2 Pro DJI M2P caught in a storm

[mattcoq]

Was going through the footage I took this summer and decided to « edit » this …

Long story short, skies were dark but magnificent above Nesebar, city along the Black Sea Coast, in Bulgaria. I decided it would be interesting to get some timelapses of the clouds moving in the distance, with the island in the foreground. But …. I was a little too optimistic and relied too much on the weather forecast that was not predicting any rain in the area (or at least close by) and winds were supposed to be stable around 16km/h …

Nothing really too touch for the drone and I to handle … Unfortunately, while I was in timelapse mode on the other side of the island, I could sense behind me that the winds were picking up and when I took a glance behind me, I saw that a big cloud was releasing its rain heavily and that it was heading towards me … I would be hit first but my drone was a the opposite and even though would get hit later, I still need to get it back against some winds that I after got the scale of 45/50 km/h …

Never had flown in such winds, and even more against them … Stopped the timelapse mode, started full throttle to head back to where I was located, and getting ready in my mind to eventually loose my drone, not being sure first if I had enough battery to head back (fighting against the wind) and second, how would the drone react with heavy rain, causing maybe a failure to some systems …

Surprisingly, I managed to get it back even though those 1 to 2 minutes, seemed very long to me …

Landed, and we both, soaked to the bones, went home to get dried …

The next day, I first tested the drone on a parking lot to see if all systems were working and everything was fine - Not a sneeze or a cough from the M2P …

Comments more than welcome or just share your experience on similar cases ...

Matt

 

[Deleted member 103366]

I'd be inclined to stick the drone, controller and phone in a warm dry place for a couple of days to bake out any residual water. I have put a vacuum cleaner nozzle over joystick pivots and motor tops to suck rain out. I had a phone start acting up after getting only lightly rained on.

 

[mattcoq]

I'd be inclined to stick the drone, controller and phone in a warm dry place for a couple of days to bake out any residual water. I have put a vacuum cleaner nozzle over joystick pivots and motor tops to suck rain out. I had a phone start acting up after getting only lightly rained on.

Thanks for that input ...

Indeed, good point in order to try to get out all or most of residual water ...

 

[iamcostas]

Amazing experience ?

 

[mattcoq]

Amazing experience ?

Now, that I think about it, yes it was ...

But on the spot,

 

[Jack43]

Comments more than welcome or just share your experience on similar cases ...

Hi Matt, Oh holy smoke that was close to a total loss ? Lucky you and lucky drone ? Good to know, that a drone can withstand to some rain...Thanks to testing it for us ? ?
cheers Paul

 

[mattcoq]

Hi Matt, Oh holy smoke that was close to a total loss ? Lucky you and lucky drone ? Good to know, that a drone can withstand to some rain...Thanks to testing it for us ? ?
cheers Paul

Indeed lucky ... But had nothing to compare this situation with ...

I just had a friend tell me that a drone can withstand some light rain but you need to get it down asap ...

He told me that the motors are the most delicate parts but since they are running and produce heat, the slight water in contact with them, makes it evaporate ...

Of course, in my case, it was totally different from a simple drizzle, that is why I wasn't very optimistic ...

 

[Jack43]

He told me that the motors are the most delicate parts but since they are running and produce heat, the slight water in contact with them, makes it evaporate ...

He is right, but as you say, the water has surely been evaporated ?

 

[iamcostas]

Low clouds...

 

[Dale D]

Was going through the footage I took this summer and decided to « edit » this …

Long story short, skies were dark but magnificent above Nesebar, city along the Black Sea Coast, in Bulgaria. I decided it would be interesting to get some timelapses of the clouds moving in the distance, with the island in the foreground. But …. I was a little too optimistic and relied too much on the weather forecast that was not predicting any rain in the area (or at least close by) and winds were supposed to be stable around 16km/h …

Nothing really too touch for the drone and I to handle … Unfortunately, while I was in timelapse mode on the other side of the island, I could sense behind me that the winds were picking up and when I took a glance behind me, I saw that a big cloud was releasing its rain heavily and that it was heading towards me … I would be hit first but my drone was a the opposite and even though would get hit later, I still need to get it back against some winds that I after got the scale of 45/50 km/h …

Never had flown in such winds, and even more against them … Stopped the timelapse mode, started full throttle to head back to where I was located, and getting ready in my mind to eventually loose my drone, not being sure first if I had enough battery to head back (fighting against the wind) and second, how would the drone react with heavy rain, causing maybe a failure to some systems …

Surprisingly, I managed to get it back even though those 1 to 2 minutes, seemed very long to me …

Landed, and we both, soaked to the bones, went home to get dried …

The next day, I first tested the drone on a parking lot to see if all systems were working and everything was fine - Not a sneeze or a cough from the M2P …

Comments more than welcome or just share your experience on similar cases ...

Matt

Great job in retrieving the drone! I had my doubts there for a few moments. You are a brave flyer. I usually tend not to go out in bad weather. I need every advantage I can get when flying and I certainly don't want to go looking for rain, storms, wind, etc. If challenged, I tend to keep the drone close to me. As the old saying goes, "keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer."
Dale
Miami

 

[Photo Beaty]

I enjoyed watching your video. I was amazed to see your drone come home and land safely.

 

[vindibona1]

I'd be inclined to stick the drone, controller and phone in a warm dry place for a couple of days to bake out any residual water. I have put a vacuum cleaner nozzle over joystick pivots and motor tops to suck rain out. I had a phone start acting up after getting only lightly rained on.

The old wet phone trick of putting it in a bag with a rice in a nylon stocking might help suck out some of the internal moisture. At some point when I have a few extra $ I'm going to get get a Phantom Rain Suit for just such occassions.

 

[crlmjohnson]

Was going through the footage I took this summer and decided to « edit » this …

Long story short, skies were dark but magnificent above Nesebar, city along the Black Sea Coast, in Bulgaria. I decided it would be interesting to get some timelapses of the clouds moving in the distance, with the island in the foreground. But …. I was a little too optimistic and relied too much on the weather forecast that was not predicting any rain in the area (or at least close by) and winds were supposed to be stable around 16km/h …

Nothing really too touch for the drone and I to handle … Unfortunately, while I was in timelapse mode on the other side of the island, I could sense behind me that the winds were picking up and when I took a glance behind me, I saw that a big cloud was releasing its rain heavily and that it was heading towards me … I would be hit first but my drone was a the opposite and even though would get hit later, I still need to get it back against some winds that I after got the scale of 45/50 km/h …

Never had flown in such winds, and even more against them … Stopped the timelapse mode, started full throttle to head back to where I was located, and getting ready in my mind to eventually loose my drone, not being sure first if I had enough battery to head back (fighting against the wind) and second, how would the drone react with heavy rain, causing maybe a failure to some systems …

Surprisingly, I managed to get it back even though those 1 to 2 minutes, seemed very long to me …

Landed, and we both, soaked to the bones, went home to get dried …

The next day, I first tested the drone on a parking lot to see if all systems were working and everything was fine - Not a sneeze or a cough from the M2P …

Comments more than welcome or just share your experience on similar cases ...

Matt

Excellent!

love the flying, love this video. I am sorry that your drone was caught in the rain. I hope it is ok.

 

[JohnBeacham]

Wow, that was a brown pants moment! Great footage

Would it have made sense to drop to a lower altitude to try to get out of any wind before heading back to you? Just a thought

John

 

[Barbara]

Wow, lucky indeed. You can see the gusts and rain coming across the bay in the time lapse. Pretty nasty looking.

Thanks for sharing.

"Calm Waters" indeed....

 

[DougMcC]

Rain in a non industrialized area may be almost distilled water with almost no impurities. That’s really different than lake or (horrors) sea water. That fact is helpful at least. Let us know if any future functional changes occur - hopefully none. Thanks for pisting

 

[JackL]

Wow! I have only had to dodge one thunderstorm so far that popped up out of nowhere out at sea and managed to go around it, I had been wondering if rain would immediately cause it to fall from the sky and how the camera would handle rain drops. Amazing video!

 

[Ol' Sparky]

Weatherman....what other career can you be right only half the time and still keep your job?

 

[mattcoq]

Great job in retrieving the drone! I had my doubts there for a few moments. You are a brave flyer. I usually tend not to go out in bad weather. I need every advantage I can get when flying and I certainly don't want to go looking for rain, storms, wind, etc. If challenged, I tend to keep the drone close to me. As the old saying goes, "keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer."
Dale
Miami

In fact, conditions were pretty similar to what I had experienced some years ago when I had my Phantom 3 Pro in 2016 and taken these shots below ... At that time, I hadn't tried the timelapse mode and wanted to give it a try with the Mavic 2 Pro.





But of course, every day is different, not always the same, and this time, from the weather report looked after bringing down the drone, instead of a constant north-east wind, there was a sudden shift to full west which tricked me ...

Learnt my lesson even though I must say that if I think a shot could be worth it, I would give it a try ...

 

[mattcoq]

I enjoyed watching your video. I was amazed to see your drone come home and land safely.

Thanks a lot ... Not as much as me ;-)