Movario BT-300

[White Airwolf]

i tried this out at Interdrone and was quite impressed.
It looks like it could replace the Crystal Sky monitor I was contemplating.
This device is like having a 120 inch monitor up in the sky with black curtains around it if you use the dark shades.
It's very easy to look up above the rims to see your actual Inspire.
Would this be considered legal I wonder?
Very tempted to get it and save a bit of money on the CS.
It also reduces weight on your neck as you only need to hold the controller.
Anyone else thinking about getting this wonderful device?

 

[licensed pilot]

"Would this be considered legal I wonder?"

I'm going to guess a big no, not w/o a VO. Try asking Steve at [email protected]

§107.31 Visual line of sight aircraft operation.
(a) With vision that is unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, the remote pilot in command, the visual observer (if one is used), and the person manipulating the flight control of the small unmanned aircraft system must be able to see the unmanned aircraft throughout the entire flight in order to:

(1) Know the unmanned aircraft's location;

(2) Determine the unmanned aircraft's attitude, altitude, and direction of flight;

(3) Observe the airspace for other air traffic or hazards; and

(4) Determine that the unmanned aircraft does not endanger the life or property of another.

(b) Throughout the entire flight of the small unmanned aircraft, the ability described in paragraph (a) of this section must be exercised by either:

(1) The remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small unmanned aircraft system; or

(2) A visual observer.

 

[Casey53]

"Would this be considered legal I wonder?"

I'm going to guess a big no, not w/o a VO. Try asking Steve at [email protected]

§107.31 Visual line of sight aircraft operation.
(a) With vision that is unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, the remote pilot in command, the visual observer (if one is used), and the person manipulating the flight control of the small unmanned aircraft system must be able to see the unmanned aircraft throughout the entire flight in order to:

(1) Know the unmanned aircraft's location;

(2) Determine the unmanned aircraft's attitude, altitude, and direction of flight;

(3) Observe the airspace for other air traffic or hazards; and

(4) Determine that the unmanned aircraft does not endanger the life or property of another.

(b) Throughout the entire flight of the small unmanned aircraft, the ability described in paragraph (a) of this section must be exercised by either:

(1) The remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small unmanned aircraft system; or

(2) A visual observer.

I believe they are okay as you look through them much as a fighter pilot's heads-up display. You can see your bird with them on, even wearing glasses, so they should comply with the FAA VLOS reg. or so says the Epson sales rep.

There appears to be some latency issue with them though among some reviewers. Could be the internal OS isn't up to GO speed demands. No way to add apps to it either and likely will require a Epson/DJI app too. With the shade filter on, some say it is hard to see a dark bird against the sky vs. a lighter one.

Fwiw, I tried them a couple of times and didn't like them as I found it a bit of a distraction concentrating between the bird and the screen data. Brother makes some single-eye flip out side viewer (AIRScouter) that might be better for me as it works with the iPad GO setup.

 

[White Airwolf]

I believe they are okay as you look through them much as a fighter pilot's heads-up display. You can see your bird with them on, even wearing glasses, so they should comply with the FAA VLOS reg. or so says the Epson sales rep.

There appears to be some latency issue with them though among some reviewers. Could be the internal OS isn't up to GO speed demands. No way to add apps to it either and likely will require a Epson/DJI app too. With the shade filter on, some say it is hard to see a dark bird against the sky vs. a lighter one.

Fwiw, I tried them a couple of times and didn't like them as I found it a bit of a distraction concentrating between the bird and the screen data. Brother makes some single-eye flip out side viewer (AIRScouter) that might be better for me as it works with the iPad GO setup.

No comparison between the two. The Brother is not even in the same league!

 

[Eric Braun]

i tried this out at Interdrone and was quite impressed.
It looks like it could replace the Crystal Sky monitor I was contemplating.
This device is like having a 120 inch monitor up in the sky with black curtains around it if you use the dark shades.
It's very easy to look up above the rims to see your actual Inspire.
Would this be considered legal I wonder?
Very tempted to get it and save a bit of money on the CS.
It also reduces weight on your neck as you only need to hold the controller.
Anyone else thinking about getting this wonderful device?

It is legal in the US. Many cinema drone fliers use them. I have a set but prefer my 1000 nit HDMI monitors I mount next to the iPad on the pilot controller and next to the CS on the camera controller.

 

[licensed pilot]

"It is legal in the US. Many cinema drone fliers use them" Is this from the FAA or just an opinion?

 

[Eric Braun]

"It is legal in the US. Many cinema drone fliers use them" Is this from the FAA or just an opinion?

Have you studied for your Part 107? LOS, VO, assistive devices are all covered in that. Opinion? Not hardly.

 

[licensed pilot]

Please do not lecture me. Read my signature.
I asked a simple question, has the FAA approved any devices such as this?
The OP never mentioned VOs, of course that makes a difference.

 

[Eric Braun]

Please do not lecture me. Read my signature.
I asked a simple question, has the FAA approved any devices such as this?
The OP never mentioned VOs, of course that makes a difference.

There is no answer to this question. The FAA doesn't approve any particular devices. It discusses devices' function and characteristics in general. It discussed what "assistive" devices are, how long you are permitted to use them, what you are permitted to use them for, how quickly you need to get your eyes back on the bird, what the role of the VO is in these circumstances and what the VO is NOT allowed to fill in for.

 

[licensed pilot]

So the answer is, you don't know if these violate 107.31. That's it; just asking a simple question which always triggers my curiosity when someone posts statements like "It is legal in the US."
There are, unfortunately newbies who look here for legal advice and I believe we should reply responsibly.

 

[Eric Braun]

So the answer is, you don't know if these violate 107.31. That's it; just asking a simple question which always triggers my curiosity when someone posts statements like "It is legal in the US."
There are, unfortunately newbies who look here for legal advice and I believe we should reply responsibly.

Commercial newbies should not be looking here for legal advice. They should be relying on their Part 107 training.

I DO know. This is part of Part 107 study and training and test taking. Movieros, if used in accordance with Part 107 regs, do NOT violate Part 107. That is a FACT. You have to read the actual 107 regs and apply them to your flight planning and usage of that equipment. You're trying to separate things that are inseparable. It is possible to use the Moviero in ways that violate 107. It is also possible to use them in ways that do not violate 107. So your question, as asked, has no answer other than "do you intend to use these goggles in accordance with Part 107 regulations?"

It's like asking if the Inspire 2 is approved by the FAA for Part 107 use. Well, if you operate it within Part 107 guidelines, then, "yes". If you operate it outside Part 107 guidelines, then "no".

I don't understand your insistence on an answer that's based solely on equipment used with no regard to planning or procedure. It simply has no answer.

 

[licensed pilot]

You are obsfucating the issue. Of course any equipment can be used to violate 107, that's obvious.These glasses do obscure peripheral vision.

For anyone to categorically declare "It is legal in the US." without an opinion from the feds is disingenuous. Do you work at the local FSDO? If you do, I apologize (genuflecting deeply).

If you don't, it it just your opinion...

 

[Eric Braun]

You are obsfucating the issue. Of course any equipment can be used to violate 107, that's obvious.These glasses do obscure peripheral vision.

For anyone to categorically declare "It is legal in the US." without an opinion from the feds is disingenuous. Do you work at the local FSDO? If you do, I apologize (genuflecting deeply).

If you don't, it it just your opinion...

You simply CAN'T get an opinion from the feds on this. How would you do it? What mechanism is in place for the feds to "approve" equipment like this? You MUST rely on your Part 107 training. That's all there is. That's what Part 107 is all about. We were warned, when preparing for the test, that they wanted to see a lot of judgement and analysis of situations they present in the test based on our Part 107 knowledge. And there were a lot of questions that required head-scratching and thinking. That is what the training is all about... learning how to make decisions that fit in the Part 107 regs.

 

[Eric Braun]

You are obsfucating the issue. Of course any equipment can be used to violate 107, that's obvious.These glasses do obscure peripheral vision.

For anyone to categorically declare "It is legal in the US." without an opinion from the feds is disingenuous. Do you work at the local FSDO? If you do, I apologize (genuflecting deeply).

If you don't, it it just your opinion...

BTW, the opinion of "the local FSDO" is irrelevant in this case, unless he is steeped in Part 107 regs.

 

[licensed pilot]

Is called asking a question. Do it all the time. I have asked and received answers from FAA UAS Integration Office on Interpretation of aspect of the rules too vague. I never get advice on the FAA regulations from "forum experts."

 

[licensed pilot]

BTW, the opinion of "the local FSDO" is irrelevant in this case, unless he is steeped in Part 107 regs.

LOL. Can I be there when you tell FSDO that!

 

[White Airwolf]

Has anyone compared the Crystal Sky monitors to the Moverio BT-300?
I tested the latter at Interdrone but I understand of late there is no mapping software. You can't press C2 for instance and get a map view. This would not be good.
Also no audible sounds such as " Home lock established", something you would normally hear using the app on a tablet.
Perhaps there is a visual notification, I don't know.

 

[jonathan Atkin]

i tried this out at Interdrone and was quite impressed.
It looks like it could replace the Crystal Sky monitor I was contemplating.
This device is like having a 120 inch monitor up in the sky with black curtains around it if you use the dark shades.
It's very easy to look up above the rims to see your actual Inspire.
Would this be considered legal I wonder?
Very tempted to get it and save a bit of money on the CS.
It also reduces weight on your neck as you only need to hold the controller.
Anyone else thinking about getting this wonderful device?

I bought Epson's Moverio BT 300. Here are my thoughts.

a.) like anything it takes some getting used to..but I bought it specifically because it increases "situational awareness" due to keeping the AC in sight and eliminating the need to "look down" at the tablet to view the readouts etc. That to me was brilliiant

b.) HOWEVER....there are several issues with the unit. It comes with "sunshades" that clip on the front of the glasses to reduce ambient light. If ambient light is NOT Reduced its difficult to see the "glass cockpit" image of the Go app thru the glasses..If you use the darkest sunshade you can't see the drone....unless you peep over the glasses....they need several more versions of the sunshades.

c.) While they purport it works well if you are wearing RX glasses, they MUST be of a certain size...so that the image is unobstructed. That said, its a Rube Goldberg contraption using your own RX glasses and its difficult to see the Go App info in the corners.

d.) I ordered the RX lenses from Rochester Optical. Don't know how good they will be but eliminating wearing glasses under the Moverio goggles gotta help.

e.) The android controller takes some getting used to & it is poorly designed. The set up is not intuitive. No matter what the gushing reviewers say.

f.) The quality build of the goggles is fine but the stupid clips that are used to affix the sunshades, nose pieces and the RX glasses are flimsy and take a great deal of care to not break them. Rochester Optical maintains they have redesigned the metal clip for their RX glasses so its more robust than the crap used on the original sunshades and other attachments.

g.) The directions are written by the same idiots who write manuals for DJI and others...Must be translation issues....the entire industry needs better manuals and clearer language. sheesh.

h.) IN theory the Epson glasses provide a variety of usage augment reality in multiple platforms. I've not explored their additional uses. My focus is a device that will augment and enhance my safety and ability to fly an expensive drone. My concern is the controller doesnt permit as rapid a response to a warning or other messages as does a tablet with one's finger. It may simply be getting used to the Moverio's controller physical process....just seems clumsy.

i.) In short for a $1,000 piece of hardware (RX Lenses in that price) it ought to be better thought out.....DJI gushed about it on their website. Less gushing please.

 

[White Airwolf]

I bought Epson's Moverio BT 300. Here are my thoughts.

a.) like anything it takes some getting used to..but I bought it specifically because it increases "situational awareness" due to keeping the AC in sight and eliminating the need to "look down" at the tablet to view the readouts etc. That to me was brilliiant

b.) HOWEVER....there are several issues with the unit. It comes with "sunshades" that clip on the front of the glasses to reduce ambient light. If ambient light is NOT Reduced its difficult to see the "glass cockpit" image of the Go app thru the glasses..If you use the darkest sunshade you can't see the drone....unless you peep over the glasses....they need several more versions of the sunshades.

c.) While they purport it works well if you are wearing RX glasses, they MUST be of a certain size...so that the image is unobstructed. That said, its a Rube Goldberg contraption using your own RX glasses and its difficult to see the Go App info in the corners.

d.) I ordered the RX lenses from Rochester Optical. Don't know how good they will be but eliminating wearing glasses under the Moverio goggles gotta help.

e.) The android controller takes some getting used to & it is poorly designed. The set up is not intuitive. No matter what the gushing reviewers say.

f.) The quality build of the goggles is fine but the stupid clips that are used to affix the sunshades, nose pieces and the RX glasses are flimsy and take a great deal of care to not break them. Rochester Optical maintains they have redesigned the metal clip for their RX glasses so its more robust than the crap used on the original sunshades and other attachments.

g.) The directions are written by the same idiots who write manuals for DJI and others...Must be translation issues....the entire industry needs better manuals and clearer language. sheesh.

h.) IN theory the Epson glasses provide a variety of usage augment reality in multiple platforms. I've not explored their additional uses. My focus is a device that will augment and enhance my safety and ability to fly an expensive drone. My concern is the controller doesnt permit as rapid a response to a warning or other messages as does a tablet with one's finger. It may simply be getting used to the Moverio's controller physical process....just seems clumsy.

i.) In short for a $1,000 piece of hardware (RX Lenses in that price) it ought to be better thought out.....DJI gushed about it on their website. Less gushing please.

Ok thanks. What about the mapping and lack of voice commands?

 

[jonathan Atkin]

Ok thanks. What about the mapping and lack of voice commands?

What voice commands? On DJI GO aps? I'm clueless....can you see the map, and flight of the bird? Sure.