Tello LED lights add-on

mbane78 · Jan 5, 2020

HI, just wanted to show a cheap DIY LED lights I made for my Tello.

I used a LED lights that came with some lollipop package my kids got, it uses 3x LR44 button batteries and has a switch on top. I made a clip on a 3D printer so I could attach it to Tello, it clips on easy, but holds it rather firm - it takes two seconds to attach or detach it.

It ways just 6g and my flight with it drops about 1 minute (12:30 vs 13:30 on average)

I can easily spot my drone from a 100m with it. Front LED is constant blue, and rear one changes colors.

Here is it in action:

Flight815 · Jan 5, 2020

I love it! Well done! I will be making some kind of light kit for mine too.

TelloCarl · Jan 5, 2020

I'm part way through making a kit too. Well done.

MNNJR69 · Jan 6, 2020

Nice! I did something similar with a cheap dollar store led and a small piece of Velcro.

Magoo582 · Jan 6, 2020

Can’t fly mine at night as it seems to go in a trance & drifts off..

IronManTello · Jan 7, 2020

Could you draw power from the main battery to do this? I’d love to put some lights on mine but I don’t want to use more batteries. Would like to get power from the micro USB port. Is that even possible?

Louis08 · Jan 7, 2020

IronManTello said:
get power from the micro USB port. Is that even possible?

yes, the charging port is able to deliver power as well

see e.g. here: Output Volts from the USB port

TelloCarl · Jan 7, 2020

Magoo582 said:
Can’t fly mine at night as it seems to go in a trance & drifts off..

It will, the infrared is fine at night. But the camera isn’t so you get vertical hold but no horizontal lock.

xcrost · Jan 7, 2020

Here's my set-up. Not the prettiest but you can't see it in the dark anyway!

Flight time ~10 min. Weight: 3.7g
Easy assembly If you can solder. No resistors req'd.
Micro OTG Adapter: Micro USB Male to USB Female OTG Adapter Converter For Phone Tablet Mouse | eBay
LED's (Blue and Green are the brightest and can handle the voltage without resistors): USA 100pcs 3/5mm LED Emitting Diodes Light Kit Red Green Blue Yellow White | eBay
Wire & Shrink Tube came from Dollar Tree Store

Some caveats to flying at night:
I personally would only use TelloFPV+WiFi Extender+OTG Controller(T1s). If the App is unstable or you lose connection or you have BT interference etc. you will lose your Tello.
Take off and only fly in FAST/Sport mode.
Tello attitude is limited above ~5 meters.
I have a total blast flying at night! Good Luck & have fun!

Lou M · Jan 8, 2020

xcrost said:
Here's my set-up. Not the prettiest but you can't see it in the dark anyway!
Flight time ~10 min. Weight: 3.7g
Easy assembly If you can solder. No resistors req'd.
Micro OTG Adapter: Micro USB Male to USB Female OTG Adapter Converter For Phone Tablet Mouse | eBay
LED's (Blue and Green are the brightest and can handle the voltage without resistors): USA 100pcs 3/5mm LED Emitting Diodes Light Kit Red Green Blue Yellow White | eBay
Wire & Shrink Tube came from Dollar Tree Store
View attachment 5356 View attachment 5353 View attachment 5354 View attachment 5355
Some caveats to flying at night:
I personally would only use TelloFPV+WiFi Extender+OTG Controller(T1s). If the App is unstable or you lose connection or you have BT interference etc. you will lose your Tello.
Take off and only fly in FAST/Sport mode.
Tello attitude is limited above ~5 meters.
I have a total blast flying at night! Good Luck & have fun!

Nice simple set-up. Which pins, on the OTG Adapter, do you connect the red and black wires?

TelloCarl · Jan 8, 2020

None if you have OTG lead. In an OTG the ID pin is already grounded so the Tello supplies power out as if it was the send end of the cable.

TelloCarl · Jan 8, 2020

The red is +V and black -ve.

Lou M · Jan 8, 2020

TelloCarl said:
The red is +V and black -ve.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with OTG. Looking at the OTG Adapter, in the link that you gave, it shows the adapter with 4 pins. You said the red is +V and the black is -ve. Are they marked? Thanks

TelloCarl · Jan 8, 2020

The outer two are DC, the inner are data pairs.If you cut the USB off this is what you find. Use the red for +5V and the black wire for -ve.

TelloCarl · Jan 8, 2020

If you leave the USB end on the adapter or cable then it will power any 500mA device. Although it will empty your Tello quickly of juice if you try and charge your iPhone!

xcrost · Jan 8, 2020

Lou M said:
Sorry, I'm not familiar with OTG. Looking at the OTG Adapter, in the link that you gave, it shows the adapter with 4 pins. You said the red is +V and the black is -ve. Are they marked? Thanks

Here Ya go! They are not marked on the adapter.

Lou M · Jan 8, 2020

xcrost said:
Here Ya go! They are not marked on the adapter.
View attachment 5372

Thanks a lot.

dronemodbr · May 11, 2021

mbane78 said:
HI, just wanted to show a cheap DIY LED lights I made for my Tello.

I used a LED lights that came with some lollipop package my kids got, it uses 3x LR44 button batteries and has a switch on top. I made a clip on a 3D printer so I could attach it to Tello, it clips on easy, but holds it rather firm - it takes two seconds to attach or detach it.

It ways just 6g and my flight with it drops about 1 minute (12:30 vs 13:30 on average)

I can easily spot my drone from a 100m with it. Front LED is constant blue, and rear one changes colors.

View attachment 5337

Here is it in action:

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Deleted member 18793 · Jul 23, 2021

Learned a lot for developing my solution. It doesn't draw from the Tello's battery or block vents. The total weight is 4g and the velcro strap doubles as a way to keep the battery in. The velcro on the Tello can be used to mount other things, e.g. a searchlight or cargo net.

Hacky · Oct 4, 2021

Has anyone experimented, what kind of LED on the bottom side would be sufficient in order to make the downward facing cam work even in the dark?

I know that the ToF sensor also works in the dark but the vertical camera for optical flow (horizontal position hold) needs enough light.