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SECOND OCCURRENCE Low Voltage Warning

bfindlay

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Joined
Dec 22, 2019
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Location
Ontario, Canada
Hi all,

I did a range test today with my Mavic Mini and the temperature outside was -1 degrees celsius (I understand the operating range is 0-40). Battery temp was around 21 degrees celsius and when the battery got down to about 30-35% power left, I had a low voltage warning.

I seem to remember getting this issue with my Phantom before in cold temps as it puts some stress on the battery and affects its ability to put out voltage.

Anyone else have this issue and is it something to be concerned about?

- Blake
 
I haven't seen it yet on the Mini, and have tested it in -7C. Did you keep an eye on your battery temperature? I found that mine were able to maintain their temperature if they started warm (ie, stayed in the warm car right up until launch time). If they start cold, it could likely cause the issues that you're experiencing.
 
Battery temperature was hovering around 21 degrees. I had the batteries in the heated car on the way to where I was flying it. I’m gonna keep an eye on that battery in particular. If it comes up again I may give DJI a call and ask
 
What was the battery voltage? What was the battery temp at the time of the warning?
You can view it by clicking on the battery status icon.

I don't think the Mini batteries and AC put out enough heat to overcome what's dissipated away in the extreme cold so you may start out with warm enough batteries, they may get chilled rather than warmer in flight.
 
I don't think the Mini batteries and AC put out enough heat to overcome what's dissipated away in the extreme cold so you may start out with warm enough batteries, they may get chilled rather than warmer in flight.

Yeah they don't generate much heat at all, but when flying at -7C, my battery started at 17.1C and finished at 18C. That’s good news at that cold temp.

Colder than that may be different.
 
Hi all,

I did a range test today with my Mavic Mini and the temperature outside was -1 degrees celsius (I understand the operating range is 0-40). Battery temp was around 21 degrees celsius and when the battery got down to about 30-35% power left, I had a low voltage warning.

- Blake

So... overall, how did the Mini perform under those conditions? What was your flight duration compared to operating inside the recommended temps? Were there any other anomalies that you would attribute to the temperature? I am planning a trip to Yellowstone in a few days (Not flying the Mini in the Park and following FAA, and BLM's rules elsewhere) and the surrounding areas, and that's the reason I got the Mini, or a camera quad-copter of any kind. Any information you share would be appreciated.
Thanks.
 
Right as my battery hit 33% at about 21 degrees I got the low voltage warning. I had just finished doing a range test.

NOTE: I just flew with that battery again today and it was 4 degrees out so 5 degrees warmer and I was performing very similar activities with it and did NOT receive the warning. Right now I am chalking it up to the temperatures outside. I wish I didn't have to pay to see my battery health through Air Data haha. Might have to just bite the bullet and buy a subscription.
 
Extremely weird.

Today I flew my MM again and with the same battery and in Sport mode again, I received the low voltage warning when the drone hit 33%. I don't have this issue with any other battery and my earlier suspicion of the temperature being -1 or -2 being a factor on the first incident no longer holds up because today the temperature was almost +2 degrees celsius out which is within the limit of the drone. Battery temps were all normal today.
 
What was the actual voltage? Perhaps upload to airdata so you can analyse it more in-depth?
 
What was the actual voltage? Perhaps upload to airdata so you can analyse it more in-depth?
Voltage warning starts when the voltage drops below 3.3 volts and it went down to 3.23 or 3.24. As soon as I release the stick on the controller the voltage spikes back up again so it makes me believe its a weak cell in the battery.
 
Hi all,

I did a range test today with my Mavic Mini and the temperature outside was -1 degrees celsius (I understand the operating range is 0-40). Battery temp was around 21 degrees celsius and when the battery got down to about 30-35% power left, I had a low voltage warning.

I seem to remember getting this issue with my Phantom before in cold temps as it puts some stress on the battery and affects its ability to put out voltage.

Anyone else have this issue and is it something to be concerned about?

- Blake

Yes. I've been getting it since temps dropped below freezing in my neck of the woods. I got this message about 5 minutes into this flight. It was about -9C and under firmware/app version 1.0.4. I'm only speculating here but I suspect the li-ion batteries used in the Mini don't handle cold as well the lipo's normally used in drones.

low temp env.JPG
 
it seems to me that Li-ion cells release their charge differently to LIpo cells when they reach a certain voltage,and if the ESCs ask for more power they cannot provide it quick enough,so it gives a low voltage warning, obviously temperature will play its part, as no type of battery likes the cold whatever the chemistry involved
 
it seems to me that Li-ion cells release their charge differently to LIpo cells when they reach a certain voltage,and if the ESCs ask for more power they cannot provide it quick enough,so it gives a low voltage warning, obviously temperature will play its part, as no type of battery likes the cold whatever the chemistry involved

Agree omm, and perhaps this is a contributing factor in blow always of the mini, the lo-iron batteries have trouble coping under demand.
This could perhaps be one of the major cons of the mini, but of course priority was to reduce flight weight.
 
perhaps if the MM had been released in the summer things would have been different its not the best time for flying in the northern hemisphere
 
We shouldn’t loose sight that mini temp spec 0C, I’ve flown very close to this with no issues except and fingers and toes!
i agree in the UK it hasn't really be minus zero temps that we have been flying in although that doesn't include the wind chill factor i think that it is just something that we need to be aware of when it is cold ,even my MPP does not have the flight time it has in the summer
 
We shouldn’t loose sight that mini temp spec 0C, I’ve flown very close to this with no issues except and fingers and toes!
I agree but I have received the error in +1. I'm not concerned with the warning but it is something to keep in mind and to be honest, the slight voltage drop is not something to be concerned about. As mentioned earlier old man mavic regarding the ESCs, both of my occurrences happened in Sport mode which in that case they would be requesting more power from the battery.

What I don't agree with are the little flaws like this in the drone. I completely understand its a new drone and its phenomenal for its price, but things like this should not occur when operating the drone within the specs in the manual. Also weird I only get the error in the one battery I have. The other 2 are fine in Sport mode at those temperatures. Might just be a slightly weaker cell in the battery (or both cells)
 
I agree but I have received the error in +1. I'm not concerned with the warning but it is something to keep in mind and to be honest, the slight voltage drop is not something to be concerned about. As mentioned earlier old man mavic regarding the ESCs, both of my occurrences happened in Sport mode which in that case they would be requesting more power from the battery.

What I don't agree with are the little flaws like this in the drone. I completely understand its a new drone and its phenomenal for its price, but things like this should not occur when operating the drone within the specs in the manual. Also weird I only get the error in the one battery I have. The other 2 are fine in Sport mode at those temperatures. Might just be a slightly weaker cell in the battery (or both cells)
Would be interesting to keep an eye on the HD life of suspect battery in Airdata, is its percentage deterioration faster than the other two batteries? Also, batteries have only 6 month warranties so may be worth taking up with DJI.
 
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