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Chrome/Reflective

Ars3nal3432

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Hey everyone,

Do you think there is any added benefit to using a chrome/reflective skin on our mavics in terms of increasing VLOS and as a bird deterrent? I may be way off here and I have never used s skin before. I'm just thinking maybe the chrome will reflect the sun and act as a natural "strobe" and maybe that effect will also deter birds.
 
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Do you think there is any added benefit to using a chrome/reflective skin on our mavics in terms of increasing VLOS and as a bird deterrent? I may be way off here and I have never used s skin before. I'm just thinking maybe the chrome will reflect the sun and act as a natural "strobe" and maybe that effect will also deter birds.
Metallic foil will block GPS signal if it's covering the GPS antenna
 
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Let's just say for argument's sake there was a material that didn't interfere with GPS and was reflective. Would it help with VLOS and repelling birds?
 
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Let's just say for argument's sake there was a material that didn't interfere with GPS and was reflective. Would it help with VLOS and repelling birds?
Would probably make it harder to see honestly. Kinda like how they use mirrors on skyscrapers to try to make them blend in. Some bright orange skin would probably be the best for visibility.
 
Let's just say for argument's sake there was a material that didn't interfere with GPS and was reflective. Would it help with VLOS and repelling birds?
It might help you spot the drone at a distance .. but only when the sun shone at an angle that reflected straight back to you.
Whether it repelled birds or not is impossible to say.
 
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Any natural colour will blend in depending on the background. So for argument you use orange predominantly it will show against say trees and green foliage but the next day you are flying at a beach with sand dunes it will blend in.
so How about a predominant colour for the body and a fluorescent colour for the legs/arms.
I’m a firm believer in strobe lights....colour various. However even these have their limitations!

Really I suppose that the whole things is fly within your limitations. Your VLOS will change with both horizontal and vertical visibility so reduce VLOS on a poor day...bit like driving on a foggy day slow down so you have time to react.

Perhaps if any of the “Skin” manufacturers are reading they might consider to develop a suitable skin to cover a wide range of Flight conditions?
 
In my experience as a real life flight instructor and a long time fixed wing RC flyer the best colors for distence and spotting are orange and yellow. Many people think red would be a good color but red appears black against a gray sky. I alway use yellow or orange on my RC airplanes and am going to try a yellow skin on my Mavic Air 2 to see how it looks in flight.

agreed Andy..skins don't improve flight visibility but they might help you find your drone in a field or a tree.
 
Hey everyone,

Do you think there is any added benefit to using a chrome/reflective skin on our mavics in terms of increasing VLOS and as a bird deterrent? I may be way off here and I have never used s skin before. I'm just thinking maybe the chrome will reflect the sun and act as a natural "strobe" and maybe that effect will also deter birds.
How about a set of Firehouse Tech's 600 lumen strobes?
 
I live in an ag area and they use chrome/red reflective strips to spook birds. The strips look like strobes going off as the breezes blow through the trees. But I've used strobes from pretty much day one and have still had birds issues. Raptors, Starlings, Swallows, and Gulls have not been repelled so to speak. Even with red/green & white strobes flashing I've had some very close encounters, but I've also never had a actual bird strike.
 
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In my experience as a real life flight instructor and a long time fixed wing RC flyer the best colors for distence and spotting are orange and yellow. Many people think red would be a good color but red appears black against a gray sky. I alway use yellow or orange on my RC airplanes and am going to try a yellow skin on my Mavic Air 2 to see how it looks in flight.

When you get the yellow skin let us see what it looks like.
 
Metallic foil will block GPS signal if it's covering the GPS antenna
man, im bummed... i had no idea about this

so this is a bad idea then?

im willing to try anything to keep birds away
 
so this is a bad idea then?
im willing to try anything to keep birds away
If it doesn't contain a thin metal film, it will be fine.
If it does, all of their customers are going to run into problems.

But there's no guarantee it will solve your bird worries.
Different bird species will react to your drone for different reasons and if that skin has a desirable effect on some species, that doesn't mean it will for all species.
 
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If it doesn't contain a thin metal film, it will be fine.
If it does, all of their customers are going to run into problems.

But there's no guarantee it will solve your bird worries.
Different bird species will react to your drone for different reasons and if that skin has a desirable effect on some species, that doesn't mean it will for all species.
i appreciate the heads up.

we have so many birds here its absurd, i guess ill just have to get over it
 
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