FPV @ NIGHT

Hi Guys

I was wondering if anyone has experience with flying FPV at night? Is a particular camera required? Obviously, lights on the plane, but what configuration i.e. green left red right? I'd appreciate any pointers.

Cheers

Jason
 

Nonamerc

Arman
I think that green would be the best because the human eye is more sensitive to green then to red. Use green to cover the fuselage and use red for the left wing and blue for the right wing.
Get one of these:
http://www.readymaderc.com/store/in...arch_in_description=1&keyword=strobon&x=0&y=0
Tim from readymaderc:
We tested it since months and followed the flashes from 2km at the dark without any problem.

Also get an osd, the best thing is to change the color from the letters from black to white. Also you should find some other navigation points. Normally you would choice a red house or something but since you can see the colors that good you should choose highways or roads as navigation point. Most cheap cameras dont perform that good in low light conditions. I personally dont know much about fpv cameras but I dont suggest that you should buy the fh18c because I have tested it and it does not work good in low light conditions.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Even with an OSD I'd be lost! I reckon I've seen some camera mods that give you a night vision type display, but I wouldn't be able to tell you more than Professor Google.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
No, I'm saying type keywords into Google to find RCG threads on modifying cameras for night vision display.

Sorry, I literally added my signature a few minutes ago. It's not directed at you! Sorry if it came across like that!
 
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Nonamerc

Arman
Must be some kind of typical English phrase/sentence that we dont learn in English class. Sorry lobster, I tought you called me professor google.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Yeah, might be a sub-cultural thing too. Often when we don't know something, we refer people to the research of Prof. Google, or occasionally 'Our Lord and Master Google'.
 

UndCon

UndCon
With my cameras I can fly when it gets really dark - I also have a permit for a really strong laser that I can use to mark landing spots or targets with

For LOS flights a few LED strips is good on the plane
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
Something I thought of is having a friend point a strong flashlight or laser pointer at your plane - so you can see the location you are going to land. And also mark the beginning and the end of your landing field, perhaps with some of those garden torches.

I play around with the idea to fly over the beach at night. There is a well-lit road going along the beach, and with a nice fire on the beach finding a way back shouldn't be a problem. As for orientation, if you fly North, the lights and the town will be on your right, and if you fly South, they will be on your left. A well lit town is visible from a satellite, so why not from a plane? Now think about a power outage... :O
 

Nonamerc

Arman
At night there will be allot less interference! Do you guys land your plane FPV? I always switch before landing to LOS so I can land her safely.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Made my first FPV landing last week :) I usually pass the tx to my spotter, get him to show me where the plane is, then I land it.
 

Nonamerc

Arman
Cool, I always am scared of landing my plane with FPV because I have no osd and I cant really see of the plane is banking or how fast I am going..
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Yeah, I can understand that. I was scared too. Was quite a buzz! I don't think the OSD helped me, but I thought I'd give it a shot because the wind was fairly strong, so I knew I'd lose speed appropriately without the risk of tip stalling. Had to kick the nose around with the rudder in the last few seconds though!
 

UndCon

UndCon
As long as the camera pointing forward there is no real danger of landing even without OSD.
I just set up an approach and start reducing throttle - keep wings level to the ground and you end up safely on the ground.

I have OSD with all extras (Eagle Tree) and HK E-OSD - it does not matter about landing.
//UndCon