We always love a new toy. Whether looking at upping the ante for our recreational fishing activities or simply upgrading to a cinematic first-person view, a first-person freestyle drone from DJI is something you can’t afford to miss.

DJI’s first attempt to release a freestyle FPV drone as a market leader is a new concept for them; it sent every single drone hobbyist into a frenzy. As if the hype isn’t enough, Youtube reviewer KababFPV had to remind us of DJI’s notoriety in releasing unfinished products, sending everyone in an almost desperate attempt to check out the brand-new DJI FPV drone.

Whether it is true or not, there’s always something to be said about leveling the hype—especially in the case of the amazing DJI FPV drone. Let’s take a closer look.

What’s in the DJI FPV drone?

The DJI FPV drone is DJI’s first trip to the FPV world. It’s like a new vantage point for looking at the old world. For DJI, drones are nothing new. They have long held a position in the market, developing their design, engineering, and technology, and even creating the best drones, despite the metamorphic experiences that almost made them history. Once, they even had to face off with former President Donald Trump for potential security and surveillance issues in the U.S. Making it to the commerce blacklist in December 2020 was perhaps the ultimate challenge. Despite everything, DJI remains a market leader, and its products remain available in many countries.

DJI as a manufacturer is known for its highly polished take on camera builds for drones. It didn’t help that they have both the money and the engineering to be comfortable creating these sleek versions of the aerial capture devices we enjoy flying, and for some people, even crashing all over the place.

Calling the DJI FPV drone “revolutionary” may be a bit of a stretch, but it has its own merits to offer. As the outdoors becomes an optional venue to relax and unwind in the digital age, getting out, even digitally, provides a fresh perspective at ground level, allowing us to rediscover everything we used to love out there. Using drones is also the perfect alternative if traveling or going outdoors is a little too much for you now.

The Run Down

• There are three official modes you can fly this drone in – normal, sport, and fully manual.

The DJI FPV drone offers three or almost four different modes. Users can switch these modes around depending on their level of expertise. 

First, there’s the Normal mode. In this mode, the drone doesn’t fly too fast. Both the altitude control and the sensors work exceptionally well, so the risk of crashing it is close to zero.

In the Sport mode, you can go a little bit faster, and though the obstacle sensing capabilities are still intact, it changes into something just a tiny bit more crashable. It comes with a graceful banking capability, and sharp turns aren’t as sharp as they are. 

The Manual mode offers two options, one with the altitude control turned on. This mode doesn’t allow the quads to flip and turn and the option to point it straight down isn’t available. However, by manually turning off the altitude controls, it can turn into something very similar to the “Acro” mode in other FPVs.

• It comes with built-in sensors.

Like any other DJI drone, the DJI FPV drone has amazing DJI tech. One of them is evident in the built-in obstacle avoidance sensors, which work when you go on full thrust forward, and you face the risk of crashing into something. It works a bit differently for both the normal and sport modes, though. 

There’s also the built-in altimeter, which not only keeps the drone hovering when you release the gimbals but also maintains altitude control and keeps you from landing in unsafe zones.

• The charger charges sequentially.

The charger in this set is incredible. It allows you to plug in multiple battery packs all at once, but it’s kind of a smart charger and charges them sequentially. Whether you are using it in some remote areas or not, you can be assured that you’ll have at least one battery pack with enough power to fly your drone before you have to worry about running out of steam. 

• There are spares for replaceable parts included in the box, but these parts are available for sale if it isn’t enough. 

If you are a hardcore flyer, this will make it easy for you to replace the following items: the top housing shell, propellers, the gimbal/camera module, and the arms.

• DJI offers repair services.

On the other hand, if you aren’t keen on doing repairs by yourself, then DJI offers an after-sales repair service. That said, when you do wreck your drone, you can just send it in, and they’ll fix it for you, nice and easy. It doesn’t sound like something serious drone flyers who like crashing and fixing their drones would like.

• The DJI FPV performs. 

DJI filled their FPV with some of their best tech, so you can expect it to perform very well. While it is a simple system that even a newbie can appreciate, it costs much more than most other options out there. Alternatively, DJI introduces a flight simulator built into the assistant app (accessible through the goggles), so newcomers may opt to take advantage of that first.

• This isn’t exactly portable.

The DJI FPV drone is large, which makes it harder to lug around. It also doesn’t come with a carrying case, so you’ll want to buy a good quality bag to carry it around.

To Consider  

• There are the standard issues when it comes to any drone – the laws. 

Though it isn’t strictly limited to this particular drone, just the bulk it packs is enough to determine the area you can fly it in and how much use you’ll get out of it. 

• The FAA safety sensors work too well.

Like the earlier concern about laws, but this time, a more specific downside to the drone is it’s smart sensors. That said, it won’t fly at all in unsafe zones, regardless of how far out you seem to be. That said, this drone will be pretty useless in areas like L.A. because of all the airports around.

Can’t decide whether to invest in the new DJI FPV drone?

Maybe these additional notes will help you decide. 

Invest in recreation.

Instead of treating this purchase as a chore, think of it as an investment. Though it probably isn’t something that will bring tangible returns that you can look forward to right now—and believe us when we say it’s not the easiest thing to pay for something you don’t need—you can always use it to build up the excitement for when you can fully use it one day. The fact that you are reading this means you’re already feeling a little enthusiasm, and if it helps, you can always sell it to like-minded individuals and cop your losses when you’re convinced that you don’t want it. 

Don’t just focus on the downsides.

Just like when you’re looking to move up in any aspect, chances are you probably know that everything has its pros and cons. Know that regardless of these opposing characteristics, one would always outweigh the other. It depends on you as an individual. You can always just see how badly you want to use it wherever and decide accordingly.

Btw, you might find a better alternative before you even get to appreciate it fully.

Yes, it happens. The fast-paced developments can leave you stuck with this version of a DJI FPV drone at a time when more, much better options become available. This thought can make it quite uncomfortable for people to shell out this much money. But think about it: Are you going to avoid swimming or even fishing because you can drown?

Super important: Don’t forget that you can get upgrades.

Just in case you forget this tiny piece of relief: Yes, some critic says this drone has an unfinished firmware, and it may be best not to buy it until it does upgrade, but it’s also entirely possible to upgrade even after your purchase. That said, once you are out there and having fun with your DJI FPV drone, chances are, you’ll learn more about how to make it better. Maybe you’ll even try modifying it by yourself.  

Last tip: Try new techniques.

Sticking with the comfortable and *one* tried-and-tested method of doing things is okay. However, doing it all the time can get boring. Our tip: move to the very boundaries of your idea of fun and see if it let’s you build an oddly unfamiliar excitement. That said, if you’ve never tried using drones with any other activities, give it a go. Every time you do this, you learn which works and which one doesn’t, and you get to know in the process. To put it bluntly, have fun with new stuff like this drone, and you’ll be an expert at it in no time.

Check out the DJI FVP on the DJI website here

Ready to take the new DJI FPV drone for a spin?

Flying a drone is fun in itself. But with the current restrictions and all the outdoor greatness beckoning at you, why not try to push the boundaries of your joy and get your hands on the new DJI FPV drone? Who knows? This might just be the game-changer you need to put you in your elements at times like this. 

In case you are curious to check it out further, watch this video of the DJI FPV drone doing its thing and share your thoughts with us.

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Feature Photo Credit: Manny Moreno @mannydream