[greggold]

Anyone thinking about trying FPV will likely consider a purchase of DJI goggles, and especially the fairly new Goggles 3 that cost around AUD 850. These goggles work with the DJI O3 air unit which experts agree is the best, most stable fpv system - the video system fitted in the drone or airplane - on the market.

I mainly fly drones with the DJI O3 unit, and I have also done a limited test of a walksnail drone; I have little doubt the DJI O3 is the best video system. It seems the DJI O3 air unit is the most popular and widely purchased air unit, and that certainly is the case for PRCAC drone flyers. 

The DJI O3 unit on a drone may connect to the DJI goggles 2, the DJI goggles integra, and recently there is a firmware upgrade that lets the DJI goggles 3 work with the O3 air unit. These three goggles are the only goggles the O3 air unit works with. There is planned a DJI O4 air unit, but it is not likely to be available for several months or more.

For some weeks there have been online reports of a serious issue flying with the DJI O3 air unit and the goggles 3, whereby the video feed disconnects and fails to reconnect without warning, causing a crash. Leading online gurus including Joshua Bardwell and Ian at Mads Tech have posted videos about the issue and advised it is unsafe to fly using the DJI O3 air unit and the goggles 3. The goggles 3 is the faulty component, not the DJI O3 air unit.

In this video (starting at 10m 58s) Ian explains the current situation after discussion with some DJI staff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltjnFcoW4d4

Ian concludes its very likely a DJI firmware upgrade will fix the problem by the end of the year. A "beta" (beta firmware upgrade) is in the works and could be released earlier.

[caffeine]

On a semi-related note, in the upcoming version 4 of ELRS, You'll be able to arm/disarm your O3 air unit directly from the ELRS receiver.

https://github.com/ExpressLRS/ExpressLRS/pull/2926

[greggold]

On a semi-related note, in the upcoming version 4 of ELRS, You'll be able to arm/disarm your O3 air unit directly from the ELRS receiver.

https://github.com/ExpressLRS/ExpressLRS/pull/2926

That is good news. Almost all my flying is done with the O3 air unit, and I use the DJI integra goggles. I have had only 1 crash where the video signal was lost, and its not clear to me whether having the ability to disarm then rearm would have helped. The O3 air unit generally has excellent penetration but if you fly behind a hill or large building it struggles to maintain contact.

I think DJI is still the best choice for fpv and if you buy the integra goggles, OR goggles 2, these goggles are now discounted and they were designed for the O3 air unit. The DJI goggles 3 were designed for the expensive DJI rtf drones with their proprietary video units, and also for the upcoming DJI O4 air unit which is not expected anytime soon. There was much celebration when DJI belatedly brought out a firmware upgrade that allowed to goggles 3 to work with the O3 air unit, but now goggles 3 owners must be very unhappy, despite what Mads said in the above link. 

The O3 air unit retains its status as the best video system and I expect will be around for a long while, so discounted goggles 2 or integra goggles - which have a great track record - look like a good choice at the moment.   
 
A online guru Chris Rosser who does great posts and technical deep dives believes the Caddx Avatar video system - that works with Walksnail Caddx goggles and the video systems Avatar V2 HD V2 and the Moonlight are good alternatives to going DJI. I have not had a chance to fully test my Caddx goggles L with my walksnail mobula8 drone as I am awaiting prescription lens inserts (which I do not need for my integra goggles). Rosser says one area where walksnail is better is flying in low light conditions than DJI O3, which is true but overall I am not convinced by walksnail.

[greggold]

repeat post

[greggold]

Ian at Mads Tech has a new post about the DJI goggles 3 problem; he has been able to get a firmware update with the upgraded beta firmware for the goggles, and his tests so far are showing the problem is solved. He says the updated firmware should be available to all users within a few weeks. There is no new firmware for the O3 air unit as it was not the cause of the problem.

At 5 m 20s on this video, details of his study of this issue are provided.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0sS3Agmh-0

I will not be buying the goggles 3 at this time as I use the DJI Integra goggles, and these give excellent performance in every respect, except one: the fan to prevent fogging of the 2 lenses does not do a great job, however a fix is available. The fogging stops after 1 or 2 flights, occasionally 3 flights, so the fix is to land immediately when fogging occurs and wipe each lens with a cleaner such as Lens Bright... and repeat until the fogging stops. If the cost of the goggles 3 is a concern then the integra may be a better choice. Only time will tell whether the goggles 3 has superior performance that justifies the price premium.

[caffeine]

I see the o3 air unit is now a fair bit cheaper at most stores. Getting ready for the o4 unit release?

Unfortunately, drones with the o3 built in have not dropped in price, so I might just get an air unit and stick it on one of my planes (or RC cars)

[greggold]

re:drones with the o3 built in have not dropped in price

This is true, but the O3 air unit has dropped to AUD $279 at the Australian D1 store. There is an excellent betaflight quad that can be purchased cheaply without any air unit, that accepts an O3 air unit that you purchase separately and install yourself. Its the pavo20, or the slightly larger pavo20 pro, both of which are 3S drones. The pavo20 is around AUD 220. It takes me about an hour to install the unit, as I like to watch the videos and check the parts etc, but it is easy and no soldering is needed.