Best FPV Headsets
FPV headsets can offer a whole new experience to a user. You probably have seen some drones that can transmit FPV footage directly to your phone or to an LCD screen that comes with the remote control. Even though it is a pretty neat trick, it doesn’t compare with the real thing so I’d say that buying one of the Best FPV Headsets is important. But before doing that, you might also want to know what to look for in an FPV Headset.
Reason To Buy
The main reason for why FPV Headsets have become so popular is the immersive flying experience that they offer. How the goggles work is quite simple. They have two little screens that show you what the drone sees. In other words it is as if you’re the one in the air and not the drone.
One of the best brands you could look into for buying new headsets are Skyzone, Fatshark, Quanum, Aomway, Eachine and Boscam. These are a good starting points, but if you want to buy the right one for you, then you need to take into consideration some other factors.
What To Look For
Budget
While there are some cheap variants, this is the type of thing you should spend more money on than usual. You could find something for as low as $25 and you will get a experience, but I cannot guarantee that it will be a good experience. The human brain can get confused very fast in these types of scenarios, so if the image quality is not good, you might get headaches or nausea. A good FPV Headset might go up to even $500, but unlike drones, you won’t need to replace them too often. So this will be a long-time investment.
Resolution and Aspect Ratio
Just like any display, the goggles also have a resolution. In an ideal world you would match the resolution of the goggles with the resolution of your drone in order to get the best xperience.
Another thing you can do is to have some headroom in case of an upgrade. If you have a 720p camera, maybe you could get 1080p goggles in order to be future-proof. But a lower resolution than your camera is definitely not recommended.
Aspect ratio is also very important. You usually get 16:9 or 4:3, so you should match your drone aspect ratio. Most FPV cameras are 4:3, but there are many 16:9 that are coming out and it is probably the better aspect ratio. There also are other ratios like 5:3 or 16:10. So pay attention to these.
Features
Head tracking is a nice to have feature. It allows you to bind the on-board camera motion to the pilot’s head motion. It allows the FPV experience to be even more immersive. HDMI Input can be useful more making HD connection between devices. For example you can connect it to the computer in order to watch some movies or using FPV simulators.
Built-in DVR is important if you want to have a recording of your flights. It allows you to look back at what mistakes you have made while flying and in case of a crash it can help you see what went wrong.
Top FPV Headsets
Fatshark Predator V2
If you’re a beginner and you want a cheap FPV headset, then this could do the trick. It is a very popular beginners kit and you get a built-in 5.8GHz, a CMOS FPV camera, a power supply adapter and a 5.8GHz 250mW video transmitter. This is a good buy because it is working right out of the box, you just need to plug and play and you’re done. It claims to have a transmission range of 1 Km+.
The main bad thing about this FPV headset is the CMOS camera because the quality isn’t that good. You don’t have head tracking and you have a fixed interpupillary distance (distance between eyes and display), so it might not be a good experience for everyone. Also the low resolution and 25 degrees field of vision seem a bit low. But for the price you pay it might be a good starting zone for your first experience with FPV Headsets.
Fatshark Teleporter V3
This is another ready to fly FPV system kit, but it’s a big improvement over the last one. You get a wide angle 720p CMOS camera and a 250mW 5.8 GHz video transmitter. Built-in DVR will also allow you to record everything and it is easy to set up. In the V5 version you even get head tracking. The V5 is recommended for people who want a decent experience without a hole in the wallet, but they will only get the goggles.
DJI FPV Goggles
These will set you back quite a bit. But if you want the best and you consider it an investment for the future, then this buy might have some sense. They are compatible with the Mavic Pro, Phantom 4 series and the Inspire series.
You can use them up to 6 hours and you get a great 60FPS framerate at 720p, or you can get 30FPS, but at 1080p. It has low-latency compared to other goggles and the built-in antennas make sure that you get a 360 degrees coverage. The Goggles will set you back with around $450.
They work best with the Mavic, so if you want to use them with other drones, keep in mind that you may not get the full experience like with the mavic drone.
Quanum DIY V2
If you’re the type that likes the process of building something, then you might like this DIY headset. It is very affordable and you get an adjustable 3-position head straps and a non-blue monitor and lens set in order to get a fully immersive experience with up to 1.50 magnification. You can use it with glasses and it is very comfortable, but the only problem is the low resolution of 800×480.
Eachine EV800
This is a good value for what it offers. You get a built-in highly sensitive 5.8GHz 40ch receiver, a ultra-bright 5-inch LCD display and advanced auto-searching technology. You can use it for around 3.5 hours. The 82-degree visible angle and the 800×400 resolution should be enough in order to have a decent experience.
Fat Shark Altitude V4
The design of this thing may be not so appealing for some, but it does pack a lot of great features at a decent price. You get interpupillary distance adjustment and optional diopter inserts. The goggles offer a very comfortable experience because they are very light and they can be adjusted depending on the person that is wearing them, even with glasses. It has a built-in 5.8GHz, 32-channel OLED receiver with DVR and spectrum analysis for a clear reception. You even get support for interlaced 3D.
Conclusion
If you want the full FPV experience, you should definitely buy a FPV Headset. But if you do, I still recommend buying a more expensive one in order to get the best experience and not just an experience. Also if you get a quality headset, there are slimmer chances of discomfort and you shouldn’t experience headaches or nausea. The cheaper ones can be a good way to get into the FPV Headset world, but you probably won’t be that impressed if something goes wrong.
