Oculus Quest 2 is relatively new, so the number of drone simulator games is fairly limited. In fact, nothing is completely finished.
This is the norm these days, as many studios and independent developers release their games before they’re finished, allowing players to help flesh out their simulators.
As we’ll see in this article, simulators are limited in number, but with an impressive number of features and tools to increase realism, they will participate in the final stages of simulator development.
acro mode
overview
Acro Mode, a freestyle FPV drone simulator, was created for freestyle sessions right from your Meta Quest 2 or Quest 2.
The customizable FPV goggles simulation screen allows you to perform all sorts of advanced acrobatics like barrel rolls, dives and trajectories without the risk of crashing a real FPV drone.
Your face is connected to a 2D display that relays the drone’s perspective information. The drone in the game looks just like the real thing!!
Acro mode is still in development. More maps and features will be developed over time based on interest.
Current function
- day and night environment
- FPV customizable display
- Adjustable control rate setting
- Recording stable clips (so you can show off your skills)
- Multiplayer sessions with voice chat
- Multiplayer Sessions: Viewing Other Players’ Feeds
- Drone tag (experimental)
Beta testing is available from the Oculus App Lab.
Installation instructions
To be added to the beta list, you must send an email to your Oculus/Meta email address. Then follow the link to find the App Lab product page.
Your address will only be used to register you and will not be used for spam or promotional emails.
DVR simulator
overview
A DVR simulator, a drone racing FPV simulator, is currently in development. There is a learning module and his two flight modes, racing and freestyle. If you have one, you can simulate his FPV headset using a virtual reality supported VR headset.
Multiplayer lets you play with or against friends. Crossplay is possible on all platforms. This means a Linux player can play alongside his Oculus Quest and Xbox One players.
You can change the physics of your drone using the in-game editor. You can save your profile for later use. It’s public, so you can share your profile with your friends.
Gamepads can be enabled and supported by default. We strongly recommend using a radio transmitter. To support as many radio transmitters as possible, the simulator has three input engines and a calibration process.
As new features are added or completed, the price of the game increases. If your game is released in the alpha/beta stage, you’re eligible to receive a free Steam key, so hurry up!
The simulator is currently in beta and will be available in early access in late August.
Supported flight modes
angle: This flight mode allows you to optimize the drone’s propeller angle and flight performance to your liking.
horizon: This option allows you to change the field of view.
Acro: This feature allows simulation pilots to perform acrobatic movements within the simulation. This is a great way for pilots who want to improve their skills in performing dangerous moves without endangering a real drone.
Options available in flight controller
Optional supported physics: This option allows you to change the physics settings within the simulation.
Drag Coefficient, Angular Drag Coefficient: You can increase the amount of drag the in-game drone produces to match the actual drone. This allows simulation drones to more closely resemble the behavior of real drones in the field.
Drag directly affects velocity, so this is one of the most important factors to adjust. If you want your in-game skills to transfer to the real world, you’ll need to lower these settings.
weight: This is pretty self explanatory. You can adjust the weight of the in-game drone to make it more like a real drone. This is important as it directly affects the required motor power.
motor power: As explained above, if you want to translate your in-game skills to the real world, try matching the motor power to a real drone.
gravity coefficient: There is a slight variation in gravity across the planet. Adjust these settings to match the region you live in or travel to.
Actions supported
Arm/Disarm: This action activates the motors and initiates flight.
mod toggle: This action allows you to switch between mods installed in the game.
auto turtle mode: For those of you who don’t know, turtle mode is when the drone has the ability to flip over after a crash.
Switch camera mode: In this mode, you can switch the mode in which the simulation pilot operates the camera.
Supported camera modes
First Person View (FPV): This is how most pilots choose to fly their drones in real vs. simulators. When teaching her how to fly a drone, the instructor instructs her to fly FPV. This is because you can see what the drone sees through the camera, allowing you to fly the drone more safely and effectively.
If you’re flying in real life, you need a visual observer if you’re flying in FPV only.
third party point of view: This mimics flying a real drone without looking through the camera. Imagine flying a drone and looking at it instead of the camera.
This is often the role of a visual observer and is usually only used by the pilot when landing.
Fixed third person view: If you’ve played space pilot games such as StarWars or Pilots, you’re familiar with the fixed third-person view. This essentially means that when the drone flies, it positions itself behind the drone as it moves through the air, and keeps a distance behind the drone while it flies.
Supported VR modes
monoscopic: Both eyes see the same image, just like real FPV glasses. This mode is like watching a movie on the big screen. No motion sickness.
stereo: Full 3D, very intense. Do not use this mode if motion sickness is a concern.
FPVR offers 6 drone movement options, 4 camera views and 4 WIP maps (+3 small bonuses). All of this is still in its early stages.
Experimental multiplayer up to 4 players
Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift are also available (Xbox controller required).
Note: VR and FPV flying isn’t for everyone. If you’ve never tried VR or FPV flying, it’s worth giving a low-speed drone a try.
Fly safely! (But take risks! It’s just a game! That’s the point!)
