DJI - Avata

I started with the Avata 1 still have it but I agree the two seems superior in every way, it's definitely not the most frugal way to get into fpv but I think DJI goggles/vtx is a good choice, I just recently ordered a HDzero goggles set to play with whoops and maybe an analog or two. I think you'll be very satisfied with your Avata 2, if you find you want to wade deeper into fpv I recommend the Joshua Bardwell YouTube channel, and his FPV build kit on getfpv the DJI o3 vtx is compatible with your goggles 3 as of a recent update as well as your controller I believe. Don't discount practicing in the sim, your Avata will feel different but, familiar. Most importantly stay safe and have fun.

Generally the DJI Mini 4K is a great drone, but honestly I think someone that age would prefer to fly an FPV drone in comparison to a camera drone. FPV drones are the ones that go really fast and people do tricks and flips with them, while camera drones are usually more delicate and are being used to film and make photos. I don’t know your son so I don’t know what he wants to do with it cause maybe he really wants to make content with it. One more thing, a good beginner drone like the DJI Avata or DJI Avata 2 ar a bit more expensive. If he’d want an FPV drone I would honestly get the Avata explorer bundle but it’s 679 euro, so it’s quite a bit more expensive. But again, the DJI Mini 4K is a great drone.

Fully concur with u/Ich_bin_schlecht. Go with Avata if you have zero interest in advancing to freestyle flying because it has a well-known yaw washout issue, and it's not a particularly responsive machine. Flight time is around 8 minutes. Picture quality is best in the business. If you plan to grow in the hobby, skip it and start with something more survivable to crashing like a BetaFPV Meteor 65 or HappyModel Mobula7. Be warned there's quite a learning curve with setup, throttle control and then acro mode, as u/Fat_Cat6969 alluded to. Flight times are around 3 minutes. Picture quality is like old VHS tapes.

I would not recommend the Avata series based upon the description of your experience and use case. Avata can only be used with FPV goggles and are less about cinematography and more about the experience. Mini 3 sounds like a great option and is far more versatile and forgiving for beginners. Happy flying!

The same as NamelessMason, you should practice some time in the simulator and buy a BNF, like mark5, aos, nazgul, etc, The problem with avata is made of plastic and in fpv would you are going to crash 100%, so buy something that will not break the first day.

i kinda did the same started of with sim training on liftoff with an xbox controller then got a used avata 1 combo with goggles 2 + fpv controller 2 + 4 batts, now im ripping the avata in manual i get frequent tumbles and i get a power cut at about 50% batt, i dont regret it i like the avata but after 4 flights im already looking for a more powerful quad, i mainly bought this combo for the goggles and controller and think of the avata as a plus for the price that i got it

It's s fair dronei has the first avata and bought the second one as well for the new easy across features but disappointed to learn that you can't use easy acto whilst you are recording. Not to mention they I can't seem to be able to get the gymbal to move with the dedicated gymbal wheel on the motion 3 controller. It's waEssy to fly fpv. And the camera quality is brilliant. Just wish I could change the pitch of it mid flight 😭

I think the right drone for you really depends on what you plan to use it for, regardless of if it’s your first or fifth. FPV drones are VERY different from anything else like the Mini/Mavic/Air; if you primarily want a drone to have fun flying and capture really unique videos (and feel like you’re playing a game) then the Avata is probably a really good option for you…it’s also more rugged, so as a new pilot if you have a crash the drone may be fine. On the other hand, if you need to be able to capture more professional-looking footage or want a more “standard” flying experience, the M4P is a very capable little drone. In my experience, the biggest learning curve when it comes to FPV is being able to properly judge the distance between the drone and nearby objects when flying at an extremely fast speed, and also dialing in the sensitivity settings of the controls so it responds the way you want it to.

Hey yall! I'm looking for 3.5 inch drone recommendations. I've been using a DJI Avata (2022) for Real Estate Flythrough videos. I've noticed that the camera is really not great in low light situations and I'm looking for an equivalent sized drone that I could throw my Osmo Action 4 on. I already have a Radiomaster Tx16s with some random Fatshark analog goggles that I use for my 5 inch and would personally prefer using those on most of my drones. Anyway, let me know if yall have any good recommendations! Thanks!

was considering the same: get an Avata 1 as a first drone. Not interested in freestyle, only filming. Better price and no issues getting started. Downside is it’s above 250g, so technically that would require a license.

The avata isn't bad per sé, it's just quite underpowered and heavy. If you set your expectations right it can be great. The safety features on the avata are quite useful. Be aware though, the fpv freestyle videos you see on youtube aren't possible with an avata, some of the cinematic video's are though. The avata is a decent introduction into the hobby in my opinion. If you ever switch to higher performance fpv drones you can keep using the goggles and maybe the remote as well.

Is your goal to take fpv-style video? Get an avata. Is your goal to have fun? Get a freestyle drone. If this is your first I recommend Joshua bardwells

you had one experience. other people have theirs. the avata in normal mode is absolutely the fastest way for someone to fly a real drone with any stability whatsoever. a couple weeks ago i handed the avata/dji fpv controller 2 to a 60 year old woman who never did any RC anything. under my coaching she was able to move forward/back and side to side, as well as up and down, in a controlled fashion in my back yard. no prior training. yes, it's not the best for acro. yes, you went to hard and crashed. it doesn't make it a bad beginner drone, it just wasn't right **for you**

yep. just providing some balance. it can still be a good stepping stone. most of us start in angle mode. avata is like angle mode plus auto hover

> Flying in normal mode doesn't help you learn to fly manual/acro though. I'm not sure i said anything that this responds to, but i disagree. it's an early stepping stone to help learn what the sticks do. It's practically angle mode plus throttle assists for hovering yes, by itself, it isn't a complete tool. but it IS a *useful* tool.

I agree with the first part, but the avata isn’t the drone I would recommend for a beginner. Especially not in the EU as you will need a UAV license and not just an operator registration (assuming op gets a Mini 4K for example).

This sub is generally not a huge fan of the Avata, though some of the reasons are admittedly a little gatekeepy at times. The Avata has a lot of pilot assists built in that can't be found elsewhere, and the flight time is pretty good compared to most FPV drones. Obviously being a DJI product the camera/video system is top tier. In terms of flight performance, durability, and repairability, it's worse than many budget FPV quads. If you want to fly freestyle or proximity, consider looking elsewhere.

u/Jackriot_ 2.5 / Micro setup with the 03 Unit which cost 400 USD but that can only take video, for the Avata 1 and 2 its a good FPV "training-wheels" for those who are starting FPV. However, if you damage the Avata, repairs are pretty pricey unlike traditional FPV, you can get parts under 5-15 bucks but for the electronics, they're around 50-400 depending on the setup from analog to digital.

I partly disagree. The Avata was my first FPV drone and it's still my first choice for inspecting things since it can hover. It's a good choice for someone who justs wants to cruise around, and the head tracking is still an incredible experience. The motion controller is the easiest to learn control system that I have seen so far. It's not a good choice for acrobatic stuff. It's fine if you know what the limits of it are and get a "real" FPV drone for doing the fun stuff. 

FPV is about the goggles and doesn't have anything to do with how it's flown. Anyone who get a DJI drone for acrobatic stuff is obviously making the wrong decision. The DJI FPV and Avata are best when used as fast and maneuverable camera drones with the immersive FPV experience that the goggles provide.

The Avata is extremely good at close quarters stuff. I regularly hover within 1 foot of stuff when inspecting buildings and other stuff. I even carefully fly it inside of trees sometimes.

Yes, the range, flight time, picture quality, and ease of use will all be great for you. The Avata’s main shortcomings are only relevant to acro mode.

Licensed drone pilot here. Stick with a mini or the avata unless you are looking to get your license, as a lot of restrictions apply to drones over 249g. On that note, Costco has a great package for the mini 3 and mini 3 pro, both of which are incredible, reliable systems with lots of cool features you would enjoy. Please get the avare app to check local flight restrictions and such, last thing you want is to fly into the line of a firefighting chopper and get shoved in a cell for 10 years.

Certainly not the best, but to echo what others have said, the pilot assistance features built into it make it very accessible to any novice pilot. I think if you get into fpv you will quickly outgrow the Avata as your favorite quad. Without a doubt, it is a fun toy. That said, it is quite expensive to get everything that you need, especially when you include the additional remote.

300mah tattus are like 5 bucks each lol, I do kinda agree, if you start analog and go digital it can feel like a waste of money.... But an avata setup would be way more expensive than a traditional o4 pro setup

This seems to be coming up a lot lately, and I've been meaning to share my experience getting into FPV with an Avata for a while now. **TL;DR**: If you're looking to get into FPV for real (as in, fly acro), don't get an Avata (either version). Learning involves crashing. Get a drone that can survive a lot of that. Last September I got hyped up watching FPV videos, and after seeing Rotor Riot's First flight to Freestyle series I decided to get an Avata. Money was not a particular issue - I hate buying stuff I won't use, but don't mind paying extra for top quality for stuff I do. Avata seemed to make sense - I could start flying straight away with the super easy to learn motion controller, and gradually swap to the real controller, and ultimately learn acro. And in case anything was going wrong, there was the Pause button to get me out of any sticky situation. Things were looking promising. I fell in love with flying immediately. After a week of flying with the standard kit I ordered the game pad controller (DJI Controller 2). Flying with the motion controller was a ton of fun, but one thing it didn't do is free-falling. You could obviously fly toward the ground, but as the drone aims to maintain the control of the speed, it won't let you just let go. I knew I needed to feel the rush of diving down a tree or a tower, I've seen others do so many times on youtube. Didn't really care for tricks at this point, but still, as soon as I got my hands on a proper controller, I just had to learn acro. First acro flight, about 2 weeks and 50 sim-hours later, was insanely stressful. I stayed high up in the air, didn't dare to flip or rollover or anything, but was surprised that overall, I was able to control the drone. Surprisingly, the Pause button didn't come handy, not even once. I suppose Normal mode did come useful for a soft landing. Anyway, pack after pack I was getting more and more confident. With more confidence came more risky stuff: flying low to the ground, tiny split-S'es, and short dives. I was having an absolute blast, but inevitably, with risky stuff came first crashes. Not instantly-wreck-your-quad kind, no. Just flying low enough to catch some grass. The Pause button was of no use - there was no way I could react quickly enough. If I could I'd just raise the throttle in time. Anyway, it wasn't even the crash that was so scary - it was how the drone tried to recover. The Avata has this thing where it detects there was a crash, and switches back to Normal mode, into a position hold. I'm no expert, don't know how this works exactly, but let me tell you, the instruments just got hit hard and aren't ready to fly position hold. What happens actually, is the drone flies away without any control for the most scary 30s of your life, before finally getting it back together. After a few times of this I knew already I'd much rather the drone drop dead, than try to pull through. A week of flying acro, and my Avata was already looking somewhat beat up. I had my first major crash after powerloop attempt. It was at this point when I realised the truth: **Crashes are inevitable. Failing is a necessary part of learning. The Pause button is not a viable solution. Dropping to the ground after crash is the safest thing to do.** All I need is a drone that can survive it. I ordered a Mark 5 (O3) the very same day. I only had my Avata for a month at this point, but I knew I'm going to wreck it before I learn to fly with it. Now, looking back, Mark 5 is an overkill for a starter drone, but the amount of progress I've made, being able to just try things, fail, change props, try again, is just not comparable. Being able to not hold back is essential. I'm not flying around concrete much, mainly crashing into the ground, sometimes trees. Other than going through a significant number of props, I only ever needed to replace a camera (before I discovered protectors/ND filters) and batteries (Mark 5 has a design flaw making battery punctures too common). I rarely fly my Avata anymore. I replaced the prop guards to get it back in shape, but it since [decided to set itself on fire](https://www.reddit.com/r/fpv/comments/17u847h/my_avata_fell_from_the_sky_and_burned/). Even though DJI replaced it, I just don't trust it anymore. As weird as it sounds, the only use-case for it I can see right now is long-range, where poor handling isn't such a big issue, thrust-to-weight doesn't matter, but the long battery life is a must. At least until I get a 7 inch. I also sometimes use the Avata to show friends and family what it feels like to fly FPV. The motion controller really is great in that regard. If you're having a blast just flying around with it and wouldn't dare (or care) to try acro, then more power to you. But if you're considering getting your first FPV done, you may be disappointed if you, like me, expected the Avata to carry you all the way into acro. Bonus: I hoped that at least I'd be able to keep using the DJI Controller 2 with my Mark 5, but I kept getting the dreaded RXLOSS, so eventually had to switch to ELRS. Goggles 2 are great still! If I started today with Avata 2, I'd be stuck with Goggles 3 and no easy way into O3 for the foreseeable future.

My man, anything bigger than like 2 inches is not a good fit for a beginner. You might cause a lot of damage with that nazgul (or hurt yourself/others). 5inch drones are very fast, and require some control. First off, get a controller, buy Liftoff or Uncrashed, and start training. A "beginner" 5inch drone is for a beginner who has flown with smaller drones. Alternatively, buy a large DJI drone, anyone can control those... Avata is fine. If you care about learning actually flying tho, stay away from DJI. Just buy a Radiomaster Pocket and do like 20h in a sim first

without question I would get something that had a telephoto lens like an Air 3 or Mavic 3 or Mavic 3 Pro. With a wide angle lens like an avata you'll never get closeup that would be the kind of thing you'll want. The 3x tele on the Mavic 3 Pro would be the best lens although the 7x might be excellent if you have room to frame it. Keep in mind you can't fly over people with out special permissions. You'll want to look into those rule and of course you have to have a Part 107 certificate to do this. Don't shoot into the sun or with the sun toward the front and you will be fine with regard to lens flare. If you don't have that Part 107 you'll really need to take some time and get it.

Thanks for this post, I considered the avata when I was first starting and decided not to kinda randomly, only later after flying my friends avata did I realized the exact problems you described in the bold text that the YouTubers never mentioned, it just does the most insane shit on impacts, and the pause button and motor shutoff does fuck all, it’s a great cruiser acro drone when you’ve got acro down, it may not end up wasted money, still best in class cinewhoop

I had both (M3P + Avata) but never took my Avata to vacations because of how loud it was. It also took up a lot more room in my photography backpack. The Mini 3/4 Pro is just way more convenient and easy to setup quickly.

First gen works just as good and it's half the price

I love the DJI FPV and Avata. I got the Goggles and Goggles 2. The FPV is my favorite drone by far out of the three (A2S, FPV, and Avata). I highly recommend picking up a FPV before they are discontinued. It can fly 90+ mph vs the 45-60mph competition. It is ridiculously easy to modify for using top level aftermarket props too. Highly recommend doing this too. Besides the increased performance, they are cheaper than DJI. Also, its flight time will be many minutes more (ten minutes more is a common reality) than any non DJI drone. In the flying world, this is an amazing amount more time. Expect three mins or less with the competitors drones when you are ripping it. You can get the whole set up together or pieced out on EBay or marketplace in great shape and cheap. Once they get discontinued, their price will skyrocket. I am constantly picking up another as a backup.

Yes, the FPV drone is prefect for that. Get this setup and it will be cheaper. I actually fly more with this setup as I feel as if I am in a cockpit with the stick controlling a jet. This is super easy to learn and fly fast. Once you get better, you can fly acro with it, but I highly recommend to start with the Avata due to its durability. FPV is fragile, but I have had mine for years now and never broke anything and I fly at top speed every flight. I also suggest getting a FPV while you can as they have been discontinued. You cannot buy one used off EBay for cheap, just check sellers rating, that it is returnable, and not locked to another account(unbound). It can fly 60mph with the motion controller and 90+ with the FPV controller. Set up for learning to fly quickly: DJI FPV Motion Controller 1 DJI FPV Goggles (1) If you want to do acro (flips & rolls): DJI Avata DJI Goggles 2 or DJI Integra DJI FPV Controller (Motion Controller 1 or 2 will work, but you cannot do acro with it)

I love the DJI FPV and Avata. I got the Goggles and Goggles 2. The FPV is my favorite drone by far out of the three (A2S, FPV, and Avata). I highly recommend picking up a FPV before they are discontinued. It can fly 90+ mph vs the 45-60mph competition. It is ridiculously easy to modify for using top level aftermarket props too. Highly recommend doing this too. Besides the increased performance, they are cheaper than DJI. Also, its flight time will be many minutes more (ten minutes more is a common reality) than any non DJI drone. In the flying world, this is an amazing amount more time. Expect three mins or less with the competitors drones when you are ripping it. You can get the whole set up together or pieced out on EBay or marketplace in great shape and cheap. Once they get discontinued, their price will skyrocket. I am constantly picking up another as a backup.

AVATA is WAYYYY more fun to fly, and yes people correct are saying it has no follow features but i feel you can get MUCH more cinematic and unique shots using it. You can set it up to hover and take photos, delayed shots so your not holding the controller in photos and also long exposure stuff.. i got over normal drones pretty quickly when i started flying fpv and u end up just flying for the fun of flying and forgetting to record haha

The Avata isn’t capable of true fpv freestyle. Only the very smooth cinematic stuff. If that’s what you want then it’s fine. But if you want to get into proper FPV, then I’d recommend you get an ELRS radio right from the start. (Anything from radio master is good, I’d get the boxer or gx12, but the pocket is cheaper) As a first drone I’d recommend something with the o4 (lite). Won’t be too expensive and the smaller size is better for starting out, because you will crash. (Edited due to bad wording)

It’s likely a good gateway into FPV, but certainly isn’t meant for freestyle. I bought it to get the goggles 2 early, and now never fly it since I have better freestyle drones, that don’t make so much noise.

It builds horrible habits that take a long time to unlearn. It is a drone but it is NOT in any way shape or form an entry point to the hobby. It is simply a good camera that can fly. It is a tool for an entirely different industry

Like flying a drone like a videogame not a drone. I understand you find it comfortable, but most people end up here for the more dynamic flying experience, not for a drone that severely limits you. The top controller and goggles are nothing without a drone. You can find plenty of comparisons online about the problems of the avata like the motors or part prices. Sorry man, regardless of.your comfort, the avata is a camera with propellers attached. Its amazing for that purpose but trying to pretend its something else is just dumb.

I managed to find a DJI avata (1st gen) for £450 used on Facebook marketplace. I think Avata's don't really hold their value, so you can actually find them quite often for a bargain :o For £450, I got: Avata (needed to replace downward vision sensor), Goggles Integra Motion controller Remote controller 2 Flymore kit (two extra batteries and the stick charger) My mate got a similar bargain, for around £650 he got: Avata Goggles 2 Motion controller Remote controller 2 Flymore kit He recently smashed his drone completely into three pieces in a crash, and found a replacement drone (no batteries etc) for £160 on ebay while we were still stood in a car park after the crash. I would say the avata is a good enough beginner fpv, but it does have it's issues, do your own research on those. What I will say though, is the 03 air unit alone is £160 where I live, so that's a pretty good bargain in my opinion :o

I’d get the Avata 1 based on your list. It’s sturdier, quite available used and it has the safety features you are after while giving you a great image and 4k recording. Another item to consider is that the goggles 3 are not compatible with O3 (will be in the future), meaning you are fairly locked into the Avata 2

Avata 1 is quite a bit more durable than the Avata 2. I saw they improved the sharp yaw handling, but remember that this is a cinewhoop - the idea is you do slower, cinematic flights around people. I owned the Avata and liked it as a first drone, as I outgrew it quickly and sold it to recoup almost the entire cost. That thing with a few addons was a tank. I don’t know their demand these days with the A2 out, but maybe the same logic applies. Keep in mind the O4 might not even release in the US (if you’re there). I’ve seen a few reviews and I don’t see the O4 making a generational leap, there are some improvements but not the difference between the Vista and O3 that’s for sure. Lastly, locking you in is the DJI way. That’s the price for that crispy image and penetration they offer, and they sure make a dent in your wallet.

An Avata (1 or 2) could do it, and has almost all the DJI ease of use options that their bigger cousins do Source: I fly my Avata 1 around my house sometimes

This answer is as common as it is unhelpful. Plenty of people neither want nor need to learn how to build their drone and if you’re capable of learning in how to repair it as you build then you’re capable of learning to repair it after you broke it. I didn’t build my Avata 1 and repairing it after a massive crash was simply a matter of buying replacements for the destroyed parts (frame and antenna) and swapping them. That I hadn’t built it was no disadvantage whatsoever. My other quads (pico, cinebot, and mark 5) were all pre-built and perfect because it meant I could get flying - the whole point of my getting into FPV - immediately. If they break I’ll fix them. If building is your hobby, then great. Buy parts and assemble them. But don’t try to impose your personal preferences on others as though they’re somehow “The Right Way” to enjoy things.

Don't unless you find a really good deal with goggles and FPV RC. There are much better options available, for example Avata (not Avata 2).

what you should say is that it isn't a good entry drone to learn freestyle. frankly, that is quite obvious. it is a good entry drone if you're just looking to cruise around. I started with the mini 3 pro. then I got an avata once I realized I wanted to do fpv. once I hit the limits of the avata I moved on to tiny whoops to learn tricks without destroying things too much. I still fly my avata when I want to get videos of family gatherings and events. I use my real drones or tiny whoops if I want to do freestyle. I fly mostly over concrete so it doesn't really matter what I fly freestyle, I'll end up crashing and breaking it at some point. I just stock a lot of extra parts so I can fix things quickly. My office looks like I run a drone business of some kind.

Yes! Save up: When I was a teen I got about 10 drones. The first nine were under $100. Each one broke after two weeks, whether they flew into a tree, a propeller snapped, and life was five minutes when there was no wind. I splurged on a better drone and it is leaves better, and I actually enjoy flying it. Just suck it up and spend the extra money to get something you will enjoy. I suggest the DJI avata because it is so user freindly. And there is free shipping.

I really enjoy the Avata, and the license was a worthwhile endeavour. It helps you realize that these machines aren't a joke, and to take care not to crash, e.t.c. Anyway it is a cool flex to say you are a pilot.

+1 DJI fpv. I just got a used bundle (controller headset drone) for $500.

Probably an unpopular opinion but DJI FPV is very beginner friendly and long range. You’re not going to be able to learn to fly in acro mode. I’ve flown mine about three miles into a mountain range and back with no issues.

I started with a DJI fpv and kept it in sport mode for a bit. Tried simulators for a while but didn’t like the feel of how the controls worked, so I started flying the fpv in manual mode. Gradually worked on launching and landing, it helped a lot being able to flip it back into sport mode if I ever felt in over my head while learning. Now I have some cheaper 115mm whoops to fart around with as well.

Having to buy expensive proprietary battery’s turned me off of it I like how easy and cheap 4s battery’s are to get. You’ll break it at some point, and don’t think you won’t it’s part of the hobby but it will cost way more to fix than a home built. Buy used and learn to fix it’s easier then you think

The DJI mini range are photography/filming drones. They won't do tricks, but are very stable and very easy to fly. Unfortunately what you want is a bit of mid-ground between toy drones and serious drones. \[edit - I wrote the following thinking your budget hit $300 and it was your father in law not son.. I definitely wouldn't get an FPV if your son is young - around 1kg and 90mph has the potential to go wrong!\] There should be some better toy drones that can do some tricks at least, but also have the option of being quite steady. If by 'entry level' you want 'easy to fly' as well as 'super fun to fly'.... then I'd try and find a used DJI Avatar, I think it's just at your budget and should tick the boxes. Or even a used DJI FPV, which are a bit faster, but not sure if they're that cheap.

The DJI mini range are photography/filming drones. They won't do tricks, but are very stable and very easy to fly. Unfortunately what you want is a bit of mid-ground between toy drones and serious drones. \[edit - I wrote the following thinking your budget hit $300 and it was your father in law not son.. I definitely wouldn't get an FPV if your son is young - around 1kg and 90mph has the potential to go wrong!\] There should be some better toy drones that can do some tricks at least, but also have the option of being quite steady. If by 'entry level' you want 'easy to fly' as well as 'super fun to fly'.... then I'd try and find a used DJI Avatar, I think it's just at your budget and should tick the boxes. Or even a used DJI FPV, which are a bit faster, but not sure if they're that cheap.

DJI is like the industry standard, I spent a lot of money on the FPV by DJI, almost$1,400 with extra batteries…….come to find out that the camera on the mini 3 is way better and I only paid $700 for that one with the fly mode kit ( Black Friday Special). If you can, wait until Black Friday/cyber Monday to make a purchase to save some money and get good deals.

First off - I think they are talking about the DJI FPV since they are asking about a “freestyle drone” and those top out around 160kmh/98mph. Second point is to the OP - the DJI FPV only lasts that long on “normal” mode which tops out at about 48kmh/30mph. In acro mode they only last about 7-8 mins and the longest I’ve got one to last is about 10 mins and it’s because the type of battery.

It's a good drone for what it is - a camera drone with FPV capability. It's capable of some light freestyle but it's pretty fragile. As a newbie you are all but guaranteed to crash at least a few times so be prepared to send it back to DJI for repairs.

What do you want to do in FPV? If the answer is anything but freestyle its a good drone for the task. If your wanting to freestyle it would be a hard pass from me. Doesn't crash well. So as long as you don't try to push the limits it should be a good first craft. Two years ago I started on the DJI FPV but grew out of it pretty quickly. Went self builds and never looked back.

If you can get a good deal on it used then I’d say so. I got it on Facebook for cheap. And I still fly it to this day, and I have 4 other drones and I still use the DJI FPV

Sport mode on DJI is nothing like fpv. DJI controller is directly proportional, so you can hold the pitch at full and fly as fast as DJI can, but fpv is rotational, and holding pitch at full will make the drone do the floppy flops. If you want to fly fpv, you need a simulator. This is assuming you use the mini 4, and not the avata/avata 2 with the actual remote controller. But you are right about everything else, like ultra light and less regulations.

I bought an Avata and then picked up an Air 3.