When DJI announced the Mavic Pro last year they also teased a pair of FPV goggles that could be used to see first-person video from DJI’s drones. But we didn’t get many more details than that… until now.
Today DJI is officially launching its FPV headset, aptly named Goggles. They will retail for $499 and start shipping after May 20th.
The goggles are pretty bulky, and look more like a VR headset than FPV goggles. But the quality is also much better than most goggles: there are two screens inside, each with 1280 x 1440 resolution — which is even better than the Oculus Rift’s two 1080 x 1200 panels. And they are compatible with DJI’s new OcuSync wireless technology, meaning they can stream 720p over long distances and 1080p when the drone is flying closer to the pilot.
The goggles also have other features besides video broadcasting. This is in contrast to other FPV racing goggles from manufacturers like FatShark, which typically just broadcast video and don’t offer many additional features. For example, pilots using the goggles with a Mavic Pro or Phantom 4 can initiate the drone’s intelligent flight features, like ActiveTrack and Tripod Mode, from a touchpad on the side of the goggles and a menu that shows up on screen.
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But probably the coolest feature is something called Head Tracking. This lets pilots control the drone while it flies forward by moving their head — you turn left or right to yaw left or right, just like you’d do with the joystick. There’s also a mode which lets you use your head to control the gimbal in 360-degrees of movement and continue only using the controller for flight control.
With Goggles DJI is trying to bring FPV flight to the mainstream drone community. Traditionally only the drone racing world has used FPV goggles during flight — while casual drone operators instead live stream footage directly to their phone or drone controller. But there is definitely something special about flying in first-person, and it makes sense for DJI to at least offer it to customers as an option.
Check out the below video to see DJI showing off the new Goggles.
