Warning: the most boring drone video in history.
I wanted to test a new strobe light...just in case I ever wanted to fly at night. So.... I had a beer last night (very odd for me) and did my best to crash my MA2 while testing it. It was very dark with very little moonlight and I am in a semi-rural area with few lights around. That didn't stop me from being reckless, as usual ;-)
Anyway, this is likely the most boring video possible since it is almost all dark as a witches.... as I flew downriver to the marina and back (my dock is the light in the lower center). The first flight (not on the video) was very busy with me trying to get it back after flying away in the dark and being hesitant to use the RTH function because of the many trees around. It was excruciating to go back and forth with the map views and orientation view to get it back, but it was successful...eventually.
Undaunted (mysteriously), I went again to repeat the flight since I had previously mounted the strobe on the top (useless) and wanted to see it now mounted on the front. But this time I chose the RTH method for return. This time I could see the drone aproaching (by the light) and I let it do it's RTH thing. Which it did with precision...even in total darkness until the bottom light turned on. Perfect. Skip to 2:28.
I was amazed.

Followup: When I said I mounted the light on the front, I meant on the front of the top. When mounted anywhere else on top, I could not really see it well.

Thanks for the warning.
I had an extra cup of coffee

Hello there GaryDoug. Thank you for reaching out and for posting this video and for sharing your flight experience with us. Have a safe and a happy flying always.

Thanks for sharing. .

Thanks for sharing, you like to take risks.

Thanks for risking your drone. I have experieced the same precision landing in plain darkness at our property like you did, but without the flash light.
And at least i crashed my MA2 into a bush that evening, because i misjudged the distance between me, the bush and the MA2 even with the bottom LED turned on.
As i saw flashing up the still green leaves in the LED light, it was already too late to stop. After picking it up, laying like turtle on the back, i only needed to exchange
one prop with a crack on the leading edge. Also no need to calibrate the IMU and no abnormal behavior after.

Very brave making those flights.  Nothing like an RTH with precision landing at night.  Out of curiosity which brand strobe did you use?  

Thanks for sharing

Good test - with the AUX light turning on it should provide enough light for the VPS to detect the surface for a safe and precise landing. That said, I found precision landing to be very unpredictable on the MA2 - even in sunlight.

MySky Posted at 11-25 04:17
Thanks for risking your drone. I have experieced the same precision landing in plain darkness at our property like you did, but without the flash light.
And at least i crashed my MA2 into a bush that evening, because i misjudged the distance between me, the bush and the MA2 even with the bottom LED turned on.
As i saw flashing up the still green leaves in the LED light, it was already too late to stop. After picking it up, laying like turtle on the back, i only needed to exchange

The flash light was only on after it landed. The pad was lit up by the drones light on the bottom. It came on automatically but for just a second.

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-25 05:49
Very brave making those flights.  Nothing like an RTH with precision landing at night.  Out of curiosity which brand strobe did you use?

Not the best I am sure, but the cheapest, at $11 each on eBay. It worked ok.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Drone-N ... 2057872.m2749.l2649

Followup: I tested this one for distance and got 2200 feet away and it was still visible, but not by much. I would not have seen it if I did not know which direction to look.

GaryDoug Posted at 11-25 09:09
Not the best I am sure, but the cheapest. It worked ok.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Drone-Nigh-Flight-Navigation-Strobe-Lamp-Flash-Light-for-DJI-Mavic-Mini-Drone/114367692643?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Thanks for the information on the strobe.

I started a thread to try to garner more information about others users experience with strobes and mounts for the Mavic Air 2.  Your information about the top mounted strobe caused me to reconsider getting the top mount as your experience of it being useless.

Thanks

JohnLietzke Posted at 11-25 15:51
Thanks for the information on the strobe.

I started a thread to try to garner more information about others users experience with strobes and mounts for the Mavic Air 2.  Your information about the top mounted strobe caused me to reconsider getting the top mount as your experience of it being useless.

When the strobe was mounted on top, I could not see it even when it was several hundred yards away.

A J Posted at 11-25 07:35
Good test - with the AUX light turning on it should provide enough light for the VPS to detect the surface for a safe and precise landing. That said, I found precision landing to be very unpredictable on the MA2 - even in sunlight.

The only time I had any problem with the precision landing was when I rushed the takeoff. It was off by about 10 feet on return and would have landed in a tree without intervention.

This is my usual landing spot at home and for this test:

GaryDoug Posted at 11-25 19:53
The only time I had any problem with the precision landing was when I rushed the takeoff. It was off by about 10 feet on return and would have landed in a tree without intervention.

This is my usual landing spot at home and for this test:

You're lucky - it would work once in every few flights with me - I stopped relying on it in the end.

Black friday...     

GaryDoug Posted at 11-25 09:09
Not the best I am sure, but the cheapest. It worked ok.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Drone-Nigh-Flight-Navigation-Strobe-Lamp-Flash-Light-for-DJI-Mavic-Mini-Drone/114367692643?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

About 2 weeks back I bought a set of white Firehouse Technology Dual LED strobe lights but I was just wondering how other brands were performing.  I recently ordered and received a pair of strobe mounts from an Etsy vendor.  They mount well on the front (or back) arms and the strobes fit tightly in them.  They only weight about 4.8 grams each.  With the strobes and mounts on I don't notice any handling differences and it sure make it easier to see them in low light conditions.  

Risky but not bad at all...We all need a little adrenaline

Indeed thanks for sharing. GPS and sensors should work at night as well as day so doesn't surprise me.  Makes me wonder though after reading this thread and also having anti-collision light on the top maybe I should mount a 2nd on the bottom for visibility to the pilot!

On a separate note,  obviously this was a fun recreation flight but if it were part 107 (if you're in the US) I'd be careful on the beer part even if it was only 1. ;) just sayin...

RobZilla Posted at 12-12 08:16
Indeed thanks for sharing. GPS and sensors should work at night as well as day so doesn't surprise me.  Makes me wonder though after reading this thread and also having anti-collision light on the top maybe I should mount a 2nd on the bottom for visibility to the pilot!

On a separate note,  obviously this was a fun recreation flight but if it were part 107 (if you're in the US) I'd be careful on the beer part even if it was only 1. ;) just sayin...

In theory, yes, the IR sender on the bottom should light up the ground below. However..... I do see warnings about low light conditions before launch and I see a lot more instabilty while hovering 10-20 feet above the ground in total darkness. So, I would assume the IR is not always enough light for the ground sensor.