Geomagnetic Storm Watch

[TX Steve]

This weekend there is a Geomagnetic coming for Friday - Sunday.


This could cause problems with GPS satellites and radio waves. So as our drones use both is these just be careful this weekend and keep a close eye on how your drone is acting.

Rare-severe-solar-storm

 

[msinger]

This could cause problems with GPS satellites and radio waves

I've been flying DJI drones since 2016 and have never heard of such an issue.

Or are you saying you have personal experience with your DJI drones being negatively affected by geomagnetic storms?

 

[anotherlab]

I've been flying DJI drones since 2016 and have never heard of such an issue.

Or are you saying you have personal experience with your DJI drones being negatively affected by geomagnetic storms?

This is the first Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch issued by NOAA since 2005, that predates your drone experience. You could have problems getting a GPS lock or having a reduced signal from the GPS satellites.

From NOAA's press release

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) — a division of the National Weather Service — is monitoring the sun following a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that began on May 8. Space weather forecasters have issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for the evening of Friday, May 10. Additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend.

A large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday at 5:00 am ET. At least five flares were associated with CMEs that appear to be Earth-directed. SWPC forecasters will monitor NOAA and NASA’s space assets for the onset of a geomagnetic storm.

CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. They cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth. Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth’s surface, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations. SWPC has notified the operators of these systems so they can take protective action. Geomagnetic storms can also trigger spectacular displays of aurora on Earth. A severe geomagnetic storm includes the potential for aurora to be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California.

On the plus side, a severe geomagnetic storm includes the potential for the aurora borealis to be seen as far south as Maryland.

Sources:

NOAA Warning: "Severe Geomagnetic Storm" to impact Earth starting today

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch, marking the first such event since 2005.

www.earth.com

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/10/business/sunspots-disrupt-phones-gps-scn/index.html

Strong solar storm could disrupt communications and produce northern lights in US

An unusually strong solar storm headed toward Earth could produce northern lights in the U.S. and potentially disrupt power and communications this weekend.

apnews.com

Forecasters issue geomagnetic storm watch for May 11

NOAA space weather forecasters have observed at least seven coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the sun, with impacts expected to arrive on Earth as early as midday Friday, May 10, and persist through Sunday, May 12, 2024. ,

www.noaa.gov

 

[waynorth]

In very rare cases with extreme X-class flares GNSS (GPS) signals may be less precise, for example up to 10 meters precision instead of 1 meter.
But it is unlikely that a drone will be affected by geomagnetic storms or solar flares, I have never heard of it.
In the last 20 years only one really powerful X-class flare has been recorded, it was X9.
(The most extreme was in November 2003, it was class X28+. I have never seen auroras like that, the sky exploded, it was insane)

More and more GNSS-systems use multi-band or dual frequency signal systems, which will reduce errors caused by environmental interference.

 

[msinger]

This is the first Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch issued by NOAA since 2005, that predates your drone experience

The last G4 solar storm was on March 24, 2024.

 

[anotherlab]

The last G4 solar storm was on March 24, 2024.

That was a storm alert. I was referring to the first storm watch issued since 2005
source: SWPC Issues Its First G4 Watch Since 2005 | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

 

[msinger]

That was a storm alert. I was referring to the first storm watch issued since 2005
source: SWPC Issues Its First G4 Watch Since 2005 | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

It indeed did start as an alert -- kind of like the OP alerting us of the upcoming storm.

And then the storm actually ended up reaching the Earth at 10:37 AM EDT on March 24, 2024.

Source: NOAA Satellites Detect Severe Solar Storm

 

[GFields]

OP, thanks for sharing.

 

[SmilingOgre]

If it's powerful enough you might get a free cancer radiation treatment via heavy ions. Opposite of cosmic rays with nutrinos that can blast through DNA and cause cancer. As per the drone, I have no idea. Never flown in strong solar flairs before. I have prostrate cancer. I'll be out there with my bare butt pointing at the sun. Hope the neighbors stay inside.

 

[anotherlab]

And it looks like we are up to a G5 (Extreme) stage.



Hopefully I'll see the aurora later tonight.

Source: G5 Conditions Observed! | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

 

[Mark_Y]

I had issues with my mini 3 pro yesterday evening. I took off from my usually spot the drone indicated the need to calibrate the compas which I did. It took an unusually long time to get a GPS lock. When I got the OK to take off, I lifted into the air and the drone behaved as if it was in ATTI mode. I brought the drone back down to the ground where the vision sensors could stabilize it and flew it back to my take off point from there. This morning, I took off from the same point as last night without any issues or stability issues with the drone. At the time of the launch the sky around me had a great display of the aurora borealis.

 

[twilloo]

I've been flying DJI drones since 2016 and have never heard of such an issue.

Or are you saying you have personal experience with your DJI drones being negatively affected by geomagnetic storms?

I have first hand experience for the experienced drone pilot. My son told me I should look for the northern lights last night as he could see them. The NL are behind my mountain so I decided to launch my M4P up to see if I could see them or even photograph them. Well firstly my drone did not want to take off and then it said to calibrate compass, which I did and it allowed me to to take off and it sure seemed to be a wobbly take off. I acquired 21 sats before I did. I just went straight up several hundred feet above my home and since I knew something did not see right, I turned on the landing light so I could actually see the drone. That drone was dancing and drifting in about a 10-15 ft distance and there was little if any wind. I felt like that geomagnetic storm might be causing this trouble so I came down right away. Never saw the NL. I agree with the op that said be careful...good advice

 

[Meta4]

I took off from my usually spot the drone indicated the need to calibrate the compas which I did.

Solar activity won't ever cause a compass warning.
The compass warning you got was either related to magnetic interference in the area you placed the drone or it was a common false alarm that DJI inflicts on drone users launching in the dark.
Whichever it was, calibrating the compass wouldn't have been needed and wouldn't have changed a thing.

It took an unusually long time to get a GPS lock. When I got the OK to take off, I lifted into the air and the drone behaved as if it was in ATTI mode.

There's not enough information in your description to tell what the issue might have been (or if there really was an issue).

 

[Meta4]

I felt like that geomagnetic storm might be causing this trouble

Again, not enough information to tell what you might have experienced.

I agree with the op that said be careful...good advice

It sounds like some fliers may have been scared into imagining that their drones are going to be acting up.

 

[MS Coast]

I have first hand experience for the experienced drone pilot. My son told me I should look for the northern lights last night as he could see them. The NL are behind my mountain so I decided to launch my M4P up to see if I could see them or even photograph them. Well firstly my drone did not want to take off and then it said to calibrate compass, which I did and it allowed me to to take off and it sure seemed to be a wobbly take off. I acquired 21 sats before I did. I just went straight up several hundred feet above my home and since I knew something did not see right, I turned on the landing light so I could actually see the drone. That drone was dancing and drifting in about a 10-15 ft distance and there was little if any wind. I felt like that geomagnetic storm might be causing this trouble so I came down right away. Never saw the NL. I agree with the op that said be careful...good advice

That much wandering would show up in the flight logs. How about uploading them for folks to look at?

 

[msinger]

Well firstly my drone did not want to take off and then it said to calibrate compass, which I did and it allowed me to to take off and it sure seemed to be a wobbly take off.

When DJI drones prompt to calibrate the compass, that's usually a sign that the drone was near a magnetic metal object at some point between the time it was powered on and when the pilot attempted to take off. See more details here.

As noted above, please share your flight log if you'd like others to review it. You can find instructions for locating the TXT flight log here.

 

[GFields]

I encourage everyone to be careful and observant but don't overreact to this.

 

[rebelsun]

These amazing light shows are cause by geomagnetic storms. Which as in its name, they are magnetic in nature and thus would it not act as if you were next to a big magnet. I attempted to fly 2 drones last night and both had compass issues and I have over 1000 hours of flight time launching the same way. Air2s and Mini4Pro… It was definitely something specific to last night. Both drones worked fine in the morning launching from the same place.

 

[TX Steve]

This is a quote from NASA file.

"Navigation by compass is especially difficult during either of these magnetic storms because compass bearings can change by 10 degrees or more during the course of a few hours. As anyone familiar with using a map and compass can tell you, without knowing the ‘magnetic deviation’, it is impossible to use a compass to determine where geographic north is located"

 

[msinger]

Navigation by compass is especially difficult during either of these magnetic storms

Good reminder! No hiking out in the woods with your compass during these storms