to make snow to no snow viewable.... on a hero it is that spot light sensor they recomend for inside a car viewing sun out of the car.... any other setting will then won;t have a picture viewable on anything goggle or monitor.....

I have foxtec, luminier and readymade 8" monitors in my bag..... ll the same exact thing. they have a matt screen so sun isn't a big deal and they come with sun shades.... obviously you gotta turn the monitor to make shade across the screen, but i've logged thousands of hours like that, no trouble seeing....

heres a camera man on said monitor

 

[Topflight]

you want the fpv shop monitors, there pretty much all the same... the 7-8" variety has a down arrow on the face that lets you change contrast like the goggles have,,,, the rest of the sizes make you navigate into the osd to change which is the last thing you want..... a good camera for this will be constantly auto adjusting to make snow to no snow viewable.... on a hero it is that spot light sensor they recomend for inside a car viewing sun out of the car.... any other setting will then won;t have a picture viewable on anything goggle or monitor.....

I have foxtec, luminier and readymade 8" monitors in my bag..... ll the same exact thing. they have a matt screen so sun isn't a big deal and they come with sun shades.... obviously you gotta turn the monitor to make shade across the screen, but i've logged thousands of hours like that, no trouble seeing....

heres a camera man on said monitor

Out of those three monitors, which would you suggest? Do any of them go to a blue screen with distortion of signal? Looking at your picture, are those 2 patch antennas on either side and what is the piece of equipment behind the patch antennas and the piece down below on the tripod?

 

[kloner]

there all the same, none of them bluescreen, they play straight static. when i say the same, i'm talking EXACT SAME

the top one shown is a 5.8 with a ultra bluebeam. bottom picture is a 2.4 duo with a pair of crosshairs and a 5.8 re transmitting it to the pits.... the black thing on the duo is a dvr out of it's case and heat shrunk

these are more inline with what i do now.....

i bail all the monitors stock plugs and crap.... redo the wires straight to the pcb...