Cheap FPV Goggles: Now The Real Fun Starts

With the development of technology, the drone accessories niche develops at such a speed that it is pretty hard to keep up with the latest “most wanted” drone gadgets. First off, the appearance of action cameras led the drone hobby to a totally different dimension.

But, now, with the ability to connect your onboard camera with a pair of goggles, especially if you find cheap FPV goggles that allow you to be in the “pilot’s cockpit”, it seems that the fun part is just warming up and that this hobby is going to reach unbelievable heights in the next couple of years. When they first appeared, FPV goggles were really expensive so they were not available for every hobbyist’s pocket.

They were mostly used by professional drone racing pilots who had serious sponsors behind them. And speaking of professional drone pilots, did you know that there is a professional drone racing league? Yup, it’s a professional sport, but a very expensive one! You can find out more about this in our article about drone racing.

However, nowadays, pairing up your drone’s camera with an FPV set is not as expensive as it used to be, and now, pretty much everyone can buy a pair of these “adrenaline injections”.

So, for those who are still new in this game, and still not aware of best FPV goggles for the money, here is a list of best 5 affordable models that will leave some room in your budget for another accessory (a drone battery, perhaps).

Best FPV Goggles for The Money

Eachine VR-007 #1

If you ask a professional FPV racer about these goggles, he will tell you that they are as good as any $300 or more goggles out there. The amazing HD picture comes as a shock to everyone who tries them on for the first time.

The picture is crystal clear, and the signal with the stock antenna is amazing, even if there are walls between you and your drone, and that is why the racers love them. The goggles themselves are impressive and built with high-quality materials and give you a feeling that they are quite rugged.

The controls on the goggles are pretty easy to use, and the strap quite comfortable. As for the battery, the stock 1600mah smart battery is great, but if you plan on doing multiple flights in a row, then you might consider buying a battery with a higher capacity. All in all, you will not make a mistake with these goggles, and pretty much with any of Eachine’s products in general.

Manufacturer’s specs:

• Built-in 40CH 5.8GHz A/V automatic search receiver
• Customized eyeglass, with myopia below 400 degrees so no need for glasses
• Settled three-point fillet reduces the pressure on the head
• High softness, ventilate and environmental sponge fit the contours of the face, meaning that no ambient light will come inside the goggles

Like this product? Then you can buy it on Amazon.

Usmile 5.8G 40CH 5 Inch FPV Goggles #2

Our first impression of the Usmile is that they are quite good. The goggles themselves are pretty lightweight, which makes them comfortable to wear, and every switch, as well as the outer covering, are made of good quality materials.

The only issue with the design is that they don’t have a nose area foam, which causes some ambient light getting inside, but this can easily be fixed by adding some adhesive foam in the nose area.

Another problem, well for some this can be a problem for some not, is the fact that the goggles are not equipped with an adjustable lens. But, the users claim that the manufacturer has found a good focal length, so even those with glasses will probably not need them during the flight.

As for the screen, it is perfectly bright, it has great colors, and the stock settings are pretty much great so you don’t even need to change anything. Even more, you can use them right out of the box.

The internal settings/OSD Usmile offers with these goggles is a nice solution, but it would be much easier if they provided a user manual for the settings. It is not complicated, and you will figure it out pretty soon, though. In the OSD, you can use the auto scan,  set manual channel, calibrate the RSSI, scan frequencies, and so on.

A friendly advice, the rotary switch you will find on the top of the goggles goes left and right for channel scan, and for selecting areas in the OSD screen, however, if you push it down, it is used for the “selection” option, and it took us a while to figure out where that option was.

Manufacturer’s specs:

• Built-in 40CH 5.8GHz A/V Diversity receiver with automatic search
• Screen size: 5.0 inch, Screen resolution: 800*480
• Customized eyeglass, myopia below 400 degrees
• NTSC/PAL auto switch

Like this amazing product? Then you can check its price here.

BTG KDS KYLIN VISION 5.8GHz Full Band FPV Goggles Headset #3

These goggles are a perfect example of an FPV set that was built for hobbyists with a tight budget, who don’t have enough money to buy the $300-$400 models, or simply don’t wish to spend that much on goggles. The Kylin Vision is definitely not the best model on the market, but the price is more than sweet for the deal you get.

With just under $100, you will get FPV goggles that are quality looking, feel great while wearing, and offer an 800×400 WVGA screen, enclosed headset. The signal goes through the  5.8ghz, 64 channel, autotuning VTX, while switching through channels, with a few pressed buttons, is pretty easy.

The goggles get their power from the included 1S, 2000mah LiPo, which is charged through a mini USB port. If you take a look at the side of the goggles, you will notice that they have an ergonomic design that really fits like a glove, and the buttons are positioned perfectly, so you won’t have any trouble trying to find the buttons while the headset is on your head.

Overall, the goggles are not the best you can find, but for that price, and with the features they offer, they are definitely worth buying, unless you plan on using them on professional drone races.

Manufacturer’s specs:

• Compatible with 250 FPV Racing Quadcopters;
• Full-band 5645M~5945M; automatic search and manual search; scan to match the Transmitter;
• Resolution: 800X480 (WVGA); 5.8G Receiver, 5″ Screen;

Like this amazing product? Then you can buy it from Amazon.

ARRIS Eachine VR D2 #4

Eachine amazed us with their VR-007 goggles, but when they released the VR-D2, we realized that they really mean business! This company offers a high-quality FPV system for an unbelievable price.

The goggles come with an 800×480 5″ screen, -95dBm, and a built in DVR which allows you to film your flights.  As for the design, they come with a standard rounded goggles design and have a one digit display and eight buttons in the rear.

One of the great features is that the goggles come with an included short range FPV Clover Leaf antenna, and one for long distance FPV. This is quite an improvement over the standard twin linear models. Those who have issues with their eyesight will be thrilled to hear that the VR D2 comes with an adjustable lens.

There are 3 anchor points on the head strap, and the battery also goes there, which is great, considering that the entire set weighs around half a kilogram, and the weight is evenly spread around your head.

When it comes to how comfortable these goggles are, every single owner claims that they are pretty comfortable thanks to the use of quality facial foam and that even people with larger noses will not have problems when wearing them.

Furthermore, the top of the goggles is where you will find the micro SD card slot, but we have to warn you that in order to record the footage of your flight without any problems, you have to use a class 10 card or higher, and format it before using it.

Otherwise, a “card full” error message will be displayed. The conclusion? Well, for only a few dollars more than for the previous model, you will get a built in DVR which records flawlessly in NTSC, adapted FPV racing antennas, and a great RX sensitivity. These FPV goggles are simply perfect for racing, and if you are looking for an affordable racing drone with great characteristics, we suggest that you check out our review of the Eachine 250 Racer drone model.

Manufacturer’s specs:

• Built-in DVR function
• Adjustable lens, no need for glasses
• Digital display showing the frequency channel in real time
• Built-in low-voltage alarm, buzzing when the battery level is under 7v

If you think that this product could be useful for you, then you can buy it from Amazon.

Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set with Monitor (KIT) #5

If you are looking for a really cheap, but quite functional FPV set, then the Quanum FPV is an excellent choice for you, as it offers great value for the price. Have in mind that this is a kit and that you will have to do some assembling to do, but it is not that complicated, and it can be done in a few minutes.

Also, the kit does not include a battery and a receiver, and you will have to order it separately. As expected, the screen isn’t perfect, but for the price, it is fairly decent. It uses the standard RCA style AV-In connections, and also comes with a mini JST power adapter.

For the most comfortable FPV experience, the manufacturer has also included three lenses, and you can switch from 16:9 to 4:3 aspect ratios. All in all, this FPV DIY kit is a great choice for those who want to get into FPV, or if you simply want to give your drone piloting a new dimension, or you can use them for friends who want to tune in live into your flights.

Manufacturer’s specs:

• 3 inches Screen Size
• TFT LCD – NON-Blue screen
• PAL/NTSC supported
• Supply Voltage 7~13V
• Resolution 480px

Like this amazing product? Then you can buy it on Amazon.

Features to Consider Before Buying Affordable Goggles

The FPV goggles are designed with a goal to provide the real piloting sensation to drone pilots. They offer the ability to see how it looks from the drone’s perspective. However, before buying a pair of these, you have to ask yourself one question: “what am I going to use them for?”.

There are 3 possible answers to this question, and by knowing what you need the goggles for, you allow yourself to search and find the perfect model that will best suit your needs and your budget. The possible answers to the question you asked yourself are:

• For amateur use and for only making your hobby more interesting.
• For making professional videos and documentaries while using the goggles for positioning your drone for a perfect shot.
• And, the last answer would be for FPV Racing.

In each of these 3 situations, you will have to look for a series of features.

That is why we decided to help you out and we’ve put together a short list that describes each one of these features, to make sure you end up with the right FPV Goggles for your needs.

1. For amateur use: In this case, it is more important that you use a wide angle lens camera than paying too much of an attention to the goggles model, so that you can spot an approaching object since you don’t have the drone in the line of sight. But, you have to find the goggles that can find the frequency of your video signal transmitter, have a nice lasting battery, and that are comfortable to wear.
2. For making professional videos and documentaries: This is where the quality of the goggles screen is the most important feature. In order to get that perfect shot, you will need goggles with a high-quality screen, and great colors, so that you have a realistic image as much as possible.
3. FPV Racing: This is where the range and the strong signal comes into play. If you want to race with your drone, you will need goggles that don’t lose the signal that easily, and have great antennas so that you don’t experience a black screen in the middle of the race. The quality of the picture is important, but not the most important thing.

Not Sure What to Buy Yet?

FPV goggles in general, are definitely very fun to own, and are extremely popular in the drone hobby world. You can use them for both work and entertainment, and most people who use FPV goggles develop great passions for flying and aerial imagery.

But, deciding on the type of model can be quite confusing given the fact that there are already so many out there. So, our goal is, after you read the most important features, and saw the best 5 models on the market, that you have the necessary data to make an informed decision. Even more, we put together a few pros and cons of owning a pair of cheap FPV goggles:

Pros:

• They offer great features for a low price.
• They make drone piloting far more interesting.
• You can also connect your friends and family into your flights, and offer them a chance to see how it looks from the drone’s perspective.

Cons:

• Not all the cheap FPV glasses models offer the “real” piloting sensation like the expensive models do.
• You don’t have the drone in the line of sight, so it might happen that you fly the drone into an object while flying sideways, and that is why it is always a good idea to have someone by your side to have the drone in the line of sight while you fly so that he/she can warn you.
• Since you can’t see anything around you, you might get hurt if not standing still or sitting down while you fly FPV flights.

If you still have questions regarding which model of FPV goggles to purchase, or any other topic-related inquiries, just leave us a comment. We’ll do our best to reply as quickly as possible!