What is the best alternative to the DJI goggles?

[GearHead83]

I want to try out FPV flight but there is no way I am investing in the expensive DJI goggles. I am just curious what setups you guys use as an alternative (headsets/apps). I would like to make this as inexpensive as possible and be able to move the gimbal with my head. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[Richard Ruckert]

A lot of people use Litchi app. Litchi gained popularity because it offered waypoints before DJI did. Litchi is $25, so there are cheaper alternatives that are for FPV only. Search youtube, and the web, and you'll find alternatives.
I think any pair of VR goggles will work. The higher end ones have features that improve the experience like being able to move the internal lenses closer/further apart, and in/out for focus. Consider buying a cheap pair at first to see if you like FPV, then invest in a higher $ pair.
Which phone you are using matters; greatly. When I first started FPV, I used Litchi. It's a big app. My android phone couldn't process the signal fast enough. To do it over again, I would use ios (apple). DJI GO and GO4 work best with apple phones. DJI box even states that it is made for iphone. DJI apps will work with android, but my experience has been that apple phones work best.
FPV is an amazing experience. It will confuse your mind as to which way you are facing.
Good luck

 

[GearHead83]

Thanks Richard, I have heard of Litchi but not for FPV. I'll do some Youtube research on the app and see if it fits my needs, cheers!

 

[Spark 317]

I want to try out FPV flight but there is no way I am investing in the expensive DJI goggles. I am just curious what setups you guys use as an alternative (headsets/apps). I would like to make this as inexpensive as possible and be able to move the gimbal with my head. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

With these two apps, FPV is possible with the Gear VR.



Play cardboard eliminates the auto startup of the Gear VR (Oculus) and the CAVU puts the display on the phone for the goggles.

The CAVU is free but limited flight time unless you purchase it.
There's all kinds of options on the display to move the images to get it just right.

Although I haven't used it much, it does work on my Samsung Galaxy s7 and Gear VR goggles.

Just a note, It works via WiFi so no OTG cable can be used.

Good luck .

 

[Jwhite319]

I got the yuneec skyview goggles. If you have the possibility of hdmi out they work pretty good.

 

[Bob Radford]

I use my iphone 6 in $16.00 Shinecon VR glasses with Drone VR and Litchi. Works great.

 

[Kylie]

How about this?

It's not cheap but it certainly is a lot cheaper compared tot he Goggles

 

[gareth5000]

Nothing compares to dji goggles, they're worth every penny.

 

[James Lummel]

I just paid US$259 delivered for refurbished DJI Googles on Amazon. Even so, they come with the same warranty as new ones and at that price they are competitive to pretty much anything else except for Litchi with Google Cardboard!

There are two big advantages of the DJI Googles over alternatives.

First is they can do 1080 FHD in each eye, whereas with Litchi you are limited to half (or less) of your phone screen per eye, which on most phones leaves you with a standard def view or less, in the 480 SD range (if you have a good phone).

The second is that because they integrate with the Spark's controller you have better control of the aircraft with more features as well. And with the HDMI port you can plug them into other equipment to watch movies or do FPV with racing drones, etc.

You get a lot of bang for the buck with the DJI Googles, and unless budget constraints prevent you from being able to afford one, it's going to be your best bet overall.

James

PS - Which make the best alternative to DJI Goggles the refurbished DJI Googles...

 

[Bob Radford]

none of those things you have said would make me pay that much. My 15 dollar specials do almost all of that. I can watch any movie on my phone, there are some awesome 3d apps that put you in the middle of concerts and other cool stuff, play 3 d movies, and control camera and yaw functions on spark wirelesly!!!, what more could you want for 20 bucks?
The funniest thing I read on forums is people trying to justify expensive purchases when they find out something cheaper is better, lol

 

[Jay Wolters]

I preffer to use these MOGO VR 2d goggles and the DJI app.

Works really well and doesnt suffer from diopter lense screen resolution.

 

[Bob Radford]

Those look like a great option to me. Do you get any control over the spark with these by head tilt or turn?

 

[Jay Wolters]

Those look like a great option to me. Do you get any control over the spark with these by head tilt or turn?

the only way I was able to control the spark was using the Spark Pro app and the cardboard-style 3d diopter goggles. I could tilt up and down and it works great except the phone screen resolution is cut in half. To my knowledge you loss all the awesome features of the DJI goggles if you attempt to use them with the Spark -- all you get is the 1080 display via HDMI. I get that with my MOGO VR goggles and it didn't cost me >50$

If you own a Spark and the DJI goggles - please tell me how wrong I am and I will buy you a beer after I purchase the DJI goggles realizing the awesomeness that I am missing out on.

 

[Jay Wolters]

...
The second is that because they integrate with the Spark's controller you have better control of the aircraft with more features as well. And with the HDMI port you can plug them into other equipment to watch movies or do FPV with racing drones, etc.

You get a lot of bang for the buck with the DJI Googles, and unless budget constraints prevent you from being able to afford one, it's going to be your best bet overall.

I would warn that ~100ms of latency prevents you from flying in sport mode without a large degree of caution -- there is no way you could use these to race FPV drones that require less than ~20ms of latency. This is why DJI has a racing-edition version of their googles (fitted with standard, non HD, video receiver just like a pair of fat sharks) to accommodate racers that might also own a DJI Mavic/phantom/non-spark.

Check out this video on How to FPV race your Spark. This puts it all into perspective. Analog is the only reliable way to race. HD vtx for drone racing is coming and getting better but its not from DJI, its from Connex / ClearView.

Also I would really like to hear how you are able to use the DJI goggles in any way other than a tethered monitor to your Sparks RC.

 

[Bob Radford]

I would warn that ~100ms of latency prevents you from flying in sport mode without a large degree of caution -- there is no way you could use these to race FPV drones that require less than ~20ms of latency. This is why DJI has a racing-edition version of their googles (fitted with standard, non HD, video receiver just like a pair of fat sharks) to accommodate racers that might also own a DJI Mavic/phantom/non-spark.

Check out this video on How to FPV race your Spark. This puts it all into perspective. Analog is the only reliable way to race. HD vtx for drone racing is coming and getting better but its not from DJI, its from Connex / ClearView.

Also I would really like to hear how you are able to use the DJI goggles in any way other than a tethered monitor to your Sparks RC.

I have never considered the Spark a racing drone. I guess you can race anything, but the Spark wasn't built as a racer. Using my 20 buck goggles and Litchi there is a slight latency, its is just fine for buzzing around and doing inspections at slower speeds. I love how moving my head controls it. I would think you are in the wrong category if you are buying goggles to race your spark.

 

[Koala Tails]

I have seen a spark with a FPV camera mounted on top using double sided tape. The camera was light, had a built in battery, provided video with near zero latency, for about $20. You will still need some goggles. The video from a spark is so slow your spark could hit an obstacle before it appears on the screen.
The Spark is not designed for racing, compared to a race quad, it is slow, heavy, lacks agility, & is expensive to fix when it crashes. Racing quads often crash.

 

[billh]

I have seen a spark with a FPV camera mounted on top using double sided tape. The camera was light, had a built in battery, provided video with near zero latency, for about $20. You will still need some goggles. The video from a spark is so slow your spark could hit an obstacle before it appears on the screen.
The Spark is not designed for racing, compared to a race quad, it is slow, heavy, lacks agility, & is expensive to fix when it crashes. Racing quads often crash.

yeah the spark is slow compared to FPV drones but still I rather fly my spark with goggles than looking up in the sky at it.

 

[Richard Ruckert]

none of those things you have said would make me pay that much. My 15 dollar specials do almost all of that. I can watch any movie on my phone, there are some awesome 3d apps that put you in the middle of concerts and other cool stuff, play 3 d movies, and control camera and yaw functions on spark wirelesly!!!, what more could you want for 20 bucks?
The funniest thing I read on forums is people trying to justify expensive purchases when they find out something cheaper is better, lol

Cheaper is not better. I first went the cheap route, and it sucked.
I don't disagree that you may be able to do more functions with cheaper set ups, but for flying DJI drones, cheaper sucks. The DJI goggles are a valuable asset to the FPV experience.

 

[Bob Radford]

Ya there you go, making me laugh, ahahahaaha.

 

[texman1776]

Dji spark goggles.

There is a better way to hook transmitter goggles with self contained DVR screen, with super long range yagi antenna transmitter Antennas.
That setup alone is cost prohibitive to the Spark if your just buying that setup for the Spark alone. However if your buying a standalone transmitter system with goggles linking capability that does telemetry RSSI. You could get a nice system for around $400.00 to $1K.
Which fits everything on the Market and holds 50 different Aircraft and all transmission variables that are manually set like in the DJI Ronin software app.