Mini 2 Foggy sunrise @ Belgium -Ardennes

[T.O.M.]

DJI Mini 2 clip showing a foggy sunrise in the scenic countryside

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[slup]

Great clip you got there

And as you're new on the forum I give you a tip regarding visible moist in the air & colder ambient temps ...

Prop. icing ... it's ice building up on mainly the leading but also the trailing edge of the props, this will flatten the blades pitch making it generate less thrust. The flight controller will compensate by commanding an increase of the motor rpm's ... but as the ice continues to build up, the thrust gets constantly less & the motor rpm increases ... the motors will eventually reach it's max rpm. Just before this happens a lot of errors will light up your screen, "motors can't rotate", not enough force" & "motor error" ... and then your drone starts to rapidly lose height.

The weather conditions for prop icing is between +4C to -20C degrees (colder than that water usually goes directly from gas form to frost & skip liquid form) when the dew point temp is where your present temp is (meaning you see moist as haze or fog).

We see that prop icing incidents always are coming up on the forum every winter season.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Great clip you got there

And as you're new on the forum I give you a tip regarding visible moist in the air & colder ambient temps ...

Prop. icing ... it's ice building up on mainly the leading but also the trailing edge of the props, this will flatten the blades pitch making it generate less thrust. The flight controller will compensate by commanding an increase of the motor rpm's ... but as the ice continues to build up, the thrust gets constantly less & the motor rpm increases ... the motors will eventually reach it's max rpm. Just before this happens a lot of errors will light up your screen, "motors can't rotate", not enough force" & "motor error" ... and then your drone starts to rapidly lose height.

The weather conditions for prop icing is between +4C to -20C degrees (colder than that water usually goes directly from gas form to frost & skip liquid form) when the dew point temp is where your present temp is (meaning you see moist as haze or fog).

We see that prop icing incidents always are coming up on the forum every winter season.

For the most part he was always above the fog, so his chance of icing was negligible. The best chance is when ambient temp and Dew point temp is the same, as those two temps move apart, your chance of icing diminishes. Looking at the OP's video, I don't believe he was at risk for prop icing.

Also remember that you need to know the ambient temp and dew point temp at the altitude you would be flying, to get a true idea of icing chances. Not an easy thing to know for most flyers. As you climb above the fog, the air is drying out too, even if it is a cold day, so less chance.

 

[slup]

The tip was a general one for a new member coming from the fog in the clip & that it's winter right now... actually questionable if that clip even is filmed recently, the trees still have leaves.

We have already seen 3 prop icing cases here at the forum this winter... so a proper heads up don't you think?

... The best chance is when ambient temp and Dew point temp is the same, as those two temps move apart, your chance of icing diminishes.

You easily know when they are close together... it's when you see moist in the air as either haze or fog. And if the ambient is between approx. +4 to - 20C the risk is not negligible at all.

Also remember that you need to know the ambient temp and dew point temp at the altitude you would be flying, to get a true idea of icing chances. Not an easy thing to know for most flyers.

See above comment, it's easy... as it rarely is warmer at higher altitudes you can suspect that you will fly in the risky temp zone if you know the ground temp... and as you have a camera on the drone you still can see if it's foggy where you fly.

 

[Cymruflyer]

The tip was a general one for a new member coming from the fog in the clip & that it's winter right now... actually questionable if that clip even is filmed recently, the trees still have leaves.

We have already seen 3 prop icing cases here at the forum this winter... so a proper heads up don't you think?


You easily know when they are close together... it's when you see moist in the air as either haze or fog. And if the ambient is between approx. +4 to - 20C the risk is not negligible at all.


See above comment, it's easy... as it rarely is warmer at higher altitudes you can suspect that you will fly in the risky temp zone if you know the ground temp... and as you have a camera on the drone you still can see if it's foggy where you fly.

You can't tell me the temp and dew point at 400ft above where you are flying. Admittedly the temp is hardly going to change 400ft above your take off point but how do you know the dew point temp where you are at? You need the weather people to tell you that. Once you are a several degrees apart from those two, then your chances for icing diminish. I have flown in winter in my open cockpit aircraft and on several occasions, it was very cold on takeoff, but due to a temperature inversion, at about 500ft AGL I flew through a warm layer that I could even take off my gloves.

However, that is rarely going to happen when flying your drone, if ever. Just because there is fog, does not mean that you are going to be getting icing conditions and once you are above the fog, then the dew point and ambient temps are no longer close anyway, hence my comment that it will be unlikely that you will encounter icing.

Haze we often get right through the summer months, at times, depending on where you live of course, but haze alone, does not give you icing conditions.

 

[slup]

You can't tell me the temp and dew point at 400ft above where you are flying. Admittedly the temp is hardly going to change 400ft above your take off point but how do you know the dew point temp where you are at? You need the weather people to tell you that. Once you are a several degrees apart from those two, then your chances for icing diminish. I have flown in winter in my open cockpit aircraft and on several occasions, it was very cold on takeoff, but due to a temperature inversion, at about 500ft AGL I flew through a warm layer that I could even take off my gloves.

However, that is rarely going to happen when flying your drone, if ever. Just because there is fog, does not mean that you are going to be getting icing conditions and once you are above the fog, then the dew point and ambient temps are no longer close anyway, hence my comment that it will be unlikely that you will encounter icing.

Haze we often get right through the summer months, at times, depending on where you live of course, but haze alone, does not give you icing conditions.

And the icing cases we see here at Mavic Crash & Flyaway Assistance... is unlikely... but yet they happened?

Seems that you're thinking it's a bad advice to explain this for new members?

Have seen it with my own eyes this winter when I actively tested it... ground temp - 2C & dew point -3,8C according to the forecast with some haze & denser fog banks. Had the first motor error 7min into the flight. Ice both on leading & trailing edge.

Unlikely..?

 

[Cymruflyer]

And the icing cases we see here at Mavic Crash & Flyaway Assistance... is unlikely... but yet they happened?

Seems that you're thinking it's a bad advice to explain this for new members?

Have seen it with my own eyes this winter when I actively tested it... ground temp - 2C & dew point -3,8C according to the forecast with some haze & denser fog banks. Had the first motor error 7min into the flight. Ice both on leading & trailing edge.

Unlikely..?

Where did you read that I said it was unlikely for icing conditions with temp and dew point like you just stated????

You need to read what was said. I clearly stated that when the dew point and ambient temp is the same or close, that is the best chances for icing conditions. As these two temps move apart, your chances of icing diminish. You don't seem to be understanding this. You just said you had icing when the temps were 1.8 degrees apart, so of course you are in the range of possibly getting icing conditions, because these two temps are so close.

Now if you told me you got icing and those temps were, for example 10 degrees apart, then I would not believe you.

 

[slup]

As the weather conditions in Netherlands & the south of Sweden are very alike with ambient's around the freezing point with a very high humidity with fog & haze (as the dew point is right there also...) the risk for prop icing is a reality ... and something to be considered in most flights during the winter period here.... hence the general advice to the OP.

But you seems to take this subject personally for some reason ... I know very well when it's a risk for incidents like this so unnecessary to drag in temp differences up to double digits or haze situation during the summer period, it just make the discussion silly.

Wrote this already in post #2 ...

The weather conditions for prop icing is between +4C to -20C degrees (colder than that water usually goes directly from gas form to frost & skip liquid form) when the dew point temp is where your present temp is (meaning you see moist as haze or fog).

And this is the official meaning of the dew point:

The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, assuming constant air pressure and water content. When cooled below the dew point, moisture capacity is reduced and airborne water vapor will condense to form liquid water.

The last sentence there usually means visible moist in the form of haze or fog ... so seeing that & know that the temp is below or just above freezing ... it's a warning sign.

Anything here you disagree with or have we settled our dispute & can stop trashing the OP's video thread?