What are the best FPV goggles?
FPV goggles or FPV glasses are the googles that you can use when flying your quadcopter via FPV. So when you are flying your quadcopter, and you want to watch the first-person video, you can attach FPV goggles on your head and pilot the plane through them. They offer an immersive flying experience. This is an excellent way to have a quality first-person flying experience. You see the aircraft from the pilot’s perspective. There are quite a lot of FPV goggles on the market. The most prominent manufacturers are Fat Shark, Skyzone, Spektrum, Quantum, Generic, FlySight, and many others. Here we analyze which are the best FPV goggles currently on the market.
FPV goggles reviews
Bellow is FPV goggles comparison chart and some reviews of the goggles.
GOGGLE | RESOLUTION | DVR | DPI | HEAD TRACKING | REVIEWS, AVAILABILITY AND PRICING |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FlySight 32 Ch SpeXman | 640X480 | No | 59.5 to 69.5 mm (adjustable) | No | |
Fat Shark Predator V2 | 640×480 | No | 63.5mm (fixed) | Yes | |
Skyzone SKY-01S | 854×480 | No | Unknown | Yes | |
Fat Shark Dominator V3 | 800×480 | Yes | 57 to 73 mm (adjustable) | Can add | |
FatShark Teleporter V3 | 320 X 240 | No | : 63.5mm (fixed) | No | |
Spektrum FPV System | 320 x 240 | No | can be set up | No | |
Headplay HD FPV | 1280×800 | No | Single screen (no set up) | No | |
Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set | 480 px | No | Single screen | No | |
Spektrum Teleporter V4 | 320 x 240 | No | Not given | Yes | |
Fatshark BASE SD | 640×480 | No | 59-69 mm | No |
FlySight 32 Ch SpeXman 5.8Ghz Diversity FPV Goggles
Those are high-quality goggles that allow you to use the FPV at its finest. It has a good video receiver with a diverse function. Antennas also have a great feature that they point in different directions. That assures an excellent signal to the goggles and makes the video more watchable. It offers an exceptional flying experience, and it is not too hard to use. It has five buttons and a front camera. The front camera helps you see what is going on in front of you. You can watch the video from the front camera and the flight simultaneously. It has a good screen resolution (854×480) and a mediocre front camera (the front camera’s resolution is slightly worse, 640×480). Another good thing about those goggles is that they come with a small bag and all the wiring. That allows you to store your goggles in a nice bag. It might not be a big deal, but it adds to the overall style it provides.
Fat Shark Predator V2 FPV goggles
Those are perhaps some of the most famous FPV goggles on the market. It comes with a 5.8 GHz receiver and has one antenna. This is why it does not have a diversity function. The screen has a resolution of 922.000 pixels (640×480 VGA). It also has head tracking, which works just perfectly. The video that you get is terrific. You can attach the wireless camera to virtually anything. For example, you can connect it to a dog and have a first-person dog experience with those goggles. You can also change the antenna and some other parts to fit your needs better.
That is especially good if you want some special antenna to extend the reach. Although even with those goggles, the distance is quite far already – up to 3,000 feet (3 kilometers). The batteries last a long time before they need charging, and it also beeps before the battery is off.
The batteries for goggles work much longer than those for quadcopter, so it will rarely happen to you that you would run out of battery. With all this in mind, it is no wonder that those goggles have been top sellers for a long time. They are simply fantastic and offer you a great experience!
Skyzone SKY-01S FPV AIO Video Goggles
Skyzone has provided another great product. Their goggles have two antennas, and diversity receiver, and a head tracker. They are quite simple to use. The screen has a high resolution – 854×480 (1230k pixels); besides, it also has a wide-angle front view camera. Its advantages are obvious; it helps you understand what is happening around you while flying. Goggles have high sensitivity of and in total 60 channel receivers. You can also hear all the sounds on your earphone while flying. The front camera has a resolution of 680×480. The receiver has a frequency of 5.8 GHz and can reach quite far. It also comes with a bag and a manual and does not come with a battery, though (800-1000mah battery). Goggles offer a great piloting experience and are also great for racing quads. Moreover, the reach of the antenna is quite far, which is also an important feature.
Fat Shark Dominator V3 FPV Goggles
Fat Shark Dominator V3 FPV goggles are a newer version of Fat Shark goggles and are even more user-friendly. They offer DVR recording and 800×480 resolution. Receiver modules are available with 1.3 GHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz options. You can also add a head tracker. That enables you to fit it to your specific transmitter. When you buy them, you also get the wiring and the battery. The goggles are simple to use.
Fat Shark is also a great brand in the FPV goggle market, so the quality is quite good. The battery is 1800 mAh, and it has a LED indicator. Battery life is good, and you do not have to worry about it when flying in general. It rarely happens that the goggles run out of the battery. They also come with face softeners, so they fit your face much better, and you will not have scratches with those goggles. They weigh 1.6 pounds.
FatShark Teleporter V3 FPV Video Goggles
Those goggles are another upgrade of V2 goggles and have one antenna with a 5.8 GHz transmitter. The kit also includes a 720p pilot HD camera. It is also possible to record onboard HD video with the included camera. But the goggles do not have DVR recording. Goggles, unfortunately, have no head tracking. Goggles are simple to use and have good batteries with low power consumption. The battery is included, and the battery life is long. They are also a bit cheaper than most FPV goggles. But although they offer low prices, they do not lack quality and usability. The flying experience with them is very immersive and realistic. The battery does not die soon, and you can fly without worries. It does not have a camera mounted on, so you need to remove the goggles while flying to see around you. Still, it does not hurt the flying experience too much.
Spektrum FPV System
Spektrum offers some great goggles. Those come equipped with wires and a battery, so you have an all-in-one system. They have a 5.8 GHz receiver and even provides you with an FPV camera. It is effortless to install all the components, and it has a good signal for ultra-light aircraft. Those goggles are meant to be used on smaller quadcopters. Unfortunately, those goggles cannot record the data from the flight. But the good thing is that you can also use those goggles on other RC machines – cars and planes. So it has multifunctionality. The whole system is made for less experienced flyers, so it is straightforward to use. But goggles are by far the best thing in this system. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for larger aircraft or quadcopters. Still, the goggles offer a good flying experience, and the whole package is probably the best choice for small quadcopter owners.
Headplay HD FPV goggles
Those are other great goggles! Shipping might be a problem here since it takes a while to be shipped from Hong Kong. The goggles have the 32ch 5.8GHz receiver. They work on most quadcopters. They also offer an extended range of flying.
Moreover, they are not too hard to use. Screen resolution is lovely, and it is reserved for high-quality FPV cameras. It is 1280×800. The picture is also adjustable via menus. Goggles are easy to clean, and in case they fall, they are not likely to break. That is because they are made of durable materials. The battery works just great! It will provide you with long battery life so you can fly for a long time. Those goggles are made for quality quadcopters and maybe for also more experienced pilots. Goggles weigh 2.8 pounds which is a bit more than an average in the FPV goggles market. In general, they offer great value for the price.
Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set
If you are on a tight budget and do not mind a bit worse quality of the goggles, those goggles might be just right for you! Since they tried to make them cheap, the goggles have a DIY component in them. You get all the parts in the package, and they just have to be put together. Resolution is low – 680px. The goggles themselves are not made of the best and most durable materials, but the materials are okay, and they will provide you with a decent flight. What is very important is that they are easy to put together, so they can also be suitable for inexperienced pilots. They do not offer extra additions like DVR recording or head tracking. Those are also only viewing goggles, so you need to pair them yourself with a receiver, transmitter, and camera. They do not weigh much (less than a pound). When put together, those goggles still give you a nice flight, and you still get some of the FPV goggles experience.
Spektrum Teleporter V4 Video Headset
Those goggles are also among the less expensive goggles on the market. The receiver is 5.8 GHz, and it has one antenna. It is compatible with all Spektrum and Fat Shark cameras, which are 5.8 GHz. There is also one unique feature available on those goggles, that is head tracking.
That makes the flying very interesting, immersive, and engaging. Goggles are compatible with most of the quadcopters, but you might have to cycle through channels that are on the goggles. The range is pretty good – between 1.5 and 3 miles. The goggles have two QVGA 320 x 240 LCDs. They are easy to use and offer a great flying and piloting experience. They do not have DVR recording, though. In general, this is an entry-level product that has a formidable quality. Also, the video has a 480p resolution, which might not be the best on the market. It weighs 2.6 pounds.
Fatshark BASE SD FPV Headset Goggle
Those goggles are another Fat Shark product. A receiver works well, and it has a specific feature for this model that it can remove the video noise from 433 Mhz and 2.4 GHz radios. There are minimum controls that make it easy to use and also extend reliability and durability. The goggles have an adjustable 59-69 mm interpupillary (IPP) distance. It also supports lens inserts for those who do not have good eyesight (short-sighted people). Goggles have a 640×480 display (922,000 pixels), goggles weigh 2 pounds, and LiPo batteries power them. They are made for experienced pilots as well as for less experienced pilots. Flying (and piloting) experience with them is very nice. The problem can be if you run a 5.8 GHz video because those goggles have receivers for lower frequencies. They do not have head tracking and DVR recording. But they have an excellent price for the quality that you get.
What to look for when buying FPV goggles?
Video receiver – frequency and other features
Usually, FPV goggles come with a video receiver, but not always. Some receivers only run a 5.8Ghz frequency band, and some offer other frequencies as well. 5.8Ghz is the most widely used frequency for flying with FPV goggles, which will be useful anyway. But if you plan to fly on other frequencies, that might be a problem. Different frequencies are suitable for flying, for example, 2.4 and similar, becoming popular recently. 5.8 GHz FPV is good for standard quadcopters, but when there are obstacles, they might have bad reception, and you might lose the picture. So having a receiver with different frequencies is beneficial for you. Moreover, some FPV goggles also offer video receiver diversity which means that when there are more video receivers (two or more), the variety automatically chooses the best reception and gives you better video quality. Receivers typically have their antennas, which can point in different directions or are just different types of antennas, so they work differently. This is a nice feature to have on your FPV goggles as well.
Antenna
The antenna is also an essential part of your receiver and, therefore, even of your goggles. An antenna is attached to the goggles, and usually, you have two antennas to reach further. The signal is significant for the final video that is received. Antennas have to be compatible with receivers. If you are buying FPV goggles, this does not matter to you, but building your FPV goggles by yourself is important. The antenna also needs some housing; otherwise, it can be very fragile, and you might break it fast.
FPV goggles display resolution
In general, you have limited resolution coming from FPV cameras. That is because the signal cannot transmit the best resolution in real-time. Because of this, FPV goggles with high display resolution might not be a good idea unless you have a good camera. You can check out the guide to choosing a good FPV camera. In case you have an excellent FPV camera, resolution becomes more important. It gives you a clearer picture and a better flying experience. If you plan to keep your goggles for some time and change your quadcopters, take into account that technology will probably advance, and video transmitted from the quadcopter will get better. So you will need a fair FPV goggles display resolution. Display resolution goes from 600×480 on. You can get better resolution from your camera to your goggles, and in case that the goggles offer high resolution, you will get high-quality video. That improves your piloting experience.
Video recording option – built-in DVR
That is a great option, and some of the FPV goggles have that. This option is called DVR, and it can save some of your flights. That is very good if you try to analyze your mistakes or just have a memory of where you were flying. In case you crash, you can rewind and see where it got wrong. Some goggles allow saving on a micro SD card, but an external DVR is also an option. Another fair usage of that option is that you show your friends how you flew if you had any unique and exciting flight.
Video quality, DPI, and inter-pupillary distance
DPI is an essential measure of video quality. It means dots per inch, and it is a measure of video dot density. More of them represent a better picture. As discussed previously, more is only useful if you have a better quadcopter with the camera because it needs to transfer a better video quality from the camera to the receiver. IPD or inter-pupillary distance is the distance between the center of the pupils of each eye. Many goggles nowadays have adjustable IPD, but many goggles are not flexible. It is best if you determine by yourself how much you need.
Usually, you can adjust it to different lengths.
Other goodies FPV goggles with head tracking
There are also other good things that FPV goggles can have, for example, head tracking. In this way, you bind the camera with your head to adjust it by moving your head. Although it is an exciting thing, it is usually not that necessary. Still, many users love this option, and it is becoming increasingly popular. Head tracking is generally also good if you are used to that. At the start, you might make some mistakes with it. But usually, this is quite intuitive and, therefore, a nice feature to have. It also does not hurt your signal considerably.
Batteries
They are usually attached to the back end of the goggles. Although you will have to refill, they usually hold on for quite a long time. FPV goggles battery life is quite long, and usually, there are not many problems with that. LiPo batteries are used for FPV goggles.
5.8 GHz FPV goggles
5.8 GHz FPV goggles are most often used in flying applications. They are useful because, with this frequency, you can get a relatively cheap receiver. That means that you can save some money on that. You can also buy 5.8Ghz FPV goggles with diversity at a reasonable price. But the downside of that is that you will not have a top-quality receiver. As soon as there is some obstacle, the signal will no longer be strong. And with a lousy signal, it is a bit harder to fly. Well, according to the FAA rules, a quadcopter must always be in the line of sight anyway. That means that you should not fly too far and beyond obstacles. So, in that case, such goggles are good and can easily be used. Another good thing is that usually, you are not very long behind the barrier, which means that you only lose the video connection for few seconds. You can still control your quadcopter.
All in all, such goggles can be bought if you do not want to spend too much on the receiver. But remember, in the FPV goggles market, it is usually true that a higher price also means higher quality.
Front camera
When flying the quadcopter for a while with goggles, you have no idea what is happening around you. It is beneficial that you can switch to the regular sight around you. The front camera enables you to do just that – you can see how the environment around you changes. You also keep the grip on reality with that. Of course, you could just remove the goggles for few seconds, but this is not feasible. You can press some buttons by mistake, and also it takes more work. Plus, it’s less cool.
Price
The price of FPV goggles can vary. Usually, they will cost you more than $100. Most of the good ones cost a few hundred dollars. There are some cheaper ones, but most of them have their cons. The advisable price that you should pay for FPV goggles is around $350-$500. You can get some pretty decent goggles for this money, which will give you an unforgettable flying experience. The number of people who use FPV goggles today is rising fast. Soon most quadcopter enthusiasts and users will have them.
FPV goggles with glasses – what if you are short or long-sighted?
Many people wear glasses, and they want to wear goggles. Since goggles are placed over your head, they can undoubtedly take away space from your glasses. FPV goggle creates a screen that appears few meters away from you. So the answer to the question asked is: “it depends.”
If you are long-sighted, you should have no problems because of the way the goggles function. But if you are short-sighted, then you have a problem. That means that you can see close but not at a distance. The solution can be to use diopter lenses that are made for short-sighted people. The alternative solution is to use DIY goggles where you can put the glasses on while piloting. You can design goggles that have enough space for you to take glasses on while using them.
Do It Yourself (DIY) goggles
To make DIY goggles, you first need a screen. The screen can be bought online or at your local shop. You need to design the craft foam to form a box that should be the same size as an LCD screen. Then cut the box to fit the face and put the LCD screen a bit further from the eyes so your eyes won’t feel discomfort. You can then wire the antenna and receiver on the box.
This is just one way of doing it. There are many other ways as well. Experiment or discover your way to fit your needs perfectly.