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Battery Normal Operating Temps.

StubbornSwiss

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Greetings!

What exactly is the normal operating temperature for the Mavic Mini batteries?

The manual references a charging temperature range (41 - 104 F), and a temperature at which charging will automatically cut off (122 F), but I see no reference to a normal operating temperature range.

I see from Airdata UAV that the hottest battery temperature I have hit is 108.9 F, and I am wondering if this is bordering on the high side.

Thanks.
 

I believe that is the aircrafts operating temperature range. The air temperature range within which it is recommended to operate the drone.

I am looking for the battery temperature range. How hot is a too hot battery?

Thanks for the input!
 
I believe that is the aircrafts operating temperature range. The air temperature range within which it is recommended to operate the drone.

I am looking for the battery temperature range. How hot is a too hot battery?

Thanks for the input!
I have always thought that was based on the batteries... 40 degrees C (104F) being the temp at which heat dissipation slows/stops and the battery becomes a heat sink.
 
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I don't think you are gonna "get there"* in normal use, and if DJI doesn't spec it, generic is variously spec'd at 55 C 131 F. That high is not for storage though.

The battery is going to be air cooled in normal flight, not sure about hover, as I don't think all DJI drones have an on-board cooling fan, but most do I think.
 
I don't think you are gonna "get there"* in normal use, and if DJI doesn't spec it, generic is variously spec'd at 55 C 131 F. That high is not for storage though.

The battery is going to be air cooled in normal flight, not sure about hover, as I don't think all DJI drones have an on-board cooling fan, but most do I think.
Still ... the reason I limit my summer flights at ambient above 104F. Air may not dissipate heat fast enough... I do fly conservatively though.
 
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But I am assuming the batteries will always reach a temperature higher than ambient. So is it not reasonable to think that if the normal operating temp of the aircraft is 32° to 104°F, the operating temp of the battery would be higher?

Or maybe I should have rephrased my initial question to: what is the maximum permissible battery temperature?

Thanks for all the input!
 
Not sure if this add to the discussion but i am currently in the process of sending back my drone for repair due to an overheated battery. After my last flight the drone's body was melted. I'm actually surprised it didn't crash. the battery compartment is warped and the propellers are stuck because the plastic that surrounds the motors is warped out of shape. I think it's possible for the batteries to get really hot under certain conditions.
 
Oh wow. Thats crazy! Sorry about that.....

Did you by any chance notice what the battery temperature was from the in app indicator?

Do you use Airdata UAV? Maybe you could have a look there to see what your 'Hottest Battery Temp' shows.

There is a battery temperature indicator in the app, and it would be good to know what temps to be wary of.

Cheers!
 
it would be good to know what temps to be wary of.
Most manufacturers state that the max operating temperature is 60C

Here specs from Panasonic 18650:
Panasonic18650_specs.jpg
 
@Keule

Thank you so much for posting this. I really think this is good information to have, and as it's been shown by @Logisticalstyles post above (overheating battery melting/warping drone body) it is not unreasonable to say that one should also monitor battery temps. during flight.

Afterall there's got to be a
reason for having the battery temperature indicator in the app, right?

Again, many thanks.
 
Last edited:
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Oh wow. Thats crazy! Sorry about that.....

Did you by any chance notice what the battery temperature was from the in app indicator?

Do you use Airdata UAV? Maybe you could have a look there to see what your 'Hottest Battery Temp' shows.

There is a battery temperature indicator in the app, and it would be good to know what temps to be wary of.

Cheers!
I didn't notice the battery temperature. In fact I didn't know that info was available. I usually just monitor the battery charge.
 
I didn't notice the battery temperature. In fact I didn't know that info was available. I usually just monitor the battery charge.

Yup...... there actually is a battery temperature indicator on the app.

And Airdata UAV has quite a bit of very interesting flight information. Recently I have been trying to understand all the information presented there, to get a better understanding of what my drone is doing and whats going on with it behind the scenes. It appears most people reference it only when the have had an incident and want to find out what happened, but for me I like to understand the data regardless of whether anything has gone wrong.

If you don't already have an account with them, you can sign up for a free account and keep track of all your flights and flight data logs.

Cheers!
 
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Heat kills batteries. All of them. All of the time.

Keep batteries cool and they will last much longer.

I believe you may be able to use the batteries in below freezing conditions but the flight times and performance will be markedly reduced. Lithium battery performance is pretty poor in freezing conditions.

Don't let your batteries get hot. Keep your phone off the dash when parked. Etc.

I'm kind of a battery guy. Kind of. Comes with living off grid and using batteries for energy needs.

I store lithium button batteries in the fridge.
 
Not sure if this add to the discussion but i am currently in the process of sending back my drone for repair due to an overheated battery. After my last flight the drone's body was melted. I'm actually surprised it didn't crash. the battery compartment is warped and the propellers are stuck because the plastic that surrounds the motors is warped out of shape. I think it's possible for the batteries to get really hot under certain conditions.
Plastic around the motors shouldn't be affected by battery temperatures.
 
Plastic around the motors shouldn't be affected by battery temperatures.

This is so true. I didn't even think about that. How would a hot battery affect the plastic around the motors?

@Logisticalstyles could you maybe explain a bit more what actually happened? Do you happen to have any pictures? It would be interesting to know what actually happened.

Cheers!
 
This is so true. I didn't even think about that. How would a hot battery affect the plastic around the motors?

@Logisticalstyles could you maybe explain a bit more what actually happened? Do you happen to have any pictures? It would be interesting to know what actually happened.

Cheers!
Sorry for the very late reply. All I know is I was flying one evening in an empty parking lot. When I finished my flight the drone was melted and cracked in some areas. The plastic around all four motors was deformed and stopping the motor from moving even if I used my hand. I sent the drone in to DJI and they are replacing the drone free of charge. It should arrive tomorrow. I have some video and pictures on my phone that I can upload.
 
Heat kills batteries. All of them. All of the time.

Keep batteries cool and they will last much longer.

I believe you may be able to use the batteries in below freezing conditions but the flight times and performance will be markedly reduced. Lithium battery performance is pretty poor in freezing conditions.

Don't let your batteries get hot. Keep your phone off the dash when parked. Etc.

I'm kind of a battery guy. Kind of. Comes with living off grid and using batteries for energy needs.

I store lithium button batteries in the fridge.

So using the drone in Las Vegas in the summer when most days are over 104 F — not gonna gettofly much?..
 
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