Finally.The Ability To Change The Colors of Solo's Lights. Solex!

wn0x · Nov 30, 2016

Yes, exactly, although I usually have the port/starboard navigation lights installed on middle or rear of the aircraft and angled forward. My "non standard" rear lighting is amber, which is easily visible in bright sunlight.

There are very practical considerations to UAV lighting which I hope the FAA has kept in mind. Battery life is best achieved with a minimum of lighting and a duty cycle that won't significantly impact flight times - and obviously weight.

As to FAA

Pedals2Paddles said:
Elsewhere in FAA regulation, color of lights is defined. Anti-collision beacons can be red or white. There are also requirements for visibility from various directions. A single beacon on the top or bottom of a solo would not likely meet the visibility requirements as it would not be seen from below it's horizontal plane. One on top and one on bottom, or one on each side would do it. That said, I don't think anyone has ever actually perused this level if detail with the FAA as it applies to UAS. And it probably won't be brought up until someone gets in trouble for something else. But if the FAA were pressed for an answer, they would probably tell you it needs to meet those requirements.

You mean red/green on just the front arms, and white on the back? I agree. That would be the only way to distinguish front/back and direction.

Yes, exactly, although I usually have the port/starboard navigation lights installed on middle or rear of the aircraft and angled forward. My "non standard" rear lighting is amber, which is easily visible in bright sunlight.

There are very practical considerations to UAV lighting which I hope the FAA has kept in mind. Battery life is best achieved with the minimum number of lights to achieve safety, and a duty cycle that won't significantly impact flight times - and obviously weight. I have often thought that sUAS should have a different color than white or red as the top beacon, so that manned aircraft could recognize them as such.

wn0x · Nov 30, 2016

Pedals2Paddles said:
Remember the Solo was designed to be a mass produced consumer and prosumer drone to be used primarily during the day by probably 98% of it's users. So it's not surprising that 3DR didn't put effort into it's night time capabilities.

With the companion computer code having just been opened up, and the Solex app for a UI, things like the lighting arrangements can now be endlessly customized by our resident nerds.

Yep. I have have noticed the trend, especially with DJI products, of red/front - green/rear, which I find obnoxious. White/front - red/rear is also a popular combination - which I think is more intuitive for most beginning pilots since this mimics automobile lighting, and I think the default for Solo. Either will help the pilot maintain orientation, although I find the lighting on most consumer drones to dim during daytime operation for my old eyes. I typically run 10W LEDs on my larger aircraft, which are easily visible in bright sunlight.

wn0x · Dec 1, 2016

Now, for a little bit of fun - some experimental lighting I have been playing with.

Dogman1973 · Dec 1, 2016

that reminds me of an x-files episode

Pedals2Paddles · Dec 1, 2016

In my big Y6, I went with sold green LEDs up front and a blue strobe to the rear. There are also white strobes up front. I didn't bother with the red/green thing because it wasn't necessary for *me*. For me to keep orientation, all I really need is front and back. It doesn't do any good for other aircraft.

This video is poor and pretty dark.