Quick 25mW range test (DJI HD FPV first flight and thoughts)

Here in New Zealand the DJI Digital HD FPV system is limited to 25mW of power. Based on my flight testing today, that means you'll start to get pixelation and dropped frames at around 300m. For close proximity flying or quad racing that's probably fine but I suspect that most purchasers will want to bump the output up to the FCC limit of 700mW. Here are a few observations after the first day's use:
Pro's:
- no perceptible latency on this fixed-wing model
- very easy to set up if you're just replacing an analog FPV system
- despite the metal case it's still possible to fit it to a sub-250g plane
- as expected, the image quality is stunningly good
- the video goggles are comfortable and perhaps the best I've used
- being able to start/stop recording on goggles and air-unit mid-flight is great.
Cons:
- I had issues with the activation (what'swrong with just having a damned switch like FatSharks do?)
- you'll have to learn to fly through dropped/frozen frames when exploring the limits of range
- only 25mW out of the box in most countries
Interim conclusion:
Bloody marvelous if you don't need to fly beyond 300m, should you be limited to 25mW.
Next steps:
- bump the power up to 700mW
- test compatibility with analog FPV systems
- try out the googles with an analog video receiver
- and much more.
Big thanks to Ferntech New Zealand for lending me this equipment for test purposes.