WITH THEIR ORIGINS in the world of drone racing, FPV drones (that's first-person view for the uninitiated) offer a faster, smoother, and more exciting flying experience than the camera drones we've typically covered in the Gear section.
To use a gross oversimplification, if standard drones, like the new WIRED Recommended DJI Air 3, fly like helicopters, FPV drones behave more like airplanes. While most drones are designed to remain as steady and level as possible in the air—all the better to provide a stable platform for photography and videography—FPV drones can bank, drift, climb, and plunge acrobatically, and even pull off loops, flips, and barrel rolls in the hands of a skilled pilot. Go to YouTube and have a look if you want to see how incredibly agile these things can be.
DJI’s Avata 2 aims to bring the skill requirements needed for FPV flight down, while still offering an exhilarating first-person experience. And I’m delighted to say it succeeds, turning me from a nervy novice into a gleeful, gap-threading adrenaline junkie in a matter of minutes.
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