Note: Different RedEdge versions have different power requirements. RedEdge-3 allows a maximum of 5.5V. RedEdge-M and RedEdge-MX allow a maximum of 15.8V. Please check your camera version and it's voltage limitations before connecting power. This article was originally written for RedEdge-3. For the RedEdge-M and RedEdge-MX, see How do I power the RedEdge-M/MX?
For the Altum, see How do I power the Altum?
RedEdge-3 requires 5.0 volts DC for operation, with a maximum operating voltage of 5.5 V. The supply must be able to provide 10W (2A@5V) peak. Power can be provided to RedEdge-3 in 3 main ways:
1) 5.0-Volt battery pack (such as the commonly available USB power packs for recharging cell phones). A battery pack with at least a 2.1 Amp rating is recommended.
2) Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery pack. In this case, use a BEC to convert the voltage from raw battery voltage to 5.0 V. A BEC with a current rating of at least 5 Amps is recommended (to handle current spikes). Our customers have had success with the following BECs:
- X5UBEC from Hobby King
- CC BEC from Castle Creations
3) Shared power from aircraft's main battery pack. This configuration is not recommended for beginner users, as there is a potential for affecting the flight of the aircraft. The main battery from the aircraft can be used for power of RedEdge. A separate BEC for the camera is required, to ensure that power draw from RedEdge does not affect any other aircraft components. When configuring the power supplies in this way, care should be taken to ensure that the power draw of the camera is taken into account for endurance calculations. RedEdge draws approximately 5.0 Watts continuously.
Wiring pigtails are provided with your RedEdge to allow connection to the power sources shown above. Refer to your aircraft/autopilot's user manuals for further details on limitations that might affect the integration options shown above.