If you’re searching for a strobe light to enhance your drone’s visibility, the VIFLY Strobe Light is a must-consider option. Priced at around $15, it weighs only six grams, making it both lightweight and highly effective. In this review, we’ll dive into the features, performance, and ideal use cases of the VIFLY Strobe Light to help you decide if it’s the right fit for your drone.
Overview of the VIFLY Strobe Light
The VIFLY Strobe Light is designed specifically to be attached to a drone, making it an excellent choice for photography-style drones like the Mavic Mini. The strobe has a built-in battery, which is a major convenience because you don’t need to wire it to a power source. This feature makes it versatile, allowing you to attach it to virtually any flying device without the hassle of additional wiring.
When powered on, the strobe offers three different colors: white, red, and green. Each color can be toggled through various flashing settings, giving you complete control over the strobe’s brightness and pattern. Let’s walk through these settings in detail.
Strobe Settings and Modes
The VIFLY Strobe Light has an intuitive operation, activated via a button on the device. Pressing and holding the button for about four seconds powers it on, and it cycles through various modes. Here’s what you can expect:
- White Strobe: A double flash of white light, which is incredibly bright and eye-catching.
- White Blinky: A flashing white light that blinks at regular intervals.
- Solid White: A continuous bright white light.
- Red Strobe: A double flash of red light.
- Red Blinky: A blinking red light.
- Solid Red: A continuous red light.
- Green Strobe: A double flash of green light.
- Green Blinky: A blinking green light.
- Solid Green: A continuous green light.
If you want to turn the strobe off, simply press and hold the button. When turning it back on, it will default to the last mode you had selected, which is a nice touch for convenience.
Accessories and Charging
The VIFLY Strobe Light comes with a few helpful accessories: two hook-side Velcro sticky patches and a soft-sided Velcro patch to securely attach it to your drone. Additionally, the strobe includes a USB-C cable for charging.
According to the manual, the working time of the strobe is about four hours, but this can vary depending on the mode you are using. For instance, the blinking red light will likely consume less power than the solid white light. The strobe has a visibility range of over three miles, which is highly impressive for such a small device.
One feature that I particularly appreciate is the clear heat shrink tubing used on the strobe. It’s thick and durable, allowing the light to wrap around the strobe, enhancing visibility. However, while the strobe is not officially waterproof, you could potentially waterproof it yourself by sealing the small holes on either side of the heat shrink.
Ideal Use Case for the VIFLY Strobe Light
The primary use case for the VIFLY Strobe Light is for attaching it to drones, such as the Mavic Mini, for improved visibility during flights. Whether you place it on the top or bottom of your drone, the light significantly increases your drone’s visibility to others, which is especially important for safety in low-light conditions.
While the strobe is perfect for camera drones, it could also be used on FPV drones. However, on an FPV drone, you might consider wiring it into the flight controller’s electrical system instead of relying on its onboard battery. That said, the simplicity of the strobe’s design, which doesn’t require additional wiring, makes it a practical choice for drone enthusiasts.
If you plan on using this strobe with FPV drones, you could even use two of them, one on the top and one on the bottom, for maximum coverage.
Lighting Example
I took the VIFLY Strobe Light into a backyard for a quick lighting test. Although it wasn’t completely dark. The result is a somewhat realistic example of how the strobe appears at night, though capturing the true brightness on camera is challenging due to the nature of LED lights and how their brightness is regulated.
After stepping about 40 feet away, the strobe remained visible and clear, showcasing the strong visibility it offers even at a distance.
Personal Preference for Strobe Mode
Out of all the available modes, my personal preference is the slow blink. When flying fast-moving objects like FPV drones or airplanes, a slow blink offers a better indication of your movement across space. The fast strobe light, although visible, might not always offer consistent positioning, as the strobe’s flashing intervals can leave gaps where the drone’s location isn’t as clear. On the other hand, a slow blink ensures that your drone’s position remains more noticeable over time.
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Article Summary
In summary, the VIFLY Strobe Light is an excellent choice for drone owners who need a simple, reliable strobe light solution. Its lightweight design, variety of modes, and built-in battery make it a convenient and effective addition to your drone setup. Whether you’re flying a camera drone or an FPV drone, this strobe provides superior visibility, making your flights safer and more noticeable. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, stick-on solution for anti-collision lighting, the VIFLY Strobe Light is definitely worth checking out.
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