FPV for Phantom 2

[Eric Low]

I just started aerial photography, I have the following gears

1) Phantom 2
2) H3-2D
3) GoPro Hero 3+

From my existing photography gears
1) Wondlans WM701B (field monitor)

I would like to know for FPV, I need only iOSD mini? From what I had read up, the range is only 50m?

Please advice. Thanks.

 

[Evilmerlin]

The iOSD mini is an On Screen Display. It's just meant to overlay positional, battery status, speed and other data over your video feed, it doesn't transmit anything. You're going to need a video transmitter and a video receiver to get a feed from your GoPro. The range you get would be dependent on the power of your transmitter, antennas and your area.

Hero3+ -> iOSD -> Video Transmitter

 

[freezy1977]

The iOSD mini is an On Screen Display. It's just meant to overlay positional, battery status, speed and other data over your video feed, it doesn't transmit anything. You're going to need a video transmitter and a video receiver to get a feed from your GoPro. The range you get would be dependent on the power of your transmitter, antennas and your area.

Hero3+ -> iOSD -> Video Transmitter

Can advise what transmitter to pair with?

 

[Guile]

Nothing beats a Lightbridge for full HD 1080p 30fps with HDMI out to connect to LCD panels that has HDMI in or USB out to an Android device.

[video=youtube;1ZN1_zq_S2k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZN1_zq_S2k[/video]

At least 2km range but you need to change to a transmitter that has a trainer port, eg Futaba T8J and above.

You wouldn't need the mini IOSD as the Lightbridge has OSD display built in.

 

[lightning]

Consider the AVL58 from DJI. Want something more kick ass...use the light bridge from DJI. you do not need IOSD for FPV. IOSD is a good to have.

 

[lightning]

Nothing beats a Lightbridge for full HD 1080p 30fps with HDMI out to connect to LCD panels that has HDMI in or USB out to an Android device.

[video=youtube;1ZN1_zq_S2k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZN1_zq_S2k[/video]

At least 2km range but you need to change to a transmitter that has a trainer port, eg Futaba T8J and above.

You wouldn't need the mini IOSD as the Lightbridge has OSD display built in.

That is my next target.... Waiting for their stock to replenish!

 

[Evilmerlin]

LightBridge is really expensive though. Boscam 5.8Ghz vTx/Rx is a more economical choice.

 

[ronniegogs]

I dont get why would you want Full HD or HD video transmission. FPV is to guide the aerial vehicle from far. You can have a footage recorded on camera and can access it later anyway. FPV is to fly not for recording the video out.

Lightbridge is 2.4 Ghz should not be used in my opinion. Since you control the quad or aerial vehicle with 2.4 Ghz radio you do not want another 2.4 Ghz system to cause interference. If may cause interference and may cause you to lose the radio signal and you will have a nice expensive crash.

A good 5.8 Ghz system with nice fatshark goggles would suit FPV just fine in SD. HD is just too much bandwidth for video which wont give you high range.

 

[Evilmerlin]

@Ronniegogs The Lightbridge system actually merges both your control and video link into one frequency with some fancy frequency hopping and decoding. It's not supposed to have any conflicts between control and video link.

HD is nice but price is exorbitant. SD transmission is cheaper and easier to get but of course once the price drops to a more reasonable value, sure will jump into it.

@Eric How far do you see yourself flying? You could probably just get a 250mW 5.8Ghz TX/RX with circular polarised antennas (This is the important bit, stock antennas don't give you a lot of range and also susceptible to interference). I've read of a guy who managed to hit 1.6Km with that set up.

 

[ronniegogs]

Well if that's the case then its fine. But I dont see the point of using HD video when SD can do the job and give you higher range. Also for FPV in this range a Phantom wont cut it as normal 2.4 ghz radio range is limited. For the video below you need UHF frequency range which can give you ranges like 30km+ and may not be legal as its power output is high.

Watch these. 5.7 Km FPV range

[video=youtube;-VJ_t3bcIBY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VJ_t3bcIBY[/video]

 

[Evilmerlin]

Check out this link. http://fpvlab.com/forums/showthread.php?27520-Help-on-achieving-1-mile/page3

Hit 1.6Km though he did lose video towards the end but yes for true long range flights, you need a UHF system like EzUHF.

 

[Eric Low]

Thanks for the sharing guys...

After some hours of research, decided to go for
1) DJI AVL58
2) DJI iOSD mini
3) DJI cable and hub
4) Black Pearl

The hub gives a neat solution with all the required cables for plug and play and no soldering like previous.

 

[Eric Low]

At first thought of selling off and just get the vision, but the stablisation in one axis is just too bad, videos not usable at all...

 

[Guile]

You haven't watch the new Phantom 2 Vision + videos?
Camera quality is the same as the Vision, thus not as good as a standalone Gopro 3+ BE.

[video=youtube;ESKl2dza16U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESKl2dza16U[/video]

3 axis gimbal, Adobe Raw stills...wifi is built into the Phantom itself and not the camera.

 

[freezy1977]

Bought the "upgrades" today to add FPV to my Phantom2.
1) DJI AVL58
2) DJI iOSD mini
3) DJI cable and hub
4) Black Pearl

The setup is really made easy with the cable & hub

The completed "upgraded" Phantom 2

 

[freezy1977]

Found some time to go flying today... at least not flying blind now with the FPV.

 

[Evilmerlin]

Good stuff. Fly safe!

 

[Canto]

OT abit,

Just curious, is there anyway i can improve the "locking" of the GPS of the phantom 2 vision?
coz i brought it oversea, city area, and i had a hard time trying to detect the GPS.

my polar GPS watch and samsung note 3 can detect GPS, but its 0 for mine phantom 2 vision. and its working fine when i'm back in sg. this

 

[lightning]

Guys, do not use those super long range FPV system, as most of them uses the 1.2-1.4 Ghz range. These frequency is illegal to be used by consumer and often trigger authorities to hunt you down and issue a warning or a hefty fine. 2.4 and 5.8 Ghz are consumer frequency used by wifi, so the authorities is not very concern about usage of such frequency. The down side of 2.4 and 5.8 Ghz is that it requires line of sight and have short range. Of course you can use a super high 2000mW power, but that will drain your system batt quickly and generate loads of heat.

So please fly safe and do not get into troubles with authorities.

 

[lightning]

OT abit,

Just curious, is there anyway i can improve the "locking" of the GPS of the phantom 2 vision?
coz i brought it oversea, city area, and i had a hard time trying to detect the GPS.

my polar GPS watch and samsung note 3 can detect GPS, but its 0 for mine phantom 2 vision. and its working fine when i'm back in sg. this

Never flown overseas before, so hard to advice. HP GPS uses GSM base station to help in the GPS location.