These results will be heavily swayed by people who mainly fly in manual and don't really have a choice. As someone who's been flying FPV for almost 6 years, I think flying Avatas mainly in manual kinda defeats the purpose of these drones. Sure, it's nice that it's there, but they really shine in N/S modes with stabilised pitch. Since usually when recording FPV shots where you don't move at constant speed, you either have to pitch up/down all the time or sway left/right which can sometimes add a bit of dynamics to the footage, but sometimes it's just annoying.

This is especially true when going backwards, nothing can match how good Avata is at shooting stuff while going backwards. Most other FPV drones would just be looking at the sky

fichek Posted at 4-28 12:08
These results will be heavily swayed by people who mainly fly in manual and don't really have a choice. As someone who's been flying FPV for almost 6 years, I think flying Avatas mainly in manual kinda defeats the purpose of these drones. Sure, it's nice that it's there, but they really shine in N/S modes with stabilised pitch. Since usually when recording FPV shots where you don't move at constant speed, you either have to pitch up/down all the time or sway left/right which can sometimes add a bit of dynamics to the footage, but sometimes it's just annoying.

This is especially true when going backwards, nothing can match how good Avata is at shooting stuff while going backwards. Most other FPV drones would just be looking at the sky

Thanks for sharing your insight from your vast knowledge in this line of the hobby. While I started flying DJI drones back in Aug 2016 this FPV line is very new to me. I've never flown in manual so your feedback is well received and appreciated.
I think I'll pass on flying in manual lol and stick with the motion controller as the level of control I have over the drone when using it is phenomenal.
I bought the Avata 2 to have fun at the end of the day and not to be anxious about crashing every time I take off. I'm prepared for the odd knock but constant crashing will do my head in after a while (I've had one serious crash in nearly 3,000 miles of flying drones) and yet to crash on my first 7 flights with the A2.  That said, if you're use to acro FPV then I guess that's what people will choose and buy the RC3. It's good to have options.

I think it depends on what you are planning for your flight.  I'm not into the freestyle type of flying.  I am more into the skimming the treetops & blowing through gaps.  For that method the MC3 is great.  If you plan on freestyle, power loops,  or dives the FPV3 is the better choice.

A J Posted at 4-28 12:26
Thanks for sharing your insight from your vast knowledge in this line of the hobby. While I started flying DJI drones back in Aug 2016 this FPV line is very new to me. I've never flown in manual so your feedback is well received and appreciated.
I think I'll pass on flying in manual lol and stick with the motion controller as the level of control I have over the drone when using it is phenomenal.
I bought the Avata 2 to have fun at the end of the day and not to be anxious about crashing every time I take off. I'm prepared for the odd knock but constant crashing will do my head in after a while (I've had one serious crash in nearly 3,000 miles of flying drones) and yet to crash on my first 7 flights with the A2.  That said, if you're use to acro FPV then I guess that's what people will choose and buy the RC3. It's good to have options.

Yeah, to be honest I was gonna do that with the original Avata - just get FPVRC2 and ignore the Motion Controller - but luckily FPVRC2 was out of stock for a while in EU before, during, and after Avata 1 launch so by the time I finally got my hands on the FPVRC2, I gave MC a try and kinda loved it. Sure, the first one lacked ability to go backwards (or sideways without head tracking) so I did end up mostly using FPVRC2 even for N/S modes, but the new one is really great and it allows my kindergartener to to get some shots in N/S that even experienced pilots would not be able to do in manual And that I think is what will cause many FPV veterans to try and gate-keep Avata 2 from beginners with crap like "it's not real FPV".

I still got FPVRC3 with my Avata 2 because I will occasionally want to fly it in manual, but I can already see myself doing 80% of flights with RCM3 in S mode. One use case where FPVRC3 is still obviously better is if you have to fly indoors without gps and there's not enough light for vision sensors to keep position hold. But when just flying recreationally, RCM3 is the way!

I  would get the fpv remote controller 3 only if the o4 air unit comes out. so i can build my little 2" real fpv drone.

fichek Posted at 4-28 12:08
These results will be heavily swayed by people who mainly fly in manual and don't really have a choice. As someone who's been flying FPV for almost 6 years, I think flying Avatas mainly in manual kinda defeats the purpose of these drones. Sure, it's nice that it's there, but they really shine in N/S modes with stabilised pitch. Since usually when recording FPV shots where you don't move at constant speed, you either have to pitch up/down all the time or sway left/right which can sometimes add a bit of dynamics to the footage, but sometimes it's just annoying.

This is especially true when going backwards, nothing can match how good Avata is at shooting stuff while going backwards. Most other FPV drones would just be looking at the sky

My man I also think Manual can contribute but is not the purpose of Avata.
According to the poll - As Motion is sold in the Bundle and is a lot easier to learn it might become a more popular choice - RC3 is for old-school drone pilots  
I gave motion a try and it's intuitive and easy but not my choice

Dirty Bird Posted at 4-28 12:44
I think it depends on what you are planning for your flight.  I'm not into the freestyle type of flying.  I am more into the skimming the treetops & blowing through gaps.  For that method the MC3 is great.  If you plan on freestyle, power loops,  or dives the FPV3 is the better choice.

Same here - I've quickly discovered that tree skimming and flying through the odd gap is my thing and the M3C is perfect for it. The freestyle flights look insane on YT videos but not for me.

fichek Posted at 4-28 12:45
Yeah, to be honest I was gonna do that with the original Avata - just get FPVRC2 and ignore the Motion Controller - but luckily FPVRC2 was out of stock for a while in EU before, during, and after Avata 1 launch so by the time I finally got my hands on the FPVRC2, I gave MC a try and kinda loved it. Sure, the first one lacked ability to go backwards (or sideways without head tracking) so I did end up mostly using FPVRC2 even for N/S modes, but the new one is really great and it allows my kindergartener to to get some shots in N/S that even experienced pilots would not be able to do in manual  And that I think is what will cause many FPV veterans to try and gate-keep Avata 2 from beginners with crap like "it's not real FPV".

I still got FPVRC3 with my Avata 2 because I will occasionally want to fly it in manual, but I can already see myself doing 80% of flights with RCM3 in S mode. One use case where FPVRC3 is still obviously better is if you have to fly indoors without gps and there's not enough light for vision sensors to keep position hold. But when just flying recreationally, RCM3 is the way!

I never thought of that - of course when flying in manual you can maintain position yourself when in dark areas without GPS. That would make the RC3 more suited for professional use.

John Lo Posted at 4-28 14:04
I  would get the fpv remote controller 3 only if the o4 air unit comes out. so i can build my little 2" real fpv drone.

That's understandable

For a beginner that has never used an fpv drone the motion controller could be more friendly at first, but I consider that the best option to improve your flying skills is start with a traditional controller with two sticks and practice for several hours on the simulator to be more confident at the moment of doing the first real flight

Fozando Posted at 4-29 02:44
For a beginner that has never used an fpv drone the motion controller could be more friendly at first, but I consider that the best option to improve your flying skills is start with a traditional controller with two sticks and practice for several hours on the simulator to be more confident at the moment of doing the first real flight

Thing is motion controller gives you instant confidence as soon as you take off with zero training required. It's that much more intuitive than standard controllers. I've had people aged 3-87 fly Avata without ever touching a drone before and I didn't even show them how to use it, just told them aim the circle using your hand, then press to go there. Very few people needed explaining that to turn left/right you need to angle your wrist left/right instead of turning it around z axis, but 90% just go for it and nail it.

fichek Posted at 4-29 04:29
Thing is motion controller gives you instant confidence as soon as you take off with zero training required. It's that much more intuitive than standard controllers. I've had people aged 3-87 fly Avata without ever touching a drone before and I didn't even show them how to use it, just told them aim the circle using your hand, then press to go there. Very few people needed explaining that to turn left/right you need to angle your wrist left/right instead of turning it around z axis, but 90% just go for it and nail it.

Hi, quick question - are there any real advantages to flying the Avata 2 with the RC3 in N/S mode (not manual) over the M3C? I know you'll lose the AR cursor, head tracking and easy acro doing that but what advantages are there (if any)? Cheers

In order to force an old dog to learn a new trick, I deliberately did not add the fpv controller3 to my shopping cart when ordering the avata2 on Friday 12/04. I originally planned to force myself to play with the motion3 for a few weeks but ended up putting in a separate order for the controller3 the very next day!  The controller3 arrived less than 24 hrs after the avata2 did, so at least I actually DID give the motion3 a try, but only for just one flight. Obviously didn't like it because I've been flying collective pitch helicopters with sticks since 2009 and have gotten so much used to the precise control only sticks can offer. But having read some of the comments on this thread, it actually made me think I should really put the stick controller away and start exploring the motion3 because that's what the avata2 is designed for.

Monkey007 Posted at 4-29 14:31
In order to force an old dog to learn a new trick, I deliberately did not add the fpv controller3 to my shopping cart when ordering the avata2 on Friday 12/04. I originally planned to force myself to play with the motion3 for a few weeks but ended up putting in a separate order for the controller3 the very next day!  The controller3 arrived less than 24 hrs after the avata2 did, so at least I actually DID give the motion3 a try, but only for just one flight. Obviously didn't like it because I've been flying collective pitch helicopters with sticks since 2009 and have gotten so much used to the precise control only sticks can offer. But having read some of the comments on this thread, it actually made me think I should really put the stick controller away and start exploring the motion3 because that's what the avata2 is designed for.

Hello Monkey - it's been a few years mate - how are you doing?!

Sound advice there - I really like the motion 3 and took to it instantly and am yet to buy the RC3 and also not sure if I should bother as I don't intend to fly manual. Are the controls more precise in normal and sport modes on the RC3 over the motion 3? Or is it a case to only get the RC3 if you are going to fly manual?  

A J Posted at 4-29 14:39
Hello Monkey - it's been a few years mate - how are you doing?!

Sound advice there - I really like the motion 3 and took to it instantly and am yet to buy the RC3 and also not sure if I should bother as I don't intend to fly manual. Are the controls more precise in normal and sport modes on the RC3 over the motion 3? Or is it a case to only get the RC3 if you are going to fly manual?

Long time no see Captain! Haven't really used the motion3 enough to make any meaningful comparison but I seriously intend to use it once every 5 flights from now. It'll most certainly be a while before I start feeling comfortable flying the avata2 indoors with it, but I can imagine I may start to like it for easy outdoor flights once I've spent more time with it.

A J Posted at 4-29 14:08
Hi, quick question - are there any real advantages to flying the Avata 2 with the RC3 in N/S mode (not manual) over the M3C? I know you'll lose the AR cursor, head tracking and easy acro doing that but what advantages are there (if any)? Cheers

The biggest advantage that comes to mind is being able to go forward or backwards keeping altitude perfectly just by pushing the right stick fwd/back - I am not sure how perfectly you can keep it with RCM3, either with or without head tracking, but I remember struggling with it with the original MC on Avata 1.

Another one would be 100% precise control of camera tilt, especially if you needed a specific angle, and especially if you needed to change it then wanted to go back to perfect 0 degrees. But head tracking might actually be better for this in many situations though, like if you needed to keep an object in your shot at a certain spot while going under/over it, I imagine gimbal dial would take a LOT of practice to nail, while head tracking would just be more intuitive.

I'm not 100% sure on this one, but I believe FPVRC3 also lets you go backwards and sideways at same speed as forward. RCM3 comes with some speed limits out of the box that you can adjust in settings, but not to the same value as forward speed.

Monkey007 Posted at 4-29 15:27
Long time no see Captain! Haven't really used the motion3 enough to make any meaningful comparison but I seriously intend to use it once every 5 flights from now. It'll most certainly be a while before I start feeling comfortable flying the avata2 indoors with it, but I can imagine I may start to like it for easy outdoor flights once I've spent more time with it.

Cool. Let me know how you get on with it mate.

fichek Posted at 4-29 16:20
The biggest advantage that comes to mind is being able to go forward or backwards keeping altitude perfectly just by pushing the right stick fwd/back - I am not sure how perfectly you can keep it with RCM3, either with or without head tracking, but I remember struggling with it with the original MC on Avata 1.

Another one would be 100% precise control of camera tilt, especially if you needed a specific angle, and especially if you needed to change it then wanted to go back to perfect 0 degrees. But head tracking might actually be better for this in many situations though, like if you needed to keep an object in your shot at a certain spot while going under/over it, I imagine gimbal dial would take a LOT of practice to nail, while head tracking would just be more intuitive.

Thanks so much for getting back to me.

It does seem the Avata 2 is designed to be primarily used with motion 3 for sure. Good to know the advantages of both though as I expected the RC3 to offer slightly more precise movement/stability in flight. I will have to try out head tracking soon to compensate for only being able to tilt the gimble in RTH or before take off with the motion 3.

I have adjusted my speed settings in the gains section and you can fly as fast going backwards as forward though I've set it to reverse at 6MPH as hardly use it and I don't want to crash into something I can't see. Lateral and vertical flight using the joy stick is indeed more restricted though.

I'll probably get the RC3 later down the line to check out and spice things up once the honeymoon period has settled.

Thanks again mate.

No real choice.  First DJI platform and only have the MC3.  Initially impression was it's a great controller to get newbies into FPV.  Just felt like the expo and rates were too tame.  Ideal for learning to FPV and for anyone with any experience a different way of flying with a different set of neuromuscular skills needed. Could become a bit of crutch. Couple days ago conditions outside were like today. F6-7 gusts at ground le el. Flew indoors with the 1s mini-Avata clone.  Twitchy thumbs or just regressed from time using the MC3.  Had to flip the mode switch from S to N and set the speed limit to medium.  

Yesterday, flew two sessions (6 batteries) and for the first time felt real comfortable with the ability to carve some tight maneuvers at moderate speed and not plow into anything.  Was and still considering, but will probably wait on purchasing the RC3.  From the Goggle 3 view it looks like S mode limits rates to banking at ~45degrees.  Good enough for zipping around obstacles and corkscrewing the Avata2 (A2) down from altitude. Enough to make me a bit dizzy.   Feel real confident skimming the A2 at "red" level (sub 2M). When poo hits the fan. Just release the trigger and it just hovers.  Sort of reminds me of a more refined version of Horizon Hobbies old  "Safe" mode from a decade ago or so.    Not so flying the 6s platform. Which I crash too often.  So far with the A2.  16 batteries, 1 crash due to pilot error.  Vertical angle of attack is a bit limited.  Need to try using the joystick button to pop through tight openings in the tree canopy.  Start slow and then go for the "rocket launch".

Wonder if there is any demand from A2 users for a Tx similar to the RC2, but with the addition of a M mode?  Spec note 20km range.  I could definitely use a rtx and vrx with a bit more power to penetrate the trees and terrain obstacles.  While trail skimming discovered another no go zone. 60mbs packets down to single digit in an instant. Usually video signal drops first. This section the radio and video signal dropped through yellow to red in a breath or heartbeat or two.

Avata 2 it's my first DJI, I've been flying fpv drones for 5yrs and I must say I'm impressed by the motion controller and of course DJI video and rc transmission protocol. I fly the Avata with the remote also, but as other people said here I think Avata 2 shine with attitude control in N/S and the motion controller is amazing, not to mention the head tracking thing..

sorry it seem I can't remove this double post