Askar FRA500 Flap Panel (FP2)

FP2 PRO Motorized Flat Panel

Flat-frame acquisition should be simple, reliable, and easy to automate. The FP2 PRO motorized flat panel is designed to make flats a seamless part of your imaging workflow, without improvised solutions such as LCD screens, T-shirts, or the morning sky.

During imaging, the panel stays neatly parked alongside the telescope tube. When your session is finished, simply close the panel and switch on the dimmable LED light to capture flat frames. Brightness can be adjusted to match your camera settings, gain, and filters for consistent results across different setups.

To improve reliability in humid conditions, a dew heater behind the LED panel is now included free with all of our motorized flat panels. It helps remove moisture from the LED surface and reduces the risk of dew being trapped against the OTA when the panel is closed after the session.

The new FP2 PRO generation also brings a number of practical improvements based on customer feedback. These include a redesigned construction for telescopes up to 6″, an improved hinge system, refined compression ring design with swappable inserts, and better sealing performance. Combined with upgraded electronics, improved mechanics, and advanced control features, the FP2 PRO is built to deliver a cleaner, more reliable, and more convenient flat-frame workflow.

Whether you are building a fully automated imaging setup or simply want a more elegant way to capture flats, the FP2 PRO is designed to make your routine faster, easier, and more dependable.

Features

• New FP2 PRO design for telescopes up to 6″
• Compression rings customized for your telescope, with improved design and swappable inserts
• Customizable inserts with notches for heater cables
• Storage cover
• Improved hinge design
• Better sealing performance
• ARM Cortex processor for improved performance and connectivity
• Cross-platform control panel for Windows, Linux, and macOS
• Easy installation with no bolts, 1x hand-tightening knob, and no fiddly zip ties
• Dimmable LED light
• Built-in LED heater behind the panel to prevent dew accumulation (included)
• Servo motor with 270° motion and improved mechanics
• High brightness selection resolution, 12-bit (0–4096)
• Manual control button
• Built-in magnets for secure open and closed positioning
• Custom open position (disabled by default)
• Integrated obstacle detection
• Automatic range calibration
• ASCOM support with automatic port detection, up to 6 concurrent devices
• INDI support
• ASIAIR / AIR camera support (ASIAIR Pro and ASIAIR Plus supported with optional cable; planned compatibility for ZWO AIR cameras and ASIAIR Mini)
• Bahtinov masks, star masks (optional)
• PC connectivity via USB-C cable (included)
• Power requirements: 12V 3A (not included)

For additional details, please see our YouTube video or user manual.

Dimensions

We are currently offering the following 5 different categories of FP2 PRO panels. For larger panels, please check out our XL lineup.