Looking for advise, FPV racing?

[Steven Campbell]

I am less than a week in and have 2 drones with others to mess with coming and I am likely moving too fast but I want information to see if this is a road I really want to venture down.

I'm still learning to fly and control and will have several to practice with and crash but what is catching my eye is these videos being posted of high speed flying and racing.

I'm always on a budget, but I occasionally spend a bit more for something of quality.

I've looked at some videos reviewing some prebuilt where they say out of the box some of the Furibee drones are decent to play with, the $99 drone build, etc.

I'm not good programming computers, my goto laptop is an old Panasonic CF-30 Tough book with Win7 and I harday use it. I'm more mechanically minded than electronic, I can do basic soldering and such.

With tax return season here, I'm tempted if affordable to start into a quality but affordable racing setup.

My question is, what are some good but affordable FPV goggles, transmitter, and perhaps drones and what would be the rough costs on each of those items as well as the battery types and average costs.

Based on what is recommended, more than likely I'll begin picking up the equipment here and there till I have something to play with.

The ability for the equipment to be upgraded or rebuilt is a plus.

I don't ever plan to actually race but it would be fun to eventually have a quad that would be capable of racing.

I ordered a basic FPV 5.8 camera and screen to attach my existing drone to practice with.

I like to typically go with as high as quality as possible with as low a price as possible but in this sport, that may not work out....

 

[Gyro Doctor]

First you should learn to fly the starter quads you have to their limits, THEN you can start thinking about racing, otherwise you'll just be
destroying good racing gear. Since you've already purchased a camera and screen, the first goggles you might want to look at would be the "box types".
They are much cheaper than the "Fat Shark Style" goggles and you can even get just the "boxes" and use the screen you already have to save
even more money.

Some things aren't worth buying the best of as a beginner because: a) You WILL crash (and a lot) and break stuff .... b) Until you're pretty good at it
you'll often not even be able to differentiate between mediocre and really good quality ... c) Things can get expensive really quick.

Items you should go ahead and invest in for quality from the beginning are: The radio transmitter and the battery charger. Don't skimp on these, as they
will serve you well regardless of your skill level ("toy" grade quads typically come with their own cheap transmitters, which after modifications are fine,
but "hobby grade" quads do not unless it's a "combo" deal). You'll also want a good balancing charger like the IMAX-B6AC to use instead of those "wall warts"
that you'll wind up collecting. It will not only charge them much faster but also more safely and with greater expected performance from the batteries too.

 

[Steven Campbell]

Of the suggested battery charger, I see a version 1 and 2, which would be the prefered?

Also, for a transmitter, what do you and other on here recommend as a quality all around good one.

 

[Gyro Doctor]

The version 2 charger has a few features the original does not so it's the better choice (IF you'll even use those features), mine is a V1 and it
still does everything I need for this hobby. The transmitter I use is the FrSky Taranis X9D Plus. I like it because it holds a zillion different models
and their settings, plus has more knobs and switches than you'll ever need for a quadcopter (I fly RC airplanes too though) and it actually TALKS
to you too, which I think is just pretty darned cool. It's using "Open TX" so has infinitely upgradable software, can support modules to control
any type of quad control protocols, is fully supported by all simulators, and it's also what almost all of the pros use

 

[Steven Campbell]

I see one on Amazon for $209 with the title: FrSky Taranis X9D Plus 16-channel 2.4ghz ACCST Radio Transmitter (Mode 2)

What does the mode 2 mean, is it important?

Edit:

Would this transmitter control the "toy" quads I have?

 

[Gyro Doctor]

Mode 2 means the throttle is the left stick's up and down movement. This is the most common mode (at least in the USA).
To control other quads that use different communication methods (command protocols), including toys, modules are plugged
into the back of the radio.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...-taranis-tx/&usg=AOvVaw1yguKi18-VM-hLn_9HUrDi

 

[Steven Campbell]

Things to look into for sure.

In the next month I'll have about 3 weeks off to recover from minor surgery on my foot to read up on this stuff and get some practice in.

I ordered the battery charger and if I have enough extra from the next paycheck after other bills (80hrs regular, 16hrs of .5 Sunday, and 40.5hrs overtime), I'll try and order the transmitter so I can have some hands on practice.

Sounds like the nice battery charger will charge the "toy" batteries as well.

 

[Rick M]

...
I ordered the battery charger and if I have enough extra from the next paycheck after other bills (80hrs regular, 16hrs of .5 Sunday, and 40.5hrs overtime), I'll try and order the transmitter so I can have some hands on practice.

Sounds like the nice battery charger will charge the "toy" batteries as well.

Once you have a balance charger, your only concern will be buying or making adapters/connectors for any battery you want to charge. For charging more than one at a time you will need a parallel charging board. Search for "parallel charging board" on Amazon and you will see what they are. Depending on the board, you can charge up to 6 (of the same type) batteries simultaneously.

 

[Steven Campbell]

Once you have a balance charger, your only concern will be buying or making adapters/connectors for any battery you want to charge. For charging more than one at a time you will need a parallel charging board. Search for "parallel charging board" on Amazon and you will see what they are. Depending on the board, you can charge up to 6 (of the same type) batteries simultaneously.

I ordered a 19 in 1 charging cable to handle a few kinds, saw the charging board, will look into one for charging up the HS400 lipos

 

[Steven Campbell]

Charger arrived, feels like a quality product, thinking about building the charger into a rigid 22" organizer tool box with a couple 12v 9ah SLA batteries for portable lipo charging.

Will likely install some air circulation fans to keep everything cool.

 

[Steven Campbell]

Just curious, seen some good things said about the Furibee X215 PRO 215mm drone?

I know I am still new but as I want to learn more.

I'm bad at book leaning and such, I really want to pickup a ready to fly good drone that I can link a transmitter too, take the props off, and experiment with the programming as well as take apart and examine so I have something in my hands to learn with along side the "book" learning.

I'll likely order the drone in a week or 2 and the transmitter shortly thereafter.

Yes I know it's early but I need something in my hands to learn with better.