Looking Back At A Decade of FPV! Where Did Bardwell Expect FPV To Go? - FPV Questions

[@jeffparisse4202]

You nailed it with the Burning Man analogy! FPV is as much fun as you make it…. I’m having a blast! (62yrs old, FPV 20yrs +)

[@doncunningham3124]

Yeah, like a newly wed couple as well. The first two or three years are great but then it becomes more.... routine.

[@derek.bodner]

"You just got middle aged, old and boring." I feel so targeted 🤣

[@notice_fpv]

Beard game has grown strong since 2014!

[@ajohnwiersema]

The ability to get into the hobby more easily makes the hobby better, in that way.

[@wesleyooms]

I started in this hobby last year and I think it's amazing. Especially when you see how mature the hobby has become. I'm 39 years old and when I was younger, I had an rc car but I remember how difficult it was to do even simple things. Now you have Betaflight, ELRS, and with pretty little experience, you can build your own quad now. Also, I'm amazed by the miniaturization. I have a 2 inch with a25x25mm AIO with 12A esc. Back in the days, a 2 amp trafo was like a kilo or so. now it's 0.0001 grams lol. What makes it so exciting for me is also the experience and the stunning views. You really have to transport your mind in the position of the drone to be able to control it well. So that's almost like a teleportation of the consciousness. You can fly over your property and see your house from the air. How freaking amazing is that? It's a view that you now take for granted, but without FPV drones, this wouldn't have been possible.

[@OpaFPV]

A great way to get energized all over again with FPV is to teach some to fly FPV!

[@rubberonasphalt]

Drone flying is of interest to people, but the barrier to entry is really high (not just cost). I was a beginner not too long ago, & I had to figure out what 1S/4S /6S Lipo were, & learn about voltage, amps, maH, C rating, XT30/XT60 & which I should choose. I spent hours learning what an ESC,FC, vTX & Receivers were, & still bought the wrong ESC for my motors. I bought a HDzero receiver, not knowing it doesnt work with DJI Goggles. I bought a frame that didn't support 30x30 mounting. I bought props that were awful for learning freestyle. And then you have firmwares, LUA scripts, Betaflight, & making sure your not doing something thats incompatible/conflicting in your setup... & then configuring your TX inputs & mixes... It took me months of on/off research before I figured out how to get a drone in the air, because I had to watch hours on hours of videos for each & every step of the way, with a lot of failures & frustration. Plenty of tutorials out there, but you have to wade through the product reviews & trick videos before you get to the info. I don't have a local store or club to help me, & yes it was rewarding to have figured it out in the end, but it needs to be easier. Manufacturers need to make a kit that has every component to build a drone, including a controller, & guide beginners with the setup & tuning. If a company did this, they'll be rich, & the hobby WILL become mainsteam as the overwhelming amount of learning has been reduced, leaving little room for failures & frustrations

[@SwordTomato]

sounds like you didnt do very much research

[@AnoNym-zi5ty]

There are kits out there, but it doesn't feel as good as figuring this shit out yourself.

[@rubberonasphalt]

@@SwordTomato Well i guess not. Its easy for everyone who's been in the hobby for years to know everything. For a beginner, little details can be missed, and misunderstood. Thats all I'm saying. And its this kind of gatekeeper attitude that scares people away. Its hard to make a comment or ask a question without someone making you feel dumb. Do you think thats healthy for a hobby community?

[@sganzerlag]

Rubberonasphalt, I wholeheartedly agree with what you said.

[@rubberonasphalt]

​@@sganzerlag appreciated, thank you!😆

[@FREEDOMFPV84]

I love the hobby it's everything I love doing building tinkering programming there is nothing better this hobby I love it

[@jeffcviews]

Wouldn’t be in this hobby if it weren’t for you 🙌🏾🙏🏾 love this hobby

[@DKTek07]

2014 like Heck!… I’ve been flying FPV since 1985. Started out learning to hover my Schluter Champion .60 heli while watching an old TV with a built in VCR… Only hovering around the field though as the range was less than 300 ft back then. It was a wireless cam used for maintenance on a roller coaster ride somewhere in central Florida 🤔. Given to me broken but easily fixed by reflowing some solder and splicing a broken wire. Yeah, a lot has changed since then.

[@trev.productions]

Damn fpv already existed then? Thats crazy

[@DKTek07]

@@trev.productions Yeah, but only the HAM guys got any range. There’s an old AF video of a guy flying a powered glider from his van that took place in the late 70’s. He had tracking Yaggy antennas for long range.

[@MindRiderFPV]

Great points. Push your flying, fly differently, change spot or take a break until you feel the urge again. I’m 58, started in ‘19 and flew almost every day since. It’s not like the first times, with shaky hands and panic after a punch, but it’s still a lot of fun.

[@mmmmmmmfancy]

I agree with everything bardwell says. I’ve been following fpv since I was 10, I’m 21 now and been flying for just a few months now. The hardest jump was believing that I could do it. And once I realized I could, It was the best thing to ever happen. It’s all what you make of it.

[@EvanKnightIsGood]

Yep! Hobbies do eventually get boring, but the nice thing is if you put it away for a little while they become fun again. I was deep into mountain biking for 6 years and really enjoyed it until i got bored. I put it down for a few years and came back to it and now I'm having a blast again. Having multiple or rotating hobbies really helps keep things interesting.

[@d00mfish]

An 8 Minute preamble just to get to the conclusion that I am aged and boring. Thanks JB you're a real pal 🤣🤣

[@rcrc2340]

Sage advice bud. Also been watching you since 2014 and long may it continue. Fly for your own fun, find joy in the journey, and do what works for you in these crazy times.

[@rcrc2340]

and cause no harm ofc :)

[@stefan2369]

True words. Thanks for the food for thought to rethink things that I've been doing for a long time and to judge them differently

[@1337flite]

One thought about fun - the surest way to make something fun less fun is make it your job. There's also an element of cool. For some people things are cooler when they are more underground - maybe that is the case for Botgrinder who does seem to have lead a life less ordinary than most.

[@Steven-dx4sl]

I’m just getting into the hobby now and super excited. This feels like a whole new world. I’m glad it is more accessible now thanks to the work of all the KZbin fpv creators sharing tutorials and ideas.

[@peteyfpv2217]

Well said my friend

[@FlyTimeRC]

To your point about most people being more interested in RC cars vs fpv. I think the learning curve of fpv and flying in general is much much steeper and that alone keeps a lot of people from getting into the hobby. It is what it is.

[@sixtofive]

Well said!!

[@aphinion]

PLUS: When you're only 50 people, everyone is awesome at a certain topic. Everything is new... you do a new move, you gotta name it and everyone cheers you for it. If there is 50,000 people, there is always someone better at this than you... the bar is just so much higher. Pioneers usually struggle with understanding that they will never again be a VIP just for making a drone flip a bit differently :) I think FPV just got about great in the past 2 years. Try tuning a drone before slider time, PID Toolbox and Cris Rossers guides... it was a trial and error chaos and half of it was snake oil and fairy tails - we were all flying detuned bricks claiming something about flying on rails. We now got a drone community in every second county. We now got SD-Card 4k recording on sub250g quads (which is kinda my main recording quad), we got ESCs and motors driving physics to the insane and most of all: very reliable equipment. The fame for medium impressive skills was certainly higher, but it was definitely not better at all ;)

[@jhendyy]

Hey it’s me , the guy who got into flying fpv(more for the cinematic/videogrpahy aspect) towards the end of 2023 and I’m having the time of my life. I completely agree with everything you said. Every time I fly the experience of flying is even better than the epic footage I’m getting. And the few people I’ve met through this niche are some of the nicest people

[@Robocopter_fpv]

JB is the Messiah of fpv change my mind 😂

[@FlyturboKwad]

So true, let's make FPV better then what it is today and spread your experience and skills to the younger generation.

[@davisw13]

Great video. You helped me so much in 2017 when I was just getting into drones and the stoke was real. I got out of it around 2019 and sold all of my kit. Coming into the hobby again in 2024 blew me away. The domestic availability of parts, small HD digital video, and the huge amount of support/review videos and guides really makes me think it's the best time to be into FPV. If you don't have friends flying, it makes it not as much fun. However that is a localized issue that can be solved by whoever reads this setting up a local event. BTW, cool that you're a burner. Hope you make it to To The Moon over in Crossville this summer. It's super close to you.

[@schtinerbock4570]

In my 50's. Just started less than a year ago. This is the best thing ever. This and airsoft.... this and airsoft and RC cars. I have issues and my body is falling apart. Gotta have fun while i can. I see now that when people shit on guys my age and accuse them of having a "Mid life crisis", Fuck em.

[@geraldcoonsis6852]

Hell yeah! New to hobby luv it! Just to technical I get frustrated but still luv it.

[@brentonasmith]

wise words

[@fabiofabius7065]

a ha great, i remember a video u did with a boscam vtx on rcgroups before all changed and got fpv channels. , baseflight and openpilot era

[@IshamPadron]

❤ Bardwellisms

[@PeterGrogan-m1x]

The only issue I’m having with FPV is finding people to fly with. Tired of flying by myself.

[@The1Fist]

Started flying planes in 2009, fpv in 2015, and it really has remained niche. I get looked at like an alien when I go fly a park nowadays. It's becoming a lost art. I still love it but I definitely don't chase the "latest and greatest" anymore

[@00fluxone]

oh to be that young starry eyed kid every day

[@rumblefish_FPV]

I'm planning on teaching my son to fly in the coming years. I'm sure this will keep me engaged. Also I'm going racing this coming weekend. I'll probably come stone last because I'm racing in a freestyle drone. But I'm just going to hang out with cool people and have a good time. I've been wanting to fly my whole life and now I'm doing it. It's been a year now. Finally got a GoPro and things are looking up. One thing I've realised is if you can't stomach the expense all at once you don't have to. If you go hard too quickly you can spend a lot of money. I've been slowly buying the things I need and trying to just be patient and realise that I can fly what I have. I see some guys buying so much stuff early on before they really know what they need and I think it gives this impression that you have to spend a ton to get into this. I own one drone if I crash it I have to repair it before I can fly again. But I'm still having a great time flying it. Oh and yesterday I got yelled at in the park by a dog walker so now I feel like I've had the full FPV experience. Thanks for the profound life advice Mr Bardwell. It's a good reminder to not get old and jaded.

[@mfrfpv9079]

Fpv has a hard limit on how many pilots can be in the air is a major factor to it goin mainstream.

[@Spacecazeka]

back in 2014 they were still called quadcopters i believe

[@VinydFPV]

I got into solid axle monster trucks first and then found fpv and now there's no competition between the two for me. Don't get me wrong I still love surface vehicles but can't hold a flame to fpv and there's WAY MORE to fpv than the other. A way harder learning curve but I think that's why I like it so much...

[@DK-TechCorner]

Just started FPV last year and to me its awesome, I come from competition shooting - sporting clay targets, and to me FPV is more fun and less competition, nothing wrong with competition, but in the danish compac sporting we eg. pay a fee that should be for prices, unfortunate that pull out the bad side of human being like cheating etc, but also the money box it self tempts some, to me its just a hobby to have fun for the money I've earned by doing my job, and great repect to you JB for doing a great job for the comunity and to me that is well earned money to you, in most cases like the danish compac sporting its few people who ruin it for many unfortunate, I still love shooting clays, but not the way people with thier ego treat each other, but if I should bump into the same with FPV I can go home and fly in my own garden or at another public place on my own (which we have plenty of in DK), that is not possible with clay shooting, there is only the few public shooting ground where the few bad people that ruin it also are alowed to be ;-)

[@Revelation1177]

I'm interested in both fpv drones an fpv rc cars I love both equally

[@MCsCreations]

Me too. 😊

[@brooksshepard9649]

I would love to fly! If only I could get CRSF receiver to update and bind😢

[@MCsCreations]

But it's true. Everything changes and everyone changes... Living is changing. If you stop... You know.

[@prottentogo]

I don't think that flying is less interesting to people than driving. Even in the SIM flying is just more complicated and not everyone is willing to lean it.

[@thefreezezone4583]

crazy video, as I stopped flying in 2014, not because I did not like it, quite the opposite, life, had my daughter, etc, etc. FPV was just taking off with analog, which quite frankly, didnt appeal to me due to the low quality video over the expense to run it I just didnt see it worth the money..fastforward to today..OMG, the video quality is exactly where I wanted it in 2014 in order to warent it worth investing. Your videos have just over filled my brain with tech and how to and everything else. I have decided on what I am going for, it is different to what I want, but concidering the choices I have, Im still going to be happy with Walksnail, big thing atm is the choice between the goggles x or the fatshark doms for 380..I am leaning towards the goggles x due to the promise from caddx on the goggles being upgradeable to next generations....that is worth it to me, that and I just dont see the dominator taking me into the next say 2 years time, the goggle x's will, again, if the company does what it says it wil do. FYI, I have bought AL my new stuff with affiliate links on your videos, hope it is helping...will soon be on patreon like I promised, more than limely after I get my goggles, than I will have the extra money for a year sub, maybe more if the discord is friendly

[@IceFaceFPV]

You have to be chosen by the God of wings....lol

[@rgilroy1909]

started with d8, now i gotta learn elrs? yup alot has changed. tx16s is still to much for me to figure out. new in a box for sale.

[@narrowonflow]

there's a lot of parallels that can be drawn between skateboarding and fpv... maybe we should be glad the activity isnt growing super fast

[@RichardAFPV]

I have a hard time believing that more people are initially interested in RC cars over flying around like Superman. I also don't think people know the technical curve is hard. I think people assume its just tough to learn to fly and too expensive. That, combined with lack of PR for the hobby. I guarantee you many people don't even know this is possible. I'd be curious to see what would happen if DJI did an FPV centric, non-pro / for the every man, "check out how cool this is" ad for the Avata during the superbowl.

[@Uriel767]

we r a special kind,, others cant think how to fly...they get a car, and when they cant drive a car ..they get a boat.. also ok..np bud i know what i want! yes should stick together. drone r getting misabused, unfortunatly..the last part hurts... me called old

[@NorgeSquad]

To be honest. I enjoyed FPV in 2016. BUT! The gear was no good Like I had a NAZE32 FC who Fried mid flight for no reason. And We had FrSky video link which was also painful. So im happy to have ExpressLRS now and Long range systems. Like back then I could fly maybe 50 meters and completely lose video and that was no fun. Now I have flown 8km without dropping LQ. its insane

[@MadNitr0]

Why did FPV not go mainstream? It's the cost man!!! I tried to get into the hobby when charpo was putting out videos regularly but man it was expensive then and every time I find I've got a few bucks the game has changed and I have to start over... My spectrum radio no longer binds to anything and does not have a module bay... And analog is on its way out now so there's another finantal restart

[@FlipF5D]

long storry short- till 2009 -Drones and FPV Stuff - it´s still to complex to reach Mainstream like sim racing or others imho...

[@catbroh]

Zmr250 club

[@VladTepes44]

FPV felt bland to me after covid. Nobody seemed to be flying any more in my old group and I pretty much moved to fixed wing. Then I joined a club for fixed wing that also does fpv racing and has a track permanently set up in an old football field. There are a lots of young kids with more skill and excitation than money. It feels fresh again.

[@eddycurrent413]

i still haven't found people to fly with. your a burner.