When a flashlight won’t cut it, Freefly Systems has an answer that’s both extreme and bright—literally. The Washington-based drone company has unveiled the Flying Sun 1000, a high-powered aerial lighting rig that uses 288 LEDs mounted on a heavy-lift drone to project up to 300,000 lumens of light over massive areas, creating daylight-like conditions at night.
Built around Freefly’s Alta X quadcopter, the Flying Sun 1000 transforms the industrial drone into an airborne spotlight system for large-scale operations. Four lighting panels, each with 72 high-output LEDs, are attached beneath the drone’s arms. These panels are cooled by the downwash from the drone’s propellers, allowing for continuous illumination without overheating.
Depending on its altitude, the Flying Sun 1000 can adapt its lighting footprint. At around 316 feet, it covers a massive 137,000-square-foot area with a 1-foot candle intensity. Closer to the ground, say at 100 feet, the spotlight becomes more intense—up to 10 foot candles—over a tighter 14,000-square-foot radius. It’s a flexible tool for applications like construction sites, search and rescue missions, film production, or emergency response scenarios.
This much light doesn’t come cheap in terms of energy. While the Alta X normally runs on two 16-Ah lithium battery packs for 20 to 50 minutes, the Flying Sun 1000 draws too much power for prolonged use. That’s why the system includes a tethered cable, allowing it to be powered continuously from an electric vehicle, portable generator, or external source. On battery alone, flight time drops to just 5–10 minutes when using the lights.
Despite its size and capability, the entire Flying Sun 1000 setup is designed to be deployed by one person in a matter of minutes. Freefly has emphasized portability and rapid response, making it attractive to professionals in high-stakes environments.
The Flying Sun 1000 is now available for preorder and is expected to begin shipping in June. At $59,995, it’s aimed at serious commercial and governmental users.
For those who don’t need quite as much light, Freefly also offers the Flying Sun 500, which costs $49,995 but still packs a significant punch.
