If soaring through the air like a bird and seeing the world from lofty heights sounds great to you, then the DJI Avata is a great choice. This first-person view (FPV) drone is sold alone or with a set of FPV googles and controller. Our review unit comes with the S$1,879 Pro-View Combo, which packs the new DJI Goggles 2 and DJI Motion Controller. The cheaper S$1,549 bundle packs the older DJI FPV Goggles V2.
Quick specs
- 1/1.7-inch CMOS (48MP), 155 degrees FOV, f2.8
- 20GB internal storage, micro-SD slot
- 2,420mAh Li-ion battery
- DJI Goggles 2 full-HD resolution, 290g
Flying in first-person view is challenging if you've never done it before. You can practice with the DJI Virtual Flight App, which links your phone to the DJI Goggles 2, and teaches you the basics in a simulated course. Using the Motion Controller is easy. You point down to dive, pull up to ascend, much like a joystick. Press the trigger to accelerate and move forward. You rotate your wrist to turn. It's intuitive if you've ever flown a flight sim. Honestly, it's more fun than using a controller like the DJI Mavic Pro 3. I also dared to fly lower than I normally would since the control was precise.
The drone itself shoots at 4K/60FPS, and up to 100FPS at lower resolutions of 2.7K and 1080p. There's 20GB onboard, but you can add a micro-SD card for more storage. The ports are at the inside of the propeller guard. Unlike other DJI drones, the Avata doesn't fold. It has a more fixed design, with the battery taking up much of the bulk. It's still compact enough I can fit it into my camera bag easily. Both the drone and Goggles will record your video, but you will want the drone recording. That's because it's not affected by any video transmission issues if you fly too far away.
The Goggles are lightweight, but they are a tad uncomfortable to wear since they press hard against your cheekbones. You won't have to wear them long though, since the Avata is rated for a flight time of 18 minutes. However, I find that it usually lasts around nine minutes or so. You can adjust the Goggle's lenses for shortsightedness and the distance of your eyes easily. The straps fasten behind your head, and is pretty secure. The lens resolution is just HD, but is bright and sharp enough. I really loved soaring through the air just watching through the Goggles. The range is also pretty decent, with up to 500m or more with no obstacles. It did start to drop around 300m if it isn't clear. The drone will automatically return to home if it loses the signal.
The DJI Avata isn't cheap at S$1,879 for the Pro-View Combo, but I think it's worth every cent given how much fun I had testing and flying it. Because it weighs more than 250g, you will need to register it with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) before you can fly it. Be sure to also avoid flying in illegal zones. Get it from Shopee, Lazada, or Amazon SG.
Note: Review unit provided by DJI.
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