Maximum Hours to Fly Drone Safely

[Curtiscop]

Hello All,

I am wondering if there is a recommended time to fly a drone, before letting it rest (cool down). I fly a Mavic 3 Pro, and have plenty of batteries to keep the drone up in the air for hours nonstop. I'm concerned that there may be a recommended time to fly, but when that time is reached "RTH" Return to Home and give it a rest. When is that time, and how long should the drone be allowed to cool down

Most likely, the outside temperature where I'm flying may make a big difference.

Thanks ... all you Dronners

Curtis

 

[old man mavic]

there is no way to give such a recomended time
each flight is going to be different,and there are to many variations in climate at the time ,and location of the flight

 

[Meta4]

Hello All,

I am wondering if there is a recommended time to fly a drone, before letting it rest (cool down). I fly a Mavic 3 Pro, and have plenty of batteries to keep the drone up in the air for hours nonstop. I'm concerned that there may be a recommended time to fly, but when that time is reached "RTH" Return to Home and give it a rest.

There is no such time.
DJI has done testing with continuous running for 72 hours.
Just fly.

 

[Filmarik]

Even though there can be not a definitive answer to your question, the temperature is you biggest enemy. Electronic components and motors in particular can provide a good guidance when you should give your drone a rest. You can buy a small digital infrared thermometer in a RC hobby store to quickly measure temperature of the drone body and motors immediately after landing. For example motors should not get much over 65°C (around 150°F) from my experience from other RC hobbies i.e. helicopters. You do get temperature reading of your battery in FlyApp during flight so you should keep your eye on that too. If the body of the drone gets too hot due to sun and ambient temperature, the battery will get hot too. Again the battery should not get much over 50°C (122°F) during flight or upon landing. Not sure if there is a max safe temperature for batteries and if FlyApp gives warning for high battery temperature or high internal components temperature. I have not seen one yet myself. To conclude I would suggest keeping your eye on simple things like those mentioned above and that should be enough to keep your drone within the safe operating temperatures. Consumer drones like M3P are built very well these days and can fly for hours on end in mild ambient temperatures. In very hot weather it might be a bit different. Type of flying can affect the temperature of the drone components. When hovering there is less airflow through the gills of the drone meaning less cooling of the internal components and battery. Many things will play a role..

 

[Curtiscop]

There is no such time.
DJI has done testing with continuous running for 72 hours.
Just fly.

I appreciate the quick response. Was the 72 hours covering all conditions. Even in the evening here in Utah, it is around 85 degrees. MID-DAY 100 degrees. 72 hours would be 3 days.

 

[Curtiscop]

there is no way to give such a recomended time
each flight is going to be different,and there are to many variations in climate at the time ,and location of the flight

I can believe your answer ..... hoping to get some idea, since my new drone cost a 'pretty penny'. Thanks for the input

 

[Curtiscop]

Even though there can be not a definitive answer to your question, the temperature is you biggest enemy. Electronic components and motors in particular can provide a good guidance when you should give your drone a rest. You can buy a small digital infrared thermometer in a RC hobby store to quickly measure temperature of the drone body and motors immediately after landing. For example motors should not get much over 65°C (around 150°F) from my experience from other RC hobbies i.e. helicopters. You do get temperature reading of your battery in FlyApp during flight so you should keep your eye on that too. If the body of the drone gets too hot due to sun and ambient temperature, the battery will get hot too. Again the battery should not get much over 50°C (122°F) during flight or upon landing. Not sure if there is a max safe temperature for batteries and if FlyApp gives warning for high battery temperature or high internal components temperature. I have not seen one yet myself. To conclude I would suggest keeping your eye on simple things like those mentioned above and that should be enough to keep your drone within the safe operating temperatures. Other than that even consumer drones are built very well these days and can fly for hours on end in mild ambient temperatures.

Filmarik

Thanks for some great information. The idea of an infrared thermometer sounds like a good thing to have when I go out. Here in Utah, we have so many city parks down in our valleys, along with up in the mountains. I've got a setup with a folding table; external power bank, electric fan, Bluetooth speaker, nice cooler .... so it's easy just to hang out by myself, or with my family for hours. .... Now, what about the winter and snow? Same problem with cold temperatures? I used to live around humidity, and that can get very cold, but here in Utah it's a dry cold..... really isn't that bad. And I won't be flying it IN snow.

 

[Filmarik]

Filmarik

Thanks for some great information. The idea of an infrared thermometer sounds like a good thing to have when I go out. Here in Utah, we have so many city parks down in our valleys, along with up in the mountains. I've got a setup with a folding table; external power bank, electric fan, Bluetooth speaker, nice cooler .... so it's easy just to hang out by myself, or with my family for hours. .... Now, what about the winter and snow? Same problem with cold temperatures? I used to live around humidity, and that can get very cold, but here in Utah it's a dry cold..... really isn't that bad. And I won't be flying it IN snow.

Cold temperature only shortens the flight time per battery but otherwise it has no detrimental effect on electronics. If you can keep your charged batteries somewhere warm at room temperature (or near that) you should be fine when flying in cold weather. You need to be mindful of battery in your controller too. It will also last less in freezing temperatures.

 

[Meta4]

I appreciate the quick response. Was the 72 hours covering all conditions. Even in the evening here in Utah, it is around 85 degrees. MID-DAY 100 degrees. 72 hours would be 3 days.

It wasn't in Utah.
You don't have to worry about it.
The drone isn't going to get any hotter from 2, 3, 4 etc batteries than it does flying one.
If you can fly one battery, you can fly more with no need to "cool down".

 

[MS Coast]

Filmarik

Thanks for some great information. The idea of an infrared thermometer sounds like a good thing to have when I go out. Here in Utah, we have so many city parks down in our valleys, along with up in the mountains. I've got a setup with a folding table; external power bank, electric fan, Bluetooth speaker, nice cooler .... so it's easy just to hang out by myself, or with my family for hours. .... Now, what about the winter and snow? Same problem with cold temperatures? I used to live around humidity, and that can get very cold, but here in Utah it's a dry cold..... really isn't that bad. And I won't be flying it IN snow.

An infrared thermometer is of little value since it will show you only the external temperature of the drone. The internal temperatures are your concern.

How would you use the measured values anyway? At what temperature would you decide not to fly?

Just fly it.

 

[millbah]

Rule of thumb : if you can't cook an egg on it, keep flying.

 

[dougj8]

Tying my Mav 3 Pro in Waco TX in Aug last year with temp aroun 102 I got a ‘Motor Overheat Warning’ on the controller. It’s the only time in several years of flying that I’ve seen it, but also the worst heat nd high humidity that I’ve flow in. I landed immediately and didn’t go up again until the weather moderated.

 

[Filmarik]

An infrared thermometer is of little value since it will show you only the external temperature of the drone. The internal temperatures are your concern.

How would you use the measured values anyway? At what temperature would you decide not to fly?

Just fly it.

The main concern is temperature of motors and battery and both can be measured quickly after landing with digital infrared thermometer such as this one

Infrared Thermometer - SkyRC

Battery temperature is displayed in FlyApp and for a good reason. If the motor temperature would be creeping up after each consecutive flight and reaches levels well over 150°F I would give the drone a break until the motors cool down a bit.

 

[MS Coast]

The main concern is temperature of motors and battery and both can be measured quickly after landing with digital infrared thermometer.

The external temperatures only.

I'd be most concerned about the main processor chip, deep inside the drone.

 

[Filmarik]

The external temperatures only.

I'd be most concerned about the main processor chip, deep inside the drone.

Measuring "external "motor and esc temperature in rc cars, helis, boats etc has been a standard practice to evaluate overheating. I know that this is not a perfect method but if it has been good enough indication in those situations, it should be good enough for a drone too

 

[Cafguy]

I fly all day in Bakersfield. I give it a break after a few batteries ( 5-10 min.}. Yesterdays temp 108 last week everyday was above 105. If your Drone is starting to get Dangerously hot you can usually detect this by strange lags or breaks in your VTX,s ( video Card) transmissions. This is what happens with my Other Drones with DJI Air units installed. I have not seen this from any of my DJI Drones and as I said, I fly them continually in the heat.