Led lights

[Big Ben]

I love night flying but the spark just doesn't cut it when it comes to lights. I have seen those flashlights you put on the landing gear however I'm not looking for flashlights but for bright *** led lights to see for a good distance. Any ideas?

 

[DesertWindAero]

My bet is that it's just a matter of time before STROBON Cree Strobes are made for the Spark.

 

[Buddy411]

My bet is that it's just a matter of time before STROBON Cree Strobes are made for the Spark.

They're easy enough to attach with adhesive Velcro strips. (I also put a THIN strip of Gorilla tape across the middle as extra security.)

I get them from STROBON Cree LED Strobe Light - Phantom Help

What I do is put a red strobe on the front, green on the rear, and one white on each side. This way you can tell the exact orientation of the Spark. I tested these on my Mavic out to 2 miles. You could still see them, but after a mile the colors start to all look like a blueish-white -- but still visible past 2 miles.

You'll love it. When you fly at night at 200 feet it looks like a real plane going by at 2000 feet.

 

[gnuPilot]

It would be cool if they had Spark mounts like the ones they sell for Mavic.

 

[Big Ben]

Went ahead and bought one on Amazon. White..... plan to Velcro to bottom of battery. Let you know how it works out. Thank you

 

[shaynemcmurdo]

Most countries it's illegal to fly at night? (So probably why they haven't really considered improving the LEDs)
I agree though, LEDs we have aren't really that great... particularly I think the flashing sequence is too long.

 

[Buddy411]

Most countries it's illegal to fly at night? .

Yeah we're lucky here in the US. If you're flying as a hobbyist, night flights are OK. Commercial operators need a waiver.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but flying at night is much safer with the proper lighting system.

- Your AC can be seen for 2+ miles so keeping it VLOS is not an issue -- how far can you fly the Spark during the day before you lose sight of it?

- In suburban areas, there is generally much less traffic and people out so there's less risk of property damage or injuries.

- No Sun = No glare on the screen & no heat issues, aircraft runs cooler, more comfortable for pilot (just wear bug spray!)

 

[Ninogiva]

And what about battery life? If on a Phantom we can rely on a relatively big battery, the flight time of the Spark is quite short already. Wouldn't a powerful led system shorten it even more?

 

[Lancelot]

And what about battery life? If on a Phantom we can rely on a relatively big battery, the flight time of the Spark is quite short already. Wouldn't a powerful led system shorten it even more?

it is with battery

 

[Buddy411]

And what about battery life? If on a Phantom we can rely on a relatively big battery, the flight time of the Spark is quite short already. Wouldn't a powerful led system shorten it even more?

Did you look at the link to the light listed above? These lights are self-contained with their own (rechargeable) battery. They run several hours so you only need to charge them every other day or so.

 

[Dronason]

And what about battery life? If on a Phantom we can rely on a relatively big battery, the flight time of the Spark is quite short already. Wouldn't a powerful led system shorten it even more?

Weight could be an issue for the Spark's battery but it is only 4gr, so if you put only one on your Spark it will be negligible.

 

[Buddy411]

Weight could be an issue for the Spark's battery but it is only 4gr, so if you put only one on your Spark it will be negligible.

You can put several on the Spark and it won't matter.

 

[Dronason]

You can put several on the Spark and it won't matter.

5 will be at the cost of one minute, so yes, 2-3 should not be a drama.

 

[Ninogiva]

Apologies, I did not look at the provided link. All clear now

 

[Lastrexking]

Is there a way to switch the Strobon so the light is constant?

 

[msinger]

Is there a way to switch the Strobon so the light is constant?

No. The lights always strobe when powered on.

 

[Lastrexking]

No. The lights always strobe when powered on.

Thanks. I need some aerial lighting for a photo project. Wanted to travel light. Guess I’ll have to use my Mavic and a lume cube.