DJI Avata for Beginners (All You Need to Know)

Avata is a fantastic FPV drone released by DJI in August 2022 and the second of its kind.

But What is the DJI Avata? Who was created for?

The DJI Avata is a Cinewhoop drone functioning on the same principle as FPV drones created for beginners and individuals who want to fly indoors, close to people and objects, through forests, and in many places inaccessible to other drones while still maintaining the status of an FPV drone.

Avata is more than just a simple FPV drone, many drone pilots have long waited for it.

What do we know about Avata, and what essential things must we remember? We’ll answer those questions ahead!

What is DJI Avata? A detailed overview

As mentioned above, Avata is an FPV drone created by DJI. 

DJI has many drones, from beginner to professional, and search & rescue drones. 

Despite this large niche of drones DJI created, it has only two FPV drones: the DJI FPV and Avata.

After the success of the DJI FPV, which opened the opportunity for many pilots to get into flying FPV drones with ease, DJI released Avata.

Of course, DJI got into the FPV world a bit late, especially since DJI creates digital FPV VTX modules and leads the market. 

Avata is a Cinewhoop drone. What do we know about Cinewhoops?

Cinewhoops are FPV drones with specific frames constructed with duct guards around the motors and propellers to allow ease of use during indoor flights and close to people and objects with minimum risk.

Although the DJI FPV drone was created for long cinematic flights with speed and power in mind, Avata is a more specific type of drone and much safer to use. 

Of course, we can’t compare the DJI FPV and Avata drones directly, as these are two different types of FPV drones with varying viewpoints.

That said, it’s easier to start with Avata and fly it as a regular drone or in Sport Mode. Avata allows each new FPV pilot to fly this drone manually, but you must know the skill level to fly in Manual Mode.

Yes, to fly manually (in acro mode), you need to change some settings and learn how to fly FPV in simulators. 

It doesn’t take long, but having more simulator experience before flying Avata in Manual Mode in the real world is better.

How to get started with DJI Avata

To fly and enjoy the Avata, you must have the Avata drone, the FPV Remote Controller, DJI Goggles 2 (or DJI FPV Goggles v2), and optionally, the Motion Controller.

When buying, you should get what we mentioned above, except for the motion controller, unless you opted for it.

So, what are the steps to get started with DJI Avata?

  1. Updating DJI Avata firmware and setting it up
  2. Charging all the batteries and taking the drone outdoors
  3. Optionally, changing basic settings before your first flight
  4. Fly in Normal and Sport Modes
  5. Follow these steps to fly in Manual Mode or acro 

So, let’s expand this and see how you can fly this drone and what is the best approach to do it.

Step 1 – Updating DJI Avata firmware

To fly Avata for the first time, you must update the drone, remote controller, goggles, and motion controller. 

Before that, you may have to get through an activation process of the drone or binding, depending on where you bought it from and the country of registration. 

Follow the step-by-step guide on registering, activating, and updating the Avata.

Step 2 – Charging all the batteries and taking the drone outdoors

Before you fly your drone, you must charge all the batteries but don’t forget that you will need a decent battery level on the remote controller and the DJI Goggles 2 battery.

Taking it outdoors is the best approach (and in an empty field, if possible) for the first time to ensure the drone is not faulty, there won’t be any pilot errors, and for proper calibration and first-time GPS localization. 

Step 3 – Changing basic settings before your first flight

You can skip this step as it is not mandatory, but there could be a few settings to improve your Avata flight to ensure your flight quality and that the safety features are on.

For instance, we recommend you make the following changes to the default settings of your Avata:

Set the RTH altitude higher. Setting your Avata return-to-home altitude higher than the tallest obstacle is a good idea. 

I personally like to set it at around 100m to ensure the drone doesn’t smash into something when activating the RTH feature.

Remember that Avata does not have frontal sensors to avoid such crashes. Therefore, when returning home automatically, any object in front of your drone will make your Avata crash.

To update the return to home altitude, please go to Settings > Safety > RTH Altitude.

Turn on Center Point. Turning on the Center Point settings will allow you to display a small cross on the center of your screen when you fly Avata. 

This is helpful to coordinate your drone better when you fly, mainly through gaps and along the ridges, and keep the flow steady. 

Go to Settings > Camera > Center Point (Toggle On) to enable it.

Step 4 – Flying in Normal (or Sport) Mode

Taking off Avata for the first time in Normal Mode is a good approach.

Note: Do not fly directly in Manual Mode until you understand the drone’s mechanics, how it flies, turns and throttle rates, etc.

Jumping straight to flying in Manual Mode could be dangerous if you don’t have a feel for the drone in Normal Mode.

At least one flight in Normal Mode should be enough if you’re eager to fly in Manual Mode.

Step 5 – Follow these steps to fly in Manual Mode or acro

Change a few settings to fly Avata in Manual Mode for the first time.

  • Remove the spring tension of the throttle gear. You should have received a hex key with your kit, and there should be a quick guide on how to do it in the booklet.
  • Change the custom button from Sport to Manual Mode. You need to do this to switch to Manual Mode from the remote controller.

Go to Settings > Remote Controller > Button Customization > Custom Button > Manual Mode

Now you can fly your Avata in Manual Mode, but beware, flying an FPV drone in Manual Mode without prior experience is very difficult. Therefore, we strongly recommend you train in simulators.

What about flying acro mode? 

  • There is one more step to do that and freely control the drone as you wish. You need to disable the M Mode Attitude Limit.

Go to Settings > Remote Controller > Gain & Expo > Turn off Attitude Limit.

Now you can freestyle with Avata, do flips and rolls, and so on. Without disabling these settings, you could fly manually but never acro.

Is DJI Avata a good drone to start with?

DJI Avata is an excellent drone, whether you want to fly FPV or just get into flying drones for the first time. 

There are a few areas where Avata excels:

  • Avata has excellent video and radio signals, even at long ranges.
  • It also benefits from the emergency stop feature, return to home, and precision flights.
  • Avata has incredible battery life compared to standard FPV drones.
  • It’s safe to fly around people but beware that drone laws do not cover Cinewhoop drones. 
  • It offers a uniquely immersive experience of flying FPV drones.
  • Avata has excellent camera quality to film directly without needing an additional GoPro.
  • The latency between the DJI Goggles 2 and Avata is very low.

Should you choose DJI Avata (FPV) or a standard drone as a beginner?

As this is a beginner guide, first, you must ask yourself: why choose DJI Avata in the first place?

  • If you want a drone to get into flying FPV, capture unique immersive videos you cannot get with standard drones, and fly safely and in places a regular drone cannot, then go ahead and choose Avata.
  • But if you’re considering acquiring a standard drone or one that will act like a regular drone (such as DJI Mini 3 Pro) with Active Track and avoidance sensors, then Avata is not for you.

What are the pros and cons of DJI Avata?

DJI Avata has many pros and cons compared to other drones and FPVs. Let’s take a look.

DJI Avata Pros

  • The drone embraces the latest FPV VTX technology, offering you the cleanest and best image transmission of all FPV drones.
  • Avata has features not found in other custom FPV drones, such as emergency stop, return to home, easily adjustable camera angle, and much more.
  • The battery life of Avata is fantastic compared to a standard FPV drone.
  • You can fly Avata in Normal and Sport Modes on top of Manual Mode. You can get the unique experience of flying an FPV drone as a standard drone.
  • The video and radio signal is solid, and Avata can have very long flights.
  • Avata is a Cinewhoop drone. It has duct guards protecting motors and propellers, so the drone can fly safely in places where another drone cannot, such as indoors, near people, etc.
  • Avata’s camera quality is excellent, and you will not require a GoPro mounted on top of the FPV drone to have better-quality recordings.
  • Charging Avata’s batteries is easy, whereas a custom FPV drone battery is very complex and dangerous to charge and requires extra measures and experience to do it so.

DJI Avata Cons

  • Avata is not made to freestyle and is an expensive way to do it.
  • Avata’s motors are weaker than other standard FPV or DJI FPV drones, resulting in less max speed and acceleration.
  • It is expensive to buy the entire kit.
  • Flying just the Avata or DJI FPV drones when you want to learn FPV is a good choice, but you will never reach the true FPV potential and knowledge to learn about FPV drones.
  • Avata is challenging to repair independently compared to a custom FPV drone.
  • Avata’s camera is wrongfully placed, and although the drone has duct guards, a frontal impact may break the camera. You should consider a metal camera frame for Avata.
  • Even being an FPV drone, the Avata is limited by DJI like a standard drone (e.g., geofencing, VTX output power, etc.) by location, country, or state – therefore, you may never enjoy the full potential of the drone (as with a custom FPV drone).
  • The Avata is at high risk of tumbling if you take sharp turns or do aggressive freestyle.
AeroDefense integrates O.W.L.’s radar to deliver layered airspace security solution

Patented Radio Frequency Spectrum Sensing and Radar Combine for Fast and Accurate Drone and Pilot Tracking

AeroDefense, provider of fixed and mobile Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum sensing drone and pilot detection solutions, today announced its integration of Observation Without Limits (O.W.L.) radar ground and air detection capability with their AirWarden™ system.

Some critical infrastructure entities require a multi-layer technology approach to combat the threat of unauthorized drones and people. An AeroDefense AirWarden RF spectrum sensing system integrated with O.W.L.’s leading radar technology offers a solution that detects both RF-based and radio-silent, small to large, low speed to high speed drones and their operators as soon as the drone is turned on.

To meet sophisticated drone detection users’ requests for as much data as possible to help guide their security teams’ responses, the integrated system presents each detection type and method in an easily identifiable manner on AirWarden’s intuitive user interface.

AeroDefense Founding CEO, Linda Ziemba, says, “By combining the strengths of both systems, AirWarden offers our correctional facility customers a contraband prevention platform to detect and prevent airborne contraband deliveries by drone and ground-based contraband deliveries by people or vehicles. It also gives our utility customers an integrated platform to detect both human and drone traffic at unprotected electric substations.”

The integration supports the O.W.L. GroundAware® family of 2D and 3D digital beamforming radar systems used by critical infrastructure and government sectors around the world.

“We have learned firsthand that layered security is essential for comprehensive drone situational awareness. We are pleased to partner with AeroDefense to provide their customers an added layer of low-altitude airspace surveillance, plus simultaneous ground coverage for detecting and tracking drone operators,” says Tom Gates, O.W.L. president.

The integrated system will be on display at O.W.L.’s exhibit in booth 11099 at ISC West, the most comprehensive security industry conference in the US, taking place in Las Vegas March 29-30.

About AeroDefense: AeroDefense offers fixed and mobile drone detection solutions for stadiums, airports, correctional facilities, military forces, and other critical infrastructure. AeroDefense’s patented Radio Frequency (RF) based drone detection system, AirWarden™, detects, classifies, locates, and tracks both drone and pilot simultaneously, providing actionable intelligence to respond effectively (and safely) to drone threats. Because AirWarden passively detects drone signals via RF spectrum sensing, it recognizes devices it has not seen before, unlike systems reliant on signature databases, and does not violate federal criminal surveillance laws. Based in Oceanport, NJ, AeroDefense is a privately held company with all engineering, manufacturing, and support based in the US. To learn more about AeroDefense and AirWarden, please visit www.AeroDefense.tech.

About OWL: OWL is a business formed by Dynetics, a Leidos company, with 3,000+ staff members and state-of-the-art R&D and manufacturing facilities in Huntsville, Alabama. OWL leverages 48 years of radar and integration experience with U.S. defense and intelligence community customers to develop, manufacture, install, and support the OWL GroundAware® family of 2D and 3D digital beamforming radar systems. Critical infrastructure and government sectors around the world use OWL solutions for ground and low-altitude airspace surveillance, as well as for integrated counter-drone systems. To learn more about OWL, please visit www.owlknows.com.

PrecisionHawk Merges with European Geospatial Firm Field

PrecisionHawk fixed wing

AI Drone Tech Company PrecisionHawk Announces Merger with European Geospatial Tech Leader Field

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Artificial intelligence and drone technology company PrecisionHawk has merged with European geospatial technology leader Field. This new partnership supports the international growth strategy of both companies, enabling them to have greater influence over the future of infrastructure management.

PrecisionHawk was one of the early players in the drone industry, originally producing a fixed wing unmanned aircraft and eventually moving away from hardware production into ecosystem technology.

“We’re on a mission to build and maintain a better tomorrow with smarter and more sustainable insights from geospatial data,” said Field CEO Cato Vevatne. “We’re excited to be merging our companies, products and technology to deliver world-class infrastructure management solutions to customers across the US, Europe and beyond.”

PrecisionHawk Merger with Field: Combining Technology Assets

The combined proprietary software of the two companies includes inspection technology leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, resulting in a new solution for inspection and analytics with applications in United States infrastructure, communication, and energy sectors.

“This partnership will shake up the US infrastructure and energy market and help drive the shift to more sustainable and effective solutions,” said Vevatne. “Our combined resources help our customers boost efficiency and reliability, build resilience, manage risk and safety, and move towards a cleaner and greener future.”

Both companies possess extensive experience equipping premium companies with advanced intelligence for global operating and asset management. Together, they provide a reliable solution that blends inspection, processing, and visualizing technology solutions to assist customers in making crucial business decisions. Data security will continue to be a major priority with all the data remaining in the US.

Field has served as a technology supplier in the US since it signed an exclusivity agreement with drone solution company Spright in 2021. While PrecisionHawk will begin to operate under the Field brand starting by the end of the year, its US headquarters will remain in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Read more:

Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.

US AI drone-tech company PrecisionHawk and European geo-tech company Field merge

United States AI drone technology company PrecisionHawk and European geospatial technology company Field have merged, bringing world-leading geospatial data analysis solutions to the US infrastructure and energy sectors and beyond.

PrecisionHawk is an artificial intelligence and drone technology company for infrastructure
management with a client list of Fortune 500 companies. Field is a European leader in digital reality
services working with premium clients across the infrastructure, construction, environment, and public
sectors.

The partnership complements the two companies’ international growth strategy and aspiration to
shape the future of infrastructure management.

“We’re on a mission to build and maintain a better tomorrow with smarter and more sustainable
insights from geospatial data. We’re excited to be merging our companies, products and technology to
deliver world-class infrastructure management solutions to customers across the US, Europe and
beyond,” said Field CEO Cato Vevatne.

The companies’ combined proprietary software and revolutionizing inspection technology using
artificial intelligence and machine learning offer an exciting new inspection and analytics solution to the
United States infrastructure, communication, and energy sectors.

“This partnership will shake up the US infrastructure and energy market and help drive the shift to
more sustainable and effective solutions. Our combined resources help our customers boost efficiency
and reliability, build resilience, manage risk and safety, and move towards a cleaner and greener
future,” said Mr. Vevatne.

PrecisionHawk and Field have a proven track record of equipping premium companies with the most
advanced intelligence to manage their current and future operating and asset management needs
globally. Importantly, the merged companies offer a trusted solution combining inspection, processing,
and visualizing technology solutions to help customers make critical and timely business decisions.
Data security will remain a top priority with all the data remaining in the US.

Field is an established technology supplier in the US following an exclusivity agreement with drone
solution company Spright in 2021.

PrecisionHawk will operate under the Field brand by the end of the year. The company’s US
headquarters will remain in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Field
Field is a European leader in digital reality services. By combining software, sensors, and autonomous
technologies, Field puts data to work to boost efficiency and reliability within the infrastructure,
construction, environment, and public sectors. Driven by the need to build and maintain the world’s
infrastructure sustainably, Field empowers modern society by transforming data into insights and living
digital twins. Field now has 300 employees in 10 locations internationally, with research and
development centers in six locations and headquarters in Oslo.

Visit https://field.group/

PrecisionHawk

PrecisionHawk is an industry leader in providing an end-to-end solution, from high quality data collection to actionable intelligence through our proprietary Artificial Intelligence algorithms. Harnessing the vast power of emerging GIS, robotics, drones, and artificial intelligence, PrecisionHawk strengthens the data value chain for essential organizations, market leaders, and Fortune 500 companies. Built on more than a decade of experience in pioneering applications in remote sensing and analysis, PrecisionHawk helps customers collect more data, analyze it faster, and quickly turn it into actionable insights to better manage assets, improve safety, and make better business decisions.

Visit PrecisionHawk.com

FAA, Warren County Community College Host 3-Day Drone Safety and Awareness Event

FAA Warren County Community CollegeFAA and Warren County Community College Hosting Drone Safety and Awareness Event

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is partnering with Warren County Community College’s unmanned systems program, Warren UAS, for a three-day program to introduce the public to the drone field.

Continue reading below, or listen:

The free event, held April 27th-29th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Warren Washington campus, will highlight Drone Safety Day, which the FAA marks each year in April to encourage proper operation of drones.

“This is a great opportunity for the public and people in the industry to come together and exchange fundamental information and new thinking about drones. Both experts and people hoping to gain familiarity with drones will be able to learn from the experts at the FAA and our staff about the latest technology and training available,” said WCCC President Will Austin, who is on sabbatical to advance the UAS program and pursue private funding related to the college’s growth. “There will be a major emphasis on safe use of drones, which is a priority for us and the FAA.”

Warren’s rapidly growing UAS department features two new on-campus facilities, including the new Dr. Joseph Warren Robotics Research Center. The latest in drone technology is continually being acquired, and will be available for use by visitors during the program. The event was designed by college officials to educate the public about its offerings and the technology on display, including from FAA experts.

WCCC will highlight its nationally recognized Uncrewed Systems Program, which teaches flying, building, maintenance and repair of drones, alongside AI and robotics. The program offers both certification and degrees in various aspects of drone design, maintenance and operations.

Drone Safety Day: Focus on Safe Operations

The FAA provides guidance about drone technology and its regulations through its Droning On educational outreach program, as well as through Drone Safety Day, which will be celebrated as part of the event according to project manager Alina George.

The first day will be focused on education, and the second on public safety and local government. The third day will be open to the general public to gather information and see demonstrations

Austin noted that various vendors, college representatives and other training providers will be in attendance, including from Embry Riddle, the country’s leading aeronautical university. A frequent collaborator with WCCC on numerous projects, Embry Riddle often enrolls WCCC graduates to continue further education.

“We are proud to partner with WCCC to produce the best trained UAS technicians and operators in the world,” said David Thirtyacre, chief pilot in the university’s Department of Flight. “We are committed to bringing professional aviation standards to the UAS world and pride ourselves on safe, effective operations. ERAU and WCCC work closely together to establish the highest level of standards in the industry, and we are happy to be involved in this event.”

Project manager Alina George noted that the event’s programming will feature demonstrations and information sessions on public safety, career opportunities, The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), and other important aspects of drone ownership and operations.

“To put this into context, there are more than three times as many registered unmanned aircraft as registered traditional aircraft. By 2026, we forecast that there could be up to 2.66 million commercial and recreational drones and more than 361,000 certificated remote pilots,” said FAA spokesperson Rick Breitenfeldt, who noted that Drone Safety Day, “gives the agency a chance to help the drone community understand the importance of flying safely.”

“Drone Safety Day will highlight the societal, economic, and safety benefits of safe drone operations with events in focus areas such as education, economics, equity, environment, and emergencies,” he added. “This is a great opportunity for businesses, schools, and organizations to share how they use drones, as well as kick off new safety initiatives. For drone enthusiasts, this is an opportunity to share their passion with your friends, family, and local community.”

The FAA is making major progress enabling beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations through rules rather than individual waivers and exemptions, noted Breitenfeldt, who revealed that flying drones over populated areas will also be a likely topic of discussion.

The focus of the college’s programming will be on drone careers, education and ways to enjoy the technology as a hobbyist. Also on display will be other aviation and unmanned technology such as hot air balloons and robots, showcased at both the college and nearby Warren County Technical School.

According to Breitenfeldt, safe operations will be a primary theme for the agency during the program. The FAA encourages those using drones to follow the acronym “Fly RIGHT” in connection with safe and legal drone use: Register your drone, Interact with others, Gain knowledge, Have a safety plan, and TRUST and Train.

Read more:

Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.

Public Safety Drone Review, Tuesday April 4: Elistair, Sony, and More

Don’t miss the April 4 episode of the Public Safety Drone Review, presented by DRONERESPONDERS and DRONELIFE, with guests from tethered drone company Elistair and imaging experts Sony!  The Public Safety Drone Review is a new monthly resource for the public safety community.  This free event will be held live on April 4, 2023 at 3pm EST: and on the first Tuesday afternoon of each month going forward.  Register here for the live webcast, or watch later on the DRONELIFE TV YouTube channel.

Public Safety Drone Review, April 4

This month, hosts Timothy Martin and Miriam McNabb review the latest news stories about drones in public safety, first response, fire and police with our guests: Jake Kristy of Elistair, maker of tethered drone solutions; and Gabriel Johnson of Sony, makers of the Sony Airpeak.  Our guests will talk about their solutions and use cases, and take questions from our audience.

Register now for this free event.

Missed the last episode?  Catch up here:

Read more about Elistair and Sony:

Drone Delivery Canada and Pegasus Imagery ltd sign MOU for the development of Condor onboard detect and avoid technology

Drone Delivery Canada Corp. (TSXV: FLT; OTC QX: TAKOF; Frankfurt:  A3DP5Y or ABBA.F) (the “Company” or “DDC”) is pleased to announce that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Pegasus Imagery Ltd. (“Pegasus”) to work together to develop and implement on board detect and avoid technology (“DAA”) for DDC’s heavy lift Condor remote piloted aircraft (“RPA”).

The basis of the development effort will be to integrate Pegasus’ proprietary A3S™ DAA system onto the Condor. A3S™ is an Autonomous Airspace Awareness System using sensor fusion to merge onboard sensor data with artificial intelligence to detect, track and autonomously avoid other aircraft and obstacles.

This project builds on DDC’s efforts to implement DAA technology into all its RPAs to move towards fully automated flights for all operations to be conducted in accordance with the Canadian Aviation Regulations and Transport Canada flight authorizations, while being remotely monitored by DDC through its proprietary FLYTE software from its Operations Control Centre located in Vaughan, Ontario.

With the Pegasus A3S™ onboard DAA system integrated into the Condor, DDC would have a full suite of DAA systems integrated into its patented drone delivery technology enabling automated flights and enable DDC to increase its offerings into potentially more complex air spaces, while significantly increasing operational efficiency.

“We are thrilled to work with the Pegasus team on this exciting project which represents a final piece towards achieving fully automated flights for the Condor RPA. Cole and his team have made tremendous progress on their proprietary A3S™ system and we are excited to integrate this technology onto our Condor,” said Steve Magirias, CEO of DDC.

“A3S™ unlocks the full potential of the Condor RPA and will enable Drone Delivery Canada to commercialize heavy lift cargo delivery for industry and government customers at scale, “said Pegasus CEO Cole Rosentreter. “This will shape the next century of middle-mile logistics, through a flexible, scalable and certifiable safety system” said Pegasus CEO Cole Rosentreter. “We’re excited to be working with Steve and the DDC team to launch this game-changing capability together in Canada and future global markets.”

About Pegasus Imagery Ltd.

Pegasus is an aerospace company developing breakthrough technologies to deliver autonomous data collection at scale for industry and government. A recognized leader in Advanced Air Mobility, Pegasus UAS are equipped with industry leading hardware and software, including A3S™, a proprietary Detect And Avoid system for safe integration of equipped UAS into the National Airspace System. Pegasus is based in Sturgeon County, Alberta.

About Drone Delivery Canada Corp.

Drone Delivery Canada Corp. is an award-winning drone technology company focused on the design, development, and implementation of its proprietary logistics software platform, using drones. The Company’s platform is intended to be used as a Software as a Service (SaaS) model for government and corporate organizations globally.

Drone Delivery Canada Corp. is a publicly listed company trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol FLT, on the U.S. OTC QX market under the symbol TAKOF and on the Frankfurt exchange in Germany under the symbol A3DP5Y or ABBA.F.

Read more at: www.DroneDeliveryCanada.com 

How to Record on the DJI Avata (Step-by-Step Guide)

Do FPV drones have cinematic recording capabilities? Well, the DJI Avata does. This drone camera can record videos in an ultra-high resolution providing beautiful footage without editing.

How to record on the DJI Avata?

On the Goggles 2 touch panel, swipe down with one finger from the top to access the shortcut menu. Tap the video camera icon, and the drone will start recording. The DJI Avata has an auto-record function enabled by default. If you don’t disable this before takeoff, it will start recording.

In this article, we’ll clarify how to record videos with your DJI Avata in detail. We’ll explain when you should use each recording option.

So let’s start!

Recording with the DJI Avata: Step-by-step

Capturing video with this drone is simple, and you can do it in two ways.

You can either record with the drone camera or with the Goggles.

The Goggles will screen record so you’ll see the home screen parameters like speed, height, and battery life in the final video.

By default, the drone comes with the camera recording function enabled. The reason is that the DJI Avata has 20GB of internal storage, but the Goggles don’t.

We’ll explain how to record from the camera, the Goggles, and both.

Notice you must have already paired the Goggles with your drone and RC.

Method 1: Record from the Avata camera

Before recording with the drone camera, please verify the auto-recording feature status.

  1. Put on your Goggles 2.
  2. Find the touch panel on the right side of the Goggles 2.
  3. Swipe your finger from the forward edge to the center to access the menu.
  4. Swipe your finger down from the top edge until you highlight in yellow the Settings icon. Tap it.
  5. Swipe your finger down from the top edge until you highlight in yellow the Camera option. Tap it.
  6. Swipe your finger down from the top edge until you highlight the Advanced Settings option in yellow. Tap it.
  7. Find the auto-recording on takeoff feature. It should be enabled in green.
  8. If you want to disable it, tap this option once. The green button changes to grey, indicating the function is off.

You can also use the FPV Goggles V2 with the Avata. The process differs slightly, using a joystick instead of a touchpad.

  1. Put on your FPV Goggles V2.
  2. Find the 5D joystick on the right side of the FPV Goggles V2.
  3. Press this button once to access the menu.
  4. Move the joystick down until you highlight in yellow the Settings icon. Press it.
  5. Move the joystick down until you highlight in yellow the Camera option. Press it.
  6. Move the joystick down until you highlight in yellow the Advanced Settings option. Press it.
  7. Find the auto-recording on takeoff feature. It should be enabled in green.
  8. If you want to disable it, press the joystick once. The green button changes to grey, indicating the function is off.

Auto-recording enabled

After you ensure this function is on when using the motion controller:

  1. Press the red lock button twice to start the engines.
  2. Now hold down the red lock button to hover the Avata.
  3. The camera starts recording immediately after these steps.

Or, if you are using the DJI FVP Remote Controller 2:

  1. Push both RC joysticks diagonally to the center down. After two seconds, the engines start.
  2. Push the left joystick up to hover the Avata.
  3. The camera starts recording immediately after these steps.

Auto-recording disabled

You can start recording with the auto-recording feature disabled with the motion controller, FPV Remote Controller 2, Goggles 2, or FPV Goggles V2.

After you ensure this function is off and using the motion controller:

  1. Press the red lock button twice to start the engines.
  2. Now hold down the red lock button to hover the Avata.
  3. Ensure your drone is in recording mode. The video camera icon must be in red. If the camera is in photo mode, change it to video by holding down the grey with a red dot button with your thumb. You can locate this shutter/record button on the right side of the controller while holding it.
  4. Then press the shutter/record button once to start recording.

If you’re using the DJI FVP Remote Controller 2:

  1. Push both RC joysticks diagonally to the center down. After two seconds, the engines start.
  2. Push the left joystick up to hover the Avata.
  3. Ensure your drone is in recording mode.
  4. Hold down the forward right trigger to change between photo and video mode. Choose video mode.
  5. Press the forward right trigger or shutter/record button to start recording.

Or you can start the camera recording with the Goggles.

When using Goggles 2, follow these steps:

  1. Find the touch panel on the right side of the Goggles 2.
  2. Swipe your finger from the top edge to the center to access the shortcut menu.
  3. By default, the first option is the video recorder highlighted in red.
  4. Tap it once, and the camera starts recording.

If you use the FVP Goggles V2, follow these steps:

  1. Find the shutter/record button on the right-top side of the FVP Goggles V2. It is grey with a red dot button.
  2. Hold it down to change from photo to video mode if necessary.
  3. Press the shutter/record button, and the camera starts recording.

Method 2: Record the Goggles screen

To record the camera view with the Goggles, first install a compatible microSD card. On both units, the microSD card slot is on the right lower side.

Only insert the microSD when the Goggles are off.

Now it’s time to enable the Goggle screen recording function with the Goggles 2. Here’s how:

  1. Find the touch panel on the right side of the Goggles 2.
  2. Swipe your finger from the forward edge to the center to access the menu.
  3. Swipe your finger down from the top edge until you highlight in yellow the Settings icon. Tap it.
  4. Swipe your finger down from the top edge until you highlight in yellow the Camera option. Tap it.
  5. Swipe your finger down from the top edge until you highlight the Advanced Settings option in yellow. Tap it.
  6. Tap the Record With option. Then swipe down through the list and tap the Goggles option.
  7. If you want to quit the parameters from the recorded video, tap the Camera View Recording once. It will change from green to grey, stating the function is now disabled.

Now you can start recording the screen view with all parameters or without them as follows:

  1. Find the touch panel on the right side of the Goggles 2.
  2. Swipe your finger from the top edge to the center to access the shortcut menu.
  3. By default, the first option is the video recorder highlighted in red.
  4. Tap it once, and the camera starts recording.

Or if you use the FVP Goggles V2:

  1. Put on your FPV Goggles V2.
  2. Find the 5D joystick on the right side of the FPV Goggles V2.
  3. Press this button once to access the menu.
  4. Move the joystick down until you highlight in yellow the Settings icon. Press it.
  5. Move the joystick down until you highlight in yellow the Camera option. Press it.
  6. Move the joystick down until you highlight in yellow the Advanced Settings option. Press it.
  7. Press the joystick to enter the Record With option. Move the joystick down and press it when in the Goggles option.
  8. If you want to quit the parameters from the recorded video, press the Camera View Recording once. It will change from green to grey, stating the function is now disabled.

To start recording, you only need to follow these steps:

  1. Find the shutter/record button on the right-top side of the FVP Goggles V2.
  2. Hold it down to change from photo to video mode.
  3. Press the shutter/record button, and the camera starts recording.

Should I record with the camera or Goggles?

Now that you know how to record with your DJI Avata and Goggles, let’s clarify the scenarios you can use each.

Goggles recording

Record the Goggles camera view to check your flight parameters, which can be helpful for warranty purposes or other situations.

Knowing the distance and altitude from the home point, you can locate your drone quickly if it crashes into a tree.

It’s also valuable for video tutorials that don’t need impressive resolutions, as you should consider that the recorded video is max 1080p60.

Aircraft recording

For capturing stunning cinematics, the drone camera option is the way.

You can consider the DJI Avata a Cinewhoop drone thanks to the impressive 4K@60 video recording with no perceived lag or visible frames.

While using this option, you can capture films using FPV maneuvers without worrying about blurring and lack of fidelity. You can follow and record a Dakar bike in the dunes while showing the breathtaking sunset.

You can also record video footage at 2.7K@100. This combo is ideal for high-fidelity cinematics in slow motion. You can shoot cars drifting and skateboarders doing tricks, making these scenes more exciting.

Ultimately, the DJI Avata can help you record cinematics you thought were only realistic in your dreams!

Flytrex Releases 2022 Drone Delivery Customer Trends

A Flytrex drone makes a delivery. Photo courtesy of Flytrex.

Flytrex has released its 2022 yardstick detailing customer trends across its drone delivery service in North Carolina and Texas.

The yardstick is based on 2022 data from Flytrex’s operations and highlights the company’s achievements, from volume and types of items delivered to fastest time from order to delivery. With a rapidly growing list of collaborations with leading national restaurant and retail chains, Flytrex increased its customer base seven-fold year-over-year and completed tens of thousands of deliveries in 2022.
Highlights from the 2022 Ultrafast Drone Delivery Yardstick:

• Flytrex delivered more than 85,000 items by drone across 21,350 orders.
• The average time from takeoff to delivery was 3:32 minutes.
• The fastest time from order to delivery was 12:13 minutes.
• On Oct. 14, Flytrex had a record high volume of one order every five minutes.
• Flytrex had over 4,000 unique users in 2022, a 765% increase from 2021.
• Flytrex’s biggest fan placed a total of 532 orders last year.

Sandwiches and salads made up almost a fifth, or 19.8%, of restaurant orders, with chicken and wings coming in a close second at 18.5%. The largest order was stacked with three tomato soups and one noodle soup, two Cobb salads with chicken, two BLTs and 2.5 cheese sandwiches, the company said.

“The drone delivery industry as a whole has progressed immensely over the past year, and this snapshot is a testament to its soaring future,” said Yariv Bash, CEO and cofounder of Flytrex. “We strive to provide the utmost convenience and satisfaction to everyone who uses our service, and we’re thrilled to see that our customers are as delighted and excited about drone delivery as we are. Building on this momentum, we look forward to expanding our service and eventually providing the same level of quality practicality across suburban America.”

The 2022 Yardstick’s release follows a year of significant expansion and growth for Flytrex. In March 2022, the company expanded its service from North Carolina to Granbury, Texas, just outside of Dallas-Fort Worth. In July 2022, Flytrex opened its fifth operational station, launching in Durham, North Carolina, alongside established stations in Fayetteville, Raeford, and Holly Springs. Flytrex serves over 140,000 eligible customers across suburban America, delivering food and retail goods from dozens of partnering restaurant chains and retailers.

The 2022 Yardstick is available here.



A2Z Drone Delivery Expands Shanghai Testing Facility to Enable Testing “Under Real Life Conditions”

A2Z Drone Delivery ShanghaiA2Z Drone Delivery Expanding Shanghai Test Facility

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Commercial drone delivery solutions developer A2Z Drone Delivery, Inc. has announced plans to expand its Ground Zero Test Facility in Shanghai’s Anji County, where drone regulations are advanced from those in the United States.

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The location will allow the company’s engineers to test new drone solutions under a wide range of conditions. The Test Facility’s team has been conducting drone deliveries using the company’s latest commercial delivery drones for over a year, and the expansion will enable further scaling of the reach of these consumer services.

A2Z Drone Delivery Shanghai facilityA2Z Drone Delivery is currently performing beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations in Anji County with the local government’s cooperation. The company has been carrying out autonomous residential deliveries from its test facility, transporting medicines, COVID test kits, and food orders from local providers. By performing these deliveries, A2Z Drone Delivery’s developers are able to learn how people interact with its drone systems in real life.

“To truly push the boundaries of autonomous unmanned drone delivery our development team needs to be able to test our latest delivery drone systems under real-life conditions,” said A2Z Drone Delivery Founder and CEO Aaron Zhang. “As the US regulations expand to compete with those in operation around the world, we will be ready to take to the skies with the most cutting-edge systems that have been proven safe, reliable and economical thanks to the testing and delivery missions we are able to do in Anji right now.”

A2Z Drone Delivery’s drone delivery hardware prioritizes the creation of systems addressing consumer-protection concerns with residential drone deliveries, while also providing commercial logistics operators with a reliable delivery ecosystem. A2Z Drone Delivery’s solutions conduct deliveries from altitude, minimizing noise, potential risks, and privacy concerns posed by low-flying drones.

A2Z Drone Delivery’s solutions are deployed with commercial operators worldwide. Its RDST integrated cargo drone and Rapid Delivery System drone winch are utilized in applications ranging from delivering life-saving supplies for search and rescue missions to aiding in logistics deliveries to offshore energy installations. The RDST’s ability to carry any size payload, without the need for specialty payload boxes, allows it to easily integrate into any logistics workflow. The A2Z Drone Delivery user interface was made to streamline cargo deliveries with pre-planned delivery routing and one-touch autonomous mission execution.

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Ian attended Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he is now contributing to DroneLife as a staff writer.

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