When flying FPV, one of many choices obtainable in your OSD (on-screen show) is a crosshair—a small marker within the middle of your display screen. Some pilots swear by it, whereas others discover it pointless and even deceptive. So, do you have to use a crosshair for FPV flying? The reply is each sure and no, relying in your expertise degree, flying fashion, and private desire. On this article, I’ll break down when a crosshair may assist, why I personally don’t use one, and when it is perhaps time to show it off.
What Does the Crosshair Truly Do?
DJI Avata 2’s Crosshair: A Extra Practical Design
The DJI Avata 2, when flown with the Movement Controller, encompasses a transferring crosshair that dynamically shifts primarily based on the drone’s flight path. This is usually a recreation changer for inexperienced persons, because it visually signifies the place the drone is heading, serving to pilots make exact actions and changes.
Betaflight’s Crosshair: A Fastened Level
In distinction, the crosshair in Betaflight is only a mounted marker on the middle of your display screen. It doesn’t transfer, doesn’t replicate the place the drone goes, and could be deceptive generally—particularly for inexperienced persons who assume it acts as an aiming reticle.
Why I Don’t Use a Crosshair in FPV
Personally, I by no means bought used to utilizing a crosshair as a result of I discovered to fly with out it. I depend on my instincts, peripheral imaginative and prescient, and the precise movement of the drone to information my flight, not a man-made level on the display screen.
Right here’s why I feel the crosshair could be problematic:
1. It Doesn’t Present The place the Drone Is Truly Going
A typical false impression is that in case you line up the crosshair to the hole you need to fly by. However that’s not how FPV works.
Think about your drone is flying straight ahead. You assume the crosshair aligns along with your trajectory, proper? Not likely. When the drone is flying ahead it pitches ahead and so the crosshair could be pointing down barely, and never straight forward. And what if the drone can also be descending or climbing? The crosshair may stay centered, providing you with no indication of altitude modifications. You may suppose you’re lined up, solely to clip the highest or backside of an impediment.
2. It Can Be a Distraction
New pilots generally fixate on the crosshair as an alternative of studying the setting. Flying FPV is about feeling the drone’s motion, understanding its drift, and reacting to real-time situations. If you happen to’re too centered on retaining a crosshair on track, you’re lacking out on spatial consciousness, which is essential for tight maneuvers.
3. FPV Isn’t Counter Strike
A crosshair is sensible in a primary particular person shooter online game like Name of Obligation, the place your bullets go precisely the place you goal. However in FPV, your drone is continually in movement, tilting, rolling, and adjusting. A static crosshair simply doesn’t replicate the fluidity of actual flight.
4. Racing Line Syndrome
This jogs my memory of racing traces in some FPV simulators, the place there could be a guiding marker that helps you the place to go, inexperienced persons may need to substitute crosshair for these markers. However in an precise flights, you want to pay attention to obstacles and different drones within the air. Equally, a crosshair is perhaps a crutch that forestalls you from studying real-world flight strategies.
When a Crosshair May Truly Be Helpful
Whereas I don’t use crosshair, I’ll admit there are some conditions the place it may be useful:
1. FPV Racing
For racers, the crosshair isn’t about aiming at a gate however serving as a visible reference for fast corrections. It helps with timing maneuvers, particularly at excessive speeds, the place minor changes make a giant distinction.
2. Skilled Cinematic Flying
When monitoring a transferring topic—like a automobile in a chase scene—a crosshair can assist you keep framing, just like having a grid, which cinematographers use to compose photographs extra successfully.
3. Stopping Movement Illness
Some pilots report that having a hard and fast reference level like a crosshair reduces movement illness by giving their mind one thing secure to give attention to. If you happen to battle with dizziness or nausea in FPV, it is perhaps price making an attempt.
4. Studying to Fly Degree
In simulators, a crosshair can assist new pilots keep degree when studying fundamental controls. As a result of inexperienced persons are likely to fly comparatively sluggish and secure, so the crosshair stays roughly within the middle many of the occasions. Nonetheless, as quickly as you begin flying sooner and doing acrobatics, it could beomce counterproductive—like coaching wheels that want to return off.
Methods to Allow Crosshair in Betaflight
- In Betaflight Configurator, navigate to the OSD tab.
- Search for “Crosshair” within the checklist of accessible OSD components (underneath Craft Identify).
- Click on the checkbox subsequent to Crosshair to allow it.
- Drag and place the crosshair the place you need it on the display screen (sometimes centered).
Closing Thought: Ought to You Use Crosshair?
Right here’s my take:
- If you happen to’re a newbie, a crosshair may assist with fundamental flight stability, however don’t depend on it an excessive amount of and too lengthy.
- If you happen to’re into racing, it could function a reference for fast maneuvers.
- If you happen to fly professionally, it might assist with shot composition.
- For most individuals although, personally I don’t suppose you want it and you’ll flip it off.
In the end, it’s a private selection, however in case you suppose the crosshair will make FPV flying simpler, it received’t. As an alternative, give attention to studying your drone’s movement, utilizing your environment for reference, and growing actual FPV instincts.
