Ulanzi DR-01: Drone RGB Anti-Collision Strobe Light

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 be bright in 3 different colors if 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 if your drone battery is disconnected during a collision with the ground, it will be a real help in the rescue mission.

Ulanzi DR-01 review

Disclosure: I received this drone light in a product review collaboration with Ulanzi. Although the product was 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.

Ulanzi DR-01: 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 built and sturdy. The top lid is completely transparent, so the mainboard with all electronic parts is 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 weighs 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 since 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 and 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!).