Keeping Mavic batteries warm in cold weather flight.

[Sideeye]

I don't know if this has been posted before but I thought it would be good for Mavic flyers who like to fly in cold weather. TIP , How to keep batteries warm. The bottom of battery already gets warm from the heat sink at the bottom when turned on. On the top of the battery just buy a box of hand warmer packets from Walmart and fasten one on top of battery pack, it looks like a little flat bean bag. It's a simple solution and could save big money. They last for some time and also acts like a insulator as well. The cold slows down the chemical reaction process and effectiveness performance of the battery, (less flight times) Have a good day. My2cents.

 

[deltalimatango]

I don't know if this has been posted before but I thought it would be good for Mavic flyers who like to fly in cold weather. TIP , How to keep batteries warm. The bottom of battery already gets warm from the heat sink at the bottom when turned on. On the top of the battery just buy a box of hand warmer packets from Walmart and fasten one on top of battery pack, it looks like a little flat bean bag. It's a simple solution and could save big money. They last for some time and also acts like a insulator as well. The cold slows down the chemical reaction process and effectiveness performance of the battery, (less flight times) Have a good day. My2cents.

Spot on. I had 3 batteries fail (they got cold) on me in Norway while shooting auroras. I had to remove the batteries, put them inside my pockets and wait a bit for them to warm up again before they would work. It was only -27C outside.

 

[Advexure]

Thanks for sharing, many more tips for cold weather flying here: Flying in cold weather & Cold weather/snow flying

 

[Mavic_Ward]

I thought about getting a fishing vest and putting my batteries in the pockets. I'd keep the vest on my body under my regular cold weather coat. Your body heat should keep the batteries warm enough.

 

[Anthony Viscomi]

Spot on. I had 3 batteries fail (they got cold) on me in Norway while shooting auroras. I had to remove the batteries, put them inside my pockets and wait a bit for them to warm up again before they would work. It was only -27C outside.

Only -27 (-16 F)...lol

 

[KiterTodd]

Thanks for sharing, many more tips for cold weather flying here: Flying in cold weather & Cold weather/snow flying

Thanks! That thread has some great tips. I had not even considered there would be an issue and am heading to Colorado in a few weeks. Was hoping to bring the Mavic. Sounds like I'm good to go! Doesn't sound like people even need the hand warmers as long as you don't start with cold batteries.

One guy mentioned keeping the batteries in LiPo Safe pouches when he puts them in his jacket. Does anyone else do this? Or keep them in the pouches at all?

I do know a few folks who have had issues with LiPo batteries but it has always been with "cheap" hobby batteries that I suspect aren't well balanced and may have poor charge circuitry. I was kind of hoping the Mavic fell in the category of quality products that rarely have an issue (like laptop batteries and such).

..."4. Turn on “Show Voltage on Main Screen on the Aircraft Battery page of the DJI Go app. Do not continue flying if battery voltage drops below 3.2v."

That quote is from this article.

I looked at discharge curves for lipos and 3.2V seems pretty well into the "knee" before the steep drop-off. Would you let it go that low? I haven't been using the voltage readout yet so I'm not sure what it goes down to when the battery is 30% or so.

 

[whareable]

Setup your C1 or C2 buttons for Battery Info in cold flights, check that every few minutes and look for all 3 Red bars, if you see that, you better be ready to land it or have it auto land on you.

 

[WolfgangStiller]

Thanks! That thread has some great tips. I had not even considered there would be an issue and am heading to Colorado in a few weeks. Was hoping to bring the Mavic. Sounds like I'm good to go! Doesn't sound like people even need the hand warmers as long as you don't start with cold batteries.

One guy mentioned keeping the batteries in LiPo Safe pouches when he puts them in his jacket. Does anyone else do this? Or keep them in the pouches at all?

I do know a few folks who have had issues with LiPo batteries but it has always been with "cheap" hobby batteries that I suspect aren't well balanced and may have poor charge circuitry. I was kind of hoping the Mavic fell in the category of quality products that rarely have an issue (like laptop batteries and such).


That quote is from this article.

I looked at discharge curves for lipos and 3.2V seems pretty well into the "knee" before the steep drop-off. Would you let it go that low? I haven't been using the voltage readout yet so I'm not sure what it goes down to when the battery is 30% or so.

I live and fly in Colorado and as long as the battery is warm before I start, I am golden. The battery warms itself as you fly. I have flown to 8F with no issues but based on the battery temp chart from my flight from healthydrones (it got warmer as it flew), I am sure we can go much colder than that with no special mods to the battery or Mavic.

 

[KiterTodd]

I live and fly in Colorado and as long as the battery is warm before I start, I am golden. The battery warms itself as you fly. I have flown to 8F with no issues but based on the battery temp chart from my flight from healthydrones (it got warmer as it flew), I am sure we can go much colder than that with no special mods to the battery or Mavic.

Thanks, Wolfgang, that's great info.

What is your controller (phone/tablet) of choice and have you had to do anything to keep that operating in cold temps? Again, just want to prepare for a trip...

 

[WolfgangStiller]

Thanks, Wolfgang, that's great info.

What is your controller (phone/tablet) of choice and have you had to do anything to keep that operating in cold temps? Again, just want to prepare for a trip...

I use an iPhone6 and it works fine in cold temps except the batteries drain very rapidly. I have started always with 100% charge and then attached an adhesive body warmer (set of 40 bought for $30 on amazon) to the iPhone. This eliminates the cold temp quick capacity loss.

 

[whareable]

I live and fly in Colorado and as long as the battery is warm before I start, I am golden. The battery warms itself as you fly. I have flown to 8F with no issues but based on the battery temp chart from my flight from healthydrones (it got warmer as it flew), I am sure we can go much colder than that with no special mods to the battery or Mavic.

This advice does not apply once you get to -0, the mavic cannot maintain heat, it will slowly drop the batterys temp. In -45F it lost about 1F every minute.

 

[deltalimatango]

I don't know if this has been posted before but I thought it would be good for Mavic flyers who like to fly in cold weather. TIP , How to keep batteries warm. The bottom of battery already gets warm from the heat sink at the bottom when turned on. On the top of the battery just buy a box of hand warmer packets from Walmart and fasten one on top of battery pack, it looks like a little flat bean bag. It's a simple solution and could save big money. They last for some time and also acts like a insulator as well. The cold slows down the chemical reaction process and effectiveness performance of the battery, (less flight times) Have a good day. My2cents.

Actually, had you used the search feature, you would have seen that it has been discussed quite a bit with very similar suggestions. In fact, I too use some of the tips you mentioned and have even commented on it myself.

 

[SoapyGolem]

What is considered cold? The coldest it gets where I live is about 32F to 42F, or are we talking about negative temperatures?

 

[deltalimatango]

For where I am, the coldest it has been is -23 C or -9.4 F.


Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

 

[WolfgangStiller]

For where I am, the coldest it has been is -23 C or -9.4 F.


Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

Have you flown at -23c?

 

[WolfgangStiller]

This advice does not apply once you get to -0, the mavic cannot maintain heat, it will slowly drop the batterys temp. In -45F it lost about 1F every minute.

Good information. Thanks! I haven't flown down to 0F. I wonder if a stick-on body warmer such as suggested for keeping the iPHone warm would extend the temperature range further down.

 

[KiterTodd]

TIP , How to keep batteries warm. The bottom of battery already gets warm from the heat sink at the bottom when turned on. On the top of the battery just buy a box of hand warmer packets from Walmart and fasten one on top of battery pack, it looks like a little flat bean bag. It's a simple solution and could save big money. They last for some time and also acts like a insulator as well. The cold slows down the chemical reaction process and effectiveness performance of the battery, (less flight times) Have a good day. My2cents.

Sideeye, thanks for posting this! Great suggestion and info to share as we're in Winter and several of us have new Mavics we're itching to fly now that DJI is shipping them out regularly.

 

[Sideeye]

Sideeye, thanks for posting this! Great suggestion and info to share as we're in Winter and several of us have new Mavics we're itching to fly now that DJI is shipping them out regularly.

I took it out today in -3 deg **** cold and it worked great. I flew it for 1 1/2 hours in this weather and had no issues. I am in the testing stages of building a off grid pack charging system for Droner's who want to get out and play for awhile with out running to there car to charge there stuff.

 

[Sideeye]

Have you flown at -23c?

I had my chance today but it was only -3 deg, but worked fine with no battery alarm.

 

[Sideeye]

What is considered cold? The coldest it gets where I live is about 32F to 42F, or are we talking about negative temperatures?

yes and I have seen guys flying them in -22 on youtube.