FPV general question

[MapMaker53]

I'm curious to try FPV with iPhone goggles using Litchi, but I'm a bit apprehensive over not being able to access screen settings while flying, or not have the ability to quickly close out of Litchi and reload if things were to freeze up, etc. I'm wondering if that is an issue for those using goggles. I have an underwater drone that came with a headset that accommodates an iPhone, and the nice thing about this headset is it has a magnetic front cover that can be removed which exposes the iPhone's camera lens. Assigning one of the auxiliary RC buttons (C1 or C2) to FPV allows me to easily toggle between FPV view and iPhone camera view -- allowing me to view my surroundings and, more importantly, keep track of my P4P in the sky. (I've only tried it on the kitchen table.) One limitation would be a lack of peripheral vision. Seems apparent that I will need a VO while trying/using it.

 

[cneedelman]

I've been flying Phantoms since 2015. As FPV and Cinewhoops became more popular, I decided to build one. I flew it around first without goggles just to test it. When I first started flying with goggles, I couldn't do it, I got disoriented and wanted to see where the drone was. I have box goggles and found that if I took off the bottom of the shroud I could look underneath them to see the drone if needed. That is a mistake, because if the drone is flying towards you all controls are backwards and you can't maneuver around things quickly. Speaking of that, I found that initially flying in a big field gave me no visual reference, thru the goggles, to know where I was. I started flying in the backyard, about 5-6 ft off the ground weaving my way around an L shaped backyard with a few trees. I soon became comfortable with the goggles, I can now navigate gaps that I would never try with my Phantom, mainly because I believe that watching the drone instead of the monitor or images in the goggles doesn't give you the FPV view that will tell you whether you can clear something or not. It also helps that if I crash this small Cinewhoop, I can just pick it up and get it in the air again, it's a tank. I fly my Phantom 4P with a Hoodman on an iPad. It came with an extension to the hood so that you can press your face right up to it. I believe it will be more immersive and allow me to accomplish more difficult close shots which are more dynamic. I work with a director who can be my VO.

I know this isn't exactly your question, just my experience and how I started getting used to the goggles, hope it helps.

 

[MapMaker53]

Thanks cneedelman. Sounds like I just have to try it in my backyard and see if I get used to it. But the thought of not being able to scroll through a screen menu or easily reboot the app if need be bothers me.

 

[cneedelman]

I guess it also depends on the size of your backyard. I also tried setting up some cones in a large field that I could just fly around, again I'm trying to fly around 6' off the ground. That might be a better idea.