I spent way too long obsessing over FPV gear before…
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I spent way too long obsessing over FPV gear before realizing there was another option
A few months ago I got the drone itch, figuring it'd be a great way to get some videos of my hikes. I went deep down the rabbit hole, researching the best parts and comparing all the gear I'd need. Spent hours on GetFPV checking out the various goggles, radios, flight controllers, cameras...then I'd see another cool mountain dive and start the whole process over again. I guess somewhere along the way I started wanting to run (or fly in this case) before I could walk and ended completely caught up in how pro FPV pilots were flying theirs. So I bought a RadioMaster Boxer, downloaded Liftoff, and tried to do things the proper way.
I really gave it my best shot. After a handful of evenings I could more or less keep the drone in the air (which is AWESOME), but I really wasn't getting the gratification I thought I would. I admit, I wasn't the most nimble person in the best of times, but I'd finish a session feeling mentally drained trying to keep up with the stick controls. Told myself I'd get back to it next week, but no prizes for guessing how that turned out.
Anyway, a buddy of mine invited me on a trip recently and brought his new A1 from Antigravity along. Before anyone jumps on me, it isn't a traditional FPV drone, and I'm not saying it's trying to be one. It was simply the first time I'd actually gotten to fly a drone outdoors instead of in the game. What caught me off guard was how quickly I got used to the controls. Within a few minutes, I went from "I better not crash this thing" to "I wonder what it looks like if I fly over those trees." Now, I know my piloting skills haven't gone anywhere, but I was actually flying. Like really flying. As a bonus, we were checking out the footage that evening, and I was surprised by how much stuff we got considering I was just flying around for fun, but yeah, being able to reframe it how I want after the fact is a excellent perk.
And that's when it all hit me.
I'd spent months assuming I needed to become an FPV pilot because that's what most of the drone content I'd been watching revolved around. But what I'd actually wanted all along was a simple way to capture the places I hike without feeling like I needed another hobby just to support that hobby. I still think traditional FPV is one of the most impressive skills in this space, and I have a lot of respect for the people who put in the work to master Acro. I don't see drones like this replacing that. It just made me realize there are probably others like me who aren't necessarily chasing freestyle lines or perfect dives. We just want to come home from a trip with footage we're happy with, so I'm really glad that this kind of thing exists for folks like me.
#technology
source
A few months ago I got the drone itch, figuring it'd be a great way to get some videos of my hikes. I went deep down the rabbit hole, researching the best parts and comparing all the gear I'd need. Spent hours on GetFPV checking out the various goggles, radios, flight controllers, cameras...then I'd see another cool mountain dive and start the whole process over again. I guess somewhere along the way I started wanting to run (or fly in this case) before I could walk and ended completely caught up in how pro FPV pilots were flying theirs. So I bought a RadioMaster Boxer, downloaded Liftoff, and tried to do things the proper way.
I really gave it my best shot. After a handful of evenings I could more or less keep the drone in the air (which is AWESOME), but I really wasn't getting the gratification I thought I would. I admit, I wasn't the most nimble person in the best of times, but I'd finish a session feeling mentally drained trying to keep up with the stick controls. Told myself I'd get back to it next week, but no prizes for guessing how that turned out.
Anyway, a buddy of mine invited me on a trip recently and brought his new A1 from Antigravity along. Before anyone jumps on me, it isn't a traditional FPV drone, and I'm not saying it's trying to be one. It was simply the first time I'd actually gotten to fly a drone outdoors instead of in the game. What caught me off guard was how quickly I got used to the controls. Within a few minutes, I went from "I better not crash this thing" to "I wonder what it looks like if I fly over those trees." Now, I know my piloting skills haven't gone anywhere, but I was actually flying. Like really flying. As a bonus, we were checking out the footage that evening, and I was surprised by how much stuff we got considering I was just flying around for fun, but yeah, being able to reframe it how I want after the fact is a excellent perk.
And that's when it all hit me.
I'd spent months assuming I needed to become an FPV pilot because that's what most of the drone content I'd been watching revolved around. But what I'd actually wanted all along was a simple way to capture the places I hike without feeling like I needed another hobby just to support that hobby. I still think traditional FPV is one of the most impressive skills in this space, and I have a lot of respect for the people who put in the work to master Acro. I don't see drones like this replacing that. It just made me realize there are probably others like me who aren't necessarily chasing freestyle lines or perfect dives. We just want to come home from a trip with footage we're happy with, so I'm really glad that this kind of thing exists for folks like me.
#technology
source
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