DIY $45 FPV Goggles for RC Quad Copters or Planes

by ScratchBuiltAircraft

68K15016

Intro: DIY $45 FPV Goggles for RC Quad Copters or Planes

In my opinion the best way to enjoy FPV is with video goggles. Sadly the cheapest FPV goggles out there is around $150. $150 I don't have. So i came up with a solution! A DIY pair you can make for $45! Sure the experience isn't as great as what you would get from a Fatshark or other high end FPV goggles, but its definitely worth the 45 bucks! 

The goggles consist of a 4.3 inch LCD screen, Foam board, Ski Goggles, and Duct tape (color)


STEP 1: Parts / Materials

Parts: 
4.3 Inch LCD screen - $25
(I got mine here)
http://www.amazon.com/Sunnvalleytek-Digital-Monitor-swivel-stand/dp/B005DP9QHA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1377965979&sr=8-4&keywords=4.3+inch+LCD

Ski Goggles - i got mine from Walmart - around $15 Bucks

Materials:
Dollar tree foam board 
Hot Glue and glue gun
Duct tape (any color you want)

Tools:
Hobby Knife 
Straight edge 
Pencil 

STEP 2: Screen Distance

Determining the distance the screen is from your face is critical!! For everybody the distance may be different depending on the users eyesight.

Place the screen in front of your face and find a distance you like. Then take a ruler and measure how far it is from your nose to the front of the screen. Record the measurement.

In my case i liked 3 1/2 in

STEP 3: Constructing the Screen Housing

Start by popping out the lens of the ski goggles. Trace the top part of the goggles onto the foam board, find the middle of the Goggles and draw a straight line out. (Make sure you use a square) From the leading edge of the goggles measure out the distance you want  the screen (step 3's measurement) Find the length of the screen and center it on the line(picture 5) Then find the width of the screen and and add that measurement from the line where the screen would sit. Draw another line where the back of the screen would be. (the same length from Picture 5) From the corner of the goggles to the very far line Draw a line with a straight edge.(Picture 8) Do the same on the other side. Make notches on the line that was just drawn. The notches should be 1 cm deep and 1 1/4 inch long, space the two with another inch. Duplicate on the other side and make sure the distance from the corner of the goggles to first notch is the same. (notches may be different depending on the distance you choose the screen to be) Cut the piece out and trace it onto foam board. Cut the piece out.

Sides:
First find the height of the screen and add 1/8 of an inch. Then find the length of the base board. (the tapered side) Make a square with the two measurements that you just acquired.(Don't cut out yet) Lay the base board next to the side and make marks on where the notches are. The notches on the side board should come out NOT in! Cut it out, trace it, and cut that one out.


STEP 4: Gluing and Tape

Now glue all the piece together to construct the housing. Add strapping tape or packaging tape on the edges.  

Test fit the screen and if there is a gap cut a piece of foam board out and glue it the housing. 

Bevel the edges of the housing as in Picture 6

Glue the top of the housing to the goggles. The bottom of the goggles may not fit. I used one of the rounded edges that was cut out previously from the top or bottom base boards. I then removed the paper from the inner side to make it more flexible. Glue it in along with the bottom of the goggles. 

Make a notch for your nose if needed

STEP 5: Duct Tape and Mounting the Screen

Cover the housing in duct tape for color and to make the inside darker for better Video footage.  Stark with the top, then the bottom, and then the sides. 

Glue the LCD display in with a bead of glue!

Give it a test!

STEP 6: Done!

Now enjoy the feeling of flying like never before!!

Thanks!!

16 Comments

ShawnB55 8 years ago

I had the Jrrc H8D so i used your ideal with the screen that came with it . Its raining so i havent got a chance to to try it . But Im assuming this will at least give me an idea if i want to spend the money on a set of gogles .

ydeardorff 9 years ago

This is great, however, i think the best option would be to make a 3d system. Using smaller lighter screens, and a blinder like the old stereographs, one could make dual system on an RC that would give depth perception.

AkhilM4 9 years ago

does this work with hubsan x4 fpv?

stacko12345 9 years ago

Good job I'm to lazy to do it. I'm just going to buy the googles from hobby king

darthvadersbro 10 years ago

Ha ha. A dare ruler. I remember dare!! Anyways I really like your instructables. I am obsessed with rc planes !!!!! I can't get enough rc plane stuff. I'm glad to find someone who is also into the hobby. Thanks man ; )

rsmith79 9 years ago

Nice work... - have you considered using a fresnel lens at all?

scooby56 9 years ago

Alternatively - one of these cheap(ish) products use lenses which might be more comfortable to focus at such a short distance. Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to to get the video feed to your phone to run via the software?

http://www.vrase.com/

http://www.altergaze.com/

http://www.durovis.com/

Romout 10 years ago

I bought this monitor iHarbort 4,3 Zoll PAL/NTSC TFT LCD Monitor as it seemed similar to the one you where using.

It has an signal auto-detect feature which switches the TFT off when ever the signal gets weaker. As the manual for my TFT is very poor, I did not find a way to overcome that bad habbit. Do you have similar problems?

phil72 10 years ago

I'm not going to try this project personally as it'd give me headaches cool idea though, I was going to mention the exact same thing that amishjim mentioned above regarding the inside of your tunnel area I guess you could call it. A dark color such as black would definitely add to the experience by deleting the white which is acting like a light source you could describe it as, so darkening the whole inside & sealing all edges will definitely add to the effect.

n0ukf 10 years ago

How can you focus on something so close? Strong reading glasses? Without readers, I'd need that to be 16" long.

amishjim 10 years ago

I would also suggest either getting the black foamcore or painting the inside black for better viewing. Great build. That monitor is $19 now.

mr.incredible 10 years ago

Very nice. I just got my goggles a month ago. I wish I had seen this first. Great design, how is the weight? Does it stay on your face well enough? I would add, only for ascetics, the dollar store also carries black foam core now. You could also add a 10 cm strip, of foam core, all the way around the inside next to the screen. That would give the phone a place to stop for easy placement and removal.

ScratchBuiltAircraft 10 years ago

They work great for the price, but i have discovered it is a little heavy on your nose. i Might add some more foam to the nose or a counterweight system to take some of the weight. I have also discovered that the black foam board from dollar tree is not as strong as the white. Plus the paper on the black tends to come apart easier. But you are correct from the inside a black finish would look nicer!