0 DEGREES -9 WINDCHILL

[Rchawks]

Quick question about bitter cold flying. If you leave a warm home (with a warm battery). After a one min warmup it would be safe for a shorten flight, correct? Isn't the danger using a very cold battery? I have 2 particular shots I'd like to take today, but a bit paranoid. My question about cold is only about this one issue.

 

[EsaT]

Unless just walking to outside your house, keep battery warm until last minute before flight by keeping it for example in pocket inside outer clothing.

If you allow battery to cool to freezing temperatures, then it loses lots of its capacity to output current/power and any higher discharge, like that creating enough heat to warm it up, will put heavy stress on it.
Both accelerating aging/wear and limiting at the moment available flight time per charge.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

The biggest issue with the cold is just getting the Drone Started , Thus having a warm battery for as long as possible it the key. Once the drone is up and running the battery starts to warm fairly quickly. 20 minute flights should not be an issue after that. If your flying in Extreme cold temps , than we recommend you have the Wet Suit which can provide an Air Tight battery Seal that will keep the battery 6 degrees warmer.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain / and Extreme Temps .

 

[Deleted member 93449]

My IPad or IPhone seems to be more sensitive to the cold than my drone or controller. A number of times one of those has taken a dive while the drone keeps flying.

 

[EsaT]

If your flying in Extreme cold temps , than we recommend you have the Wet Suit which can provide an Air Tight battery Seal that will keep the battery 6 degrees warmer.

Propably it varies from drone model to another, but in Mavic Pro Platinum -20C ambient is just right for keeping battery at (nicely optimal) room temperature during flight.

 

[Rchawks]

Plenty of things to watch and keep track of with flying in the cold. Appreciate the responses. I'm also considering the reward, risk factor of the 2 pictures I'd like to take.

 

[EsaT]

Plenty of things to watch and keep track of with flying in the cold. Appreciate the responses. I'm also considering the reward, risk factor of the 2 pictures I'd like to take.

Unless doing stupid things with the drone/battery, freezing risk is the biggest for pilot's fingers.
Those are lot harder to keep at optimal temperature than drone's battery.


That was from Monday's warming up weather, so only -18C.
Though need to file flight plan hour before flight is the biggest annoyance when sun is above horizon for mighty long five hours.
(couple km inside ADIZ zone)

 

[Chrislaf]

Quick question about bitter cold flying. If you leave a warm home (with a warm battery). After a one min warmup it would be safe for a shorten flight, correct? Isn't the danger using a very cold battery? I have 2 particular shots I'd like to take today, but a bit paranoid. My question about cold is only about this one issue.

Just keep the battery in your pocket so it stays warm and only insert it into your drone when you are ready to fly. Set everything up first then insert the battery and start up. The wind chill will have no effect on the drone, just on you. If your battery is too cold on startup, usually below 20ºC then the drone will not start up.

I fly in cold weather all the time, much colder than the temperatures than you are posting about, and other than taking a few common sense precautions that are posted in many threads on here and the other sister forums, you should be fine. Just make sure you keep your drone in VLOS in case your flying device should shut down because of the cold and you land earlier than normal to give yourself some 'battery margin'.

Good luck!

Chris

 

[VenomXts]

Do you guys seem to have calibrate gimbles when it's really cold? Seems like today and once more earlier this year in freezing temperatures I needed to calibrate the gimble due to a slight miss in horizon. Just wondering don't do a lot of cold flying in general here.

 

[Chrislaf]

Do you guys seem to have calibrate gimbles when it's really cold? Seems like today and once more earlier this year in freezing temperatures I needed to calibrate the gimble due to a slight miss in horizon. Just wondering don't do a lot of cold flying in general here.

No, I never calibrate the gimbal in cold temps. That would be one more unnecessary step that would delay the startup process and in the temps I sometimes fly in by the time that process finished the battery would be too cold to fly and so would my fingers.

Chris

 

[Rchawks]

I had two flight sessions today, other than the aircraft seeming sluggish all went well without much of a hitch.

 

[jbierling]

usually below 20ºC then the drone will not start up.

Below _minus_ 20C?

 

[jbierling]

I have a Mini and flying today at -10C I kept getting warnings about it being too cold despite the fact that the battery must have been about 20C and only subjected to the cold for maybe a minute before takeoff.

 

[Chrislaf]

Below _minus_ 20C?

No. If the battery temp is below 20C the AC may not start up. I’m not sure what the exact threshold is and whether it varies by the AC.

Chris

 

[Etdronehome]

Quick question about bitter cold flying. If you leave a warm home (with a warm battery). After a one min warmup it would be safe for a shorten flight, correct? Isn't the danger using a very cold battery? I have 2 particular shots I'd like to take today, but a bit paranoid. My question about cold is only about this one issue.

I use a feature in the DJI FLY app that shows battery info including temperature. The screen is dynamic as you view it. When I take off and hover for “warmup - preflight check” I can know when the battery is at a temp I’m comfortable with to proceed. Works on hot days as well.

 

[Rchawks]

Great tip!

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

Below _minus_ 20C?

I have flown in -20f with the Mavic Pro. With proper prep and conditions you should have no problems.
The fact that you mentioned wind chill also indicates you have a good wind, that is the other issue you need to look at. The wind chill itself is not a problem, but the added wind must also be taken into consideration.

 

[EsaT]

I have flown in -20f with the Mavic Pro. With proper prep and conditions you should have no problems.

-20F was propably the warmest temperature during shooting of this (really badly translated name because that's daytime) and might have well been -30F:

If cold weather was actually big problem even after few simple precautions, people in Northern Finland would have to buy new drone every May...
In case of of being satisfied to waiting for spring to fly next time.

 

[Chrislaf]

-20F was propably the warmest temperature during shooting of this (really badly translated name because that's daytime) and might have well been -30F:

If cold weather was actually big problem even after few simple precautions, people in Northern Finland would have to buy new drone every May...
In case of of being satisfied to waiting for spring to fly next time.

Some beautiful shots in that video EsaT - well done! What drone were you flying and did you have any trouble with the gimbal pitching at those temperatures? The reason I ask, is I am considering upgrading to either a Air 2S or the new Mavic 3. I'm leaning to the M3 because it's rated to fly in temps to -10ºC.

I have flown my Phantom 3 in temperatures as cold as -25ºC and maybe even a bit colder without any problems. Since it is an old bird my biggest problem is waiting for the IMU to warm up and that sometimes causes my battery to cool too quickly in those temps. I can mitigate this problem somewhat by calibrating my IMU at home outside in the cold so that the IMU doesn't have to wait so long to warm up.

Anyway, enjoyed your beautiful video.

Chris

 

[twickers14]

You don’t need any more advice, least of all from me, but I think I read on this Forum that it also helps to allow a minute’s hover before full ascent to allow the motors and props to warm up. No doubt others will comment.