DJI FPV – First impressions flying the versatile quadcopter

Over the last few weeks, the weather and cold temperatures did not cooperate much here in New York, but I managed to get out many times and fly the DJI FPV drone. And, let me tell you, I have not been this excited about a DJI product… ever. If I'm honest. Let me share with you my first impressions of flying this bad boy that was officially announced this morning.

DJI FPV – First impressions flying this versatile quadcopter

I have not been this excited to fly a new DJI drone as I have been with this all-new DJI FPV drone. It is fast, it is agile, and yes, it is immersive. And, it left me dumbfounded after my first flight in Sport mode.

For the first time, this DJI drone let me experience the joy of actually flying. The other DJI drones, such as the Mini 2, Mavic 2 Pro, Mavic Air 2, are aerial photography platforms. And while they do fly, they do not let you experience flying the way the DJI FPV Drone does. 

Once you have the DJI PFV Goggles V2, you get an HD view of what your drone sees. And, now, you can make high-speed banked turns and dive down hillsides. It feels like you are flying the drone. It is fun, and it is addictive. Luckily my drone came with two batteries, and the flight time of the DJI FPV drone is impressive. Twenty minutes according to DJI. More like 10 minutes in real-life, wintertime, and Sport mode. Over the last few weeks, I have been trying to get out two or three times during the day on the days that it wasn't snowing or raining. Flying the DJI FPV drone is that addictive. I have yet to experience that with any other DJI drone.

Three different flying modes for the DJI FPV

If you are like me and have never flown FPV Drones, the DJI FPV drone might be right up your alley. In Normal mode, you get the added security of obstacle avoidance sensors to keep you out of trouble. The speed in that mode drops as well, and you can fly and hover the DJI FPV drone like any other DJI drone that you have flown in the past.

Switching the drone into Sport mode raises the bar and is a lot of fun. No more help from the sensors. A higher top speed. And off you go. This is the mode I have been flying in mostly. And it is quite a fantastic experience.

The DJI FPV drone also offers a full Manual mode that a switch on the controller can activate after you have unlocked the feature through the menu system. Be sure to allow for maximum angles of attack if you're planning to do any rolls and or flips. I'm spending some more time on the new DJI Simulator before I'll go down this path partly because I need my DJI FPV drone to last me a while for some other projects I have in mind. 

DJI allows you to disable the self-centering of the sticks on the remote controller so that you get the full FPV flying experience and precision.

Optionally, DJI sells you the DJI Motion Controller that allows you to fly the DJI FPV drone with one hand. Mine only arrived by FedEx today, so I have yet to try this out. 

Fly with confidence with OcuSync 3.0

The DJI FPV drone comes with DJI's robust OcuSync 3.0, now called O3, that offers you a six-mile range and provides an HD low-latency video feed to your goggles. The video feed quality is so high that I had no problem flying the drone past thin branches and wires. At lower speeds, you can easily see any obstacles and avoid them. The DJI FPV drone responds with precision and without any interruptions, as you have come to expect from DJI drones.

The DJI FPV drone allows you to open that box, charge the drone's batteries, goggles, and remote controller and start flying in the first-person-view right away. No building, soldering, programming, testing, and crashing is needed to enjoy the DJI FPV drone. 

The DJI FPV drone shoots cinematic video footage

The video recording from the DJI FPV drone is of high quality. The quadcopter shoots in 4K resolution, at 60 fps, 120 Mbps, and offers a flat color profile, called D-Cinelike. This makes it possible to get cinematic footage from the DJI FPV drone and makes it more than just another fpv racer.

Safe to fly in first-person-view

The DJI FPV drone includes several safety features such as obstacle detection sensors, Visual Positioning Sensors, an ‘Emergency Brake', the ability to ‘Hover' and fly slowly, DJI's return-to-home, GPS-based geofencing, and DJI's AirSense with ADS-B In to warn you of any nearby manned aircraft equipped with active ADS-B transmitters.

DJI labels the DJI FPV drone as a hybrid drone that offers an FPV drone flying experience right out of the box for both beginner and advanced drone pilots, combined with the ability to create cinematic aerial video footage. The drone is easy and fun to fly and allows you to come in as a beginner and hone your skills until you can fly this quadcopter fully manually. It is a smart way to keep flying fun, accessible and to make sure that you will not quickly outgrow this drone.

Conclusion of my first impressions of flying the DJI FPV

Priced at $1,299, the DJI FPV drone, in my opinion, is right now the most intriguing and fun drone DJI has on offer, and if the drone maker hadn't sent me one to review, I would have placed my order today!

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