My favorite beginner drone is the DJI Avata. It’s so much fun and easy to fly that it’s impossible to avoid obstacles such as a Skydio. The configuration you want to feel like you are flying costs $1,388. You will need to use a gyroscopic control and a belt clip battery pack to power your drone.
DJI today introduced a new set goggles and controller. This should preserve the core experience of flying while also lowering entry costs to $1,278.
These are the DJI goggles Integra and are responsible for the price drop:
The Integra has the same pair 0.49-inch/1080p 100Hz/700-nit micro OLED displays that the original DJI Goggles 2 had. It also features the same 12-kilometer (7.5 mile) range using DJI’s OcuSync3 Plus transmission technology. This is over a pair 2.4GHz/5GHz folding antennas at up 50 megabits per sec.
It’s also easier in some ways that you might not be aware of. The field of view is 44 degrees, compared to 51 for the more expensive DJI Goggles. You still get IPD adjustment but there is no diopter adjustment to correct your vision. DJI will instead sell specialized sets of interchangeable lenses that do the job. It doesn’t have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, so you can’t wirelessly stream your movies to the headset. Not that you’d feel comfortable leaning against an aircraft’s headrest with the big bulge.
The Integra uses a belt buckle battery instead of a headband battery, which you may find on a wireless VR headset. It has almost the same power (17.64 watts-hours versus 18.4 watts-hours), as the original. The headset is heavier at 410g than 290g but it should be distributed more evenly to ensure a better balance. There should be less pulling on your front. The only thing that concerns me is the smaller field of vision.
The new kit includes the DJI R/C Motion 2 controller. It retails at $40 more than the original. This controller also features a brand new joystick, a trigger that can be pulled forward or backward and a Fn dial to adjust ISO, shutter speed and other variables. The trigger works just like a toy R/C vehicle, allowing you to reverse the drone without having to turn back if you are too close to things. Additionally, the joystick allows you to move vertically or laterally, giving you full control over quadcopters instead of being limited to plane-like flight.
It is roughly the same weight, range and has the same five-hour battery time.
The new DJIRC Motion 2 costs $239 (as opposed to $199 for its predecessor). The DJI Goggles Integra is $499, while the DJI Goggles 2 costs $649. If you want to purchase a kit with these more expensive goggles, the RC Motion 2 will be available for $1,428. This is an increase of $1,388. The DJI Avata Explorer Combo is available for $1,278. I am afraid that none of these combos include extra batteries.
This video shows you how it felt to fly last year with the original controller.
