indicators

[peter west nz]

I decided that I would like some indicators, firstly to make it easier to see the bird when it gets a few hundred feet away, and also to allow me to see it's orientation when the fpv is misbehaving.
Since we use high brightness LEDs for signs & displays, I put a red one facing forward, and a green one facing back, both shining horizontally, and connected to the battery connector in series with a 1k resistor so that they are on whenever the power is on. Total current draw is about 7ma. Yawing the bird gives a green or red flash, depending which is towards me. The leds are 15 deg water-clear 5000mc. The green is more noticeable than the red.
I just went for a fly, and I could see them easily at 1000 ft distance/ 20 ft altitude over the harbour here.
It sure makes it much easier to spot against the background.

 

[RoyVa]

Your mods sound good. I have an indicator on my tablet that gives me orentation and distance, guess they do the same things. Sure would like to see a picture with the bird ot there shinning.

 

[peter west nz]

Your mods sound good. I have an indicator on my tablet that gives me orentation and distance, guess they do the same things. Sure would like to see a picture with the bird ot there shinning.

I will try to do one tomorrow. The telemetry coming back only shows you height, distance etc if you have a signal. This is an easy way to check if you still have control when you lose fpv. I have changed the internal patch aerials for a pair of 2db rubber ducky style external aerials. I did not lose fpv despite being 1000ft away at 20ft and yawing- where it used to always drop out before. I did lose command for a second a couple of times. These things are so hard to see against the horizon at that distance

 

[marg2]

Whit a controller will flash slow or faster

 

[peter west nz]

Yep, but all of my wiring is internal & only the led showing. Nothing to take off or remember.