So now that you’ve built your quadcopter and can fly it without crashing most of the time, what’s next? How about metaphorically hopping into the pilot’s seat with a First Person View setup. Great idea… but the cost of the required gear can be a deal breaker. FPV goggles alone range from the low to high hundreds. [sneaky] was using his laptop screen for his FPV setup and decided to try to make is own FPV goggles.
The display is just a small LCD screen that was purchased off eBay. Craft foam board was cut, bent, glued and duct taped to form a box about the same size as the LCD screen which is also secured to the box with duct tape. [sneaky] then cut the opposite side of the box to fit his face before he lined it with 1/2″ weatherstripping foam. Staring at an LCD screen just inches from your face is sure to cause some discomfort. A Fresnel lens inserted in between the user’s eyes and the LCD reduces eye strain to make long flights tolerable. The whole assembly is then held to your noggin via a recycled ski goggle strap.
In the end, [sneaky] likes his new goggles better than his old laptop screen and sun shade setup. The goggles aren’t too heavy and he can wear them comfortably for a while. We’ve seen a DIY FPV goggle setup in the past that uses individual lenses for each eye rather than one large Fresnel lens.
Hobbyking has a ghetto goggles kit like this. I would personally save up the $400 for a pair of the skyzone googles though.
I wouldn’t. I’ve tried both and prefer this solution. Fatshark view area is smaller than this. You will get the full experience with this kind of goggles – try to stand without support and do a backward flip with your quad :) I promise that it will take you out of balance.
The same goggles for 23 euros at hobbyking: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__53706__Quanum_DIY_FPV_Goggle_Set_with_Monitor_KIT_.html
Never tried any of the fatsharks but the skyzones apparently have a bigger viewing area.
I shuddered at hearing using a laptop for a display. I attempted flying FPV in the mid 2000’s with an RCA to USB adapter and the latency was horrible.
its illegal to fly with fpv on a quad, the controller must have unocstructed view of the craft at all times
This is still a gray area. The FAA has released a memo on the subject but it’s not clear if it’s legally binding at this point. The fpvlab forums have some very in depth discussion on the matter.
And only if you live in the Home of the Scared and Land of the Bureaucrats
Yes, illegal everywhere. [Greg] and [Ted] have already addressed this, but please be more accurate in your blanket statements. This website is of interest to an international audience, plus I hope the FAA’s stance gets shot down. Oops…poor choice of words…
That actually depends on where you live etc. Also, no country in the world is going to be able to enforce it.
That said, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t abide by local laws, but most people already break those by flying with transmitters that are too powerful (over here 25 mW is the maximum for 5.8GHz)
There is a nice construction manual in the FPV-Community-Forum.
The manual is in German, but the pictures say everything ;-)
http://fpv-community.de/showthread.php?35449-Low-Cost-FPV-Brille-2-0
Sam
is that a mini qfh antenna on the top of that? Odd choice.
not so odd. size looks correct for the frequencies typically used, and the shape/design should allow for better polarization characteristics than just the standard rubber ducky.
Looks more like a spw.
Fresnel lens? That can’t be comfortable. But then again at such a low resolution it only adds a fraction of the discomfort I guess.
I made few fpv flights using my DIY goggles. See them in action here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVnD-UwHRec
So im thinking why hasnt anyone joined the best of both worlds….. a nice 10″ on a tripod with an attachable eyepiece would be so much more versatile. I could stand in front of my goggles and simply turn my head to fly LOS. No weight on your neck and much safer than being strapped in.