First up – what is FPV? Basically, FPV stands for First Person View – meaning that a person can see the live view from the drone via a device such as goggles, phone or tablet – and relying only on that to control your drone.
This differs from using a phone or tablet with your remote control if you have visual line of sight of your drone – which is the legal requirement in Australia, with some exceptions (which we will go through below).
Based upon CASA’s regulations – the rules for recreational pilots and most licensed operators require visual line of sight of their drone, and should not be using first person view via a device such as goggles to control their drone. WHY? Basically it is a safety issue – if you can’t see your drone with your eyes, there is a lot less awareness of what is happening around your drone or where your drone actually is.
An example – your flying your drone, and a bird comes near it from behind or the sides. With goggles on – you would not see it, and if you were using only your phone or tablet for viewing – you wouldn’t see what is coming. With your eyes on your drone – so visual line of sight of your drone – you have a better idea that something is headed towards you and can act upon that.
Now think if the bird, was a helicopter and you couldn’t see it – and its coming from behind you and the implications that that could have.
We get asked regularly if using a ‘spotter‘ is allowed in this situation – so the pilot controlling the drone uses goggles or similar, but has someone ‘watching’ the drone. This is not allowed – it is the person in control of the drone that must be able to see the drone.
Can another person wear the goggles – yep! As long as the person controlling the drone has visual line of sight of the drone.
So what can you do with an FPV drone? Given the restrictions for flying FPV in Australia – there are some places you can fly. Private property, inside premises, or at an approved MAAA field – click here for more details
The other way to fly FPV legally in Australia is if you have your RePL, and operating under an ReOC and then the appropriate approvals from CASA.
Want more information on flying FPV in Australia? Check out CASA’s website as well – https://www.casa.gov.au/drones/drone-rules/flying-first-person-view