Uhm, as a seasoned FPV-er let me comment on a few things:

- A 2.4GHz video transmitter will not work with a model that also uses 2.4GHz for control, hence you'll have to use 72MHz.
- The system offered here has just 10mW output, hence the maximum range is limited to about 1000-feet.
- Replacing the stock antenna on the receiver with a 8dBi flat patch antenna is a must if you want to get acceptable range.
- How about FCC certification? FCC rules stipulate a 0dBm output, 10mW is more, 10dBm to be exact.
- For that price far better deals are to be had at http://www.nghobbies.com or http://www.rangevideo.com

Cheers,

Sander.

Now put a gyro in the "Geordi" and add a moving camera platform so you can look to the side and get your bearings in a vertical climb.

How about a video from a powered plane, climb, fly, land??
WL

I am an early experimenter with this equipment, and I want to tell you, I never achieved this level of quality and reliability of signal. And I had a lot more work into building my own systems, rewiring the video section out of a Sony camcorder, tuning each coil of a home-made transmitter (from a Super Circuits kit) and having to assemble a volunteer crew to point the high-gain yagi antenna, and run the joysticks on the camera platform. See more on www.flynwolverines.com
Actually a more direct link would be:
http://www.wldeng.com/Special/Files/RPV/index.htm

You guys have nailed it, this is so cool...

Originally Posted by Biplan

Now put a gyro in the "Geordi" and add a moving camera platform so you can look to the side and get your bearings in a vertical climb.

I can't tell...you do know that lots of people are doing that already, right?

A whole lot of FPV videos here:
http://www.vimeo.com/tag:fpv

Originally Posted by WilsonL

How about a video from a powered plane, climb, fly, land??
WL

The Easy Star is a powered plane! The prop is behind the wing, it's a pusher.

Sorry, the number of comments on this review kind of snuck up on us or we'd have been chiming in sooner! We appreciate all the kind comments, and can give this feedback on some of the questions:

Originally Posted by ukpaul

Would it work with a UK 2.4 DX7? I keep reading that they have a much lower output (10mw?) than the US versions (100mw?).

We are aware that UK TXs have relatively low output power, but don't know much about what the output is. If it's 10mw, which seems REALLY low, then the interference from the TX to the camera receiver will be that much less, although we still doubt you'd want to fly it on 2.4 Ghz. The question is, would that small 10mw RC TX get through to the RC receiver with the video 10mw transmitter right there in the plane, even if they're on different channels? Probably, but we wouldn't try it. Use 72Mhz.

Originally Posted by Smokescreen38

Nice writeup!

How was it flying without a pan-mount? Did you feel like you had tunnel vision?

Do you get a warning when you're nearing the edge of the video transmission range (fuzzy picture?) or is it an abrupt cut-off?

How far away can you fly? I would love to be able to fly over the tree tops and away from the field.

Thanks!
We never felt like we had tunnel-vision. We can't replicate the view from the goggles with a video (which only captures the camera feed, not how it is actually displayed in the goggles) but the field of vision is plenty wide enough. It takes a couple of minutes to get used to, but tunnel-vision isn't a problem.

When you get near the edge of the transmission range, the picture begins to break up and you know to turn back (assuming you know where "back" is!). We never experienced a sudden black-out, but we're guessing that might happen if you flew behind a ridge or perhaps behind a thick stand of trees (leaves, being full of water, are great RF blockers). Another reason to have a spotter with you at ALL times.

Originally Posted by Aten W Arthog

How likely is it I would get airsick or disoriented from the view? I get a little woozy If I play StarFox too aggressively on the TV at home:-P

We were wondering about that too - in fact Vic flew his first flight on one knee in case he got disoriented. But it was never a problem. And he could get queasy from a pencil sketch of a roller-coaster...

Originally Posted by vanepico

so you could have the goggles 20 foot away from your 2.4ghz tranny and it would work? i take it it screws up wifi hotspots and wireless routers and stuff like that?

Yes, if you had 20-foot-long sticks on your TX, you could wear the goggles and probably be okay. (Or did you mean to ask if you had 20-foot-long cable from your video receiver to your goggles would you be okay? Yes, that might be more practical, and it would have a good chance of working!)

Theoretically the video transmitter could screw up wifi, but the 10mw transmitter is so weak it is unlikely to have any effect on neighbors' wifis, nor are they likely to have an effect on your signal. That having been said, it would be imprudent to fly in a Starbucks.

This is a video I just edited some days ago, the best of all my videos since I started flying FPV in november 2006.

It´s not the PilotView stuff but I could have done the same with it, only the pan&tilt mount and the MHT (control of the camera with the head) are an improvement.

It´s spanish, but I think it´s easy to understand. If you don´t understand anything, just ask

FPV nov06-mar08 (10 min 9 sec)

FPV has so many posibilities I couldn´t list them all here, the PilotView is a GREAT starting point, but that´s only the first step into the FPV world. Then you can add pan&tilt, a HeadTracker, OSD, GPS, return to home systems...

And you can use it in a plane, a heli, a car, a quadrocopter...

And there are so many options for cameras, tx´s, OSD´s, even the RC systems are becoming numerous, you can use the standard 35/72mhz stuff, the new 2,4ghz or the last 900mhz tx from DMD wich has the record of 17km range


There are so many options to fly FPV that choosing may be really difficult, specially for people without experience. That´s the reason the PilotView is a GREAT combo for newbies, it´s all good material, wired up, to make the first plug and play FPV system. I higly recommend it for people who want to try what´s FPV flying but be careful, it´s highly adictive!!


Andres

Great footage Andrés!

I've got tapes full of footage as well, just never seem to be able to find the time to edit it all into such a nice demo movie as you did.

Cheers,

Sander.

That's really cool and I want one, but pricy.


I'm sure the goggles are a chick magnet at the field too. Seriously.

That is a great video Andres - thanks. We're seriously considering adding MHT to our setup. The feeling of "being there" would be incredible!

Here's a J3 Cub from Nitro Planes to add to the video pile. Not really the HL setup but pretty close. I'm using a gyro based head tracker when I'm flying with the goggles on.

http://www.vimeo.com/1058404

How much was it?

Originally Posted by rc2xs

That is a great video Andres - thanks. We're seriously considering adding MHT to our setup. The feeling of "being there" would be incredible!

Sorry for the delay I didn´t receive the notification

Thanks The MHT (or any HT that work well) is the best investment you can do for FPV flying, it´s what makes you feel you´re sitted in the cockpit!

I couldn´t fly without HT, once you try it there´s no return

Do a search for the MagTrack V2 (or v1.2 I´m not sure, it´s the second version). Seems to work like my MHT but much cheaper! Or the Track R2 if you prefer gyro based HT.


Do not complain about the price guys, you´ll spend it only once and it´s worth every cent. I´m still flying with my first camera, tx, goggles... and it´s almost 2 years since I started flying FPV. The equipment that is on the plane is much more tough that what you could think, you have to crash really really hard to break anything more than a wire, definitely much more resistant than the plane, battery, servos... Don´t ask how I know it


Andrés

Love the cockpit view in the J3 cub. Nice

Here's my movie that shows all the neat stuff I do with my FPV gear.

My FPV Movie (6 min 27 sec)