Drone strobe light: Ulanzi DR-01 review

When it comes to night flights, adding extra light to your drone is a must-have. The solution could come from Ulanzi. Their DR-01 drone strobe light is self-powered and easy to install. Furthermore, it can bright in 3 different colors, in case you share the flight space with multiple drones.

My first drone light was a camera type flash strobe. It was lightweight and super-bright but it required wiring. Thanks to the built-in 3.7V/250mAh battery, the Ulanzi DR-01 drone strobe can work standalone, without needing to be wired to the drone’s main battery. If you ever had a flyaway, you probably know how hard it is to find your drone. As the DR-01 remains active, even in case your drone battery is disconnected during a collision with the ground, will be a real help in the rescue mission.

Ulanzi DR-01 drone strobe light review

Disclosure: I received this drone light as part of a product review collaboration with Ulanzi. Although the product was offered for free, all the opinions in this review remain my own.

While I expected to receive only one light, I found in the package 3 pieces of them. Thanks for this! Each light comes individually packed with a USB Type-C charging cable, two mounting Velcro pads, and a tiny user manual.

Tech specs

• Light color: red, green & white;
• Light set: quick flashing, slow flashing, and constant lighting;
• Power: Built-in 3.7V/250mAh battery;
• Battery life: up to 20 hours for flashing mode and 2 hours for continuous lighting;
• Charging socket: USB Type-C;
• Mounting: 3M self-adhesive Velcro;
• Size: 1.7 * 1 inch;
• Weight: 14 grams.

At a glance

The DR-01 feels nicely build and sturdy. The top lid is completely transparent, so the mainboard with all electronic parts are visible. There are 6 RGB (3 x 2 rows) LEDs inside. The drone strobe measures about 1.7 x 1 x 0.7 inch and weigh just 14 grams.

USB Type-C charging socket and Power/Mode button are found on the bottom of the device. While by long-pressing the button you can power On/Off the strobe light, by short pressing you can toggle between white, red, and green. Each color has 3 states: slow flashing, rapid flashing, and always on.

Compatibility

Personally, I tested it with my new Manic Mini. During night flights it helped a lot, especially that the Mini comes with only a rear status LED. Using the included self-adhesive Velcro pad, attaching to the fuselage was very easy.

Practically, the Ulanzi DR-01 navigation strobe light can be used on any drone which can take an extra weight of 14 grams and has a flat area of 2 x 1″ where you can attach it. Note: before starting your flight, always double-check if the light is firmly attached to the drone, also that it is not in the “action” zone of the propellers.

IMHO, for best visibility, the DR-01 drone light should be installed on the belly or tail of the drone. Unfortunately, my MINI has space only on top, during high altitude flights the visibility was poorly improved.

Strobe light test on Mavic Mini drone

Price and Availability

You can buy this DR01 drone light for $24.95 directly from its manufacturer – either from popular online RC retailers like Banggood (where it is even cheaper!).

Editor’s ratings

Pros

• Lightweight and easy to install;
• Self-powered (up to 20 hours working time);
• No wiring required;
• 3 colors (white, red & green);
• 3 operation modes (fast flashing, slow flashing, and constant lighting mode);
• Standard USB Type-C charging port.

Cons

• For best visibility, needs to be installed on belly or rear;
• Quite expensive;
• For easy access, the mode button could be on top.