Folding legs with new strobe mounts

[mavictk]

I just acquired one front and one back leg mounts with Firehouse V strobes for the 2S. I was wondering if people install and remove the mounts, after flying for the day, or leave the mounts permanently attached? The front mount is not a problem but the back leg mount prevents the leg from folding all the way thereby making the 2S slightly less compact when folded.

 

[MA2 317]

I just acquired one front and one back leg mounts with Firehouse V strobes for the 2S. I was wondering if people install and remove the mounts, after flying for the day, or leave the mounts permanently attached? The front mount is not a problem but the back leg mount prevents the leg from folding all the way thereby making the 2S slightly less compact when folded.

I fly a Mavic Air 2 with four Arc V strobes, one on each arm / leg.

With the use of this product from Aerial-Pixel, it wasn't too much of a problem to easily remove and apply the strobes.


Since I'm familiar with the Spark, that doesn't involve unfolding arms / legs, I modified an old case to accommodate the MA2 fully extended with strobes attached for quick deployment.



.

 

[vindibona1]

Whether you leave strobes on or take them off is a matter of how much inconvenience and time plays into it, plus if your storage case allows the strobes to be on when packed.

I use Arc V's on my Mavic 2 Pro, but I've mounted them the same as shown in the Mini 2 below. Very cheap elastic hair bands strap the strobes to the drone's arms. But as you can imagine removing and reinstalling the strobes with the bands isn't practical. So my strobes remain on. With my Mavic 2 I have modified the case so that the strobes stay on the front arms. The bottom strobe comes off when packing.

 

[Lets Fly]

On my M2Z I use velcro. I take them off to fold the legs for the carry case.

 

[Starz]

On my M2Z I use velcro

Same here. Used for a long time with zero failure. There are some that will disagree as to its ability to hang things from.

 

[Lets Fly]

Same here. Used for a long time with zero failure. There are some that will disagree as to its ability to hang things from.

Yeah, I've been using mine for a year and a half and they are still hard enough to pull off. The strobes certainly will not come off in flight.

 

[vindibona1]

Same here. Used for a long time with zero failure. There are some that will disagree as to its ability to hang things from.

I lost two Arc Vs after the provided Velcro got some light mileage. $34 each to replace didn’t make me happy.

 

[Starz]

the provided Velcro

Like any product, there is good and not so good. There are several “provided” pieces of what someone thought was good Velcro that went straight to the trash can after a closer look.

 

[Big Bro]

I have two arc v mounted on rear arms. the lights are attached to the mounts using HD velcro, not the cheap stuff supplied with the lights. I remove the mounts after flying so that the arms can be folded in. I’ve been doing this for quite awhile with no problems.

 

[Starz]

This is what I have found to be successful.

Great Planes Hook & Loop Strips 1X6" (2) [GPMQ4480]

A package of two Hook and Loop strips from Great Planes, that measure 1" wide and 6" in overall length. GPMQ4480

www.amainhobbies.com

 

[twickers14]

MA2 317" data-source="post: 1506732" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

I fly a Mavic Air 2 with four Arc V strobes, one on each arm / leg.

With the use of this product from Aerial-Pixel, it wasn't too much of a problem to easily remove and apply the strobes.


Since I'm familiar with the Spark, that doesn't involve unfolding arms / legs, I modified an old case to accommodate the MA2 fully extended with strobes attached for quick deployment.



.

Could we ask for a pic of your MA2 with the strobes fitted to the “legs/arms”. I have just bought a rear light for my cycle which flashes blue/red and am wondering if I could attach it in some way to the underside of my MA2-obviously not blocking the sensors.

 

[MA2 317]

Could we ask for a pic of your MA2 with the strobes fitted to the “legs/arms”. I have just bought a rear light for my cycle which flashes blue/red and am wondering if I could attach it in some way to the underside of my MA2-obviously not blocking the sensors.

.

 

[MA2 317]

Could we ask for a pic of your MA2 with the strobes fitted to the “legs/arms”. I have just bought a rear light for my cycle which flashes blue/red and am wondering if I could attach it in some way to the underside of my MA2-obviously not blocking the sensors.

After looking at the bottom, you could probably mount something in the middle over the auxiliary light.

The primary use of the light is used for landing at night for the visual sensors.

If the landing area is lit up with a light, the MA2 should land fine since the visual sensors aren't blocked and can "see" the ground.

 

[vindibona1]

I have two arc v mounted on rear arms. the lights are attached to the mounts using HD velcro, not the cheap stuff supplied with the lights. I remove the mounts after flying so that the arms can be folded in. I’ve been doing this for quite awhile with no problems.

Exactly. I learned about the substandard supplied Velcro the hard and costly way. One would think the 3M Velcro would be premium stuff.

 

[twickers14]

MA2 317" data-source="post: 1507284" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

After looking at the bottom, you could probably mount something in the middle over the auxiliary light.

The primary use of the light is used for landing at night for the visual sensors.

If the landing area is lit up with a light, the MA2 should land fine since the visual sensors aren't blocked and can "see" the ground.

That’s really helpful thanks. Your MA2 looks very colourful and it must make VLOS so much easier, at night especially. Will have a think about my cycle light, sounds a bit Heath Robinson (if you guys have that saying in the States) but might work.

 

[Big Bro]

Exactly. I learned about the substandard supplied Velcro the hard and costly way. One would think the 3M Velcro would be premium stuff.

I did end up using 3M brand, but it's the dual lock type. Certainly not the junk Firehouse includes with the light. The dual lock is really quite amazing. I think I could pull an arm off the drone before the dual lock lets go!

 

[vindibona1]

I did end up using 3M brand, but it's the dual lock type. Certainly not the junk Firehouse includes with the light. The dual lock is really quite amazing. I think I could pull an arm off the drone before the dual lock lets go!

Yep. The Dual Lock type is the one to use. I'd have switched to it but too many drones and too much HD velcro already. Not hard to changes what's stuck to the drones, but getting velcro off strobes that don't have a hard shell like the Arc V's can damage them. As I tend to stay within VLOS and use strobes for visual convenience I have been using ViFly strobes on my smaller drones. 3 for $40 for a strobe that has 3 colors and 3 modes each rather than 1 Arc V for $35. I guess Firehouse now offers strobes that can switch between colors. By estimate the ViFly strobes are only 1 f stop less bright than the ArcV, about the same level of brightness as the old Arc II's.

Edit: I guess my reply sparked my own desire to get one of the mult-colored Arc V's... So I just ordered one. I've been changing my configuration around a bit and like the flexibility that the multi-colored ViFly strobes offered, but there are still some advantages of the Arc V's. Have the new versions switched to USB-C for charging yet? I guess I'll find out .

 

[kenjancef]

Edit: I guess my reply sparked my own desire to get one of the mult-colored Arc V's... So I just ordered one. I've been changing my configuration around a bit and like the flexibility that the multi-colored ViFly strobes offered, but there are still some advantages of the Arc V's. Have the new versions switched to USB-C for charging yet? I guess I'll find out .

I just got an Arc V about a month ago, and no, it's not USB-C...