The DJI FPV drone is one of a new generation of drones which take the experience of drone flying into a new and exciting dimension. The innovation offered by the DJI FPV technology creates a uniquely immersive drone flying experience captured in the name FPV, which stands for First Person View. In simple terms, the person flying the drone wears a pair of immersive goggles which pick up a live video feed from the camera on the drone. In the first instance this offers a thrilling and completely involving drone flying experience, but it also opens up the possibility of the DJI FPV drone being used in fields such as agriculture, engineering and search and rescue missions. The DJI FPV is one of the best FPV drones on the market because it offers three flight modes and an intuitive motion controller which streamlines and simplifies the control process.  If you are thinking of buying a DJI FPV in Canada, then this is what you need to know:

Real-Time Viewing
The DJI FPV drone offers ultra-clear images which reach the goggles at incredible speed and with extremely low latency. In layman’s terms, the DJI FPV experience means that you’re seeing exactly what the camera mounted on the drone are seeing as they see it – a real-time experience which is as close as it gets to enjoying a drone’s eye view of the world.

The Field of View (FOV) of the camera on the DJI FPV drone covers 150 degrees, offering a stunning capture of the surrounding environment, and the thrill of flying the drone is enhanced by the super impressive top speed of 140 km/h and acceleration up to 100 km/h in just two seconds. The experience of flying the DJI FPV has been compared to being inside an aerial racing car, and the varied flying modes enable everyone from beginners to seasoned drone flyers to enjoy the adrenaline rush this offers.

How the DJI FPV Goggles Work
The DJI FPV goggles consist of two small screens, one mounted in front of each eye. When the drone is flying, the screens display images at 1440 x 810p at a rate of as much as 120 frames per second (fps), which makes for extremely detailed images. What is even more impressive than the quality of the images is the speed with which they are processed and delivered to the goggles. In simple terms, the images need to be captured by the camera on the drone, compressed, transmitted to the goggles, decompressed, and displayed. The longer this takes, the less reliable the system is, since what the operator is seeing in the goggles isn’t what is happening to the drone in that moment but what was happening when the images were captured. With the DJI FPV the ‘latency’ – the lag between capture and display of images – is an extremely low 28 milliseconds or even less, which is close enough to real-time viewing to facilitate completely confident flying. 

Other Specifications
The top speed of 140 km/h is only accessible via a mode which has to be unlocked after a period of safe flying, but the standard acceleration of 100 km/h in just 2 seconds is incredibly impressive. The maximum theoretical battery life is 20 minutes but in practice most users will probably experience 10-15 minutes depending upon the flying style they embrace. The camera mounted on the front of the DJI FPV drone records in 4K at 60 fps and is mounted on a tilt-only gimbal which is electronically stabilized. A microSD slot enables local recording, and the DJI FPV drone is fitted with sensors which include a ground detection sensor which ensures that the drone stays flying at a safe height and a forward facing obstacle detection system which helps to guide the drone around obstacles which have been picked up by the camera.

Flight Modes
The flight modes offered by the DJI FPV enable users to gradually get to grips with the drone and its controls as they work through the modes:

• Normal – the Normal mode is the safe and most accessible flying mode and is suited to beginners getting to grips with the activity of drone flying. In this mode the top speed is limited to 50 kph and the DJI FPV drone will automatically slow down if the sensors pick up the possibility of obstacles. If the user is experiencing problems, then simply letting go of the controls will cause the drone to come to a halt and simply hover.
• Sport – the Sport mode lifts the top speed up to 97 km/h and limits the obstacle sensors so that, rather than slowing the drone down, the sensors will issue escalating warnings to the user when an obstacle has been spotted on the horizon.
• Manual – the manual mode is available for experienced pilots who feel comfortable flying the DJI FPV drone with the minimum of help. The top speed in this mode is 140 km/h and the mode have to be triggered from menus viewed through the goggles, rather than being available by default like the other modes. As well as upping the speed the Manual mode disables the co-ordinated turns function, which makes turning smoother and more controlled in the other two modes. In general terms, Manual mode is best suited to people who are experienced in drone racing, and the manufacturers recommend working with their simulator before taking the plunge.

FPV Drones and the Law
If you have ever flown a drone in Canada before then you probably know that there are specific laws relating to the process. These include the fact that a licence is required by anyone flying a drone that weighs more than 250g and that drones should not fly higher than 400 feet in the air. These rules, along with others regarding drone flights, have been put in place to minimise the risk of collisions between drones and aircraft and to protect people on the ground from the risk of a drone hitting and injuring them.

One rule which is particularly pertinent when considering the DJI FPV drone is the Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) rule. This states that the pilot of a drone has to maintain a clear visual line of sight of the drone at all time while flying it, in order to remain aware of any hazards or potential hazards in its path. Clearly, a pilot who is wearing the immersive FPV goggles won’t be able to access a VSOL which means that flying these drones outdoors is only in fact legal if the pilot is accompanied by an observer able to maintain a clear view of the drone.

Specifications
The specifications of the DJI FPV drone are as follows:

• Weight: 795g approx.
• Dimensions: With props: 255 x 312 x 127mm
                       Without props: 178 x 232 x 127 mm.
• Max Acceleration: 0-100 kph in 2 seconds (in Manual mode)
• Max Flight Time: Up to 20 minutes
• Camera Sensor: 12MP, 1/2.3" CMOS
• FOV: 150°
• Video Resolution: 4K: 3840 x 2160 at 50/60fps:
• DJI FPV Goggles V2
• Weight: Approximately 420g
• Live View Mode Latency: 810p/120fps, giving latency of less than 28 milliseconds
• DJI FPV Remote Controller
• Weight: 346g
• Battery Life: 9 hours approx.

To find out more about the DJI FPV and associated products – such as the DJI FPV Motion Controller – take a look at Canada Drone, an authorized online DJI dealer.