I'm just starting out in this hobby and looking to build (I prefer building on my own vs pre built as that's half the fun for me) my first FPV drone. Curious if anyone has a recommended parts list they think would be a good start? Some thoughts:

• Main ussage will be to fly for fun with the eventual goal of offering services to near by companies
  
  
• Long range is pretty appealing to me but thinking that might break the budget for my first drone?
  
  
• The DJI 03 Air unit is really appealing, is there any reason to go with another option?
  
  
• Do people in this forum recommend the DJI Goggles 2, Goggles V2 or the newish Integra? Is there another digital option?
  
  
• Recommendations for a controller? Is there any need to go with something more feature rich than the DJI remote 2?
  
  
• I'm ideally looking to get into the Hobby for <$1300, but not sure if that's possible?
  

Appreciate any assitance in pointing this new pilot in the right direction. I've also considered just getting Goggles and Controller to start with sims so curious if anyone has thoughts about that as well. Thanks!!

1. Lots of cost and lots of paperwork to fly commercial. Expect to spend big bucks, probably thousands, to offer your services. There are some on here that do it and maybe they will chime in and give you an exact figure.
2. You can buy a Rekon 3 for very little (on analog). They aren't expensive. Even bigger stuff like the 35 or bigger aren't that expensive either.
3. Cost. Potentially DJI products may be getting banned in the US.

https://intofpv.com/t-announcement-legis...-in-the-us

4. Many people throughout the hobby fly with the v2 goggles. Some of the influencer / richer end use the newer Integra. Many on here use Walksnail and a handful I think still use HDZero.
5. For FPV Radiomaster Boxer, Radiomaster Zorro, Jumper T-Lite v2. I wouldn't use the DJI controller. A) because it might come under that legislation that may or may not pass and B) Because almost any radio is going to be better than it. If you want to fly FPV, buy an FPV radio. If you want to fly some random DJI drone, then use their radio. Ideally your radio will have ELRS and EdgeTX.
6. Easy to do a drone, goggles, radio, lipos and charger for $1300.

If you want digital but something that costs less, try Walksnail. You could start out with a set of Fat Shark Recon HD goggles for $280 and the 1S Mini kit (vtx, cam, antenna) for another $100. Drone cost in terms of parts, $300-400 or so. Radiomaster Boxer ELRS $140. A selection of 3-4S Lipos, maybe $200, a charger $60 and a balance board $30. Total $1210. Going DJI, will cost you a bit more.

(17-Jul-2023, 11:14 PM)I\m just gonna answer in bold below... kjleroy Wrote: I'm just starting out in this hobby and looking to build (I prefer building on my own vs pre built as that's half the fun for me) my first FPV drone. Curious if anyone has a recommended parts list they think would be a good start? Some thoughts:

• Main ussage will be to fly for fun with the eventual goal of offering services to near by companies
  
  
• Long range is pretty appealing to me but thinking that might break the budget for my first drone? It shouldn't matter, most of the gear is the same
  
  
• The DJI 03 Air unit is really appealing, is there any reason to go with another option? People swear by it. It is going to be the easiest on ramp into the hobby. Wouldn't bother with the other options other than the older Air Unit or Vista since you're just starting out. HDZero seems cool but they have no stock. Walksnail seems very buggy still and isn't 100% rock solid. I'm a mix of analog and DJI vista/air unit, but I wouldn't recommend analog to you because getting a clean signal takes a little more work and you can leap frog something that is tedious and get something that a lot of people have / a lot of people will be able to help you with.
  
  
• Do people in this forum recommend the DJI Goggles 2, Goggles V2 or the newish Integra? Is there another digital option? I've seen and heard mixed reviews on goggle 2 / integra. Apparently integra is a bit better fitting, I know someone that had both and he likes the integra more. BUT... the V2 goggle technically has a higher refresh rate, it fits a lot better IMO, and if you wear glasses you can keep them on. Also the V2 can be powered on 6S lipo voltage so it makes flaying all day a breeze if you just want to buy and use 1 type of battery. The newer goggles are limited to 3S I believe, and the included battery is super slow to charge. 
  
  
• Recommendations for a controller? Is there any need to go with something more feature rich than the DJI remote 2? If you're doing long range, look at something like the Tango 2 with Crossfire or get a radio with an expansion bay on the back and add a Crossfire module in. That is what is all around the easiest, fastest, and simplest way into the hobby. It's also an insanely dependable radio link, and it's just all around going to save you time VS ELRS which seems like a lot of hassle if you don't know what you're doing.
  
  
• I'm ideally looking to get into the Hobby for <$1300, but not sure if that's possible? No. Sorry. It's going to be a lot more than that. Once you get tools, and a steady stream of new parts as you break things it will add up fast. There's no two ways about it, it will absolutely 100% cost you more than that beyond buying the first round of gear to get you in the air. Quad ~$700 Radio $150-250 Goggle ~$600 and that doesn't include batts, cords, charger, and alllllll the other stuff you will find out that you'll need. 
  
  

Appreciate any assitance in pointing this new pilot in the right direction. I've also considered just getting Goggles and Controller to start with sims so curious if anyone has thoughts about that as well. Thanks!! DO THIS! Look at the Tango 2, it's super versatile, and look at Velocidrone which is going to give you a less video game-like experience and more of a realistic experience which is exactly what you need. The sim isn't as pretty as the others, but the focus should be on getting comfortable flying, not necessarily how pretty it looks. 

Good luck!

I'll keep my opinions and recommendations short, and list off what I've been exposed to so far.

For radio controllers, I've used the Radiomaster TX12 and Zorro. Both are good radios with tons of flexibility. The Zorro felt better in my hands, but has a weak battery. I used to use TBS Crossfire, but constantly ran into issues with stock, price, and antenna size. Have since moved to ExpressLRS. Some people have extreme difficulty learning how to make it work, and others find it the easiest of the bunch. YMMV.

In terms of video, I've used analog, HDZero, and Walksnail. They're all good at a specific thing. Analog plays nice with everything, is cheap, and offers the greatest potential for long range, but crap image. HDZero is best suited as a racing system or close range analog alternative, offering super low latency, decent image, but somewhat weak penetration. (HDZero can go far, but you better know what you're doing to make that happen.) Walksnail is effectively knockoff DJI, offering lower prices, pretty good image, better hobbyist support, less weight, but less performant than DJI.

On the topic of long range flight, that can get tricky. First off, it can be pretty illegal if you live somewhere that prohibits it. Second it isn't hard to lose your hardware if you haven't planned out various surprises. Third, it doesn't have to be expensive at all. If you build for super low weight, it's possible to go an obscene amount of distance on just a 2S 3000mAh battery and cheap parts. Watched a guy do 30km with his little ultralight analog quad.

Anyway, that's all I've got for you. Good luck getting your feet wet!!