The long-awaited DJI FPV drone is finally here – and it’s a total game changer for the world of FPV racing and freestyle flying. Whether you’re a complete beginner looking to experience the adrenaline rush of FPV for the first time, or a seasoned pro seeking a feature-packed, ready-to-fly setup, the DJI FPV drone aims to impress.
After eagerly waiting years for DJI to release a dedicated FPV platform, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this speedy beast and put it through its paces. In this hands-on review, I’ll break down my top 10 favorite features that make the DJI FPV drone stand out from the pack.
Let’s dive in!
Table Of Contents
Safety Disclaimer
Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s start with an important safety message: the DJI FPV drone is NOT a toy. Any aircraft with fast-spinning propellers can be dangerous if not handled properly. This is especially true when flying a high-performance FPV drone in full manual acro mode.
For new pilots, it’s crucial to take things slow at first. Start in the beginner-friendly Normal mode and gradually work your way up as your skills improve. Always be aware of your surroundings and avoid flying in crowded areas until you’ve mastered control. When you’re ready to unleash the full capabilities of Manual mode, make sure you have plenty of open space to fly safely.
With that public service announcement out the way, let’s get to the good stuff – my 10 favorite features of the DJI FPV drone!
1. All-in-one, ready-to-fly system
Getting into FPV has traditionally had a pretty steep learning curve. Choosing compatible components, soldering, configuring betaflight – it’s enough to scare many aspiring pilots away before they even take off.
That’s where the DJI FPV drone shines. It’s a fully-integrated, ready-to-fly FPV system, with everything you need right in the box. Drone, goggles, controller – it’s all designed to work seamlessly together, no tinkering required. Simply charge the batteries, do a quick pre-flight check, and you’re ready to hit the skies.
Even little details like the propellers show DJI’s signature user-friendly approach. The props are color-coded and quick-release – just match the red props to the red motors and snap them on. No more fiddly prop nuts to worry about.
For anyone who’s been put off by the complexities of building a DIY FPV drone, the simplicity of the DJI system is super appealing. It breaks down the barriers to entry and makes FPV more approachable than ever.
2. Insanely long flight times
Another huge advantage of the DJI FPV drone is the incredible battery life. DJI claims you can get up to 20 minutes of flight time at a consistent 40 kph in windless conditions. Coming from other FPV drones where 3-5 minutes is the norm, 20 minutes is absolutely wild!
Obviously, your real-world flight times will vary depending on how you fly. Ripping power loops and raging through gaps at top speed will burn through the battery faster than cruising. But even when freestyling, the improved efficiency is a major quality of life upgrade.
The DJI FPV drone uses a proprietary battery system, which is a departure from the standard XT60/LiPo setups used by many FPV pilots. But the simplicity and safety benefits are hard to argue with. The sleek battery packs slot right into the back of the drone, with no janky cable connections to worry about.
Charging is fully automated too – just plug them in and the DJI charger takes care of the rest. It can charge up to 3 batteries in sequence, with intelligent safeguards to prevent overcharging. And if you’re storing your batteries for a while, they’ll automatically self-discharge to an optimal storage voltage, to help prolong their lifespan. Pretty neat!
3. Built-in GPS rescue mode
For me, the single biggest game-changer with the DJI FPV drone is the GPS rescue mode. It’s essentially an automated version of the “return to home” feature we’re used to seeing on DJI’s camera drones. But having it on an FPV platform is a huge deal.
When you’re flying FPV, it’s scarily easy to get disoriented or fly out of range. In the past, this often meant losing video signal and having to rely on pure luck to get the drone back safely. I’ve lost a few aircraft this way and it’s a really sickening feeling.
But with the DJI system, you have an extra layer of protection. If you start to lose connection, the drone will automatically stop and hover in place. It will then initiate a return to home sequence, using GPS and the obstacle avoidance sensors to navigate back to the launch point.
This isn’t totally foolproof of course – there’s still the chance it could bump into something on the way back. But it’s a massive improvement over the almost guaranteed crashes of the past.
Having that GPS safety net lets you fly with more confidence and push your skills further. You can explore new environments and try trickier moves, knowing that the drone can bail you out if things go south. For new FPV pilots in particular, I think this feature alone makes the DJI system worth considering.
4. Super tough, modular design
Moving on to the drone itself, I’ve been really impressed with the build quality and repairable design. The DJI FPV drone is built like a tank, with a rugged molded plastic exterior that can take some serious hits.
The arms are reinforced with metal and the electronics are safely enclosed within the frame. The whole top shell is also quick-release, giving you easy access for repairs and maintenance. No more ripping apart a tangle of wires to swap an ESC!
Of course, it’s still possible to break an FPV drone if you really try. But in my experience so far, the DJI FPV drone is holding up exceptionally well to the everyday knocks and crashes. I’ve nose-dived it straight into the dirt a few times and it just bounces right back up again, unphased.
The other great thing is that all the components are modular and easy to replace. If you do manage to break an arm, you can just swap in a new one with a few screws. The gimbal camera, LED tail light, antennas – they’re all designed for quick field repairs. That’s awesome compared to the fiddly soldering and heat-shrink roulette of traditional FPV components.
As a final bonus, the props also come off super easily for transport and storage. I can’t tell you how much of a pain it is lugging around a fully-built 5″ freestyle rig. But the DJI FPV drone packs down nice and compact, ready to chuck in a backpack and take on new adventures.
5. Flexible flight modes
Another area where the DJI FPV drone caters to a wide range of skill levels is with the different flight modes:
- Normal (N) mode: This is the best place to start for new pilots. It offers full GPS stabilization, obstacle avoidance, a tilt limit, and hovers in place when you let off the sticks. The handling feels very “Mavic-like”, but with improved racing drone power and agility.
- Sport (S) mode: This is like Normal mode with the kid gloves off. You get more speed, sharper response from the sticks, and no tilt limit. But you still have GPS and hover to bail you out. It’s a great next step when you’re ready for more performance.
- Manual (M) mode: Here’s where the real fun starts! Full acro, baby. In manual mode, the DJI FPV drone flies just like a typical high-performance FPV racer. You have complete, unrestricted control to flip, roll, dive, and power loop to your heart’s content.
I love that there’s a smooth learning curve between the modes. You can start off in Normal while getting used to the immersive experience of FPV. Then graduate to Sport and Manual as your skills improve. The GPS assistance is always there if you need it – but it can be toggled on and off to suit your level.
If you’re already an experienced FPV pilot, you can jump straight into Manual mode and treat it like any other acro rig. But I think the assist modes are a brilliant feature for newcomers to the hobby. Having that digital bumper lets you progress with confidence, without sacrificing the core manual flight experience down the line.
6. Excellent FPV camera
Let’s talk about the camera – because it’s awesome. The DJI FPV drone uses a single-axis camera that’s stabilized on the tilt axis. The big benefit of this is simplicity and light weight. There’s no janky 3D printed GoPro mount to break off in a crash, and no messing around with camera alignment.
The 150 degree FOV is great for FPV too – wide enough to navigate tight gaps, but not so fisheye that it’s hard to see where you’re going. And you can adjust the camera angle mid-flight, from 0-58 degrees, using a toggle on the controller or goggles. That’s a super handy feature for adapting to different flying styles.
You can cruise around with a lower angle for smooth, flowy flying. Then whack it up to 25 or 30 degrees when you want to get aggressive with dives and freestyle tricks. For flat-out speed, the 58 degree option points the camera way down for maximum velocity – but I don’t recommend that unless you have a lot of space and experience!
The image quality itself is phenomenal. It’s a 4K 60fps sensor with great dynamic range and color reproduction. The 120 Mbps footage is crisp, vibrant, and handles challenging lighting really well. I was expecting it to struggle with things like sun flares and flying between shadow and light – but it holds up amazingly.
The latency is also impressively low, thanks to DJI’s OcuSync video transmission tech. The specs quote an end-to-end latency of just 28 milliseconds in 1080p 60fps mode, which feels pretty much like real-time. Even when pushing the range out to around 10 km, I didn’t notice any significant lag or breakup.
Image quality has traditionally been a weak point for FPV, with fuzzy analog feeds and jello-prone HD cameras. But the DJI system is a huge step up. The footage is clean enough to be used in professional productions, and the digital feed is so sharp and immersive. It’s a joy to fly!
7. Smooth, long-range video
Speaking of video, the DJI FPV drone has an outstanding transmission system. The drone communicates with the goggles and controller over DJI’s OcuSync 3.0 protocol. It’s a digital, low-latency setup that far outperforms the analog gear most FPV pilots are used to.
OcuSync 3.0 operates on the 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz frequency bands, automatically switching between them to maintain the strongest signal. In my testing, the connection has been rock solid, with no perceptible interference even in crowded urban areas.
The 810p 120fps and 50Mbps mode is what I use most of the time. It’s a fantastic balance of image quality, smoothness, and range. Flying around in a field, I was easily hitting 4-5 km of range with no trouble. Obviously that will vary depending on your environment – but it’s impressive nonetheless.
If you really want to push the range, there’s also a lower-latency 720p 120fps mode at 35 Mbps. DJI says this mode is optimized for those moments when “every millisecond counts”. I’m not brave enough to find the limits of this one yet – but I can only imagine it would come in handy for long-range cruising and mountain diving.
The feeds are silky smooth, too. I haven’t experienced any of the jitteriness, color fading, or static that FPV pilots often battle with analog systems. The image stays crisp and vibrant, letting you fully immerse in the flying experience.
8. Intuitive, high-quality goggles
And what an immersive experience it is! The DJI FPV Goggles V2 are hands-down my favorite FPV goggles to date. They’re basically the same as the original DJI FPV goggles, but with a few tweaks to play nice with this new drone system.
The goggles themselves are super comfortable to wear, even for extended sessions. The padding is soft and breathable, with plenty of room for glasses if you need them. The interpupillary distance and focus can also be adjusted to suit your eyes.
Once you’ve got them dialed in, the massive field of view is spectacular. The goggles use dual 2-inch screens with a binocular FOV of 30 to 54 degrees. That’s noticeably wider than most slimline box goggles. It feels so much more immersive and “in the action”.
The actual screens are super bright too, putting out a searing 6,000 nits of brightness if you crank them up. I usually keep them around 70-80% brightness, but you could easily fly in full sunlight without needing any external shades. There’s even an ambient light sensor that automatically dims the screens in dark environments. Neat!
Another thing I really like is the built-in DVR and dual battery system. You can record your flights directly on the headset, with space for about 90 minutes of 720p footage. And the hot-swappable batteries last around 1.5 hours each – plenty for even marathon sessions.
The user interface is also super intuitive, with an Android-based OS that lets you tweak all sorts of settings on the fly. You can quickly switch between video modes, adjust the camera angle, check your battery levels, and even launch the simulator app – all without taking the goggles off.
Add in thoughtful touches like a sturdy headband with a quick-release clasp, built-in diopters, and a glasses-friendly design, and you’ve got an absolute winner. These are hands-down the most comfortable, user-friendly FPV goggles I’ve ever used.
9. Handy “Turtle” flips
Everyone crashes eventually. It’s just a fact of FPV life. But one of the most annoying things is trudging out to your drone and flipping it back over after a botched landing. First world problems, I know – but still.
The DJI FPV drone has a really handy “turtle mode” feature that lets you flip the drone remotely. If you crash upside down, you can just hold a button on the controller and the drone will automatically spin up the motors to flip itself back over. No fetching required!
It’s a small thing, but it’s actually super useful in practice. I’ve already used it a bunch of times when I’ve misjudged my landing and ended up on my back. A quick flip and I’m back in the air, without having to go for a walk of shame.
Just be a bit careful on the throttle when you flip it back over. The motors ramp up pretty quick and the drone can sometimes bounce up higher than you expect. I sent mine a couple feet into the air the first time I tried it. Whoops! But once you’re used to it, it’s a brilliant time saver.
10. Backwards compatibility and repairability
Last but not least, I want to talk about DJI’s commitment to a long-term FPV ecosystem. One of the big appeals of the DJI FPV drone is that it’s not just a one-off product. It’s part of a wider family of DJI FPV gear, all designed to work together seamlessly.
The big one is that the new goggles and controller are backwards compatible with older DJI products like the original FPV goggles and Air Units. So if you’ve already invested in some of the DJI digital FPV kit, you’ll be able to use it with the new drone. That’s great for building out a fleet of wings, quads, and cinelifters that can all share the same core gear.
It also means you have an upgrade path if you outgrow the DJI drone and want to move to a custom setup. The goggles will work with any Air Unit equipped rig, so you’re not locked into one ecosystem. I think that’s really smart future-proofing from DJI.
The other big plus is repairability and part availability. Unlike a lot of pre-built drones that are glued together and disposable, the DJI FPV drone is built to be serviced. Arms, motors, the FPV camera, the battery tray – every component can be easily replaced with basic tools.
DJI has also committed to keeping parts available – and affordable. I’ve already seen the arm sets pop up online for around $25. For a crash-prone FPV quad, that serviceability is a huge win. You can keep the drone flying without breaking the bank on repairs.
The Competition
So that’s my take on the DJI FPV drone – but how does it stack up to the competition? To be honest, there aren’t a ton of other options out there for beginner-friendly, ready-to-fly FPV drones.
The closest alternatives are probably something like the Emax EZ Pilot or the Walkera F210. Both of those offer a similar all-in-one FPV experience, with varying degrees of stabilization and assisted flight modes. But they lack the polish and advanced features of the DJI system.
There’s also the new breed of “cinewhoop” style drones, like the iFlight Protek25 and the Armattan Tadpole. These tiny, ducted quads are great for indoor cruising and are pretty beginner-friendly. But again, they don’t have the assistive tech or longterm repairability of the DJI platform.
For digital HD setups, you’re looking at building your own rig with separate goggles, controller, and receiver. The Fatshark Shark Byte and Orqa Goggle One are popular digital options. But you’ll still need to pair them with a third-party drone and radio, and the initial costs can quickly add up.
That’s where I think the DJI FPV drone really shines. Yes, it’s expensive for a starter kit. But you’re getting a lot for your money – a high-end, repairable quad, a best-in-class goggle and video system, and an upgrade path to the wider DJI ecosystem. I think the value proposition is actually pretty strong.
Final Thoughts
After putting the DJI FPV drone through its paces, I’m thoroughly impressed. The build quality is excellent, the flying experience is intuitive and thrilling, and the image quality is top-notch. I love how it caters to beginners with the assisted flight modes, while still offering full manual control for experienced pilots.
The GPS rescue features and turtle mode are also great quality-of-life improvements that I never knew I wanted! And small touches like the color-coded props, easy battery swaps, and adjustable camera make the whole system a joy to use.
Most of all, I’m excited to see DJI making a long-term play in the FPV space. With the repairability and cross-compatibility of the gear, I think this is a system that will grow with pilots as they progress. Whether you’re just getting into FPV or looking for a solid all-rounder to add to your fleet, the DJI FPV drone is absolutely worth a look.
I know it won’t be for everyone – analog purists will scoff at the very idea of flying DJI! But as someone who loves tinkering with new tech and finding ways to make FPV more accessible, I’m stoked about it. I can’t wait to see how far I can push this platform, and what sort of crazy tricks and flights the community comes up with.
What do you think, though? Are you tempted by the DJI FPV drone, or is it too much of a departure from the classic FPV vibe? Let me know in the comments what you make of it – and happy flying!
