A team of scientists and students from TU Delft in the Netherlands has taken first place at the A2RL Drone Championship in Abu Dhabi – an international race that pushes the limits of physical artificial intelligence, challenging teams to fly fully autonomous drones using only a single camera. The TU Delft drone competed against 13 […]
German firm Donaustahl has begun mass production of flight controllers for FPV drones, with volumes already reaching six figures. The company said that Donaustahl aims to become a leading player in the field of critical electronics for unmanned aerial vehicles. “Huge industrial power is finally rising from its boring grave. Outsourcing to China is over,” […]
Fibre-optic drone footage released by Ukrainian sources shows an attack inside of a Russian repair shop against two stationary “turtle” tanks. It’s unclear how effective these strikes were, and the second attack appears to have impacted with the armour’s cage instead of the exterior of the tank. Even if the tanks were completely unaffected by […]
Chinese researchers have allegedly developed a new algorithm that lets first-person-view (FPV) drones perform autonomous aerobatic manoeuvres better than those by veteran human operators during flight missions. Inspired by sparrowhawks, falcons, and bats, the new artificial intelligence (AI) upgrade can facilitate high-speed, high-risk movements that usually only the most skilled human pilots can execute. Traditionally, […]
In a new whitepaper, Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, says that emerging cost-effective precision strike solutions that can be safely recovered and reused offer a strong alternative to more commonly deployed ‘One-Way Attack’ or First Person View (FPV) drones. In the new paper, USE IT, DON’T LOSE IT: The Case for Recoverable […]
Ukraine is fielding carrier drones or motherships to transport FPVs to the target area before launching them. Russian forces reported these as far back as November 2023, and last month Russian news agency TASS stated that Ukraine was carrying out FPV attacks 25 miles or more behind the lines in seven regions, suggesting that use […]
A new video has surfaced showcasing the “Solist,” a multi-purpose tactical missile system developed by Russia’s КЭМЗ concern, raising questions about its capabilities and potential role in ongoing conflicts. The footage, recently released by the developers, highlights design details and demonstrates the system’s use against armored vehicles and fortified positions reportedly belonging to the Ukrainian […]
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Russian soldiers have found a novel way to get around their lack of heavy-lift drones: strapping four small drones to a frame to create a device known as “Vobla.” A wide variety of these unlikely contraptions have appeared in recent months, and they now carry supplies to the front. While inefficient, the improvised drones do […]
Looking for a way to turn pretty much any drone you already own into an FPV drone? One of the easiest and most affordable ways to do that might be with the DroneMask 2. Made by a Norwegian company called Immerse Optics, the second edition of its flagship product, the DroneMask 2, allows you to take your camera drone and turn it into an immersive flying experience.
Best of all, the DroneMask 2 costs less than $200.
Maybe you have a DJI drone and are interested in something like the DJI Goggles 3 but can’t stomach the $500 cost. Maybe you have a DJI alternative drone like the HOVERAir X1 PROMAX which currently has no official FPV option. Maybe you have a cheap Amazon toy drone. No matter which of those you are, the DroneMask 2 might be the product for you.
I had the chance to use the DroneMask 2 when flying with my DJI Mini 3. Here’s a review of what happened:
A history of Immerse Optics
But first, some background on the company
Immerse Optics started having nothing to do with drones at all, but instead by making masks to create an immersive movie-watching experience from your phone. After receiving customer feedback and inspiration — including getting wind that drone pilots were ‘hacking’ their product into an FPV tool — the company pivoted to the drone sector.
In 2021, they introduced the DroneMask and have recently evolved by adding the DroneMask 2 into their lineup of products. With that comes a patented singular-lens technology, that’s implemented into a headset to provides users with 4x better resolution than conventional VR headsets that use a stereoscopic lens. It also offers greater comfort for the eyes and works with any mobile content without the need for third-party apps.
And for folks like me who have always been curious about the world of FPV (first-person view) drones but weren’t ready to commit to the price tag that comes with purchasing an FPV drone, then the DroneMask 2 is a great alternative and a much cheaper option. The product starts at $179.
The DroneMask 2 is compatible with any type of drone from any drone company — as long as that drone includes a controller that interfaces with a phone that displays the drone footage.
In my case, I used the RC-N1 with a DJI Mini 3 drone. That said, if you have a controller that has the screen already built in, like DJI RC, then unfortunately the DroneMask 2 will not work.
And here lies what’s likely the biggest downfall of the DroneMask 2. I would not recommend purchasing a controller that connects to your phone simply using the DroneMask 2, as it generally makes more financial sense to consider other options. For DJI users, that includes researching how to turn your DJI drone into an FPV drone using DJI’s products by purchasing DJI FPV goggles.
Lastly, you’ll need a smartphone — and that’s it. Everything else you’ll need is included in your DroneMask 2 kit. The DroneMask 2 comes with:
1 mask
1 linen bag
1 cloth (to clean the lens or your phone with)
1 USB-C to USB-C cable
1 USB-C to lighting cable
1 micro USB to USB-C adapter
Photo courtesy of DroneMask
Getting ready to fly with the DroneMask 2
I live my life with 15% battery life on my iPhone and have a few times planned to head out with my drone for the day then remembered I had forgotten to charge the batteries. So, I was happy to learn that DroneMask 2 is not electronic, so no charging is required.
I headed out with my DJI Mini 3, my RC-N1 controller, and my DroneMask 2. The DroneMask 2 itself is quite bulky, so I had to change out my normal ‘drone backpack’ for a larger one.
Setting up the mask was quite simple. You connect your phone to the controller as normal, however, instead of mounting the phone on the top of the controller, you place it inside the DroneMask 2 (using the longer cord provided). Then just zip it right up.
The DroneMask 2 fits most phones, including, but not limited to, all models of iPhone, Samsung S6-8 edge, and the Samsung Galaxy S21.
The goggles are quite comfortable and spacious. I don’t wear glasses, but I tried the goggles on while wearing sunglasses and they fit just fine. No need to get prescription lenses or wear contacts.
The DroneMask 2 also has an adjustable side strap and one that goes over your head. These straps are quite thick and again, very comfortable.
Another thoughtful feature was the two holes at the bottom of the mask. These allow you to have access to your phone without bringing in any light. The holes are covered with a light-proof neoprene cover. This is an upgrade from the DroneMask to DroneMask 2.
Flying your drone with the DroneMask 2
Similar to your first few times flying a drone, I would highly recommend flying with the DroneMask 2 in an area with limited to no obstacles and people, especially if you have never flown an FPV drone. And since you’ll have the goggles on your face, bring a friend or co-pilot to serve as your visual observer.
For me, flying with the DroneMask took a little getting used to.
When flying, you can use gimbal mode or FPV mode (if your drone has these modes). I felt I was more comfortable in FPV mode. An adjustable focus length allows you to further perfect the viewing experience.
Visuals from the phone through the mask were incredibly high quality. A special lens on DroneMask 2 allows you to see the whole screen. That’s a sharp contrast from stereotypical VR goggles where the screen on the smartphone has to split down the middle when showing the drone footage – one screen on each eye.
The DroneMask 2 uses a different optical solution, which means that the screen doesn’t need to be split, provided you have a strong screen resolution and will work with any mobile app. This means that you can also use the DroneMask 2 for an immersive movie-watching experience through apps like YouTube and Netflix.
I flew my drone with the DroneMask 2 on a very sunny day in New Orleans and virtually no light came through the mask as I flew the drone. This was a huge improvement from the glare on the phone when using an RC-N1 controller. Although, the lens did fog up in the heat. Luckily, I did have the linen cloth with me.
Eventually, I became more comfortable flying with the DroneMask 2 and was amazed by the immersive experience it offered.
Who is the DroneMask 2 for?
DroneMask’s FPV solution transforms any camera drone into an immersive first-person experience using a smartphone. If you are curious at all about the world of FPV flying, but an FPV drone or goggles are not in your budget, then consider the DroneMask 2.
There are much cheaper alternatives in the world of VR headsets. For example, the Google Daydream View is $27. But the lenses on the DroneMask 2 offer a far superior viewing experience. Plus most VR headsets, including the Google ones, are not compatible with flying drones.
DroneMask 2: is it worth the price?
The DroneMask 2 is the most reasonably priced option for FPV drone flying on the market, making it ideal for someone who loves to fly their drone for fun and is looking for a new adventure when flying without having to buy an entirely new drone or expensive piece of equipment.
If you only fly drones on the go, the DroneMask 2 might not be the best option for you as it is quite bulky (but still fairly light-weight). Or if you are more serious about FPV drones or racing you may want to look into purchasing an FPV drone.
The DroneMask 2 allows you to have an immersive flying experience, without the hefty price tag of other competitors.
A team of scientists and students from TU Delft in the Netherlands has taken first place at the A2RL Drone Championship in Abu Dhabi – an international race that pushes the limits of physical artificial intelligence, challenging teams to fly fully autonomous drones using only a single camera. The TU Delft drone competed against 13 […]
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Find your professional drone pilot in France! With HOsiHO Drone Network,
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