Important to flyers using or planning on using Strobes or Lighting.

[silverdragon]

I just learned a very valuable lesson on using Bicycle Strobe/lights or alike.

I found a Bike/Helmet/ Head light. It is very bright and can see it more than 3 miles.
I mounted it on the Mavic 2 Zoom, and it blew the compass value off the chart.
My value normally is 7-24 but with the light it brought it into the RED.
The Green turned Red and filled the entire bar graph Red..

If you plan on using a non-designed strobe/light for your drone, check if it affects the Compass at all..

Thanks and Happy Safe Flying,
Rick aka. SilverDragon

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Are you saying there is a magnet or Metal in the Bike Helmet light. ?

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain

 

[eEridani]

I found my Uliski DR-02 also created a field that causes compass issues. So it isn't just bike lights.

 

[BSauce955]

Are you saying there is a magnet in the Bike Helmet light. ?

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain

Can't a battery act as a magnet? Not exactly a magnet but sort of like one. But then I asked myself, don't all lights come with batteries? And that's where the theory falls apart. lol

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

But then I asked myself, don't all lights come with batteries?

Not to mention the big one sitting atop your drone too !!

 

[BSauce955]

Not to mention the big one sitting atop your drone too !!

Oh yeah, that one too. lol. But then, there is the way to make a magnet with a battery, a nail, and a wire. Perhaps, it's a setup similar to that that's inside of the flashlight.

 

[eEridani]

I'm totally guessing, but I'm thinking the LED strobes that have flyback boost converters might be part of the issue. Get them too close to the drone's magnetic sensor and you can have trouble. The U-DR-02 forced calibrations by simply attaching it to the drone though (between the rear cameras). Maybe one of the coil cores was magnetized at the last power off? Who knows. But the fact it messed with the compass at all - and the risk of the FC becoming confused if GPS and magnetic compasses don't agree - it just isn't worth having that light near my drone.

 

[Dave Maine]

Magnetic fields are caused by current flow. More current, higher magnetic fields. LED lights generally have low current draws, other light sources have much higher draws. The distance from the physical source of the current greatly impacts how much the compass is affected.

The impact is reduced by the square of the distance between the 2. Twice as far away means 1/4 of the impact.

 

[eEridani]

Magnetic fields are caused by current flow. More current, higher magnetic fields. LED lights generally have low current draws, other light sources have much higher draws. The distance from the physical source of the current greatly impacts how much the compass is affected.

The impact is reduced by the square of the distance between the 2. Twice as far away means 1/4 of the impact.

Agreed - that can explain some of it and why poorly designed strobes can cause havoc in flight - but I need to go back to the fact my DR-02 was causing problems when OFF. In this case I think there might be an inductor core that gets magnetized. I'm not going to do an engineering analysis for root cause - I'm just going to toss the strobe or use it for something else, like Halloween decor.

 

[GFields]

I just learned a very valuable lesson on using Bicycle Strobe/lights or alike.

I found a Bike/Helmet/ Head light. It is very bright and can see it more than 3 miles.
I mounted it on the Mavic 2 Zoom, and it blew the compass value off the chart.
My value normally is 7-24 but with the light it brought it into the RED.
The Green turned Red and filled the entire bar graph Red..

If you plan on using a non-designed strobe/light for your drone, check if it affects the Compass at all..

Thanks and Happy Safe Flying,
Rick aka. SilverDragon

Thanks for sharing

 

[Gary R]

I found my Uliski DR-02 also created a field that causes compass issues. So it isn't just bike lights.

S--T ! I just ordered one and it's on its way.......

 

[eEridani]

S--T ! I just ordered one and it's on its way.......

Try it - but don't use it on the back of a Mavic Air 2, and probably not on the sides, either. But the FAA rules for 107 flight don't care where the light is or where it points - so on top the drone pointed straight up as far away as you can get it from the magnetic sensor is best. If flying recreationally - for now - strobes are not required.

 

[smashse]

Try it - but don't use it on the back of a Mavic Air 2, and probably not on the sides, either. But the FAA rules for 107 flight don't care where the light is or where it points - so on top the drone pointed straight up as far away as you can get it from the magnetic sensor is best. If flying recreationally - for now - strobes are not required.

Well, the intent is to allow manned aircraft to see your drone, it is intended to be for visibility from above the craft, I.E. mounted on top. They don't stop you from adding more to legs and whatnot for enhanced visibility for the pilot, but it is intended to be on top, and constant lights are not allowed, it has to strobe.

And as you were never required to get a waiver or anything for a night Rec flight, I'd recommend asking a lawyer before listening to someone online, and I disagree that you are not required to have a strobe for Rec. You don't need a waiver, never did, but you still have to adhere to all other aspects of night flying. Just like you can't just fly over a crowd, can't fly inside a stadium while an event is happening, you are still held to many of the standards of licensed pilots.

By your post, a rec flyer could fly over a stadium with a live event, and I can guarantee you the FAA does not allow that.

The link below discusses night flying, and in it says "a person" for requiring the strobe, not a 107 licensed pilot. And this site appears to be very pro-drone.

How to fly your drone at night. (Section 107.29 Operation at Night.)

Table of Contents of Article1 Section 107.29 Operation at Night.2 My Commentary on Section 107.29 Operation at Night.3 Frequently Asked Questions About 107.29 Operation at Night.4 Advisory Circular 107-2 Section 107.29 Daylight operation.5 FAA’s COMMENTARY FROM THE PREAMBLE OF: Section 107.29...

jrupprechtlaw.com

 

[sharkface]

I use a firehouse v and now I'm blind!!

 

[lissforester]

Can't a battery act as a magnet? Not exactly a magnet but sort of like one. But then I asked myself, don't all lights come with batteries? And that's where the theory falls apart. lol

Not forgetting there is a **** great battery in the drone itself, could this effect the compass? I am hoping not

 

[BSauce955]

I use a firehouse v and now I'm blind!!

Hmmm, I wonder how you know what the thread is about... lol

 

[Spectre22]

I use two strobe’s on a bracket I made out of a plastic cup holder. I use it for day time to locate and track my drone. Here’s a picture of the bracket.

 

[Zeprider]

I use two Firehouse V strobes. One on top, one on the bottom. They fit well on my MA2.

 

[bdooley]

I know that using LED bulbs in my garage door opener causes problems with the remote control - at times it would almost completely disable the remote. So I can see how they could cause problems with our drones. I have also heard this is the past. But how can you determine that they LEDs are causing a disturbance?

 

[lissforester]

I use two strobe’s on a bracket I made out of a plastic cup holder. I use it for day time to locate and track my drone. Here’s a picture of the bracket.

Woooooow! Is that a lamp or a sail