How to Get Into FPV Drones: From the Cetus Pro to the Avata 2, My Buying Tips
The moment I came across those first-person videos of drones weaving through buildings and diving under bridges, I knew I'd get into FPV sooner or later. These things are nothing like ordinary camera drones: a camera drone is all about “shooting steady,” while an FPV drone is all about “flying for the thrill.” There's no GPS hold or obstacle avoidance—none of those “babysitter features”—and in exchange you get far more aggressive maneuverability and a much more exhilarating view. In 2025 it became an event at China's National Games, and in 2026 it made it into the World Games, so the hype is very real.
But the first trap for beginners is choosing a drone. My advice: don't buy something expensive right out of the gate. If your budget is under ¥1,500, the BetaFPV Cetus Pro (from about ¥658) is a very polished starter kit—drone, radio and goggles all included. Its ducted, whoop-style frame just bounces off when it hits something, so it's very safe for practicing indoors. It also has a three-step difficulty progression: N mode holds altitude, F mode adds stabilization, and M mode is fully manual—exactly what you need to move from “automatic” to “manual transmission.”
If you have the budget and don't want to deal with soldering and tuning, the DJI Avata 2 is the best ready-to-fly option out there: O4 digital video transmission with 24ms latency and 1080p image quality, and with motion control you can get the hang of it in five minutes. If you want to try DIY but are scared of a soldering iron, take a look at modular kits like the SpeedyBee Bee25, which you assemble like LEGO.
Think video transmission through first: as a beginner, go straight to digital. Don't let analog's 200ms latency and 480p picture ruin your first impression—that isn't what FPV really feels like, it's the gear holding you back. Also stock up on extra batteries, since FPV drones generally only fly for 4–8 minutes.
One last piece of honest advice: before you order, buy a simulator and put in ten-odd hours of practice. Make sure you can handle the learning curve of fully manual control, then decide whether to spend the money. I went simulator first, real drone second, and it saved me a lot of detours.
Source: IT168
But the first trap for beginners is choosing a drone. My advice: don't buy something expensive right out of the gate. If your budget is under ¥1,500, the BetaFPV Cetus Pro (from about ¥658) is a very polished starter kit—drone, radio and goggles all included. Its ducted, whoop-style frame just bounces off when it hits something, so it's very safe for practicing indoors. It also has a three-step difficulty progression: N mode holds altitude, F mode adds stabilization, and M mode is fully manual—exactly what you need to move from “automatic” to “manual transmission.”
If you have the budget and don't want to deal with soldering and tuning, the DJI Avata 2 is the best ready-to-fly option out there: O4 digital video transmission with 24ms latency and 1080p image quality, and with motion control you can get the hang of it in five minutes. If you want to try DIY but are scared of a soldering iron, take a look at modular kits like the SpeedyBee Bee25, which you assemble like LEGO.
Think video transmission through first: as a beginner, go straight to digital. Don't let analog's 200ms latency and 480p picture ruin your first impression—that isn't what FPV really feels like, it's the gear holding you back. Also stock up on extra batteries, since FPV drones generally only fly for 4–8 minutes.
One last piece of honest advice: before you order, buy a simulator and put in ten-odd hours of practice. Make sure you can handle the learning curve of fully manual control, then decide whether to spend the money. I went simulator first, real drone second, and it saved me a lot of detours.
Source: IT168
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