Tiny 250mm Scratch Built Tricopter - Lights and Telemetry
Channel: Charles Werbick
Date: 2014-11-13

Update on progress with my scratch-built 250mm wood tricopter. I've added lights, Bluetooth telemetry and made some impromptu landing gear out of a clothespin. (Though the 45C battery used in the video is thicker than the gear are tall, most of my 1300mAH batteries do fit under the gear.)

LEDs are 3 colored indoor/outdoor and are hard-wired directly to the 3S battery. No light controller is used.*** (This is only possible because 3S is ~12V. It would not be possible without additional circuitry were I using a 4S set-up.) 
I hope to post some video of it flying outdoors once the temperature allows..

*** I did build a more advanced lighting system on my larger tricopter where the 3 colors are each separately controlled by the APM via mosfets.(Video of that copter auto-tuning is here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJcP09eXGRs ) On that one, different LED blinks mean different things- lost GPS lock, low battery, autotune activated, arrival at waypoint, etc.

.