Strobes lights for MP4

[fxguy007]

So even on top, you can still see the strobe?
I used to have a mount for a Spark, long ago, but it was mounted on the back legs, facing me as it was flying away. I was wondering if I should get the same thing...

The strobe on top isn't for you...

 

[BigAl07]

The Mini 4 Pro is so tiny and light, where are y'all mounting the strobed specifically? I'm thinking I may get a hard mount for the arms and mount a pair there. I would LOVE to mount them to where they could stay attached between flights but I don't see a viable way that's going to happen.

 

[MS Coast]

The Mini 4 Pro is so tiny and light, where are y'all mounting the strobed specifically? I'm thinking I may get a hard mount for the arms and mount a pair there. I would LOVE to mount them to where they could stay attached between flights but I don't see a viable way that's going to happen.

I put a 3/4" x 1" Velcro strip on the forward edge of the top, with a 1/8" gap from the rear edge of the gimbal cover. With the recess in the top of the drone and the compressibility of the foam in the case lid, a smaller strobe, like the Vifly, can be left in place.

If rear visibility is needed, a Velcro strip can be placed on the end of the battery. I did that on the Mini 3 Pro, but haven't had occasion to need it on the 4.

 

[mavic3usa]

The Mini 4 Pro is so tiny and light, where are y'all mounting the strobed specifically? I'm thinking I may get a hard mount for the arms and mount a pair there. I would LOVE to mount them to where they could stay attached between flights but I don't see a viable way that's going to happen.

These are the mounts I purchased for Mini 4 Pro:

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

 

[vindibona1]

I must be the "King of Strobes" because I have a lot of them; a complete set for each of my 3 drones.
Back 4 years ago Firehouse was pretty much the only game in town unless you want to include LumeCube. Expensive, but pretty good. But their strobes cost $25-$35 for a single strobe, until recently only having a single dedicated color. But I have a bunch of them. they're ok, but a little fragile. I lost two of them off my drones because the provided velcro stops holding well quite quickly. Replacing it with other velcro is the way I go now.

Then I tried some of the ViFly Strobes. $15 each. Not bad. Not quite as bright as the Arc V's but close to the ARC II's, but smaller, and more versatile. I attached these strobes to the arms of my drones with small hair band elastic, and in my experience they are more secure and reliable than velcro. On my Mavic 2 I use velcro and bands.

A new entry is, as someone above mentioned the HeiyRC strobes. I just ordered two of them to try. What I like about them is that you can mount them to the arms of your drone with the elastic bands with two lateral hooks mounted into the housings. The question will be 1) How bright. 2) How wide for mounting. 3) if mounted on the bottom how well can it be seen? 4) How much weight do they add.

I should have them Monday. Perhaps they'll inspire me to go out and fly again (in the cold) just because.

 

[BigAl07]

I must be the "King of Strobes" because I have a lot of them; a complete set for each of my 3 drones.
Back 4 years ago Firehouse was pretty much the only game in town unless you want to include LumeCube. Expensive, but pretty good. But their strobes cost $25-$35 for a single strobe, until recently only having a single dedicated color. But I have a bunch of them. they're ok, but a little fragile. I lost two of them off my drones because the provided velcro stops holding well quite quickly. Replacing it with other velcro is the way I go now.

Then I tried some of the ViFly Strobes. $15 each. Not bad. Not quite as bright as the Arc V's but close to the ARC II's, but smaller, and more versatile. I attached these strobes to the arms of my drones with small hair band elastic, and in my experience they are more secure and reliable than velcro. On my Mavic 2 I use velcro and bands.

A new entry is, as someone above mentioned the HeiyRC strobes. I just ordered two of them to try. What I like about them is that you can mount them to the arms of your drone with the elastic bands with two lateral hooks mounted into the housings. The question will be 1) How bright. 2) How wide for mounting. 3) if mounted on the bottom how well can it be seen? 4) How much weight do they add.

I should have them Monday. Perhaps they'll inspire me to go out and fly again (in the cold) just because.



View attachment 171978View attachment 171979

I am eager to see your review once you get and try them.

We just ordered a pair of the FH Mini Pros for all (8) of our agency aircraft. Ryan is making the 3D mounts as we speak for them.

 

[vindibona1]

I am eager to see your review once you get and try them.

We just ordered a pair of the FH Mini Pros for all (8) of our agency aircraft. Ryan is making the 3D mounts as we speak for them.

I will surely do that.
FWIW On my minis I use the smaller Vifly Strobes, two (red) on front and one green on the rear so I can visually see the drones' orientation more clearly. It really helps to keep my head out of the screen. On the bottom I usually mount an ArcV that I know is larger and brighter to help spot my drones. At night and ARC V is on the top as well. My Mavic 2 gets outfitted with all ARC V strobes. At night it can have two front, one rear and one each top and bottom.

The Viflys are small and light, but one of my older ones no longer holds a charge, but I've got a few as spares. Looking forward to seeing how the HeiyRC strobes perform.

 

[vindibona1]

I am eager to see your review once you get and try them.

We just ordered a pair of the FH Mini Pros for all (8) of our agency aircraft. Ryan is making the 3D mounts as we speak for them.

The HeiyRC strobes came in. I charged them up and did some initial side by side comparison in my living room. I have to say that the HeiyRC strobe is almost as bright with the clear strobes as the Firehouse Arc V. I think the only way to measure light output is with a constant beam (like a flash light) measured with a light meter. Perhaps I'll do that later.
I didn't weigh them, but the HeiyRC will be heavier than the ViFly if that makes any difference to anyone. I really like the way the bands that it comes with can easily and securely attach the strobes to a drone's arms, though it does come with velcro. As you can see, it's got an odd shape, almost like a coffin, but that shouldn't make a difference. The only thing that I'm concerned with for the mini 3 is the position vertically so that it doesn't ride too high and make contact with the props. My initial indoor startup test tells me that all is good in terms of positioning.

It's too early to tell if the HeiyRC strobes are "better built" than the Arc V's, but I wiill confess I've had some issues with them. I've broken switches, had the clear bezels come off and the rubber plugs in the Arc V's come unattached and I cannot get them permanently back in. I've yet to test the Velcro of the Heiy's but the Firehouse Velco should not be used. I've lost two $35 strobes that fell off in mid flight due to their velcro. There's better velcro out there if you want to use it to attach strobes, and on the arms I've always like using elastic bands. On my Mavic 2 I use both velcro and elastic.

If size and weight doesn't matter I would tell folks to take a chance on the HeiyRC strobes. Less than half the price of the ARC V's.

 

[vindibona1]

HeiyRC first flight update...
I had these mounted to fly on my Mini 3 today. It was a gray day with some fog at higher altitudes. Highest altitude flown was 194ft. I think the fog limited my visual range to about 1300 ft, probably at 250ft high.

Going out was interesting as I had the HeiyRC's mounted to the arms of the Mini 3. Being wider than the arms themselves and the chosen color red to indicate forward facing I could see the red from behind going away from me. I had a green ViFly mounted on the rear and an Arc V on the bottom. The green Vifli disappeared first on outgoing but the Arc V was still visible until it got too small and probably covered by some fog.

When I turned the drone around to come straight home (I just flew a straight shot out and back so I could visually see how far I had true VLOS without losing it for a second. Coming back the reds were strong; seemingly as strong as the clear Arc V mounted on the bottom.

Before I fly again I think I'm going to mount velcro, or perhaps better yet, black gaffers tape on the bottoms of the HeiyRC's, if for no other reason than to block out the light transmission rearward. I would imagine this would less of a problem on Mavic with thicker arms. The Arc V's do not have as much "wrap around" light transmission. I'll have to see if/how I like the HeiyRC's on the bottom as the light direction seems to be more omidirectional. I don't know yet, but