How should I store/use my batteries?

[FenTiger]

Hi. I am 10 days into Mavic ownership and would like some advice on the best way to deal with my batteries.

I have been flying my Mavic every morning before going to work (weather permitting) to keep an eye on a small herd of cattle grazing along a river bank. Finding and counting them takes around 30 - 50% of the battery charge. I then spend a few minutes hooning around in sport mode until the low battery warning get at 30% when I RTH. Currently I'm rotating three batteries which I'm keeping charged in the standard charging hub so I can get the Mavic up and back in its case within 30 minutes.

My question is, am I going to damage the batteries using them this way? I'm not sure I would have time to wait every morning while a battery charged itself before I used it.

Thanks.

 

[Qoncussion]

It's absolutely fine to keep the batteries charged. When the day comes where you don't get out to fly, followed by another - and so on, the batteries will automatically discharge after 3-10 days, depending on how you have it set up. Just don't store them plugged into the charger, and you will be fine.

 

[FenTiger]

Great, thanks for that Qoncussion. Guess I should get some lipo battery storage bags as well

 

[Qoncussion]

No worries, FenTiger. The lipo storage bags are a nice addition to your set up. But, after flying various drones for the past several years, and reading as much as possible on all related topics, I found that unless you are going to be flying (airliner) quite a bit, and even then I don't believe they are mandatory, the lipo bags are really not necessary. Lipo batteries are actually quite stable. Any horror stories you may come across are few and far between. Over time, you want to check the batteries for swelling, which indicates a bad cell. At which point, there are a number of options for safely disposing of a lipo battery. I soak my dead batteries in salt water for a few days, then toss 'em in the trash.

 

[Belmont]

When I fly with a commercial airline I use electrical tape to cover all battery terminals not installed in a drone.