Help with flying in desert areas

[Aero1]

Hi Gentleman,

Have looked through the many posts on what color others can see best and so forth, but I still need some input. There are times, more so than none I am flying in areas that can easily camouflage the Mavic Pro. I am looking at going with a very bright yellow as I think that would be a color I could see throughout the the color spectrum I fly. Sure up state New York in the Fall might be a little tough.

My question that I really can't find a solid answer for is, do LED lights work during the day light hours to improve the visibility of seeing the drone. I figure two whites would be what I would need. Greatly appreciate any thought or input.

Fly On,

Aero1

 

[FL1H1]

Hi Gentleman,

Have looked through the many posts on what color others can see best and so forth, but I still need some input. There are times, more so than none I am flying in areas that can easily camouflage the Mavic Pro. I am looking at going with a very bright yellow as I think that would be a color I could see throughout the the color spectrum I fly. Sure up state New York in the Fall might be a little tough.

My question that I really can't find a solid answer for is, do LED lights work during the day light hours to improve the visibility of seeing the drone. I figure two whites would be what I would need. Greatly appreciate any thought or input.

Fly On,

Aero1

Yellow and orange are the two easiest colors to see in nature but up in the sky, black is actually best so if you want to wrap it I would suggest yellow or orange, but give it a dark underbelly to contrast against the sky. In truth, for video and photography, the best hours are early morning and sunset. Obviously at sunset LEDs could help a bunch.

 

[colinfowler]

STROBON Standalone - Flytron
as you can see on the left, I have the yellow on top and sides only, works for me.
I have one clear strobon that works well early morning and dusk

 

[ifly2high]

LED strobes do help me considerably in bright daylight. Much easier to locate after glancing at device screen. White seems to work best for my old eyes

 

[Red Baron]

Yello is not the color to use for desert. I fly in the Mohave and my red shows up well

 

[colinfowler]

Yello is not the color to use for desert. I fly in the Mohave and my red shows up well

Very little desert in U.K.

 

[JManges]

Yello is not the color to use for desert. I fly in the Mohave and my red shows up well

I routinely fly in the Mojave desert north of Edwards. Once I had to do an emergency landing on a dirt road about 1/3 of a mile away. The map was very good at helping pin point the down drone. Still, I drove right past it twice before spotting it. Yeah, yellow would probably be better than gray on a brown background. I even think one of those strobeon lights would be better than nothing during the day. I mean, it would help you find it if you were right up on it.

 

[Aero1]

Thanks guys, I fly in the deserts of Phoenix, AZ. I am leaning towards a neon or lime yellow color, I may be wrong though. I am color blind to the green, gray, and browns. The red, Red Baron might be a little hard for me to sort out, I am thinking I need something really contrasting. Yet, in the blue sky the Mavic Pro's color as is works great, but I miss a lot of shots down low because I can't pick up the drone once I look down at my screen and then I look up and I can not find the drone in the air. I definitely think I will also be getting some of the cree strobe lights. Can anyone tell me how effective the Cree Strobon lights are during the day, can they help to pick out the drone in the landscape, I know it depends on the distance. Right know with the Mavic pro as is, I can see it in the blue sky fairly easy at 600-750'. Thanks guys, let me know your thoughts.

 

[FL1H1]

Very little desert in U.K.

Oh true, I mean obviously I'm green fields, trees and bushes so truthfully, orange is best. From the air you appreciate how many yellow dandelions they are. Desert, and in the sky, red is good though in the height of summer, dark colors might make it hot?

 

[Mossiback]

...I miss a lot of shots down low because I can't pick up the drone once I look down at my screen and then I look up and I can not find the drone in the air.

I have found that a quick up and down motion helps me locate it.

 

[Red Baron]

I routinely fly in the Mojave desert north of Edwards. Once I had to do an emergency landing on a dirt road about 1/3 of a mile away. The map was very good at helping pin point the down drone. Still, I drove right past it twice before spotting it. Yeah, yellow would probably be better than gray on a brown background. I even think one of those strobeon lights would be better than nothing during the day. I mean, it would help you find it if you were right up on it.

I fly a lot by El Mirage. Great jack rabbit hunting out there and I always take the air to play with. Man it’s hard seeing anything out there once the heat and sun kicks in

 

[Aero1]

I agree Red Baron about the heat and sun. I generally stop flying once the temp. hits around 102. Was flying off our back patio deck this morning. So nice to have a cup of coffee and just take off and check out the golf course in the morning. I did order a yellow skin, will see how it works out for these old eyes. I am also going to order one white Cree Strobon light, or maybe two. Flew Bartlett Lake the other day, that was beautiful!

 

[Marko9219]

I put a fluorescent lime green skin on mine. Accented with rainbow prism tape for glitter effect. Bright, visible , sparkles in the sun. I did it primarily to make it look like ANYTHING but a prey bird to a hawk or eagle. However, it really adds to the visibility of the drone. I also added a strobe that faces a bit downward to the rear. I can easily see it in the daylight under reasonable distances.

 

[Aero1]

Where by chance did you get the fluorescent lime green skin if I can ask? I found the prism tape, did you have any trouble with getting the prism tape to stick and how did you mount your Cree light?