Get Into Drone Racing With This FPV Racing Kit

I keep in mind the primary time I heard about first-person-view (FPV) drone racing.

It was again in October 17th 2014.

I solely know this as a result of on the time, I had JUST completed constructing our web site. And I used to be furiously researching the drone trade. One pretty morning, I noticed a video on YouTube of PEOPLE RACING DRONES IN THE FRENCH ALPS.

Wow. I couldn’t imagine it. It was like Star Wars pod-racing…however in actual life. In the Alps. Around bushes. With robots and funky goggles and high-pitched zeeeyahhhuuums I’d by no means actually heard earlier than.

I noticed that video, and I requested myself one crucial query.

What does it really feel wish to be an FPV drone racing pilot?

Getting Into FPV Drone Racing

FPV Racing is a brand new and quickly rising sport that’s getting commercialized by organizations just like the Drone Racing League, U.S. Drone Racing Association, MultiGP, and occasions just like the World Drone Racing Championships.

The first time I flew FPV was on the Drone Racing League’s free simulator. The software program is free to obtain, however I purchased the FrSky Taranis X9D Plus 2.4GHz Telemetry Radio & Aluminum Case Mode 2 Transmitter to have the ability to fly with actual joysticks. It was very simple to arrange and got here with a rugged silver case to make me really feel particular.

I spent…numerous time on that simulator.

Maybe 30-40 hours. I hadn’t loved a recreation like that shortly. I’m on their e-mail checklist, they usually not too long ago launched a brand new degree / course to race. Check it out…it’s free!

No, I Don’t Want to Build an FPV Racing Drone Myself

But then, after I wished to take my newly honed stick expertise and racing confidence to the true world, I had a tough time transitioning out of the simulator.

Thing is, I used to be lazy.

At the time, most individuals had been soldering collectively their very own customized FPV drone racing programs. And of the businesses placing kits collectively, they had been incomplete within the sense that you just STILL wanted to purchase a transmitter, Goggles, spare elements, and many others. There wasn’t a real “ready to fly” system you possibly can simply purchase off the shelf. Or if there was, I actually couldn’t discover it.

I simply didn’t really feel like piecing collectively an entire system from the bottom up.

Inside Force1 RC’s FPV Drone Racing Kit

And then I obtained a demo unit of this tremendous superior drone racing equipment from the staff over at Force1 RC.

Everything I wanted to fly. All in a single place. Still some setup required, however a lot simpler to get off the bottom than all the opposite choices I had evaluated as much as that time.

Putting it collectively took about 90 minutes. I emailed their help staff at one level and obtained again a fast reply. That was an important signal and never at all times the case with drone producers / firms I’ve labored with.

Here’s what comes with the Force1 RC FPV Drone Racing Kit:

• Carbon fiber body with built-in electronics (AKA all of the wires already soldered collectively, the motors connected, and many others.)
• A 2.4GHz controller / transmitter with customizable switches and a coloration LCD display
• A 5.eight GHz set of FPV racing goggles
• Other equipment like spare elements and a LiPo battery stability charger

I needed to be cautious my first few flights whereas I received used to the controls. This unhealthy boy packs a SERIOUS punch and may zip and zoom and zweeeee in all instructions in a short time.

I’ve solely gone by way of a couple of battery cycles up to now, however MAN this factor is enjoyable. It has a powerful floor vary of practically three,000 toes. I’ve examined it to about 300 toes with none lag within the video feed.

And no crashes but! Maybe I’m not coaching arduous sufficient. Gee whiz, who is aware of what the longer term will maintain for this aspiring FPV racing pilot 🙂

But anyway, when you’re trying to get into FPV drone racing, I positively suggest Force1’s racing equipment. I’ve had nice luck with their directions and help staff on a number of merchandise of theirs during the last few years. Questions? help (at) uavcoach (dot) com.