Organising your DJI Avata 2 Drone for the primary time may be an thrilling expertise. On this tutorial, I’ll information you thru the steps to get your drone prepared for its maiden flight and share some ideas and methods to boost each your flight and digicam picture high quality.
In case you are nonetheless on the fence about whether or not it’s best to get the DJI Avata 2 FPV drone, take a look at my detailed evaluate: https://oscarliang.com/dji-avata-2/
If you happen to resolve to get the DJI Avata 2, I like to recommend getting the Fly Extra Combo which comes with 3 batteries:
Listed below are the helpful equipment you will get on your Avata 2: https://oscarliang.com/dji-avata-2-accessories/
Step-by-Step Setup Information for Maiden Flight
Unboxing: Unbox your DJI Avata 2 and guarantee you will have all the required elements: the drone, controller, batteries, charger, propellers, and documentation.
Charging: Cost the drone’s battery utilizing the included charger. It’s additionally a good suggestion to cost the controller and any spare batteries.
Energy On: Start by powering on the DJI Goggles 3, Movement Controller, and the Avata 2 Drone. Press the ability button as soon as means that you can test battery voltage, and when you press and maintain the button down once more till all inexperienced LEDs gentle up, it activates the goggles.
Goggles Tutorial: The FPV Goggles will information you thru a tutorial explaining the way to navigate the menu and use the movement controller to regulate your drone.
Activation: Earlier than your first flight, you could activate the goggles (the drone and distant don’t require separate activation). Join the USB-C port of the goggles to a cell system, launch the DJI Fly App, and observe the prompts for activation. You’ll be able to obtain the app from DJI’s official obtain web page: https://www.dji.com/uk/avata-2/downloads
Alternatively, you should utilize a pc by downloading and putting in the newest model of DJI Assistant 2 (Client Drone Sequence) from the identical hyperlink. If you happen to beforehand put in this for different DJI fashions just like the O3 or unique Avata, make sure you replace to the newest model.
Firmware Replace: The app will immediate you to replace the firmware.
Linking: Sometimes, the drone ought to already be linked to the movement controller and goggles proper out of the field, eliminating the necessity for guide pairing.
As soon as activated and up to date—a course of that ought to take not more than 10-Quarter-hour—you’re prepared for takeoff.
Flying Avata 2 with Movement Controller
For freshmen, the Movement Controller may really feel overwhelming as a result of there are such a lot of buttons. Even for skilled pilots, it takes some getting used to. Listed below are the fundamentals to get you began:
- Arm the drone: Double-press the lock button to arm the drone, motors will begin spinning.
- Disarm: Double-press the lock button once more to disarm, the motors will cease.
- Takeoff: With the drone armed, press and maintain the Lock button to provoke takeoff. The plane will ascend to about 1.2 meters and hover.
- Braking: Throughout flight, press the lock button to make the plane brake and hover in place. Press it once more to renew flying.
- Touchdown: To land, press and maintain the lock button whereas the plane is hovering. It would land routinely and shut off the motors.
- Digital camera Management: Alter the digicam angle by tilting the movement controller up or down.
- Yaw Management: Gently press the set off and tilt the distant left or proper to pan the drone.
- Lateral Motion: Use the joystick to maneuver the drone left or proper. Pushing it up or down adjusts the drone’s altitude, ascending or descending at about 1 meter per second.
- Ahead Flight: To maneuver ahead, merely press the set off all the best way.
- Flying Up and Down: For upward or downward flight, press the set off absolutely and tilt the controller up or down.
Superior Flying Methods
By default, your DJI Avata 2 might be in Newbie mode, which is designed to be very sluggish and protected for brand new pilots. On this mode, you possibly can’t swap flight modes, which helps stop accidents whilst you’re nonetheless studying. Nonetheless, as soon as you’re feeling assured with the fundamentals, you’re able to take the subsequent step.
Switching Off Newbie Mode: Go to Settings -> Management to show off Newbie mode. It will unlock the drone’s full capabilities and assist you to swap between completely different flying modes.
Sport Mode: By urgent the flight mode button, you possibly can activate Sport mode. Consider it as Regular mode with a big velocity increase. It’s good for once you desire a bit extra pleasure and an opportunity to essentially see what your drone can do.
Turtle Mode: If you happen to’re conversant in Betaflight, you’ll admire Turtle mode. This setting helps the Avata 2 get better from crashes by flipping itself right-side up. It’s extremely helpful in case your drone finally ends up the other way up after a mishap, saving you a visit to retrieve and manually reset it. Yow will discover Turtle Mode within the Settings Menu.
Actual-time Dwell View
By double tapping actually onerous on the appropriate aspect of the goggles, you possibly can activate realtime stay view of your surrounding utilizing the 2 entrance dealing with cameras.
By default it’s on 2D mode which solely makes use of one of many two cameras. You’ll be able to set it to 3D within the Settings-> Show which makes use of each cameras and truly improves usability IMO.
Head Monitoring
Head Monitoring is a captivating function that enhances your flying expertise by linking digicam motion to your head actions. Right here’s the way it works:
To allow Head Monitoring, go to the highest menu of your Goggles. This enables the digicam gimbal to maneuver up and down as you progress your head up and down. Once you look left or proper, the drone will pan in that path (because the gimbal doesn’t transfer in horizontal axis).
Initially, controlling the digicam together with your head whereas directing the drone with the movement controller may really feel a bit unnatural. Nonetheless, with some observe, you possibly can obtain dynamic and artistic photographs which can be troublesome to duplicate with conventional controls.
It’s necessary to say that Head Monitoring solely works with the Movement Controller and isn’t supported by the Distant Controller 3.
Return to House
Maintain down the flight mode button can activate return to house (RTH) throughout flight. Throughout return to house you possibly can achieve again management by urgent the Lock button. It’s very correct, touchdown inside 1 meter of the house level.
DJI Avata 2 additionally assist Low Battery RTH and Failsafe RTH.
Linking Units
Your Avata 2, distant, and goggles must be linked proper out of the field. Nonetheless, if you could re-link them for any purpose, right here’s the way to do it. Notice that there’s no devoted hyperlink button on the brand new gadgets – to place them in hyperlink mode, you merely maintain the ability button for five seconds.
- Plane: With the drone powered on, press and maintain the ability button till you hear a steady beep, indicating the battery stage LEDs are blinking in sequence.
- Goggles: With the goggles powered on, press and maintain the ability button till the goggles begin to beep constantly.
- Completion: Linking is full when the beeping stops, and that the plane’s battery stage LEDs flip stable.
- Now repeat this for the distant, and the goggles.
Notice: There’s no have to hyperlink the plane on to the distant as they impart by means of the goggles.
Firmware Replace
Personally I don’t rush to replace firmware – typically new firmware may include some form of new restrictions. I all the time wait and see what the neighborhood’s suggestions is earlier than updating.
After a firmware replace, all the time restart your plane, distant controller, and goggles earlier than takeoff. This ensures all new settings take impact accurately.
Necessary: Firmware updates can reset flight parameters like RTH Altitude and Most Flight Distance. Make sure that to notice your most popular settings beforehand and reapply them post-update.
If the replace fails, restart the plane, distant controller, goggles, and both the DJI Fly app or DJI Assistant 2 (Client Drone Sequence). Then, try the replace once more.
FCC Unlock
Sadly DJI Avata 2 doesn’t assist manually switching amongst FCC, CE, and SRRC. The plane will determine the nation and area the place it’s situated in response to the situation of the cell system and the GPS of the plane, and swap between FCC, CE, and SRRC following native legal guidelines and laws.
Whereas the ham file hack doesn’t unlock extra channels because it used to within the unique Avata and Goggles 2, it does improve RF output energy, permitting the drone to function in what seems to be an FCC RF energy mode. This hack additionally unlocks the velocity limitations within the EU.
Merely get the file “ham_cfg_support” and unzip it to the foundation listing of the SD card and put it within the DJI Goggles 3. Obtain right here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ug2U_i5kdrKQQ2I17NLJBXm2tKQeNj5Q/view?usp=share_link
There are third social gathering apps that may unlock FCC mode on the Avata 2, however they aren’t free. It’s also possible to attempt a free app referred to as B3YOND however unavailable on iOS and works in older Android variations.
Greatest Transmission Settings
For CE customers, channel mode is ready to Auto and can’t be modified, so you possibly can skip to the subsequent part.
For FCC customers, the next are my advisable transmission settings.
Channel Mode: Set to Guide to realize full management over transmission settings.
Frequency: Select between 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz. 2.4GHz for higher penetration by means of obstacles however restricted to 1 pilot at a time resulting from its slim bandwidth (only one channel out there). It additionally interferes with 2.4GHz radio hyperlinks corresponding to ExpressLRS, so DO NOT use 2.4GHz once you or different pilots are utilizing 2.4GHz radio hyperlinks. 5.8GHz is preferable when you plan to fly with others, because it provides a lot wider bandwidth. Relying on interference, you could discover one frequency provides higher sign than the opposite, if unsure, attempt each and examine bitrate.
Bandwidth: Larger bandwidth offers higher picture high quality however will increase the chance of interference with different pilots. When flying solo, you possibly can safely use 60MHz or 50MHz. When flying in teams, take into account decreasing the bandwidth to 50MHz, 40MHz, and even 20MHz to reduce interference.
Utilizing 5.8Ghz, it’s best to have 3 channels with 60MHz and 50MHz bandwidth. If you happen to solely have 1 channel out there, you should utilize the “ham file” hack to unlock the remainder of the channels, obtain the ham file and place it within the root listing of your goggles SD card: https://oscarliang.com/dji-fpv-system-fcc-700mw/#DJI-Goggles-2-and-O3-Air-Unit
Greatest Digital camera Settings
To get essentially the most out of the DJI Avata 2, I’ve discovered these digicam settings produce nice consequence for video high quality.
For finest flying expertise and don’t care a lot about recording:
- Mode: Auto
- Decision: 1080p 100FPS
- Colour: Customary
For finest cinematic footage:
- ND filter is a should, see why: https://oscarliang.com/nd-filter-fpv/
- Mode: Guide
- ISO: 100 (or as little as potential relying in your lighting), or Auto (then set Max ISO to 400 or 800 for additional flexibility)
- Decision: 4K 60FPS (Keep away from 30FPS as a result of latency is just too dangerous for flying)
- Shutter Velocity: 1/120
- WB: Put White Steadiness on Auto first and see what the system select, then lock in with that worth, so WB is mounted throughout flight
- FOV: Broad
- Colour: D-Log M (when you coloration grade), or Customary (when you don’t coloration grade)
- EIS: OFF (when you use Gyroflow), or Rocksteady
- Sharpness: -1 (you possibly can improve sharpness in publish)
- Noise Discount: 0 (or +1 for lowlight reduces noise in the dead of night space)
For stabilization, the Avata 2 provides three modes: RockSteady, HorizonSteady, and Off. RockSteady is the default setting, offering strong stabilization. You’ll be able to change this within the Settings > Digital camera > EIS menu of the goggles. If you happen to want to stabilize footage post-flight, disable EIS and set the digicam to extensive mode to assist Gyroflow offline stabilization.
Native facet ratio is 4:3, by switching to 16:9 it has the highest and backside cutoff.
Some testing on Noise Discount worth, has an influence on shadow element and lowlight.
Some comparability on sharpness worth, personally I want -1, however that’s private choice.
Video bitrates underneath completely different decision/body price:
- 4K 60fps: 130Mbps
- 4K 50fps: 120Mbps
- 4K 30fps: 90Mbps
- 2.7K 60fps: 100Mbps
- 2.7K 50fps: 90Mbps
- 2.7K 30fps: 70Mbps
- 1080p 120fps: 80Mbps
- 1080p 100fps: 70Mbps
- 1080p 60fps: 50Mbps
- 1080p 50fps: 40Mbps
- 1080p 30fps: 25Mbps
How one can Use Distant Controller 3
The Distant Controller 3 means that you can fly in full guide mode. You’ll want to activate the RC3 first and replace its firmware through the DJI Fly App or DJI Assistant 2 earlier than utilizing it.
To hyperlink the Distant Controller 3 to your DJI Goggles 3, observe these directions:
- Goggles: With the goggles powered on, press and maintain the ability button till the goggles begin to beep constantly.
- Distant: With the distant powered on, press and maintain the ability button till it begins beeping.
- Completion: Linking is full when the beeping stops, and that the plane’s battery stage LEDs flip stable.
Notice: the Movement Controller will nonetheless work together with your drone, however you possibly can solely use one controller at a time, is determined by which one connects to the Goggles 3 first.
Assign guide mode to the mode button: Within the Goggles Settings->Controls->Distant Controller->Button Customization, set Customized Mode to Guide Mode.
If you happen to intend to fly in guide mode, be certain to take away throttle stick self centering. By eradicating the again deal with rubber, you will see two screws – tighten each screws will take away throttle stick self centering. By loosening or tightening each screws barely adjusts the friction, takes a little bit of trial and error to get it proper.
You’ll be able to swap between Regular/Sport/Guide flight modes utilizing the mode button.
To arm and disarm the drone in Regular/Sport modes, use these stick positions.
To arm and disarm the drone in Guide mode, double press the Begin/Cease button. You’ll be able to modify the digicam angle utilizing the highest left rotary swap.
In case of emergency, you should utilize the “Flight pause/Return to house” button in any flight mode:
- Press as soon as the quad will cease and hover in place, and put it in Regular Mode.
- Press and maintain and it’ll activate return to house; to cancel RTH, press it yet another time.
Set your charges and expo, I’m utilizing these for freestyle flying:
- 120/800/0.5
- 120/800/0.5
- 140/650/0.5
What to Do When Shedding Sign
Once you lose video, it’s possible that you simply nonetheless have RC sign. Subsequently It’s finest to let go of the sticks; the Avata 2 ought to provoke return to house routinely.
Different Suggestions and Tips
When flying over the altitude peak restrict, the drone will go into Regular mode and gained’t allow you to fly any increased. You’ll be able to improve the peak restrict as much as 500 meters (in Settings->Security), however it’s best to observe your native laws. There’s no strategy to take away the altitude restrict, in order that’s one other draw back in comparison with an FPV drone.
The DJI Avata 2 features a useful ‘Discover My Drone’ function. To entry it, navigate by means of the goggles menu to Settings > Security > Discover My Drone. This function reveals video footage from the 30 seconds earlier than the drone was misplaced, aiding in its restoration. The footage is saved in inside reminiscence so SD card isn’t required. Moreover, if the drone nonetheless has battery energy, you possibly can activate the ESC Beeping operate underneath the identical menu to make the drone’s motors beep, serving to you find it by sound.
A helpful trick for goggle customers: place a bit of tape on the sensor between the lenses. This prevents the screens from turning off once you take away the goggles, avoiding the transient delay when turning them again on.
Battery charging: as quickly as you insert the batteries into the charging hub, it’s going to begin charging routinely. It would all the time begin with the one with highest energy stage so it finishes faster. If all of your batteries are low in energy stage, you possibly can switch the remaining cost into one single pack so you possibly can fly a bit longer – merely insert all of the batteries within the hub, press and maintain the ability button till the LED turns inexperienced. To cease, press and maintain the button once more.
To cost batteries within the discipline, I’ve been utilizing the Speedybee Discharger with an enormous 6S 10000mah LiPo. This is sufficient to recharge 6 of the Avata 2 batteries.
File Switch
Transferring information to a telephone:
The Avata 2 facilitates file switch through Wi-Fi by means of the DJI Fly app. Merely energy on the drone, activate the QuickTransfer operate within the app, and be sure that the drone and telephone are inside 2 meters of one another with out obstructions.
Transferring information to a pc:
Join the drone to your laptop utilizing a USB cable with out powering on the Avata 2, an exterior drive ought to seem. If utilizing a reminiscence card, you possibly can immediately insert the cardboard into your laptop’s card reader.
Dwell Feed Sharing (Video Out)
Dwell feeds may be shared in 3 ways:
- Wi-Fi wi-fi sharing: Allow display sharing from the DJI Goggles 3 to a cell phone through Wi-Fi. Join the cell system to the Goggles 3 through Wi-Fi and use the DJI Fly app to view the drone’s stay feed. This technique helps connection to just one cell system. The latency is over 100ms, so it’s not perfect for flying utilizing this feed, however ok for spectating. If that is too uneven, think about using a USB wired connection.
- Wired sharing: Join a cell system to the DJI Goggles 3 utilizing an information cable and an OTG adapter. The related cell system will show the drone’s stay feed through the DJI Fly app. Like Wi-Fi sharing, this technique helps just one system. Latency is far decrease than WiFi.
- Viewers mode: Activate the printed operate within the DJI Goggles 3 menu, permitting a number of goggles to obtain the stay feed and not using a viewer restrict. That is perfect for sharing the flying expertise with an viewers.
Notice: Needless to say you possibly can solely use one sort of connection at a time, whether or not connecting to goggles or a cell system.
Conclusion
By following these setup steps and ideas, you’ll be able to seize beautiful aerial footage together with your DJI Avata 2 Drone. Take pleasure in your flight!
Edit Historical past
- Apr 2024 – Directions written for the evaluate of the Avata 2.
- Aug 2024 – Created a separate publish for this setup information.