Extra Battery vs Car Charger

[leonidas]

So i've had the Mavic Air - Fly More Combo for a couple of weeks and i'm about to embark on a trip to Iceland & Norway where I will be using the drone to capture some footage for fun.

I'll be travelling by car for a decent amount so i'm thinking of buying a good quality car charger. I'm not looking at inverters as they tend to be quite weighty. I also dont want to carry too many things and spend more than needed.

I've never travelled with a drone before so don't really know how much flight time i would need. Car charger sounds like the smarter/safer option but would that money be better spent towards getting a 4th battery instead (meaning no charging options throughout the day)?? thanks

 

[MohaDXB]

Hello; I got 6 batteries with the car charger ; the car charger is really great I was able to charge one battery with 45/50 min and on top of that the car charger from DJI is working with the hub charger from DJI from the fly more combo. If you plan to charge 4 batteries in the same time for sure it’ll take more time. Cheers

 

[gnirtS]

Doesn't the mavic air flymore combo come with a car charger? The pro does.

Personally if you already have 3 batteries then a car charger is more useful. In the time it takes you to fly 3 batteries, the car charger will only have about 5 mins left on the first one ready to go again. Also remember a USB charger of some sort for the controller if planning lots of flights a day.

 

[MohaDXB]

Doesn't the mavic air flymore combo come with a car charger? The pro does.

Personally if you already have 3 batteries then a car charger is more useful. In the time it takes you to fly 3 batteries, the car charger will only have about 5 mins left on the first one ready to go again. Also remember a USB charger of some sort for the controller if planning lots of flights a day.

Nope it doesn’t come with the car charger you can get it separately but it’s really worth to buy one

 

[InvisibleName]

I've got the DJI car charger & it's very good, but beware... because of the current draw from the car battery, it will only charge when the engine is running.

 

[matth1000]

On cars with computer controlled alternators sometimes it won’t charge at all, best thing is to get a dc to dc converter that is rated to say 10 -18 volts in and 13.8 volts out. That way way you can charge using a car with a computer controlled alternator or even while the car is switched off.

 

[InvisibleName]

Mine’s a BMW 140i, so has a controlled alternator. The car just needs to be up to speed, then the charging starts. Once I’m running, it just takes the normal 50mins per battery

 

[gnirtS]

Remember it sometimes takes 15-20 mins after landing before a battery is cool enough to start taking a charge.

 

[InvisibleName]

True, but in the UK, apart from when we had the crazy hot weather, the airflow during flight is normally enough to keep the battery cool

 

[gnirtS]

Not so great in the tropicals in a 20 year old car with no aircon though - it never reaches charging temperature!

 

[mad monkey]

My minivan has 2 110v plugs. So a car charger isn't high on my list. But if I didn't have that I'd be all over it

 

[matth1000]

Mine’s a BMW 140i, so has a controlled alternator. The car just needs to be up to speed, then the charging starts. Once I’m running, it just takes the normal 50mins per battery

Just have a look next time you go on a big drive. After an hour or so when the battery is fully charged you will see voltage drop down to 12v. Not enough to charge a mavic while driving.

 

[Lapeer20m]

I typically use an inverter and plug my standard Dji house charger into that. I have found that the 12v charger from Dji charges significantly faster than the house charger but as others have mentioned, it doesn’t always work with every vehicle.

If I plan to do a lot of flying I use a 3rd party charger that charges 3 batteries simultaneously, but it will not work with the stock 100w inverter in my Jeep unless I only charge one battery at a time.

 

[leonidas]

Thanks for the responses!

Hello; I got 6 batteries with the car charger ; the car charger is really great I was able to charge one battery with 45/50 min and on top of that the car charger from DJI is working with the hub charger from DJI from the fly more combo. If you plan to charge 4 batteries in the same time for sure it’ll take more time. Cheers

Oh cool, i was looking at the DJI car charger thinking it would be inconvenient with only one lead but didn't think to use the charging hub with it. I'll definitely look into getting one

Also remember a USB charger of some sort for the controller if planning lots of flights a day.

Yep, will have a powerbank but hoping the hire car will have two sockets where i can also use my usual usb car charger

I've got the DJI car charger & it's very good, but beware... because of the current draw from the car battery, it will only charge when the engine is running.

Shouldn't be a problem as there will be plenty of driving. Also paranoid about not being able to start the engine somewhere remote in Iceland so wouldn't charge it while stopped anyway

 

[leonidas]

Just have a look next time you go on a big drive. After an hour or so when the battery is fully charged you will see voltage drop down to 12v. Not enough to charge a mavic while driving.

I have found that the 12v charger from Dji charges significantly faster than the house charger but as others have mentioned, it doesn’t always work with every vehicle.

So you guys saying the DJI car charger won't work with every car even when the engine is running?

 

[matth1000]

So you guys saying the DJI car charger won't work with every car even when the engine is running?

Yes thats right happened to me. Thats why i got the dc to dc converter. No problems now.

 

[MPone]

Yes thats right happened to me. Thats why i got the dc to dc converter. No problems now.

Do you have a web link where you buy the dc to dc converter?

 

[matth1000]

Im not on computer atm. Just type in 13.8v dc to dc converter into ebay.
Then click on the ones that are 12 volt input, 13.8v output and rated to 15 amps.
If you read the description they are 9volt to 13volt input, that will cover any situation you will come across in Your modern car with a computer controller alternator.

 

[MPone]

Im not on computer atm. Just type in 13.8v dc to dc converter into ebay.
Then click on the ones that are 12 volt input, 13.8v output and rated to 15 amps.
If you read the description they are 9volt to 13volt input, that will cover any situation you will come across in Your modern car with a computer controller alternator.

Thanks.

 

[Bergumbira]

So i've had the Mavic Air - Fly More Combo for a couple of weeks and i'm about to embark on a trip to Iceland & Norway where I will be using the drone to capture some footage for fun.

I'll be travelling by car for a decent amount so i'm thinking of buying a good quality car charger. I'm not looking at inverters as they tend to be quite weighty. I also dont want to carry too many things and spend more than needed.

I've never travelled with a drone before so don't really know how much flight time i would need. Car charger sounds like the smarter/safer option but would that money be better spent towards getting a 4th battery instead (meaning no charging options throughout the day)?? thanks

IMHO extra batteries are better than car charger.
No draining out car battery
Instantly available
Freedom of moving away from the car.

Unless you do camping, a car charger is not a need in my opinion.

4 to 6 batteries, then recharge once back to room