Drones & Virtual Reality: The Next Big Thing?

Drones have been around for a while but, in the past few years, the consumer drone industry has exploded and there have been a number of drones released to the market. Companies like DJI are market leaders and are pushing the envelope when it comes to drone technology. 

Drones are used for things like photography and even just for pleasure flying. Another technology hot topic these days is VR. Wouldn’t it be cool if VR and drones could be combined? Yeah? Well, it’s already happening!

Drones and VR

There are a few drone models on the market that allow users to control them with VR goggles (headsets). This is an awesome feature which lets drone pilots enjoy flying their drone from a different perspective. These googles typically work by displaying a video feed from a drone’s camera to a pair of VR goggles. 

This gives the pilot a totally immersive experience. These VR headsets help pilots to experience a rush that isn’t possible when observing your drone through your own sight or via a display. The rush of adrenaline experienced could probably be closer to piloting an actual aircraft. 

Due to the level of excitement that these headsets provide, the combination of drones and VR could certainly be the next big thing. All drone manufacturers should look into this. However, it will be necessary for the price of these headsets to come down before these headsets become mainstream among consumers. 

Headsets tend to cost a lot! For example, DJI’s Googles cost $529. With the price where it’s at right now, these headsets will only attract experienced drone pilots and people who want to use drones for industrial applications. However, the immersive experience that they provide is almost irresistible. It is expected that the price will drop gradually. As this happens, we should see the technology being widely adopted.

While the price of VR headsets for use with drones may be a little restrictive for consumers,this technology could be quite attractive for several industries. For example, supplies can be monitored easily in the construction industry with this technology. In addition, it could be used for monitoring livestock and crops in agriculture. It could also be useful for monitoring construction and engineering projects. 

Virtual reality and drones are already being used separately in the real estate industry to help display properties. However, using VR headsets to display live drone footage of a property could also be a useful tool for the industry. 

There are several possibilities when it comes to using VR headsets with drones for industrial applications. In these settings, the cost doesn’t matter as much and there is a real opportunity for VR use to be adopted on a wider scale. 

Final Thoughts

Whether you use your drone for photography or because you simply like flying, a VR headset will enhance your experience. 

Drones are already expensive, however, and the price of these headsets is about a quarter to a half of the price of some drones. 

This is restrictive to many since people won’t want to spend that much more after already dishing out a lot of money for a drone. With that being said, industry leaders and drone aficionados will mostly likely continue to adopt the technology. 

When it gets cheaper, we may just see the combination of drones and VR take off on an even larger scale.