My Accidental Journey into FPV Drones

My journey into FPV drones started by accident in July 2023. I had been interested in the rise of camera drones for some time but could never quite imagine how I would personally use one. Finally, I convinced myself to purchase a DJI Mini 3 Pro. Having seen the goggles and motion controller, I thought it sounded like a neat way to experience FPV, so I got a motion controller to complete the setup.

It wasn’t long after my first flight with the goggles that I was hooked. Flying with the motion controller felt awkward, and the field of view (FOV) on the Mini 3 Pro was somewhat lacking from what I recall. Soon after, I crashed the drone into my house, failing to brake in time. Sadly, I don’t have footage of this crash, so this dramatic reenactment will have to suffice!

I had to send the Mini 3 Pro to DJI for a free gimbal replacement, as they deemed it “malfunctioned.” In short, I wouldn’t recommend the Mini 3 Pro—or any photography-focused drone—for FPV flying in particular, but I can attest that it furthered my interest in FPV.

Mini 3 Pro FPV Flight

This is one of the first "flights" i did with the Mini 3 Pro and Motion Controller 2 & Goggles 2.

Video is straight from the drone, nothing edited.

I quickly realized that there was more to FPV drones than I initially thought. Soon after, I started seeing more targeted FPV content across social media. This led me down a deep FPV rabbit hole — the amount of information was plentiful but also scarce in parts.

Facing both information overload and gaps, I decided the best next step was to purchase a DJI Avata.

I flew a few times using the Motion Controller and Goggles 2. While the motion controller was an amazing introduction device for FPV, I quickly realized I wanted more: more control, more speed, more flips, and yes, more crashes. It was an absolute blast!

To get more precise control, I purchased a DJI FPV Controller. The main advantage of this controller over the motion controller was that it allowed me to practice true flying in simulators and eventually real life.

I flew in “Normal” and “Sport” modes but wanted to graduate to “Manual.” At this point, I was consuming ever more FPV content and knew I needed serious simulator practice. Being a Steam user, I landed on Liftoff Simulator.

After about 7 hours of fumbling around and getting the hang of it, I decided it was time for some real-world flying.

Real-World FPV Flying: First Steps

I headed to the local park for some Pokémon Go, with my wife acting as my visual observer. Overall, it was a success. The simulator practice translated well, though it was a bit windy that day — something you can’t always prepare for in a simulator. I quickly figured it out and adapted.

Since then, I’ve completed over 300 flights and logged around 40 hours of additional simulator time. My passion for FPV flying has only grown, alongside a renewed love for video editing. And thus, this blog, vlog, and streaming site was born.

Looking Ahead

That brings us to today. I’ve been flying, crashing, watching, and editing — all in the name of having fun, learning, and hopefully inspiring others to try FPV in the future.

In the coming days, weeks, and months, I look forward to sharing everything I experience as I venture deeper into the world of FPV.