Max wind speed you all fly?
- Thread starter AClineman
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Mossiback
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There are a number of threads about wind speed apps that you can search for. Keep in mind that they may not be accurate for your exact location or flying height, and wind speed and direction may change drastically at different heights.
The app I use are the trees where I will be flying. They give a pretty good indication of wind speed and direction. I try to fly out against the wind so a tailwind will help me get back. If I get too many high wind warnings from Go 4 I try to find a more friendly height to fly in or don't fly at all. I had to use Sport mode once against a strong wind and have not pushed the limits since.
The app I use are the trees where I will be flying. They give a pretty good indication of wind speed and direction. I try to fly out against the wind so a tailwind will help me get back. If I get too many high wind warnings from Go 4 I try to find a more friendly height to fly in or don't fly at all. I had to use Sport mode once against a strong wind and have not pushed the limits since.
i to have had a scary moment, i was flying the other day about 150ft up los and i was going out to get some pics and stick forward she was movinnnnn, and i seen her veer to the left with no input from me, seemed weird so i turned around and headed back and wow she was struggling,,,,,,no wind warning though but there must have been some gusts that were throwin her around, battery depleted very fast too, made her back safe but i wasnt expecting that.
dronerdave
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I fly until I start seeing the (second) high wind warning. The winds are fairly unpredictable at different altitudes so I always try to fly into the wind and depending on the ground wind speed, stay closer to the home point. I've took off in 20MPH winds and didn't have any issues but that was just to see how it operated in those conditions.
UAV forecast has a height wind speed scale. I use it but can't say how accurate it is at the upper altitudes.
UAV forecast has a height wind speed scale. I use it but can't say how accurate it is at the upper altitudes.
microlinux
Well-Known Member
There is a formula for estimating wind at different heights based on a reference ground speed, I'm guessing they use that. One element of the formula is a coefficient for the type of terrain, which I'm sure they don't account for, so it would be a fixed value in their implementation. If that is the case, their estimates are as accurate as that can be, plus you have to consider the element of randomness and local physical features.
I use UAV forecast before I head out, but get a local measurement with an anemometer onsite. It's not terribly difficult to generate pre-computed tables that take into account the various terrain coefficients if you want to get nit-picky.
If its going up to stay very close to me for a few pictures i'll do 20mph sustained. At that sped it makes little or no progress into the wind so flying it far isnt wise.
If im flying it any distance about 12mph or so sustained is the highest id like and even then always make sure to check the direction and plan a return with the wind.
If im flying it any distance about 12mph or so sustained is the highest id like and even then always make sure to check the direction and plan a return with the wind.
As above wind speeds are very hard to measure at altitudes as there are so many local factors such as terrain, thermals, funnelling and so on. Unless you have a weather station actually on site and a localised "fudge factor" or better, balloons its guess work.
The forumlae work a lot better for higher altitude winds where you're away from any ground effects but drones fly so low these local factors override and global ones.
Ultimately you just get to know your local area. Fly the drone, pay attention to its drone awareness and pay attention to the max speed in P-GPS you get flying in different directions as this helps gauge the strength. Also look at the pitch and roll indicators in sport mode to see how hard it is just to stay still.
(but i have no idea what a lineman or bucket truck is, i guess they dont fly though).
The forumlae work a lot better for higher altitude winds where you're away from any ground effects but drones fly so low these local factors override and global ones.
Ultimately you just get to know your local area. Fly the drone, pay attention to its drone awareness and pay attention to the max speed in P-GPS you get flying in different directions as this helps gauge the strength. Also look at the pitch and roll indicators in sport mode to see how hard it is just to stay still.
(but i have no idea what a lineman or bucket truck is, i guess they dont fly though).
Lapeer20m
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I’ve been hit with tropical storm remnants 2 vacations in a row now in NC beaches. Last year was 2 days of 35mph sustained winds. I have a MP bought refurbished. I was able to launch and hover in this and took it up to about 75 feet. You could see the aircraft struggling to maintain position, but it was doing it quite admirably. Landing was more challenging as I got down to “house” level and the buffeting became worse until practically on the ground. In the 2 days with these winds, my truck accumulated several shovels full of sand in the bed. 2018, saw Alfredo roll through and winds were much less. about 20 mph sustained, 30mph gusts. take off and hovering was ok, but at altitude, wind gusts were more severe. I got up to 200 feet no problem, the next day up to 400, winds were less severe.
I was very deliberate in movements, especially going through the altitudes where buffeting was increasing, but the MP did an awesome job both maintaining position in a hover and stability in flight.
I was very deliberate in movements, especially going through the altitudes where buffeting was increasing, but the MP did an awesome job both maintaining position in a hover and stability in flight.
The top speed of any drone is the absolute limit, but winds are generally gusty and unpredictable so as a rough guide if it's gusting to about 30mph you are at risk of partial loss of control.
The major factor is that wind speeds increase considerably once out of the shelter and friction effect near the surface.
If it is having to tilt at 45 degrees just to hold position, other controls will start to be affected.
Taking off and landing are likely to be much more hazardous.
In short, it is rarely worth taking the risk if conditions seem borderline.
If you feel the opportunity can't be missed, always try to go upwind and ideally stay close at hand so you can properly monitor what it is doing to cope.
The sound of the motors is a useful guide.
The major factor is that wind speeds increase considerably once out of the shelter and friction effect near the surface.
If it is having to tilt at 45 degrees just to hold position, other controls will start to be affected.
Taking off and landing are likely to be much more hazardous.
In short, it is rarely worth taking the risk if conditions seem borderline.
If you feel the opportunity can't be missed, always try to go upwind and ideally stay close at hand so you can properly monitor what it is doing to cope.
The sound of the motors is a useful guide.
When you head back home at full stick and the bird stays level you know the wind is very strong 
dronerdave
Well-Known Member
Try the UAV forecast app. It's free & fairly close to what my wind monitor reads. Just gives you a good idea of what to expect. I've had calm days turn to questionable flying times within minutes.
BTW so you can't use your bucket in 35mph winds???
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GavieboyDji
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I Definitely turn off obstacles avoidance setting when flying in high wind and I've never hardly used sports mode to get back.
Today we've had a big storm over in the UK and it was pretty windy up there.
One way you used to easily check wind speeds was briefly put it into ATTI mode, then check the resulting ground speed and direction which is calculated by GPS. But ATTI isn't available anymore without hacking.
ac0j
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When I go out to fly, and my hat blows off, I dont fly.
If i feel a breeze, i'll wet my finger and hold it up to see where its coming from.
If I decide to fly and I sense it is struggling at all, I quit.
Some people carry a bag of electronic gadgets to check what kind of wind they are standing in, A device with Weather apps running, air data running and a few other things running, maps and charts to see what surrounds them, orange vests with official looking text on them, orange cones to stake off their area, and landing pads.
Most of us use logical thinking. Its up to the individual pilot to decide when and where to fly.
If i feel a breeze, i'll wet my finger and hold it up to see where its coming from.
If I decide to fly and I sense it is struggling at all, I quit.
Some people carry a bag of electronic gadgets to check what kind of wind they are standing in, A device with Weather apps running, air data running and a few other things running, maps and charts to see what surrounds them, orange vests with official looking text on them, orange cones to stake off their area, and landing pads.
Most of us use logical thinking. Its up to the individual pilot to decide when and where to fly.
JDawg
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Bob in Savannah
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My MP1 says it can fly up to 25 mph gusts and be stable... I have no clue how to tell the mph wind speed... Lol... If it's whipping.... I don't mess around. Period .
There is an App called ‘Windy’ which is about the best I’ve used. Seems very accurate to me
I go out to play in the wind
When it starts flying backwards in gps mode I switch to sport mode and continue onwards!
These things can handle A LOT of wind
When it starts flying backwards in gps mode I switch to sport mode and continue onwards!
These things can handle A LOT of wind
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