Tiny switch on the Firehouse strobe

[360 Guy]

Has anyone come up with any kind of a solution to better the on/off switch.
Let me explain..........the switch is so small, I mean tiny, that it's hard to activate (with fat fingers) and when I do, the strobe light is blinding and hard to relocate the switch again.
Anything to build up the switch to make it easier to activate?

TIA,
Panz

 

[dronerdave]

I stick my thumb over the emitters so they don't blind me. As far as the small switch, any sharp pencil type tool works pretty well. A buddy uses a computer stylist. But yep they nail me every now and then.

 

[wheelski80]

By feel, memorize the switch location, always keep the light shining away from you, reach under the drone and press/hold appropriately with index finger to activate the light to desired flash/steady. Save those eyes for flying.

 

[offtheback]

Has anyone come up with any kind of a solution to better the on/off switch.
Let me explain..........the switch is so small, I mean tiny, that it's hard to activate (with fat fingers) and when I do, the strobe light is blinding and hard to relocate the switch again.
Anything to build up the switch to make it easier to activate?

TIA,
Panz

Not to spend your money but the new 5 strobe model has a side switch and is in a plastic housing.

 

[Lets Fly]

Look first, find the switch, and then look away. On another note about Firehouse Strobes. I have three white duel lights that are great, I purchased a red and green that would not stay charged. I contacted firehouse and they immediately sent me two new ones. Great customer service.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

It's not too hard to do it by feel, once you know the orientation of how you fit them, feel the larger micro usb connection, switch beside that.

Can't help with the fat fingers part, but if they give you too much trouble, if you can fit an ARC XL, ARC 5, or even the FHT Spark strobe, they all have switches.

 

[offtheback]

Has anyone come up with any kind of a solution to better the on/off switch.
Let me explain..........the switch is so small, I mean tiny, that it's hard to activate (with fat fingers) and when I do, the strobe light is blinding and hard to relocate the switch again.
Anything to build up the switch to make it easier to activate?

TIA,
Panz

I always attach the strobe tomthe velcro with the switch in the upper right corner.Seems obvious but took me a while to figure that out due to my loose grasp of the obvious.

 

[Chaosrider]

Fat fingers, that's me for sure!

When I bought my DJI Mini-2, I didn't realize that DJI Fly would only work with certain models of Android phone. I'd never encountered such a thing before.

Fortunately, I'd been wanting to get a new phone for quite a while, so I went out and bought a Samsung Galaxy S20 Note. It's on the DJI list, and it works great with DJI Fly.

I got the "Note" version because of the included stylus, that fits inside the phone. I've had PDAs forever, including a small HP Jornada device that was one of the first combined PDA/phone/camera devices that came out. There was no possible way that my stubby chubby little fingers were going to punch those microscopic screen keys. That's why HP included a little stylus, stored inside the phone, which completely solved the problem

I later upgrade it to a Samsung Galaxy S3, and I fought those tiny screen keys for years.

So I bought the stylus "Note" version this time so I never have to worry about it again, but I'll bet that stylus would work just fine on that little switch.

What I'd like to do is mount a green strobe on one side, and a red strobe on the other, like full sized planes, so that in addition to just seeing it, I'll have some orientation information.

Does Firehouse make such a kit? Does anybody?

Thx!

TCS

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

What I'd like to do is mount a green strobe on one side, and a red strobe on the other, like full sized planes, so that in addition to just seeing it, I'll have some orientation information.

Does Firehouse make such a kit? Does anybody?

Yes, I have Dual and ARCII in red and green, you can usually order them in sets for nav, sometimes 1 of each white, red, green, another set I saw have 2 white, 1 red, 1 green.
They are cheaper each in the sets.
Order on their website . . .

drone strobe lights

drone strobe lights

www.firehousetechnology.com

drone strobe lights

drone strobe lights

www.firehousetechnology.com

 

[MA2 317]

What I'd like to do is mount a green strobe on one side, and a red strobe on the other, like full sized planes, so that in addition to just seeing it, I'll have some orientation information.

Does Firehouse make such a kit? Does anybody?

This is what I purchased, a four pack of Arc V's. Two white, one red, and one green.

dji drone strobe light anti collision light

drone strobe light

www.firehousetechnology.com

The strobes fit well into Aerial-Pixels 3-D printed mounts on my MA2.

He has other mounts available too.

Home

Products by drone pilots for drone pilots. In 2013 we started Aerial-Pixel as a drone photography and videography service. Since then we have grown to also provide vinyl graphics, apparel and 3D printed products for the drone industry.

www.aerial-pixel.com

.

 

[Chaosrider]

OK, this is WAY too much a good idea! I just ordered the strobes. Reading some of the propaganda at the site, I had forgotten that drones can legally fly at night with proper lighting. Maybe if I do that, I won't have so much trouble seeing the display...

;-)

I'm still very new to droning, and I didn't realize that visibility isn't "built-in" to the package! I can't see the screen in direct sunlight, and I can't see the drone when it's high in the sky, or on the other side of the canyon with the canyon wall and tress as the background.

Yesterday I got the sunshade that I ordered, which was specifically designed for this purpose. I'll be testing it today. I'll put on these strobes, and before I do that, I'll put on a bumblebee skin, if I can find one.

I think I saw someone mention that the strobes will put the weight over 250 g, and hence would trigger a need to register the drone. Is that correct?

Is there any downside to registration? IIRC, it's cheap/free.

Thx!

TCS

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I think I saw someone mention that the strobes will put the weight over 250 g, and hence would trigger a need to register the drone. Is that correct?

The various FHT strobes weigh differently of course.
The Dual is supposed to weight just under 3gms, not sure exactly what the Mini 2 weighs, but if it is 249gm as per specs, anything puts it over 250gms.
So you might as well get what you feel you need, Dual, ARCII, ARCXL, ARC5.
Be sure to check their dimensions and think through where you will mount them.

 

[vindibona1]

OK, this is WAY too much a good idea! I just ordered the strobes. Reading some of the propaganda at the site, I had forgotten that drones can legally fly at night with proper lighting. Maybe if I do that, I won't have so much trouble seeing the display...

;-)

I'm still very new to droning, and I didn't realize that visibility isn't "built-in" to the package! I can't see the screen in direct sunlight, and I can't see the drone when it's high in the sky, or on the other side of the canyon with the canyon wall and tress as the background.

Yesterday I got the sunshade that I ordered, which was specifically designed for this purpose. I'll be testing it today. I'll put on these strobes, and before I do that, I'll put on a bumblebee skin, if I can find one.

I think I saw someone mention that the strobes will put the weight over 250 g, and hence would trigger a need to register the drone. Is that correct?

Is there any downside to registration? IIRC, it's cheap/free.

Thx!

TCS

As a recreational pilot there is no downside to registration in the US other than the $5 it cost and the 10 minutes of time it takes to register and put the number on the side of your drone. I started with a Mini 1 and didn't even blink before registering as I didn't even want to think about 250 stinkin' grams. Just do it. It's easy. Then you're set for whatever your next drone is unless you get your Part 107 cert and you have to register each drone separately... But the weight thing stays the same.