Intelligent Battery plus flight time

InAz · Nov 27, 2023

Has anyone experienced short flight times with your plus batteries? I've used 2 batteries, so far and averaging about 20 minutes on each.

I'm thinking it's due to my higher altitude of 5,600 ft where I live but not sure. DJI wanted me to send the batteries to them to test them but don't want to do this, yet, until I do more testing. Are there settings that anyone here has on your controller that you feel provides better flight times?

Dbez1 · Nov 28, 2023

From what I learned preparing for my Part 107 test, the air is noticeably thinner and the bird has to work harder at your elevation. What kind of airtime are you getting with a regular battery? I’m guessing it’s less than 20 minutes.

JeremyB · Nov 28, 2023

Any more details? Distance covered, max speed? With mine I flew over 36000 feet (11.1km) in 17.75 minutes with 33% battery remaining

InAz · Nov 28, 2023

Dbez1 said:
From what I learned preparing for my Part 107 test, the air is noticeably thinner and the bird has to work harder at your elevation. What kind of airtime are you getting with a regular battery? I’m guessing it’s less than 20 minutes.

My regular battery is the plus. I have nothing to compare to & I've tried 2 so far with min flight time at about 21 mins, each.

InAz · Nov 28, 2023

JeremyB said:
Any more details? Distance covered, max speed? With mine I flew over 36000 feet (11.1km) in 17.75 minutes with 33% battery remaining

Well, I've read that the lab tests for Intelligent flight battery plus in labratory tests (giving 45 min time) was 14 minutes at sea level conditions. I was flying at 23mph at 5600 ft. Go figure.

InAz · Dec 2, 2023

JeremyB said:
Any more details? Distance covered, max speed? With mine I flew over 36000 feet (11.1km) in 17.75 minutes with 33% battery remaining

More details - about 3 mph winds, flying at 20mph but moving in diff directions (left, right).
I suppose, since tests show constant speed at 14 mph (rounded) inside with no winds and going straight at 64 ft above sea level is the main reason for 45 min flight time.

My area is about 5,620 ft higher & I was flying 4 mph above "lab conditions" and doing add'l maneuvers.
Dji's advertisement is misleading, imo.

They should state that "at sea level with 0 winds and straight flight, the battery plus has up to 45 minutes time in air". But if they did this, not many would buy the batteries.
Guess i should be glad i did't get regular batteries; otherwise, i'd be switching them out every 10 minutes.

JeremyB · Dec 2, 2023

I have 3 different battery types for mine, the standard lightweight mini 4, standard mini 3 pro, plus the mini 4 plus battery. I think the more power the battery has, the more time is added to return home mode
I am only at 1100 ft ASL and I rarely have a day without wind and I think my longest flight time is with my Mini 2 SE with the OEM battery

InAz · Dec 2, 2023

JeremyB said:
I have 3 different battery types for mine, the standard lightweight mini 4, standard mini 3 pro, plus the mini 4 plus battery. I think the more power the battery has, the more time is added to return home mode
I am only at 1100 ft ASL and I rarely have a day without wind and I think my longest flight time is with my Mini 2 SE with the OEM battery

I clocked in at 26 mins today.
Winds were about 7-9 mph & I was flying at 16 mph most of the time at 60 ft. Just can't spend time with video or pics plus i hear the obsticle avoidance sucks the juice which, btw, isn't advertised on how the 45 mins were tested. You need to read the specs - i did that After the fact.