Do any of you know ways of making it easier to reacquire visual site of your drone after looking away from it for a bit? Try polarized sunglasses.

[Don Testme]

While shooting a video or taking photos, I noticed it's rather difficult to reacquire visual contact with my drone after looking at my remote monitor video feed for any length of time.

I've improved my ability to re-acquire visual contact by using polarized sunglasses. One day I had some polarized glasses with me. I looked up with my naked eyes, knowing my drone was somewhere just above me, but I couldn't find it. The day was so bright that the drone got lost in the brightness of the sky. I then thought, what would happen if I put my polarized sunglasses on to look for the drone. So, I put them on. I saw the drone almost immediately.

I tried this several times with the glasses on, then off, then on, then off, etc. etc. Every time I couldn't find the drone with my naked eye, I found it with the polarized sunglasses. I guess it reduces the blur around the drone caused by the sky's brightness. The sunglasses make the drone pop, if you will. I can find it almost immediately.

Do any of you have other ways of finding your drones quicker than just using plane eyesight?

 

[Don Testme]

P.S. When you look at your video monitor, you will need to take the polarized glasses off. They actually completely block the screen's image, due to the polarization.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I take note of its position relative to objects in the background or DISTANT cloud formations.

With regards the sunglasses, does the improvement stem from the polarisation of the light or the fact that they reduce the total amount of light reaching your eye i.e. do ordinary ( non polarised ) sunglasses offer the same benefit?

 

[lensimages]

P.S. When you look at your video monitor, you will need to take the polarized glasses off. They actually completely block the screen's image, due to the polarization.

I use photochromic sunglasses from a company called rapideyewear.co.u.k they are polarised but with two oval clear windows in the bottom half of the lenses to enable you to see your remote screen, cheers Len, will find leaflet and post a photo

 

[lensimages]

I use photochromic sunglasses from a company called rapideyewear.co.u.k they are polarised but with two oval clear windows in the bottom half of the lenses to enable you to see your remote screen, cheers Len, will find leaflet and post a photo

 

[lensimages]

Sorry dot is in the wrong place should read www. rapideyewear.co.uk cheers Len

 

[umanbean]

I use photochromic sunglasses from a company called rapideyewear.co.u.k they are polarised but with two oval clear windows in the bottom half of the lenses to enable you to see your remote screen, cheers Len, will find leaflet and post a photo

Thanks for that link... I haven't been able to find ones with clear windows in the bottom, but haven't spent much time on their website yet, just wanted to come back quickly and say 'thanks'!

 

[Don Testme]

I use photochromic sunglasses from a company called rapideyewear.co.u.k they are polarised but with two oval clear windows in the bottom half of the lenses to enable you to see your remote screen, cheers Len, will find leaflet and post a photo

Thanks

 

[lensimages]

Thanks for that link... I haven't been able to find ones with clear windows in the bottom, but haven't spent much time on their website yet, just wanted to come back quickly and say 'thanks'!

I belong to the BMFA , British Model Flyers Association, and they advertise in the monthly magazine a lot of pilots use them over here, if you cannot get them to post you a set, please let me know and will buy and post , cheers Len

 

[Lister]

P.S. When you look at your video monitor, you will need to take the polarized glasses off. They actually completely block the screen's image, due to the polarization.

That's not always true. It depends on the display technology. I've often flown my Mini 3 with the RC controller and my (prescription) pola sunglasses and see no blackout.

I have seen it on other displays, however. Cheap laptops.

Also, a very helpful solution to the "reacquiring VLOS" problem is a strobe.

 

[Don Testme]

That's not always true. It depends on the display technology. I've often flown my Mini 3 with the RC controller and my (prescription) pola sunglasses and see no blackout.

I have seen it on other displays, however. Cheap laptops.

Also, a very helpful solution to the "reacquiring VLOS" problem is a strobe.

I used to put strobes on my drone. It works. I just don't care for the attention gained by them. But, strobes are a great re-acquisition device, if you don't get too much negative attention.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

A strobe or two, white, even the less blinding FHT ARCII or Dual 2 led are fine.
Vifly is another option, but white is easiest to see of all colours, and the FHT models can be purchased in white only.

 

[baristabob]

That's not always true. It depends on the display technology. I've often flown my Mini 3 with the RC controller and my (prescription) pola sunglasses and see no blackout.

I have seen it on other displays, however. Cheap laptops.

Also, a very helpful solution to the "reacquiring VLOS" problem is a strobe.

You give me hope to go back to contacts and sunglasses.

 

[KB9Radio]

While shooting a video or taking photos, I noticed it's rather difficult to reacquire visual contact with my drone after looking at my remote monitor video feed for any length of time.

I've improved my ability to re-acquire visual contact by using polarized sunglasses. One day I had some polarized glasses with me. I looked up with my naked eyes, knowing my drone was somewhere just above me, but I couldn't find it. The day was so bright that the drone got lost in the brightness of the sky. I then thought, what would happen if I put my polarized sunglasses on to look for the drone. So, I put them on. I saw the drone almost immediately.

I tried this several times with the glasses on, then off, then on, then off, etc. etc. Every time I couldn't find the drone with my naked eye, I found it with the polarized sunglasses. I guess it reduces the blur around the drone caused by the sky's brightness. The sunglasses make the drone pop, if you will. I can find it almost immediately.

Do any of you have other ways of finding your drones quicker than just using plane eyesight?

I can think of two ways. Attach a strobe to it, and/or don't fly quite so far away. Yeah I know, not a popular choice.

 

[chiangmaicharlies]

I use photochromic sunglasses from a company called rapideyewear.co.u.k they are polarised but with two oval clear windows in the bottom half of the lenses to enable you to see your remote screen, cheers Len, will find leaflet and post a photo

Well that's new to me!

 

[EricJT]

I take note of its position relative to objects in the background or DISTANT cloud formations.

Losing sight of the drone happens occa to me even though I am in VLOS.

I first try to visually pick it out by calmly searching the sky with clouds I used as a reference before looking down to the RC.....I take about 10-15 seconds ensuring I do not let my anxiety get to me.

Failing that, I maximize the RC map and come back/down towards me.

Either approach has allowed me to reacquire the drone visually. I do not fly near obstacles so coming back is pretty straight forward.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Losing sight of the drone happens occa to me even though I am in VLOS.

I first try to visually pick it out by calmly searching the sky with clouds I used as a reference before looking down to the RC.....I take about 10-15 seconds ensuring I do not let my anxiety get to me.

Failing that, I maximize the RC map and come back/down towards me.

Either approach has allowed me to reacquire the drone visually. I do not fly near obstacles so coming back is pretty straight forward.

Your lucky lol, if I have lost sight of it and can't reacquire it I RTH it but it's not often I 'find' it until its almost overhead, I always seem to look too high or too low lol.

 

[Kolman Rosenberg]

I'm another that found putting a white flashing strobe on the bottom of my M2P has solved that problem for me. I have a Firehouse Arc 2 strobe on the bottom for my benefit and a Firehouse Arc V for night flying to mount on the top. There is a company called Aerial-Pixal that makes and sells very nice and light laser printed mounting devices for these strobes to fit various drones.

 

[GFields]

There is a company called Aerial-Pixal

Aerial Pixel is one of the Mavic Pilots Approved Vendors.

 

[JoelP]

Polarizing sunglasses with clear area sounds great, but I would need that in a prescription. I use forward and rearward facing Firehouse strobes. Then I check the orientation and radar view to know the direction to look and check the altitude. I scan that area moving my eyes in small increments staring for a few seconds each time and almost always can pick out my drone. My drone is dark which shows up fine against a bright sky while the strobes are bright against a darker landscape.