DRONE VIDEO
FPV cameras, VTX, digital vs analog
VIDEO SYSTEM COMPARISON
| SYSTEM | TYPE | LATENCY | RESOLUTION | RANGE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analog (generic) | Analog | ~1ms | NTSC/PAL SD | Up to 5km+ | Lowest cost. Most goggles. Prone to interference. Zero latency. |
| DJI O3 Air Unit | Digital | ~20–40ms | 1080p/60fps | ~10km | Premium quality. Proprietary — DJI goggles only. Heavy (33g). Best video quality. |
| DJI O3 Pro | Digital | ~20ms | 4K/60fps recording | ~20km | Integrated recording. Larger/heavier. Primarily for cinematics. |
| Walksnail Avatar | Digital | ~22ms | 1080p | ~4km | Open ecosystem — works with multiple goggle brands. Competitive with DJI. |
| HDZero | Digital | ~4–8ms | 720p/60fps | ~3km | Lowest-latency digital. Modular. Popular for racing. Multiple goggle options. |
| Orqa FPV.One | Digital | ~25ms | 720p | ~4km | EU-focused. Integrated goggle+camera ecosystem. |
FPV CAMERAS
| SPEC | TYPICAL VALUES | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor type | CMOS (StarLight, CMOS2) | CMOS dominates FPV. Better low-light than CCD at this price point. |
| Resolution | 700–1200TVL (analog) | Higher TVL = cleaner image on analog. Diminishing returns above 1000TVL. |
| FOV | 120°–165° | Wider = more situational awareness, more distortion. Racing uses ~150–165°. |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 or 16:9 | 4:3 has more vertical FOV. 16:9 suits wider displays. Pilot preference. |
| Min illumination | 0.001 lux (StarLight) | Lower value = better low-light. "StarLight" sensors excel at dusk/dawn. |
| Latency | <1ms (analog CMOS) | Analog cameras have effectively zero processing latency. |
VTX (VIDEO TRANSMITTER)
| POWER | RANGE (OPEN) | HEAT | LEGAL (UK/EU) | USE CASE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25mW | ~200–500m | Low | ✓ Yes | Indoor, park, proximity flying |
| 100mW | ~500m–1km | Low–medium | ✓ Yes | General flying, paddock/track |
| 200mW | ~1–2km | Medium | ✓ Yes (5.8GHz) | Sport/field flying |
| 400–600mW | ~2–3km | High | Check local rules | Longer range — requires heatsink |
| 1W+ | 3km+ | Very high | May require licence | Long range only — not for paddock |
5.8GHz is the standard FPV band. Use 8 channels minimum. Pit mode (1mW) mandatory when not flying — prevents interference with other pilots. Smart audio / Tramp allow VTX control from TX.