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Lighting Systems for Drones

Joe Marrone

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I am ready to install some lighting on a new DJI F550 hex. I could use some input as to the types of light systems people are using. I went to the Banggood site and saw many LED packages for this. My system is using a 4S battery (nominal 14.8 volts), but most of the lighting systems I am looking at require 12 volts, which is perfect for a 3S battery. It looks like I would need a regulator to step down to 12 volts, and I really don't want to add any more weight than is absolutely necessary.

Any thoughts?

Joe
 
Hey Joe. Are you looking for light to help with orientation of the copter (front booms one color, back booms something else) or are you trying to add spot or flood lights to the drone?
 
Hi Joe. I designed this lighting system for the 3DR Solo and it has been very popular.

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I've been looking for a DJI owner who can help me modify it for DJI drones if you're interested in helping. Getting power to it is what I need help with.

Currently, it runs on 15 volts and is stepped down to about 12.5 volts.
 
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Very nice!

I used these as I just installed it on my Hexa yesterday. These are f***ng bright!

81NmTtA8wkL._SY450_.jpg
 
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To answer Florida Drone Supply Team, what I have in mind is a lighting system that gives me orientation. My eyesight is not very good, os I need something that helps with whether it's going away or towards me, and which is front and back. A hex looks like a circle .. not an easy shape to fly with.

Maddog, I'll check out your solution. Thanks
 
I also should mention that the DJI E310 ESCs I'm using come with a light that goes on each boom and flashes slowly at low power but goes solid at full power. And they are not synchronized so they appear to blink at random. On the bench I find them very distracting, so my thought is to eliminate them completely.

Anyone had any experience with these ESCs?
 
I also should mention that the DJI E310 ESCs I'm using come with a light that goes on each boom and flashes slowly at low power but goes solid at full power. And they are not synchronized so they appear to blink at random. On the bench I find them very distracting, so my thought is to eliminate them completely.

Anyone had any experience with these ESCs?


I was planning on using DJI E1200, but DJI being DJI, I got tired of their delays and timeline. So go off in a different direction.
 
To answer Florida Drone Supply Team, what I have in mind is a lighting system that gives me orientation. My eyesight is not very good, os I need something that helps with whether it's going away or towards me, and which is front and back. A hex looks like a circle .. not an easy shape to fly with.

Maddog, I'll check out your solution. Thanks
That's exactly what Brite Lite does. I developed it for myself for the same reasons. As people followed the thread and saw the end result they began asking if I would make one for them.
Before I knew it, I was building a lot of them.

I would like to modify it for the Phantom series but am having a problem finding an easy way to connect to the battery. I could run it with a its own 4S battery but don't want to add the weight.
 
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I've been thinking adding to my Hexacopter lights that bicyclist use. You can have one flashing very slow for the back side and the other flashing very fast, front side. Batteries last quite awhile and rechargeable. Though a bit more weight not sure how much flight time would be lost?
 
That's exactly what Brite Lite does. I developed it for myself for the same reasons. As people followed the thread and saw the end result they began asking if I would make one for them.
Before I knew it, I was building a lot of them.

I would like to modify it for the Phantom series but am having a problem finding an easy way to connect to the battery. I could run it with a its own 4S battery but don't want to add the weight.
Well, after some testing and re-engineering I can now run the system off a 450 mAh, 2s, 3s or 4s lipo for over an hour.

Now it can be mounted on any drone.:D
 

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