DJI Avata – How to Get Started (Explained for Beginners)

The excitement has come down a little since your New DJI Avata has arrived. You got it from the driver. You removed all of the packaging and thoroughly looked everything over. You read through the quick start guide online, after downloading the PDF file at the DJI Avata Download Center.

As one of the recommended first steps, you’ve charged your batteries and controller. You’re green across the board. You’re ready! Oh, wait. There is one issue, now what?

The first steps of getting started with your new DJI Avata include powering on and linking the drone, the goggles, and the controller. Then there’s activating everything and learning your way around the controller.

If you are new to the hobby and have never done this before, it can seem daunting at first.

Here you are, a new drone owner with new goggles and a new controller. There are wires, and there’s binding/linking. Well, heck, you just want to fly.

How do you get to that part already?

Don’t fret, you’ve got this! One of the first things is to activate the goggles and the Avata.

Powering On, Linking, and Activation #

When setting up your DJI Avata and other hardware, you’ll first want to make sure you have internet access. This will be so you can log into your DJI account in the DJI Fly App. Here’s how you do that.

A brand new DJI Avata must be activated through the** DJI Fly app**.

Powering on #

The first thing to do is power everything on:

1. Power on the drone, goggles, and remote-control device by pressing the power button on the battery (for the Goggles and Avata) and the power button on the controller.
2. Then press and hold the Power button for 2 seconds.
3. The Avata should start up and chime three times.
4. The goggles should be booting up, and the DJI logo should be visible on the screen.
5. The controller power LEDs should be lit and remain lit.
6. Everything is now powered on.

Linking the DJI Avata with the goggles #

The next step is to make sure all the devices are linked. Linking the hardware together is an easy process, and you will become an old pro at it in no time.

So, here’s what you do:

• On the Avata, press and hold the power button on the battery for 4 seconds or until the power LEDs start to blink in sequence.
• On the Goggles 2 – Locate and press the button on the inside of the goggles located in the center just above the eye ports. The Goggles should start to beep continuously.
• On the V2 Goggles – Located just below the power cable attachment is a small (and I mean small button). Press this button, and the V2 Goggles should go into linking mode and start to beep continuously.

Once linking has been completed, the battery level LEDs should turn solid and display the battery level. The goggles should stop beeping. The image transmission should be displaying normally. Now it’s time to link the controller.

Linking the Avata with the controller #

Start by pressing and holding the power button on the Avata, just like you did for the goggles. In other words, for four seconds or until the battery LEDs start to blink in sequence.

Now, the controller. Here it doesn’t matter which controller you’re using. Whether for the FVP Controller 2 or the Motion Controller, this process is the same for both.

1. Press and hold the power button on the controller for four seconds or until the battery LEDs start to blink in sequence and the controller starts to beep.
2. Once linking is successful, the controller will stop beeping, and the LED lights on both the controller and the Avata will display the battery level normally.

Everything is now set and ready for you to Activate.

Activation #

Here’s how to activate your Avata:

1. Using the supplied USB-C to USB-C cable, plug the goggles into your mobile device.
2. Start the DJI Fly App.
3. You will see some on-screen prompts.
4. Follow through with those to activate the device.

Your Avata and goggles should now be activated, and we’re at that “let’s go already” moment!

Before we lift off, though, we should really familiarize ourselves with the controls.

DJI Avata controls #

How you control the DJI Avata is going to depend on which controller you’re using. If you are new to the FPV flying experience, you’re going to find your first few flights a little disconcerting.

For one thing, you will not be able to see the controller and its buttons. You will need to rely on muscle memory for the control button layout and what those buttons do.

If you’re a seasoned FPV pilot, you’re already aware of that loss of tactile visual information and have already become accustomed to not being able to visibly see your hand on the controller.

With the DJI Avata, we have two control systems. The Motion controller and the FPV Controller 2.

DJI Motion Controller #

The DJI Motion Controller is actually quite the feat of technology and provides a fun flying experience. What it does is replaces the stick movements with motion control through single-handed use.

For myself, I’m left-handed, so all of the button placement is backward for me, and that is just something left-handed people have to deal with.

There are button controls incorporated into the motion controller, and these are the controls we will familiarize ourselves with now.

With the motion controller from this view, we see the following controls.

Battery Level LEDs – These LED lights indicate the battery level.

Lock Button – Press twice to start the motors of the Avata. Press and hold to make the Avata automictically take off and ascend to 1.2m and hover. Press and hold while hovering to make the Avata automatically land and the motors stop. Press once to cancel Low Battery RTH when the countdown appears in the goggles.

Mode Button – Press once to switch between Normal Mode and Sport mode.

Brake Button – Press once to make the Avata brake and hover in place. Press again to unlock the attitude. Press and hold to initiate RTH. Press again to cancel RTH.

Gimbal Tilt Slider – Push up and down to adjust the tilt of the gimbal. This function is only available before takeoff or during RTH or landing.

Shutter/Record Button – Press once to take photos or start and stop recording. Press and hold to switch between photo and video mode.

Accelerator – Press to fly the Avata in the direction of the circle in the goggles. By applying more pressure, the Avata will increase its speed. Release to stop and hover.

Power Button – The Power Button is not shown above and can be found on the right side of the controller just above the Accelerator.

FPV Controller 2 #

When looking straight down at the DJI FPV Controller 2, you will the above view. The additional control buttons are located on the front of the controller, as shown below.

On the DJI FPV Controller 2, the button configuration is very important, and you really do want to be familiar with these functions and locations prior to donning the goggles.

Remember, in flight, you will not have the benefit of looking at what your fingers are doing, as your view will be in the goggles.

On the top of the FPV Controller 2, you will find:

Power Button – The Power Button is not shown above and can be found on the right side of the controller just above the Accelerator.

C1 Button – The function of this button can be adjusted in the goggles. By default, press once to enable or disable ESC beeping.

Right and Left Control Sticks – Used to control to movement of the Avata. The control stick mode can be changed in the goggles.

Battery Level LEDs – These LED lights indicate the battery level.

USB-C Port – Used for charging and connecting to computer.

On this front side of the controller, we will find more of the control buttons, such as:

Flight Pause/RTH Button – Press once to make the Avata brake and hover in place. Press and hold to initiate RTH. Press again to cancel RTH.

Flight Mode Switch – Switch between Normal, Sport, and Manual mode. Manual mode is disabled by default and must be enabled in the goggles.

Gimbal Dial – Push from right to left to adjust the tilt of the camera.

C2 Switch – This switch is adjustable in the goggles. By default, toggle the switch to recenter the gimbal and adjust up and down.

Start/Stop Button – When in manual mode, press twice to start or stop the motors. When in Normal or Sport mode, press once to cancel Low Battery RTH when the countdown appears in the goggles.

Shutter/Record Button – Press once to take photos or start and stop recording. Press and hold to switch between photo and video mode.

Antennas – Relays wireless signals.

Get Flying! #

With this knowledge of how to Power-On and Link and the man the controls, you’re ready to go (you only have to go through the activation process once).

You can now, with some confidence, hit that takeoff button or power up the motors and lift off. Once again, depending on which controller you are using.

Are there even more things to learn? Well, you betcha. As a drone pilot, you are constantly learning. It’s one of the best parts of being a drone pilot.

Always advancing and improving not only your flight skills but your general knowledge of the systems and how they work.

Class isn’t over by any rate, but with the above information, you can get that DJI Avata out and into the air. After all, the hardest part of doing anything is getting started!

Fly Safe, Fly Always, Always Fly Safe!