First "testflight" with my Zoom, icy condition.

[Simk1n]

So, today i was planning my first flight with my Zoom, but due to heavy fog and low temperature (-7c) i decided to just have a lift-off due to obvious safety reasons.

I flew straight up and down a few minutes, took it very briefly over the field while i still could see it, and back.

Then i got a "Motor Current Error" message, took it inside and the props was full of ice.

Wiped it, took a test lift-off and no error message.

So clearly this was not ideal condition, im a little worried to fly it even without fog now, i live in Norway so wintertime and cold weather will last for many months to come.

Any advise? should i avoid negative temperature's? (i know the operation temp is -10 to 40c)

 

[ff22]

So, today i was planning my first flight with my Zoom, but due to heavy fog and low temperature (-7c) i decided to just have a lift-off due to obvious safety reasons.

I flew straight up and down a few minutes, took it very briefly over the field while i still could see it, and back.

Then i got a "Motor Current Error" message, took it inside and the props was full of ice.

Wiped it, took a test lift-off and no error message.

So clearly this was not ideal condition, im a little worried to fly it even without fog now, i live in Norway so wintertime and cold weather will last for many months to come.

Any advise? should i avoid negative temperature's? (i know the operation temp is -10 to 40c)

I think that the FOG was the major issue in this case - it froze on the Props and maybe other parts of the drone. Also, you really don't want water vapor entering the drone's port where air enters to cool the drone (under normal conditions). I'd make sure to thoroughly warm it so moisture inside dries out. I've also read that some will put the drone inside a plastic bag while still in the cold to prevent condensation when it goes into a warm, moist house.

Some folks have flown in really cold temperatures ignoring the manual but that's taking a risk. But when they do it, they've suggested that they keep the batteries warm (inside jacket or house or car) and allow the drone to warm up with motors running for a while before taking off. And then keep the flight shorter since batteries lose power faster in cold conditions.

I was in Norway last Jan/Feb to cross-country ski for three weeks. It was fabulous but there were some very, very cold days. One day we skied in a white out (dense fog) and could not see more than 4 or 5 feet, watching the fence line along side the groomed tracks.

 

[Simk1n]

Yes, the FOG was the issue, you can see things here are coated in ice now, poles, cars, fences etc and it has been cold with fog for some days now.

Gonna let the drone warm up before flying, also gonna keep the flight short and watch the props for ice (hope the ice was the cause of the warnings and not something else)

 

[jwt873]

I've flown in 3 Canadian winters at temperatures as low as -35C. Never had icing on the props. But I've never flown when there was fog and the temperature was below 0C.

FWIW after I post this reply, I'm going to head out shortly and fly. (Just waiting for the battery to charge). It's -14C right now. (7 degrees F).

 

[Simk1n]

If its cold and dry then i guess its no problem. The ICE came after maybe 5-7 min of flying, the DJI GO App told me to check the probs with a Motor Current Warning, and the probs where full of ice, so cold winter wheather and FOG is clearly something to avoid.

A little less fog today, but i dont want to take any risk, hopefully i can take it out soon.

 

[Courtleve]

Flying in fog/mist in freezing temps can cause your props to ice. And the increase in weight WILL affect your control.

 

[Cymruflyer]

From real flying, your most concern for icing conditions will be when the ambient temp and the dew point are withing a few degrees of each other. Even in non winter conditions when those two temps are close you will generally experience icing, so pay attention to those two temps when you go out flying in cold weather, you want to avoid flying in anything on days when those temps are close to each other. There are plenty of cold dry days when you can fly with no problem and will not see any icing conditions to be concerned about. Just be aware that the battery will drain more quickly I cold weather flying, as has been stated. Therefore, don't wait until it is at 30% and then think of bringing it back, because you may find it won't make it back, since it will drain more quickly than you experienced in warm weather.

 

[Simk1n]

+2c today and no icing on the props. Little windy so i got a Wind Velocity warning but it went fine.

The Dew Point was around 0 and the temp was +2.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Flying in fog/mist in freezing temps can cause your props to ice. And the increase in weight WILL affect your control.

Found out that if we sprayed the props with a just a bit of WD40 we were off to the races on the Phantom 4 pros should be the same for the Mavics.

Phantomrain.org
Approved Vendor

 

[dylanthecat]

I wonder if Tonka makes a miniature deicing truck for drones? Or you could just pee on the props before you take off. I have made about a dozen low temp flights this winter with no issues. Dry air though.

 

[jwt873]

That's the type of ice that brings down airplanes when it forms on the wings. I wonder if DJI will ever offer heated props?

I flew yesterday at -12C (10F) for 19.2 minutes. There was a hint of snow falling. The relative humidity was in the 80% range so no ice formed.

 

[ottodawg]

Found out that if we sprayed the props with a just a bit of WD40 we were off to the races on the Phantom 4 pros should be the same for the Mavics.

Phantomrain.org
Approved Vendor

Throw some glycol on there, that's what they use on real AC.

 

[ff22]

That's the type of ice that brings down airplanes when it forms on the wings. I wonder if DJI will ever offer heated props?

I flew yesterday at -12C (10F) for 19.2 minutes. There was a hint of snow falling. The relative humidity was in the 80% range so no ice formed.

I saw props that had leds in them creating an interesting image in the dark.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Throw some glycol on there, that's what they use on real AC.

That is only what they use to de ice a wing that has ice formed on the ground, not in flight. You de ice on the ground you you can actually take off. If you tried without removing the ice you would be lucky to lift off and if you did, you'd stall shortly there after. Once the wing's leading edges have di-iced you need to get in the air before things begin to start refreezing and only with a wing that has a de-icing feature built into it, like heated leading edge boots or something similar.

 

[ottodawg]

That is only what they use to de ice a wing that has ice formed on the ground, not in flight. You de ice on the ground you you can actually take off. If you tried without removing the ice you would be lucky to lift off and if you did, you'd stall shortly there after. Once the wing's leading edges have di-iced you need to get in the air before things begin to start refreezing and only with a wing that has a de-icing feature built into it, like heated leading edge boots or something similar.

Correct, on a fixed wing. A real rotor craft wouldn't be flying in icing conditions.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Correct, on a fixed wing. A real rotor craft wouldn't be flying in icing conditions.

So why suggest this model rotor craft use glycol, I'm confused since you know that you should not fly a rotor craft in icing conditions?

 

[ottodawg]

So why suggest this model rotor craft use glycol, I'm confused since you know that you should not fly a rotor craft in icing conditions?

Better than WD-40..