Anyone flown the Mini 2 below freezing temperatures?

[catowner7]

The manual states 0°C as the minimum.

 

[photo2be]

Yes I have in Sweden. About -7 C degrees below zero. Was in the air for about 11min and had alot of batt. left,
No probs.

 

[African wildlife]

Yes, but I wouldn't if there was freezing fog. Keep any batteries close to your body before you insert them into the drone, then they won't get cold.

Hang on a minute, you're from Spain....! "Freezing?" You're having a laugh! (Seriously, I do know that the mountains around Madrid, for example, sometimes get snow.)

You should come to the UK (still open and doing well after we've left the EU, plus very friendly - even to the French). Or go to the US or Canada - where they use that wonderfully ambiguous word "frigid". (To the Americans, the word means very cold, but to us who invented English it means sexually disinterested.) I've worked in temperatures down to -40C albeit not using a drone.

 

[catowner7]

Well, this year we have probably seen more snow in Spain than you can imagine. The situation in Madrid was classified as catastrophic and lots of areas had temperatures below -15°C. I'm well familiar with the UK and its climate, that is why I stay in Spain. [emoji1]

 

[African wildlife]

Let's blame the EU!

My wife and I have a third family member (another wonderful woman) who is originally from Madrid.

 

[izometric]

I believe Mini 2 has electric heaters in the lower sides of the battery compartment actively heating the batteries.


Otherwise there is no explanation as why my batteries jump from 10-12 degrees Celsius to 25 C within one minute. There is no way a chemical reaction generates that much heat that fast. I can feel the drone generating a lot of heat from the sides when I catch it with my fingers in cold weather.

 

[African wildlife]

I believe Mini 2 has electric heaters in the lower sides of the battery compartment actively heating the batteries.


Otherwise there is no explanation as why my batteries jump from 10-12 degrees Celsius to 25 seconds within one minute. There is no way a chemical reaction generates that much heat that fast. I can feel the drone generating a lot of heat from the sides when I catch it with my fingers in cold weather.

You're correct in thinking that the batteries will keep warm (and get warmer) whilst the drone is being operated. The risk is beforehand, which is why it's a good idea to keep them from getting cold by putting them next to a warm human body.

 

[Lastrexking]

No, bec

The manual states 0°C as the minimum.

No, because the manual states not to. It’s the same reason I don’t drive my car on two wheels.

 

[Lastrexking]

My wife and I have a third family member (another wonderful woman) who is originally from Madrid.

Wait, what? Ok, I’ll be the one that asks, as we’re all dying to know what that means ?

 

[reaperman]

I had mine out yesterday at 14F (-10C) and again this morning around the same temps. No warnings at all. I have a lot of space to fly at my home being I live in a rural area with very few homes. In my brief experience with the mini 2, is I enter all of the settings I want to use during the upcoming flight into the drone from inside my home first. In doing this, I feel the battery warm the drone up being its not moving and the outside air isn't cooling it off yet. I feel a warm battery is better.

 

[izometric]

I feel the battery warm the drone up being its not moving and the outside air isn't cooling it off yet. I feel a warm battery is better.

The battery can actually heat itself up. That also explain how the battery can self discharge to 96% respectively 72% when unused for several days.

I found this video explaining the self heating:

 

[African wildlife]

Wait, what? Ok, I’ll be the one that asks, as we’re all dying to know what that means ?

Three of us love each other. (The technical term is a polyamorous family.) The excellent drama series Trigonometry is still available on BBC's iPlayer, which covers the subject well - although we're even greater together.

 

[Lastrexking]

Three of us love each other. (The technical term is a polyamorous family.) The excellent drama series Trigonometry is still available on BBC's iPlayer, which covers the subject well - although we're even greater together.

All you need is love. Great lyrics, from a rubbish song - but I believe it’s the most important thing in life. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and is unique and vital to us all. ?

 

[DanMan32]

The battery can actually heat itself up. That also explain how the battery can self discharge to 96% respectively 72% when unused for several days.

I found this video explaining the self heating:

Don't confuse self discharge based on circuitry in the battery that uses intelligence to discharge the cells through external resistors vs heat generated by current through the cells' internal resistance. All batteries have a parasitic internal resistance, as does wiring. That's why the research and application of superconductors which don't have any resistance.

Ohms law says:
V=IR.
P=VI - this is what generates heat.
If a wire or cell has 0.1 ohms, and 10A goes through it, then the resistance causes a voltage drop of 1V.
The power wasted through that is then 10W, which generates 10W of heat, since it isn't converted to any other form of energy.

The controlled self discharge also generates heat, but not during flight. It only occurs when scheduled by the BMS.

 

[izometric]

Self heating batteries usually have a thin nickel foil that acts as a resistor for fast heating. Discharging a battery fast will not raise internal temperature like a dedicated heating resistor. Not even close.

Why would anyone add a different resistive circuit for self discharging where there is already a heating resistive circuit present that can be used for both heating and discharging? Especially in a flying machine where every fraction of a gram counts.

Plus, you fast discharge a battery while the aircraft is on the ground with...what? The motors are not producing any work.

Not to mention that the motors are designed for efficiency. They will draw the lowest possible current to produce the highest possible work. This in combination with the freezing temperature that makes the air more dense will further boost the flight efficiency.

From where I stand all facts point to dedicated heating circuitry.

 

[catowner7]

Frigid - next to a warm body - I don't drive my car on two wheels - I feel a warm battery is better - self discharge - three of us love each other - all you need is love - controlled discharge also generates heat - it only occurs when scheduled

I love this thread [emoji1][emoji1]

 

[Thomas B]

I believe Mini 2 has electric heaters in the lower sides of the battery compartment actively heating the batteries.


Otherwise there is no explanation as why my batteries jump from 10-12 degrees Celsius to 25 C within one minute. There is no way a chemical reaction generates that much heat that fast. I can feel the drone generating a lot of heat from the sides when I catch it with my fingers in cold weather.

Your findings can be explained by battery discharge.
Doubt that there are any heaters in your drone (Mini 2).... contact DJI and consult the full 50-60 page online only DJI manual for your drone.

 

[teeroy]

Three of us love each other. (The technical term is a polyamorous family.) The excellent drama series Trigonometry is still available on BBC's iPlayer, which covers the subject well - although we're even greater together.

I have enough trouble keeping one happy. Good on you.

 

[dulcificum]

The manual states 0°C as the minimum.

Yes no issues apart from obviously battery life gets problematic the lower you go. I expect you'd run into issues on both the battery and the drone if you done pre battery and motors below about - 25C.

 

[TheDude]

Check it. Found this on the Tubes...