Hybrid flight goggles

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
I was turned on to these yesterday by another forums member.

http://www.amazon.com/Myvu-Personal...1YQ0/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1295279380&sr=8-7

I've been wondering if I could buy an FPV goggle set that only covers one eye so I could fly my Mikrokopter while also framing photos without having to look away at a display monitor. The Myvu goggles I bought are like FPV bifocals (really dorky looking bifocals IMHO) with sunglasses across the top and the viewing area across the bottom. I had been resigned to having to hire an assistant to go to AP appointments with me but with the goggles I'll be able to work solo.

Needless to say, I'm very happy this morning and can't wait to see how they work.

If anyone goes shopping for a pair, there's an old version and a newer version. The newer version has a larger virtual screen (60" at ten ft I think I was told). There's a pair of the original version on ebay right now.

Bart
 

NOOOOOOO BART NOOOOO! I owned a pair of those goggles. I was planning on using them for FPV for the Hexa. Good thing I tested them out on my old EZSTAR before I used them on the Hexa because things went disasterously. I hate to say they are crap but they are. I didn't have a problem with them indoors but as soon as I went outside you could not see the screens, because of glare. They will work and give you the feed but you can not see the screens because of the way they are set up, you need a hood or something which defeats the purpose of how you wanted to use them....I had the same idea. Here is the video of when I tried to use them and crashed the EZ. Keep in mind it was so heavy with equipment it flew like crap but the reason I lost it is because I was flying blind!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGivF0d7zPg
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
Eric,
The plan is to fly line-of-site at all times and only use the goggles to manipulate the camera position before releasing the shutter. Do you think they'll be unusable in that scenario?
Thanks,
Bart
 

IMHO a monitor would be better if you plan on only using FPV for lining up shots. It is what we have moved to and I find it easier.
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
i've got a 7" monitor coming also but that is supposed to be for customers to watch over my shoulder, so to speak. i can always let the kids use the goggles in the backseat of the car.
thanks for the input.
chilipeppersjam
 

RTRyder

Merlin of Multirotors
Speaking of monitors I just ordered a 7 inch also, a nice upgrade from the 3.5 inch I've been using, the little one was OK but hard to really make out any detail on it. The 7 inch I just ordered off EBay has AV in, TV tuner, and a memory card slot so I have the option of using live feed while in flight or replaying the recording off the SD card once I'm done. I can even watch a little TV while waiting for the Hexa batteries to recharge assuming I can get a signal at the flying field ;)
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
eric,
is it possible you had the original version of the myvu goggles? i understand the latest version is an upgrade from the first.
bart
 

Yeah it's possible but it's still the same basic design right? I didn't have a problem with the video feed it was the glare. Like I said they would probably be fine if you had a hood covering your head but that would defeat the purpose. I think with FPV goggles you kind of get what you pay for. My EZstar and I learned that the hard way.
 


RTRyder

Merlin of Multirotors
Bart,

Did you wind up getting the Myvu goggles? It is an interesting concept and if they work at all out in the sunlight then it may be a good compromise between blocking out the entire world with full goggles like teh Fatshark I have and trying to shade a monitor enough to be able to make out the screen while trying to fly at the same time. It wouldn't bother me to have to wear a baseball cap pulled down low to shade the goggles enough to see the screen as long as I could look up and still spot the Hexa.

Ken
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
they should be here any day now. ground station is almost done so i'm just waiting on the goggles and the 7" monitor to finish it off.
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
The goggles got here a couple of weeks ago and I was able to see video with them indoors but haven't had anything flying to be able to test them outdoors.
If the picture quality is better than what Eric described then I'm going to be really happy with them.
I've got training to do for my regular job but I'll post pics of my ground station and the goggles in action in the next few days.
Bart
 

Hi there,
I have had in my hands the pirat's eye google.
These glasses aren't on the market today, the conceptor is still working on enhancements.

These google are REALLY interresting, the video screen is just under th sight line so you can stare at your MK, then check the view by watching down.
I had them for a few minutes so I didn't tested it in full daylight ( the weather wasn't very good this day)

if these glasses comes on the market, I will assurely propose it on my website :)
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
i haven't seen the pirate's eye goggles but they sound exactly like the myvu ones that i bought. if nothing else, the kids love them!
i'm almost certainly going to have the whole shebang up and running saturday or sunday so i'll be able to comment better then. i'll post pictures when i can.
bart
 

RTRyder

Merlin of Multirotors
I ordered a set for myself, have to see how they compare to the Fatshark goggles I have now. I like the idea of being able to see the screens while having a line of sight to the multi, how well it will work in practice is another matter. In the worst case I can disassemble them and incorporate the electronics into something home brew that will do the job and still have the Fatshark for the full immersion experience.

I'm glancing out the window at a cold gray sky and debating if I want to lug all the gear along this morning and do some FPV flying, or just grab a couple of multis and some batteries and go fly until I've had enough of the cold and have to come home. Either way I'm about to load up the vehicle and go find an accessible frozen lake to fly at! :)

Ken
 

Bartman

Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
ken,
my preferred arrangement would be a single screen in front of one eye but i haven't seen that option. i hadn't thought of pulling it all apart and modifying it so maybe I can make two single screen rigs if the stock set-up doesn't work!
bart
 


RTRyder

Merlin of Multirotors
The goggles are supposed to arrive tomorrow, if they do I hope it's before the sun goes down so I can give them a try outside in daylight. Then again they're coming via USPS so who knows if they'll actually get here... :rolleyes:

Ken
 

CopterCam

Member
Ken,

I have these MyVu Shades 301 for a while now. They are a nice package and function well. They will require a bit of adjustment on ones nose(well on mine anyway !) to permit a good view of the screen. The only drawback as previously stated is the light washing out the screens. As previously stated, a Baseball cap will help matters here but then it encroaches in the LOS.

All in all I would say they are a good purchase and offer the LOS and framing function in most angles but some strong Sun will give problems. I thought about modifying them somewhat to alleviate this problem but I would be interested in you comments when you have tested them ?

Sid
 

RTRyder

Merlin of Multirotors
The goggles did arrive yesterday but too late to be able to do anything as the battery needed to be charged first. I did get a chance later in the evening to hook them up to my FPV gear and verify everything is working.

First thing I noticed is the screens do not have as much resolution as the FatShark goggles I have and as CopterCam notes getting them to sit right takes a bit of fiddling with the nose piece. Seems that the earpieces could be longer as well, with the goggles sitting where they need to be on my nose none of the arms are behind my ears so I have to rely on the set being a tight fit on my head to keep from sliding off. I think before actually using these for flight I'll make up a strap to keep them in place.

So now that it's daylight and the battery fully charged I powered up the FPV gear on the Hoverfly quad, hooked up my receiver with the little stick antenna, stuck the wires and things in my coat pocket and went outside to see how they work. What I found was as long as I was in the shadows I can see the screens fine, as I got closer to bright sunlight the view started to dim and standing out in direct sun with a lot of glare off the snow pack it was extremely difficult to see the screens clearly. I turned 360 degrees in place and found with the sun to my back I could see enough to make out what the camera was seeing, but there is no way I would attempt to fly just on the video from the screens, for aiming a camera or verifying the field of view they might be OK depending on where you are in relation to the sun. I should also mention I had a baseball cap on acting as a visor, without it I probably wouldn't have been able to see the screens at all.

Now that I had a baseline I tried a couple things to see how to improve screen visibility in direct sun. What I found works really well was filling in the area below the goggles with my hands so no light could reflect up either off the snow or my face. With all light from below blocked and the cap providing shade for the top, I was actually able to maintain a pretty good view even facing directly towards the sun, so I think the next step is make up a filler from some open cell foam and try again to see if I can maintain both a decent LOS to the multi and be able to see the screens clearly enough to be able to fly FPV if necessary, looks like it will be possible but the resulting headgear will likely make you look pretty dorky standing there with a TX in hand looking at the sky ;)

Ken
 

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