Has anyone read anything about the mini 3 having strobe lighting and red/green side lights for legal night flights in USA and Canada?

Only red/green lighting is on the front legs.   Here in EU <250g doesn’t now need lighting but I have no idea about your local rules.
I should probably add that if you have the USA rule about 3km visibility then you'll need a strobe.  

DAFlys Posted at 5-10 11:58
Only red/green lighting is on the front legs.   Here in EU

From what I've read, the EU needs lights:
https://definingdrones.com/can-drones-fly-at-night/
unless you have more info.
Also, from what I've seen on the mini 3, the red/green lights look the same colour on both sides, which is not what aviation authorities want/require.

martindronester Posted at 5-10 12:07
From what I've read, the EU needs lights:
https://definingdrones.com/can-drones-fly-at-night/
unless you have more info.

Not under 250grams.  I checked just the other day.  
Here's the source

https://www.noflydrones.co.uk/eu-drone-regulations-blog/tag/drone+lighting

"Also, from what I've seen on the mini 3, the red/green lights look the  same colour on both sides, which is not what aviation authorities  want/require...."

In the one night video I've seen (probably the same one you saw) there's something more complicated going on with the lights.  I saw it flying with green/green on both front legs.  But at some other point in the same video (maybe on startup?) lights were flashing red.  My guess is that there are LEDs (not strobes) on the front legs (so, facing mostly forward), and they can be configured to blink/no-blink (steady) different colors -- maybe that's done automatically, maybe you can specify that.  I'd hope that's something that one can set it and forget it.


For FAA compliance, they need to be steady-on red/green (position lights), and I believe there also needs to be a bright white one (visible from some specified distance that I do not recall).  The red/green lights I saw in that video looked OK, but not super-bright.

I'm sure that all the details of the way the lights work should emerge soon.

Hello there martindronester. Good day and thank you for reaching out. The DJI Mini 3 Pro has two Aircraft status indicator, when the drone is powered on but the motors are not running, the drone's aircraft status indicators will display the current status of the flight control system. Kindly please refer for more information about the aircraft status indicators below. Just a friendly reminder that lighting requirements vary depending on the region. Please observe local laws and regulations. Thank you.

DJI Stephen Posted at 5-10 21:08
Hello there martindronester. Good day and thank you for reaching out. The DJI Mini 3 Pro has two Aircraft status indicator, when the drone is powered on but the motors are not running, the drone's aircraft status indicators will display the current status of the flight control system. Kindly please refer for more information about the aircraft status indicators below. Just a friendly reminder that lighting requirements vary depending on the region. Please observe local laws and regulations. Thank you.

[view_image]

Is it possible to have/set the left side red and the right side green as in aviation aircraft position lighting requirements. Is there a strobe light?
-M

Anyone having issues with the front marker lights on the mini 3 doing different things from one side to another? Sometimes the one side goes out and the other blinks green, the one side stays on green while other blinks and when the battery was going dead, one side blinks red and the other stays on green? The problem side is always the same side. Looking at the camera, right side. Anyone else? Thanks!

Saberfly Posted at 6-11 20:47
Anyone having issues with the front marker lights on the mini 3 doing different things from one side to another? Sometimes the one side goes out and the other blinks green, the one side stays on green while other blinks and when the battery was going dead, one side blinks red and the other stays on green? The problem side is always the same side. Looking at the camera, right side. Anyone else? Thanks!

I'm having this problem as well. There doesn't seem to be a pattern. Sometimes I get one light from startup, sometimes it'll happen after a few minutes. Does it need to go back?

djiuser_ZFRYXkmLSWSN Posted at 6-18 08:29
I'm having this problem as well. There doesn't seem to be a pattern. Sometimes I get one light from startup, sometimes it'll happen after a few minutes. Does it need to go back?

Update for the above. Having given my old Mini 2 a try to give a direct comparison, there’s something seriously wrong with my Mini 3 Pro which is less stable, less precise, slower, more prone to signal dropout (200ft is the furthest it’ll go before RTH). Very disappointing.

I just received my mini 7 days ago and the lights never turn on during fly.  They are only on when I am transferrin files.  I have been chatting, emailing, and calling dji tech support and they are not helping out.  They told me that I should see a setting under Settings - Safety and there should be an option to turn off/on the lights (there is not such options for me).  What can this be?  Thanks

mjaraica Posted at 6-22 16:21
I just received my mini 7 days ago and the lights never turn on during fly.  They are only on when I am transferrin files.  I have been chatting, emailing, and calling dji tech support and they are not helping out.  They told me that I should see a setting under Settings - Safety and there should be an option to turn off/on the lights (there is not such options for me).  What can this be?  Thanks

try turning the camera off when flying.

The Saint Posted at 6-22 17:00
try turning the camera off when flying.

So, when the camera is on, the leds are suppose to shut off?  Apologies as this is my first drone.  I did notice today that the lights were on for a few minutes for the first time but I do not recall if the camera was on or off while the lights were blinking.  I am trying to get the feeling that this is a user error...

mjaraica Posted at 6-22 21:22
So, when the camera is on, the leds are suppose to shut off?  Apologies as this is my first drone.  I did notice today that the lights were on for a few minutes for the first time but I do not recall if the camera was on or off while the lights were blinking.  I am trying to get the feeling that this is a user error...

Just discovered this today.  When shooting video the strobes go off...once done, and the camera is turned off, they'll come back on.  They are not affected by still shooting as far as I can tell.

There are LEDs in the front legs as status indicators, but hardly bright enough to qualify as strobes.

The Mini 3 Pro front leg lights are simply indicators of the drone's current status. It does not qualify as a navigation lights and will not behave as such.
There are multiple solutions in the market for strobe light that does qualify with the FAA rules. I personally use the Vifly strobe, as it is very lightweight, can clearly be seen from afar, and it is super easy to install. The Vifly is equipped with multiple light modes: I only use the white strobe mode, but it also has red and green strobe/flashing/constant light modes, so you may very well purchase 3 of those, install one on the top of the drone to act as a white strobe, and then two more on the front legs to act as a red/green navigation lights.

Amit Dunsky Posted at 8-28 19:19
The Mini 3 Pro front leg lights are simply indicators of the drone's current status. It does not qualify as a navigation lights and will not behave as such.
There are multiple solutions in the market for strobe light that does qualify with the FAA rules. I personally use the Vifly strobe, as it is very lightweight, can clearly be seen from afar, and it is super easy to install. The Vifly is equipped with multiple light modes: I only use the white strobe mode, but it also has red and green strobe/flashing/constant light modes, so you may very well purchase 3 of those, install one on the top of the drone to act as a white strobe, and then two more on the front legs to act as a red/green navigation lights.

Thanks for the response to my question that was posted a few months back. I've since received my Mini 3 pro drone and personally see how they work now. It would have been nice if the lights could be adjusted as legal 'position lighting'. But hey, maybe the next version.
Love this new drone! Happy flying.

Hi martindronester,

Just got my mini 3 yesterday.  I just had to take it up for a first flight.  It was getting dark and positional light would of been great to help orient the drone.

The lights are being used to indicate status so the colors can obviously be changed logically using code. It would be so cooled and useful if the colors changed to navigational positioning automatically when in flight mode. I could see a configuration setting to enable this feature.

Navigation lights are used on airplanes and boats.  Red on the port (left) side and green on the starboard (right side).

Rich64

in america, there is no color requirement and the rule is silent on positioning.

as mentioned, these are led indicators and not strobes.  dji has produced a dozen drones and they haven't yet launched a drone with strobe lights.  why?  could be several reasons but because the law is unclear, because the rules are different in different locations, and because compliance is not mandated by the manufacturer but the pilot....could be among them.  since there are solutions readily available, i don't blame dji for not going this route.  it will be a support nightmare and it will only cost them when a perfectly good drone falls under warranty because the strobes don't function properly.  most recreational consumers don't use them (even at night) so why would dji bother either?  imo, strobes on a drone aren't "effective."

martindronester Posted at 5-11 12:07
Is it possible to have/set the left side red and the right side green as in aviation aircraft position lighting requirements. Is there a strobe light?
-M

It would be better not to iritate manned aircraft with the SERA light!
There is already a reason why small UAV only flash green. As soon as the Mini 3 Pro will be certified by firmware update to C0, the green light will no longer go out during video recording, because it acts as a UAV sign in the airspace at night. Manned aircraft clearly see...only UAV is flying deep, not emergency landing of Cesna.

RoZis Posted at 8-31 10:47
It would be better not to iritate manned aircraft with the SERA light!
There is already a reason why small UAV only flash green. As soon as the Mini 3 Pro will be certified by firmware update to C0, the green light will no longer go out during video recording, because it acts as a UAV sign in the airspace at night. Manned aircraft clearly see...only UAV is flying deep, not emergency landing of Cesna.

And until then (C0 certification), the Mini 3 urgently needs an added green flashing night light, if we want to record videos at night.

If we don't add it, the Mini 3 would be invisible in the night sky, when filming ... an absolute no-go ... I'm shocked, that DJI implemented such a huge risk.

Thankfully at least the lights at the arms work while shooting photos, but that's no excuse for the "stealth video flight".

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1058 of 27 April 2020 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 as regards the introduction of two new unmanned aircraft systems classes

States that for nights most classes of UAV need to

„be equipped:
(a)
with lights for the purpose of controllability of the UA; and
(b)
with at least one green flashing light for the purpose of conspicuity of the UA at night to allow a person on the ground to distinguish the UA from a manned aircraft;“

This is valid for all the C1+ vehicles, so as long as the mini is not certified as C0 i agree to the post before.

But to be clear -> just based on my research on the same topic the last month, I'm not a lawyer.

Drone Jockey Posted at 8-31 13:04
And until then (C0 certification), the Mini 3 urgently needs an added green flashing night light, if we want to record videos at night.

If we don't add it, the Mini 3 would be invisible in the night sky, when filming ... an absolute no-go ... I'm shocked, that DJI implemented such a huge risk.

I fully agree!
The Mini 3 pro will probably get the C0 classification via firmware update, then the green flashing light will stay on even when shooting video.
It is all the more incomprehensible why it does not remain activated before certification.

RoZis Posted at 9-6 23:15
I fully agree!
The Mini 3 pro will probably get the C0 classification via firmware update, then the green flashing light will stay on even when shooting video.
It is all the more incomprehensible why it does not remain activated before certification.

I guess the lights would be visible in night time footage.

If that's really the case, I would prefer adding an additional night light even after C0 certification.

Drone Jockey Posted at 9-7 02:28
I guess the lights would be visible in night time footage.

If that's really the case, I would prefer adding an additional night light even after C0 certification.

Doesn't sound like it.
A German Youtuber has already tested this with the much brighter Flytron. (ok, Mini 2 not Mini 3)

Although on Mini 2, but to see no influence with the brightness does not worry me with the much weaker original LED.
But sure, maybe you can turn it off by soft key.

RoZis Posted at 9-7 04:39
Doesn't sound like it.
A German Youtuber has already tested this with the much brighter Flytron. (ok, Mini 2 not Mini 3)
https://youtu.be/KjYklD95BxQ?t=595

Ok, if it really doesn't matter, why then did DJI decide to switch off the lights on the Mini 3 during video recording, especially when we consider, that they will need a C0 certification later?

That's not logical, because switching them off was definitely additional coding effort, so they will have done that for a reason.

Really in this moment, wait for the C0 certification is nonsense..... Since July 22nd the EU require a flashing green light for night fly, period. So all EU users needs to fulfill this requirement unless be illegal. Please DJI, take cards in this matter. Thank you.

Since we're discussing EU in this thread now, do we actually have a clear requirement for a green flashing light as a part of the C0 requirements, and actually know that DJI is going to enable it?

The requirements for the aircraft are listed here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- ... 2244276&from=EN

On the other hand, the requirements for the aircraft operator are listed here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- ... amp;from=EN#tocId34
Those two are not the same document.

The aircraft listed as C1/C2/C3/C5/C6 need to have lights. C0 do not, as far as I can see from the directive.
On the other hand, the operator needs to ensure that the aircraft will have a green flashing light active when flying at night.
So to me, this looks like the actual green flashing light is optional for C0, but if you don't have it, then you can't fly at night.
So do we have a quote from DJI where it's claimed that Mini 3 Pro is intended to fly at night?

Andreja Posted at 9-8 03:47
Since we're discussing EU in this thread now, do we actually have a clear requirement for a green flashing light as a part of the C0 requirements, and actually know that DJI is going to enable it?

The requirements for the aircraft are listed here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20200809&qid=1655052244276&from=EN

May be you are strictly right …. But for the moment the EU has not classify yet the Mini 3 Pro as C0 drone (I believed that some countries are going to classify as C1)…. The use of extended batteries or external lights transform technically the Mini 3 Pro in a C1 class drone (>250 GR)  The decision to dótate at this drone with a fixed diaphragm of f/1.7, very luminous implies the aim to use it in low light environment … aka… night flights, as many user are doing…. So, sincerely, I think DJI must provide green flashing lights by night  for this drone.

Andreja Posted at 9-8 03:47
Since we're discussing EU in this thread now, do we actually have a clear requirement for a green flashing light as a part of the C0 requirements, and actually know that DJI is going to enable it?

The requirements for the aircraft are listed here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02019R0945-20200809&qid=1655052244276&from=EN

Quote: So do we have a quote from DJI where it's claimed that Mini 3 Pro is intended to fly at night?

Yes we have. If you have a look at the DJI website, where they show the Mini 3 and you scroll down, you'll find on the German website the headline: "Flieg bei Tag und bei Nacht", which means "fly during the day and at night".

Source: https://www.dji.com/de/mini-3-pro

Drone Jockey Posted at 9-9 04:09
Quote: So do we have a quote from DJI where it's claimed that Mini 3 Pro is intended to fly at night?

Yes we have. If you have a look at the DJI website, where they show the Mini 3 and you scroll down, you'll find on the German website the headline: "Flieg bei Tag und bei Nacht", which means "fly during the day and at night".

Thanks a lot for that info!

I can't stand the type of presentation DJI's website is using, so I just skipped it and went to specifications, so I must have missed the claim that way.

Drone Jockey Posted at 9-9 04:09
Quote: So do we have a quote from DJI where it's claimed that Mini 3 Pro is intended to fly at night?

Yes we have. If you have a look at the DJI website, where they show the Mini 3 and you scroll down, you'll find on the German website the headline: "Flieg bei Tag und bei Nacht", which means "fly during the day and at night".

that's a marketing claim, not a legal claim.  big difference.

try to find YouTube reviews on this lights. Lumecube strobe: ; Firehouse ARC V: Symik strobe: Vifly strobe, Lucrob strobe, Ulanzi strobe:

Drone Jockey Posted at 2022-9-7 05:55
Ok, if it really doesn't matter, why then did DJI decide to switch off the lights on the Mini 3 during video recording, especially when we consider, that they will need a C0 certification later?

That's not logical, because switching them off was definitely additional coding effort, so they will have done that for a reason.

From a photographers untold secret/point of view! (and a lil tech)

I would think the record on, powers off the lights as too help preserve/redistribute the power consumption of the record feature.

Also... It Might help to prevent the eye attention from the camera as well (red/yellow/green eyes).
Then again the swarm of bee noise is still there to grab the subject curiosity of attention (eys on target) if it has a heartbeat.
If its a structure or something it may help on any reflective surface as well. (nothing like trying to take a selfie in the mirror with the flash on!)