Night flying - Strobe recommendations?

[Bad Santa]

I know to fly at night, a flashing light is required.
The regulation about blink speed is vague.
Distance to sight is 3 miles.

So, a (simulated) strobe is probably the most economical solution, right?

Giving it a lot of thought, with more thought to come, I'm thinking of probable arrangements.

First, some say to mount the strobe on top. Makes sense to keep the drone visible to overhead entities.
On the bottom might make it easier to see while flying.
I can't remember if the nav lights stayed lit when I did my night flight. That won't hurt.

Anyhow, some were saying to keep the light from facing forward as it could cause camera oddities. That makes sense.
It was mentioned in one video that the light could confuse peripheral cameras (but those aren't in play at night. Trust me).

So, with all the things considered, what's a good night lighting solution?
Economical (Weight vs brightness vs battery life).
Set strobe interval or variable?
White only or multi color switchable.

FAQ:
Why fly at night?
A) I want to be able to do aerial video of Christmas lights or fly at night when there's snow/ice (Not actively snowing)

 

[MA2 317]

Get at least one strobe.

You should have four so you know the orientation of the aircraft at night.

One blinking light may show position, but not the direction.

If you have a device failure, you can still safely fly with VLOS.

I started with smaller strobes and now have the Firehouse ARC V's on my MA2.






Be mindful of wires when flying at night.

Do a daytime reconnaissance of the area and make sure no obstacles will be present during the night flights.

The products I use.

drone strobe lights

drone strobe light anti collision light DJI Parrot Autel skydio unmanned aerial system quadcopter multirotor

www.firehousetechnology.com

DJI Strobe Mounts

Products by drone pilots for drone pilots. In 2013 we started Aerial-Pixel as a drone photography and videography service. Since then we have grown to also provide vinyl graphics, apparel and 3D printed products for the drone industry.

www.aerial-pixel.com

Good luck and enjoy the night.

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[Phantomrain.org]

You want the Firehouse Light with the remote, its nice to take off and turn the light on an not be blinded. Im not a fan of to many lights as it just brings to much attention to the drone in the sky at least where I live , so i keep it to one light very well placed .

The Wet Suits have a groove on them where the Light sits keeping them snug an in place.
This Setup of angling the light offers me all 4 Viewing angles with 1 Light .

I like setup that our hassle free and the Wet Suits are made for the Lights.



Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain, Land on the water and Pretend to be a UFO.

 

[Cafguy]

Put Firehouse lights on and you are golden. Don't put them anywhere that if you look up you will see the light directly lol then you are blind . I would stick with the plain white light and would steer clear of colors. Remember lights mean different things to a pilot and the colors red and green already have a purpose. Stay with a white one.
last point. Firehouse lights are verified and tested to be 100% compliant so get them and you have no worries.
Post some nice X-mas light pics!!!!!!!

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

With USA regs in mind i think the only practical place is the top of the drone. Anywhere else and the drone's body masks some portion of the emitted field or sends the light off in the vertical hemisphere.
I think it is unlikely that the drone would be above a plane, thus a strobe is unnecessary on the bottom of the drone and if the drone is above an approaching plane I think you are already in deep trouble.
Bare in mind that that even with firehouse strobes I think the chances of a plane's pilot spotting the strobe are slim unless the drone is, from the plane's pilot's perspective, against a black sky. Against a background of street lighting an moving cars ,.............

 

[Phantomrain.org]

It is much more important for you to be able to see your own drone , this is why VLOS is so stressed by the FAA , the chances of you getting your drone out of the way of a plane is much better than a plane seeing your light an avoiding it.

So taking Responsibility for my flying is # 1
Plane seeing my Drone in its path , means I am failing .

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water, an Get my drone out of the Way of Planes.

 

[GFields]

Arc v5 is what I use.

Here is what the FAA says about night flights

§ 107.29 Operation at night.​

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system at night unless—
(1) The remote pilot in command of the small unmanned aircraft has completed an initial knowledge test or training, as applicable, under § 107.65 after April 6, 2021; and
(2) The small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles that has a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. The remote pilot in command may reduce the intensity of, but may not extinguish, the anti-collision lighting if he or she determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so.

(b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles that has a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. The remote pilot in command may reduce the intensity of, but may not extinguish, the anti-collision lighting if he or she determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so.

(c) For purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, civil twilight refers to the following:
(1) Except for Alaska, a period of time that begins 30 minutes before official sunrise and ends at official sunrise;
(2) Except for Alaska, a period of time that begins at official sunset and ends 30 minutes after official sunset; and
(3) In Alaska, the period of civil twilight as defined in the Air Almanac.

(d) After May 17, 2021, no person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system at night in accordance with a certificate of waiver issued prior to April 21, 2021 under § 107.200. The certificates of waiver issued prior to March 16, 2021 under § 107.200 that authorize deviation from § 107.29 terminate on May 17, 2021.

[Docket FAA-2015-0150, Amdt. 107-1, 81 FR 42209, June 28, 2016, as amended by Amdt. No. 107-8, 86 FR 4382, Jan. 15, 2021; 86 FR 13631, Mar. 10, 2020]

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

It is much more important for you to be able to see your own drone , this is why VLOS is so stressed by the FAA , the chances of you getting your drone out of the way of a plane is much better than a plane seeing your light an avoiding it.

So taking Responsibility for my flying is # 1
Plane seeing my Drone in its path , means I am failing .

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water, an Get my drone out of the Way of Planes.

Somehow I doubt that even firehouse strobes are visible to a drone pilot at 3 miles when the drone's pilot is in a light polluted area.
From memory of my day time tests, with firehouse strobes pointed at me, they didn't significantly increase the range at which strobes could be seen.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Somehow I doubt that even firehouse strobes are visible to a drone pilot at 3 miles when the drone's pilot is in a light polluted area.
From memory of my day time tests, with firehouse strobes pointed at me, they didn't significantly increase the range at which strobes could be seen.

I think were all on the same Page that the OP is on an that subject is Night Flying .

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain < Land on the Water, and fly at night.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I think were all on the same Page that the OP is on an that subject is Night Flying .

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain < Land on the Water, and fly at night.

Indeed but it still remans my point that " I doubt that even firehouse strobes are visible" at night " to a drone pilot at 3 miles when the drone's pilot is" stood " in a light polluted area.".

 

[Cafguy]

Its also not enough just to see the Drone. If you do not know the drones orientation. then you are breaking the VLOS rule.

 

[Bad Santa]

Thanks for the recommendations.
If I understand the rule, it has to be able to be seen from 3 miles. Not indicated it has to be bright at 3 miles. At 3 miles, even a passenger jets lights are not super bright.
Either way, I don't expect to fly the drone, at night, past VLOS. I've already paid THAT bill once.
The reason I asked about colored lights was for the purpose of orientation. I know red and green are indications of left (red) and right (green). Something brighter than the built in nav lights.

I assume it's safe to say that there's no power port on the DJI mini 4 that could have lights plugged in? Or would it be possible to get power from the USB port?

 

[Cafguy]

would it be possible to get power from the USB port?

nope.

 

[Max Headroom]

I assume it's safe to say that there's no power port on the DJI mini 4 that could have lights plugged in? Or would it be possible to get power from the USB port?

Just noticed you have a mini you need to find a strobe with max weight of 3g good luck with that I haven't found one yet.

 

[Bad Santa]

Just noticed you have a mini you need to find a strobe with max weight of 3g good luck with that I haven't found one yet.

Why 3g?
I have a mini pro. Weighs 294g with battery. I'm already over the threshold for registration (and it's registered)

 

[Bad Santa]

OK, I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a set of Firehouse strobes.
Specifically:

https://www.amazon.com/Firehouse-Technology-ARC-Anti-Collision-Navigation/dp/B08F79HPX3/ref=sr_1_17?crid=QCE2DBQOSDCL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Cz04cEPbte0g8jczbvkL1TS75BimrX2eMTqEYm6w4-E3h_5F7Hwuqf9OZ4qqf2eqCZR9KKfU7KX4ctf6ojD18_6swbiG3g2DOOc9H1wDyKF8GQGjvU6nSB846SvtbJAEx-JuyGzHxaN2tTqxSeQBtYgRnB8DN_kmItLr8pmMtwf5lsekKuGj8PMmDI5427dcOaEvGrIYBN1dvtXOOlJl01i_NCaSmT4ebRt8Ywhy02XDC05mfdHU8l4x8DtpEPqv6IEXhDOZmZFrv4T6zJJTxqQqBZ4WQjZGiN3VrnWgqDk.jAqwI_hzJyxhhcxdzvSCwO_bQmEKa8dr0ZdJ6I_Bsj4&dib_tag=se&keywords=firehouse+strobe+lights+for+drones&qid=1732770240&sprefix=firehouse+light%2Caps%2C229&sr=8-17

Is this the best option?

Also, how are people mounting these to their drones? Strap? Velcro? Specialty holder?

AND...
I'm thinking of putting the white one on top, green and red on the sides. That way it's visible to traffic and I can see which way it's flying (even though there's an arrow on the remote, I get switched around.)

Any other suggestions?

 

[MA2 317]

Also, how are people mounting these to their drones? Strap? Velcro? Specialty holder?

DJI Strobe Mounts

Products by drone pilots for drone pilots. In 2013 we started Aerial-Pixel as a drone photography and videography service. Since then we have grown to also provide vinyl graphics, apparel and 3D printed products for the drone industry.

www.aerial-pixel.com

.

 

[DARKSeifer]

While in Europe the strobe is not mandatory, if I were in the US I wouldn't put a strobe on the drone, that's for sure. As if the lights on the drone wouldn't be enough to see it at 3Km… the M3 with all the lights on is like a flying Christmas tree.

Since I hacked the M3 I just turned them off, but I've been flying with electric tape on the LEDs since the day I noticed it's the only way to fly at night without being lasered by random people.

I must admit, I sometimes turn them on midflight for fun as it's always a curious sight to see an UFO at night