Hey, pilots! Wanted to share my Strobon Cree Review and experience with the Strobon Strobes. I think that you’re like me and searching for an easy way to have your drone lit from above. FAA’s Rule states that you must have an anti-collision lighting. When you read the statute or the rule you must remember that you have to have these lighting requirements. What it doesn’t specify is the location, positioning, and the color.When you reference the other rules in the FAA’s rulebook, it allows for MULTIPLE colors or At least one color. I found the best lighting for the job.
The FAA Rule indicates
(b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. The remote pilot in command may reduce the intensity of the anti-collision lighting if he or she determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so.
With Aircraft The lighting is spelled out with some formulas, colors, and field of view. With the part 107.29 There is no definition or prescription on how these are to be placed. They just have to be visible from 3 statute miles or 15,840 feet. That essentially means that a jetliner or generally a commercial private plane must see you if you look straight down. (Cessna 172 planes that you commonly see have a ceiling height of about 14,000 FT) This rule seems to be more for planes flying towards you so that they can see you when approaching.
3 miles might seem like a lot of distance to cover and it is. The realistic lighting should be within 1 mile since most planes traveling within that buffer zone between 400-500ft would be flying from 70-180kts. I searched a bit to find a lighting system that I didn’t have to wire and could provide a very bright light in nearly 180 degrees. This view from an airplane approximate. I estimate the flight to be right around 3500 feet.
Stepping up to the “next” form of aviation, manned flight with ultra light and paramotoring the 103.11 indicates this:
103.11 Daylight operations.
(a) No person may operate an ultralight vehicle except between the hours of sunrise and sunset. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, ultralight vehicles may be operated during the twilight periods 30 minutes before official sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset or, in Alaska, during the period of civil twilight as defined in the Air Almanac, if:
(1) The vehicle is equipped with an operating anticollision light visible for at least 3 statute miles; and
(2) All operations are conducted in uncontrolled airspace.
Strobon Cree Review, more information
The rule indicates the same almost the exact same. They indicate in here also “light” not lights. 3 miles as with the part 107.29. So interpreting this I have implemented 1 single light on the top of my drone that is visible to other aircraft (the intended design) I generally do white, it is an anti-collision lighting as indicated with aircraft. It strobes and does so every 3-4 seconds. With it being on the top of the aircraft it displays the flash in a 180-degree pattern from above. I tested it from 3 miles flying up from the beach. From the photo below, even police car lights are hard to see from 3 miles. Most of the small lights within the grids are porch lights. So a flashing light at these angles will show up prominently. 3 miles estimated on this photo is just beyond the taller building on the mid right about 10 degrees down from the horizon.
and had a friend just a little over 3 miles. While flying low, he was unable to see it due to the ocean mist. As soon as I got up about 120 feet it was clearly visible (video coming soon). So we tried the test in a location away from the river. I flew up to 400′ with the strobe on and a friend at his house walked out after calling him walked out and looked down the road. We were on the phone for a minute and he said he could only see airplanes flying. I had mapped out the direction he would look to see it and it was straight down his road. He continued to tell me that he could only see airplanes. After about 2 minutes of this, it finally hit him that the airplane he was seeing was my drone. It was a single white strobe and hadn’t moved in those two minutes for hovering. We both were pretty amazed. He instructed me to do some maneuvers and it confirmed that he was seeing the strobe on the drone. I was pretty amazed at the visibility while not being able to see it myself the distance it was viewed at was confirmation that I would be able to use the strobes with confidence for my night operations. If you liked this Strobon Cree Review, please leave me a comment. Also use GETLIT on mdpair to save 3.00 off two strobe lights!