0 DEGREES -9 WINDCHILL

[KB9Radio]

I've flown my Mavic 2 Zoom in the 0°F temperature range several times with no problems. I do use the Smart Controller, which doesn't seem to mind the cold at all. As you and others have mentioned, try to keep the batteries warm until you are ready to snap it in and take off. After you get a good GPS lock of course.

 

[Tofino]

Any sub-zero (F) flights?

If anybody has flown in these sub-zero days, please do post some pix/vids! Some of the Lake Michigan shots I've seen in the media look to have been done by drones. I suppose if you taped a hand-warmer pack to the battery, started the drone inside a warm car and let the battery warm up before...

mavicpilots.com

Here is a thread from a while back about flying in the cold.

 

[Rubenc87]

Good to know the advice for flying in extreme cold weather.

 

[dave canada]

leave it cold fly away and you,ll be just fine my pros have been out in the freezbelow 0 and came back warm and the batteries varry from 45 to 105 flights and i,m using 7 batteries a never had a problem with them except one had a bad cell not sure it had anything to do with freezing weather since it happened in august ,It registered 100 at take off and 3 seconds later or 134 ft up 000 better catch one like that if possible, don,t baby them around and you,ll find what they will do, and the 105 by the way is a P,EXTRA oem usually go before the PE,S weird but thats the stats

 

[EsaT]

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 didn't shoot that video, name of its maker and editor is on that image
Youtube page tells it was shot using Mavic 2 Pro.
Sorry for taking time to answer. Besides usual evening things had sauna.
(that's where 60C is freezing temperature in Finnish scale)

Anyway except for precautions needed for battery haven't heard of drones having extra issues in cold here in Finland.
Certainly haven't myself had those.
But Samsung Galaxy S8 had complaint about it being too cold to charge its battery when connected to remote when flying week ago...

Also digital cameras have their operating temperature range usually down to 0C, despite of going to -1C being being really no bigger drop than that between 2C and 1C:
Actual challenge is when coming from cold outside to warm inside possibly condensing water on surfaces of cold camera/lenses.


Myself having Mavic Pro Platinum with that old small 12MP sensor and looking for upgrade have looked precisely both Air 2S and Mavic 3 and that temperature spec difference is about the least significant in that.

Smaller size and weight sure would be nice, but with VLOS being official equirement and also good safety precaution, that second tele lens camera would certainly be handy for close ups from farther targets in landscapes.
Also at least DJI is intending to have EASA drone class certificate for Mavic 3, but it's not sure if Air 2S is planned to get that...
While in Europe there's no distinction between commercial and recreational drone flying, calling drone class situation as total "Charlie Foxtrot" is understatement.

 

[twickers14]

I have now found the source of the advice I set out above-it’s from DJI direct in their latest promo email. Really good piece on cold weather flying. Hope you can find it. I would attach it if I knew how to-the joys of old age!

 

[neutron]

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

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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.

Hi, what is this music? It sounds like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

 

[boblapree]

I've had a few low battery temp warnings on my MP Pro when flying in cold weather. I'm thinking that using a chemical hand warmer taped to the battery would solve that problem for prolonged flight time. I often use this AC to photograph sunsets, having it hover for 15 min or more as the sunset colors develop. Any folks have experience using this technique?

 

[stevenws]

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.

View attachment 141102
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)

What a cool shot.

 

[skycam509]

Another tip for keeping your mobile device from shutting down: I stick a toe warmer (chemical packet like hand warmers, but with adhesive backing) on the back of my iPad Mini to keep it warm. Works great!

 

[Deleted member 77603]

This was around 8 degrees at takeoff. Hovered a while to warm things up

 

[EsaT]

Forgot one possible factor to be taken into account:
Icing

UAVs suffer from it just like manned aircrafts.

Yesterday flew in -16/17C with slight snow flurry and besides usual thin layer of clear ice forming on motor arms and propellers there were literally tiny clumps of ice growing on propeller leading edges near motor.
Increased current draw to counter that extra drag actually caused message telling to check propellers and warning to fly with caution.

 

[Rchawks]

Very good point. On my first flight yesterday as I got to 400 ft I noticed the video looked as though it had condensation on the lens, then I realized it was low hanging clouds I had flown into. I descended to a lower attitude for the rest of the flight. The low cloud cover was a different height just a few miles down the road. Seeing the conditions you fly in makes me realize it wouldn’t kill me to push a bit more on the weather than what I do,lol.

 

[EsaT]

Very good point. On my first flight yesterday as I got to 400 ft I noticed the video looked as though it had condensation on the lens, then I realized it was low hanging clouds I had flown into. I descended to a lower attitude for the rest of the flight. The low cloud cover was a different height just a few miles down the road. Seeing the conditions you fly in makes me realize it wouldn’t kill me to push a bit more on the weather than what I do,lol.

This looks quite much of that what was growing on propellers in millimeter scale:
Icing Research - Glenn Research Center | NASA
Though colour was halfway to this kind white:
Icing Research - Glenn Research Center | NASA


Flying in four consecutive days with warmest weather at -11C is sure pushing me towards getting RC Pro for next drone.
Having to play with phone in attaching to/detaching from remote is kind of "pain in the fingers" when keeping fingers warm is already challenge.
And despite of increased bulk from original remote, DJI's newer standard remote doesn't even have basic telemetry display (or same controls) making it plain dumbmote.
So might as well use that extra carried bulk for something actually usefull in easy of use and functions.



And in my case there's another special "obstacle" to overcome...

Spoiler

Need to file literal flight plan at least hour before flying, courtesy of ADIZ.

Propably not that many others here who are pilot in command in official forms...