Placing Strobe's on Front, Back or Top

[Lets Fly]

If placing lights on front legs, does it interfere with video? Placing them on top seems somewhat useless when flying high. If you place one on the back leg I guess you could fly home backwards, (day or Night).
I am wanting to buy them for Mavic Air but not sure to get one or two, and where to install. Also with Firehouse I haven't seen the actual dimensions, although I have seen the weight (5G), so I am not sure if they even fit the legs.
I know they make brackets to hold them but do not know the weight of them or if they would protrude farther out instead of velcro. Any suggestions or photos appreciated. I didn't find what I was looking for in the threads.

 

[msinger]

Here are some photos of the mounts I make for the Mavic Air:




My mounts weigh 4 grams without lights or 11 grams including the Firehouse ARC light. You won't see the lights in photos/video as long as they aren't reflecting off of anything in front of the drone (like fog).

Note: These mounts are also available in gray and black.

See more photos here.

 

[Lets Fly]

Thanks for the reply. I imagine you make them for the two light as well as the four light? And if you were to place one right front and left back, does that help with balance? Also, are you the the one that was ripped off by the pro company?

 

[msinger]

I imagine you make them for the two light as well as the four light?

Yes, you can find my other Mavic Air mounts here.

if you were to place one right front and left back, does that help with balance?

Of course. But, even if you only go with one, the Mavic Air would be able to adjust itself.

I would either install 4 or 2 diagonally (to keep everything as balanced as possible).

are you the the one that was ripped off by the pro company?

No.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

As good as msinger mounts are, if you get those, then buy 2 mounts from there, and 2 ARCII, have one on front left arm, one on rear right arm (or vice versa).

If you just want one for VLOS, my BIL put one on his Air underneath . . . each battery has a loop dual lock velcro piece adhered to them.

Because you are mostly going to flying above you, this gives pretty good VLSO from all directions, with one strobe.
He got me to source him a FHT (Firehouse Technology) Spark strobe, though it will work with any of the others too, as they all throw light out well, the ACRII, or the Dual.

The FHT Spark strobe has an acrylic dome that throws light out well on angles.

Here's his descending in another post (there are many strobe posts).
The light is terrible, light gray sky, and my camera was adjusting exposure, so the strobe doesn't look as bright as its 600lm really is.

Firehouse Technology led strobes

About to pull the trigger on a set of strobe leds, mostly for a little assistance in keeping (obtaining) VLOS easier when not watching the ipad mini4 shooting video. Or if / when someone in authority may come up behind me and ask where my drone is. Those look VERY similar to the CREE STROBE...

mavicpilots.com

If you were going to do a flight below you, say from a hilltop down into a valley, you can easily just have a permanent velcro in the top panel, and just put the strobe on top for the flight.

They (FHT) are the best strobe by far on the market.
The FHT service is pretty good, as long as you don't specify colours which come as they want to send them anyway.
Ordering a Spark, or a white ARCII would be fine . . . but they sent me a 4 pack of ARCII 2w, 1r, 1g (w - white, r - red, g - green), when I ordered 4w.

For your purpose I would just stick to 2 white led ones, they are brightest, and normally they don't interfere with filming, though dust, fog, close to things / signs obviously could get some feedback from the light.
You could order 2 singles, one white, one red, put red on the front . . . they are 2nd brightest, and you can see them a fair way off also.

My red / white ARCII public safety series, showing the red flash and the white flash . . .

 

[Lets Fly]

Yes, you can find my other Mavic Air mounts here.


Of course. But, even if you only go with one, the Mavic Air would be able to adjust itself.

I would either install 4 or 2 diagonally (to keep everything as balanced as possible).


No.

Just ordered two from you. Thanks.

 

[theDRONEranger]

Yes, you can find my other Mavic Air mounts here.


Of course. But, even if you only go with one, the Mavic Air would be able to adjust itself.

I would either install 4 or 2 diagonally (to keep everything as balanced as possible).


No.

This is a fantastic supplier. I have used, and am very pleased with everything from order to delivery. Great organization and very considerate with the customer.

 

[wendyc]

Just ordered two from you. Thanks.

Do you ship internationally msinger? New Zealand?

 

[msinger]

Do you ship internationally msinger?

Yes. I ship worldwide.

 

[Lets Fly]

Just ordered two from you. Thanks.

Received my two Firehouse lights today already, very quick and nice and bright. Waiting for the mounts.

 

[SpitFire]

I mounted two on the rear legs' of my MP, Love them, good in day time, for VLOS. And, I fly back wards coming back to home.

 

[msinger]

Waiting for the mounts.

Your tracking info is showing they are going to arrive on Monday.

 

[Lets Fly]

Your tracking info is showing they are going to arrive on Monday.

Great, thanks.

 

[Lets Fly]

I mounted two on the rear legs' of my MP, Love them, good in day time, for VLOS. And, I fly back wards coming back to home.

Why not one on front and back, if you wanted to video something on the way back, you wouldn't have to fly backwards. Just asking.

 

[SpitFire]

Two different perspectives, going forward at 200 feet, coming home backwards at 375 feet. That's just me, no set rule.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I mounted two on the rear legs' of my MP, Love them, good in day time, for VLOS. And, I fly back wards coming back to home.

Two different perspectives, going forward at 200 feet, coming home backwards at 375 feet. That's just me, no set rule.

Certainly no reason why the mounts and strobes can't be put on opposite front and rear arms (balance) if desired, if you want to fly home forwards too sometimes.
Having the OA work work on the MP coming home might be good in some terrain circumstances.
Otherwise, a good idea to get the variety of vision.

 

[Lets Fly]

Your tracking info is showing they are going to arrive on Monday.

Got them them thanks, but the mounting does not match your photos. I ordered a front right and rear left, but placing the notches as you describe along with the cut outs in order to get the USB charge port to the outside for charging doesn't match.
Now I'm not sure how much difference it makes because they snap on well. I was sure you should be able to charge the lights without removing them. One thing that never crossed my mind was that you can not place the AC in its case because you can't
fold the legs up with mounts on. I fly often which means you have to remove these every time, unless you carry the AC around exposing the blades to possible damage, and I can remove them as long as the mounts and the legs hold up to the constant snapping
on and off. The lights are great, and needed, and so are the mounts because double sided tape you can not keep removing to place in a case. Its just going to require a little more maintenance.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I was sure you should be able to charge the lights without removing them. One thing that never crossed my mind was that you can not place the AC in its case because you can't
fold the legs up with mounts on. I fly often which means you have to remove these every time, unless you carry the AC around exposing the blades to possible damage, and I can remove them as long as the mounts and the legs hold up to the constant snapping
on and off.

One reason I avoided arm mounts (on my M1P), velcro stays on where I put it (little spot of urethane reinforcement), and folds etc.
I know some here use the arm mounts, leaving the arcII's in the mounts, and just clip them on before flight, but I was also worried about repeated use and failure, not to mention that little more fiddly setting up / destaging when flying.

I believe msinger mounts are very well made and quality printed though, so maybe repeat use is fine . . . @Thomas B uses his drone a lot, has various mounts of msinger, so maybe he can advise on his experience, but I'm sure we would have heard something from him if he'd even had a problem.

 

[Thomas B]

Got them them thanks, but the mounting does not match your photos. I ordered a front right and rear left, but placing the notches as you describe along with the cut outs in order to get the USB charge port to the outside for charging doesn't match.
Now I'm not sure how much difference it makes because they snap on well. I was sure you should be able to charge the lights without removing them. One thing that never crossed my mind was that you can not place the AC in its case because you can't
fold the legs up with mounts on. I fly often which means you have to remove these every time, unless you carry the AC around exposing the blades to possible damage, and I can remove them as long as the mounts and the legs hold up to the constant snapping
on and off. The lights are great, and needed, and so are the mounts because double sided tape you can not keep removing to place in a case. Its just going to require a little more maintenance.

I have taken my ARC2s and/or ARC XLs while still in their @Aerial-Pixel mounts on and off my drones 4-6 times a week for about 2 years.... I was an early adopter of the XLs... bottom line no problems with the lights, no need to remove from mounts to charge, and no damage noted to the light holders, legs, or Wrapgrade skin on my drone. The front mounts were made to fit over the PolarPro landing gear.

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[Thomas B]

Here they are aloft...

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