Definition
A method of operating an unmanned aircraft in which the remote pilot controls it using a real-time video feed transmitted from a camera mounted on the aircraft, viewed through goggles, a headset, or a display, giving the pilot the visual perspective of being onboard the aircraft.
Plain English
Flying a drone by watching a live video from a camera on the drone itself, so you see what the drone sees instead of looking up at it from the ground.
Context Anchor
Seen in unmanned aircraft and drone operations, especially when discussing how the pilot or observer sees and controls the aircraft.
Derivation
“First person” means seeing from the viewpoint of the person or thing doing the action, as in “I see.” In aviation use, it means the video view comes from the aircraft’s own position, not from someone watching it from outside.
Why Pilots Care
It supplies immediate visual feedback that supports precise maneuvering and obstacle avoidance when the pilot is physically separated from the aircraft.
Intuition Check
First Person View does not mean the pilot is physically in the aircraft. It means the pilot is seeing a live camera view from the aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
The remote pilot flew the quadcopter in First Person View while a visual observer kept eyes on the aircraft.
Example Sentence 2
During the pipeline inspection the operator stayed in first person view to confirm the camera was capturing the correct section of pipe.