Stock LED Visibility Distance - Surprising Results (to me, at least!)

[FlyGuy8675309]

Just on a whim, I sent out my Mavic tonight without my usual complement of Strobons and landing lights just to see how far I could see the front and rear LED's. My hypotheses was the rear flashing LED / indicator would be visible for a farther distance than the front red running lights, just because flashing lights usually have a higher intensity than steady burners. Well, that was proven wrong as the results will show:

- The rear LED (green when all is AOK) could be seen to just beyond 5,000 feet or about 1,500 meters, so close to a mile.
- The front red running lights were visible to just beyond 7,000 feet or about 2,100 meters.

A couple of things:
- The test was done 2 hours after sunset, but done in an area with some city lights illuminating the sky. In a remote area, I would expect the visibility distance to be greater (more testing to come!)

- As you approach the extreme ranges of the lights, if you look away for even a moment, it can be very difficult to re-acquire the Mavic visually, which happened when I was testing the rear light range. I'd look down to check the distance on the remote and when I looked back up I couldn't see it. So I'd spin the Mavic so the front red LED's were facing me to re-acquire VLOS, then I'd spin it back and be able to see the rear again, now that I knew where it was in the sky.

- While the stock light system meets the AMA requirements for recreational night flights, I don't think it provides much (if any) collision avoidance. Just because you can see you're Mavic, doesn't mean others can, mainly helicopters and other quads. A small investment for a set of Strobeon's is well worth it.
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Anyway, I hope this is helpful. I'll be testing a variety of lighting systems over the next couple of months and posting the results. With daylight savings coming, I'll be able to start night flights a lot earlier.

 

[msinger]

The STROBON Cree lights seem to be the best (and smallest) option available. I haven't come across anything brighter yet.

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

The STROBON Cree lights seem to be the best (and smallest) option available. I haven't come across anything brighter yet.

You should have put a spoiler alert on that. But there's more to the story: I'm also testing the effectiveness of different physical placement of lights on the Mavic, and how the different colors perform at various distances, weather, and lighting conditions. I may even have a helicopter pilot have a look from his POV and give his thoughts.

I've got some "spot lights" and other steady burn lights to demo, as well as some DIY options.

Yes, I'm obsessed.. but it's a sliding scale:

 

[locoman]

Thanks for the info. Good to know. But if I was flying at night and saw or heard an airplane or helicopter (which are really loud) I would bring my MP back home in a hurry. As far as I am concerned, they have the right-away. Especially where I live, near a hospital, if I hear a helicopter, it would be due to an emergency.

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

Thanks for the info. Good to know. But if I was flying at night and saw or heard an airplane or helicopter (which are really loud) I would bring my MP back home in a hurry. As far as I am concerned, they have the right-away. Especially where I live, near a hospital, if I hear a helicopter, it would be due to an emergency.

Not just as far as your concerned --- it's the in regs: you must yield to manned aircraft. I live near a hospital with a helipad as well, so I am very cautious. As far as hurrying home when you hear a copter: That may not be a wise move unless you know exactly where the copter is. When I hear a heli, my SOP is to stop, hover, and drop down as low as I can and still maintain LOS for the remote and VLOS. Then I wait and see where the copter is and hold until the area is clear.

 

[Nightowl702]

I have had mine just over 3 miles out and was able to see the red ones on the front as I turned it around. The status indicator was also able to be seen up to the turn around but just barely. It was well into the night and out of the city in the blackness of the open desert.

 

[locoman]

Not just as far as your concerned --- it's the in regs: you must yield to manned aircraft. I live near a hospital with a helipad as well, so I am very cautious. As far as hurrying home when you hear a copter: That may not be a wise move unless you know exactly where the copter is. When I hear a heli, my SOP is to stop, hover, and drop down as low as I can and still maintain LOS for the remote and VLOS. Then I wait and see where the copter is and hold until the area is clear.

I would probably do the same.