#Powerup fpv how to#
#Powerup fpv trial#
#Powerup fpv plus#

We also had to use a more deliberate throwing motion without sudden moves to ensure a smoother takeoff. The key was to not have the propellers spin before letting go of the drone. It nosedived into the ground immediately after we let it go - and did so a handful of times before we realized the problem. On the app, we pushed the thruster slider to 100 per cent, and then threw the drone forward assuming it would take off and fly. And the fewer Wi-Fi networks in the vicinity, the better.Ī spotter is essential for piloting this thing with the cardboard headset. We were advised to put the phone or tablet in airplane mode to reduce cellular interference, though it’s not a requirement. Being in beta, the iOS app was susceptible to strange glitches that required frequent re-launches and restarts on the drone to ensure the connection was stable.

#Powerup fpv trial#

The level of trial and error involved here gave us fits in certain instances. A wide open field with distance from trees is the most ideal place to fly, a point made obvious once we got this thing in the air. The other is to use the included Cardboard viewer with a phone and app to control the drone with head movements. One is with the app on a smartphone or tablet, using virtual controls for flight and functions. There are two ways to fly the PowerUp FPV. We then slid in the battery, the LEDs lit up, and we were ready to fly. Using a pair of scissors, we cut open flaps for the elevator panels in the back to help with pitch. The stabilizer rod is a particularly important piece, since it helps steady the body when clipped onto the struts as close to the battery compartment as possible. The front needs to be pushed up as much as possible, with the back clip also pushed forward to keep the paper from moving too much.

Sliding the paper airplane into the frame was simple enough, since it’s really about aligning holders to keep it in place. Despite visual indicators on the included papers for the Invader design, we found the best instructions were online via YouTube or the PowerUp website. More designs are reportedly coming, and PowerUp is encouraging users to experiment with their own designs.

#Powerup fpv how to#

By default, the “Invader” is the design chosen for the included sheets, but there are other templates the company has recommended, with instructions on how to fold them. PowerUp FPV suggests standard tabloid or A3 printer paper 110 GSM or 28-pound stock, all of which is widely available at print shops. The paper in the box felt like the thicker construction stock we might have been crafty with in elementary school. Either way, the drone works with any Google Cardboard headset. In fact, you’re not supposed to fly this with a headset that straps over your head to begin with, a confusing point that is to be clarified with instructions and a drawing that will come with the unit. It’s actually for the reverse purpose of securing the phone in the slot so that it doesn’t fall out while tilting your head in FPV mode. We were initially confused by the included strap for the cardboard FPV headset because it was too short for wrapping around a person’s head. A microSD card doesn’t come with the unit, but it does support cards up to 32GB for recorded video and photos.

#Powerup fpv plus#

Included in the box is the primary frame, along with a stabilizer rod that clips onto it, plus a 550mAh battery (the same ones used for Parrot Minidrones), and eight sheets of paper to fold into plane designs. Digital Trends got some hands-on time with this unique drone, which is still in beta, so our experience is based on what we had to work with. This is the PowerUp FPV, a successor to the PowerUp 3.0, borne out of a Kickstarter campaign in partnership with Parrot, which is already known for its own lineup of drones. Taking that concept and applying it to a consumer drone is all the more interesting when trappings like a camera, live streaming, and an FPV headset are added to the mix.

One of the earliest flying devices kids become familiar with is paper airplanes, as rudimentary as they may be. The PowerUp FPV brings out the kid in you, including the repeated failures.