Well I did something stupid today

[neggy]

It was just above freezing and there was high humidity as seen by the low ceiling in the picture.

 

[Slim.slamma]

high humidity

Excellent weather for prop icing

Right around freezing

 

[RobH2]

Happen to me once some years back.
It’s a simple solution

Starch from a potato or water repellent.


only when a esc fails

For All Weather Pilots this is common

Because I'm just ignorant about it, so just rub a potato slice on the blades or is there a kitchen product called "potato starch" that you'd use? My wife does the fine cooking in this house so I'm truly asking because I don't know any better.

 

[Slim.slamma]

Because I'm just ignorant about it, so just rub a potato slice on the blades or is there a kitchen product called "potato starch" that you'd use? My wife does the fine cooking in this house so I'm truly asking because I don't know any better.

What’s up RobH2

Yes sir just rub a cut open potatoe. That’s what my my mentor recommended. He cheap.

I use water repellent

Then test at home in the freezer

 

[neggy]

Excellent weather for prop icing

Right around freezing

exactly, which is why I should have known better..... but I didn't crash, and I didn't damage the aircraft.... but it was close

 

[Slim.slamma]

exactly, which is why I should have known better..... but I didn't crash, and I didn't damage the aircraft.... but it was close

All part of becoming an experienced sUAV operator

 

[BD0G]

Now it’s my turn.......... if my M2P will go 3 miles out, Will it go 3 miles up ?
No, I would not but an argument at work needs to be settled ........

Mavic 2 max ceiling height is actually above 3 miles. Its 5 Km which equates to 3.7 Miles!

 

[Slim.slamma]

Now it’s my turn.......... if my M2P will go 3 miles out, Will it go 3 miles up ?
No, I would not but an argument at work needs to be settled ........

The Game is to be Sold not Told

You must Pay to Play above 1640’ or search YouTube vigorously

 

[Prmath]

Anyone who would take their craft that high KNOWING the dangers to civilian and military aircraft....... really does need their hands removed.

 

[wxperson]

Since the initial poster says the reason for failure was the temperature and dew point... I would like to know what he determined they were after the fact.

 

[wxperson]

We have a local church that was hit by lightning over the summer, it is a structure I have taken pictures of many times.

They got around to fixing the fire damage this week.

The other day I got some pictures of the work in progress.
Today I noticed the work was complete.

I checked and had the bare minimums to fly... ceiling and visibility were marginal but off I went.

Well dope me forgot to do something.... look at the dew point and temperature.

I was about 3 minutes into the flight the screen is going nuts

Thermal overload, excessive current drain, the aircraft was unstable and losing altittude.

I started getting it back over my LZ as it was dropping, it did a hard landing ( one bounce) but no damage.

I picked it up and could smell that the RF motor was hot.

A look at the props showed ice on the leading edges.

That is what I get for not looking at the dew point.

I should have know better as in a small plane ice build up on the wings and in the carburetor is a real concern.

Lesson learned, and maybe my near miss will be a teaching moment for one of you too

What was the temperature and dew point readings?

 

[DanMan32]

Mavic 2 max ceiling height is actually above 3 miles. Its 5 Km which equates to 3.7 Miles!

That's the operating ceiling above mean sea level. That's specified as air gets thinner as you are at higher elevations.
Max height from takeoff is hard coded in firmware to 500m though some have unlocked that limitation on some models and firmware versions.
I don't believe anyone has tested based on radio range.

 

[neggy]

What was the temperature and dew point readings?

38F temp. 32F dewpoint

 

[fdewarren]

Heated propellers should be added to DJI accessories.

 

[RobH2]

What’s up RobH2

Yes sir just rub a cut open potatoe. That’s what my my mentor recommended. He cheap.

I use water repellent

Then test at home in the freezer

Really interesting. Thanks...

 

[RobH2]

38F temp. 32F dewpoint

Really, you had freezing at 38°? That concerns me a bit as I had planned to do a number of snow shots this winter. I've seen so many beautiful ones in mountain ranges and over winter snowscapes. I wanted to do some over the Chesapeake Bay but now am worried I'll lose my aircraft over the water.

Maybe @wxperson is still around and can explain this a bit. I'd have no doubt that you could get freezing edges in sub-freezing weather with very high humidity but I'd never expect freezing edges at 38°. I'm going to buy some potatoes today...lol...

 

[¬Nomad]

Really, you had freezing at 38°? That concerns me a bit as I had planned to do a number of snow shots this winter. I've seen so many beautiful ones in mountain ranges and over winter snowscapes. I wanted to do some over the Chesapeake Bay but now am worried I'll lose my aircraft over the water.

Maybe @wxperson is still around and can explain this a bit. I'd have no doubt that you could get freezing edges in sub-freezing weather with very high humidity but I'd never expect freezing edges at 38°. I'm going to buy some potatoes today...lol...

Venturi effect: the low pressure region at the upper leading edge will reduce the temperature in that area below ambient

 

[RobH2]

Makes sense. Gotta love physics.

Kidding aside, this is something to take seriously for anyone who flies in winter. I'd guess that the vast majority of pilots fly in warm weather predominantly. We read about how the DJI drones can fly in really cold weather. Even my Inspire 2 has heated batteries just for that reason. Heated batteries or not, if your props freeze over you will have problems. I need to do further research and see if I can determine what temperature VS humidity ratio will assure that I'm safe to fly in cold weather. And I don't think I'll ever fly in cold weather without treating those leading edges with something, be it potato or manmade, to help guard those leading edges.

This has been a very informative thread. Hopefully, a weather expert will weigh in and tell us what weather conditions make freezing likely and what ranges make it unlikely.

 

[sar104]

Makes sense. Gotta love physics.

Kidding aside, this is something to take seriously for anyone who flies in winter. I'd guess that the vast majority of pilots fly in warm weather predominantly. We read about how the DJI drones can fly in really cold weather. Even my Inspire 2 has heated batteries just for that reason. Heated batteries or not, if your props freeze over you will have problems. I need to do further research and see if I can determine what temperature VS humidity ratio will assure that I'm safe to fly in cold weather. And I don't think I'll ever fly in cold weather without treating those leading edges with something, be it potato or manmade, to help guard those leading edges.

This has been a very informative thread. Hopefully, a weather expert will weigh in and tell us what weather conditions make freezing likely and what ranges make it unlikely.

I've been flying in significantly subzero (Celsius) temperatures this winter without problems. Last weekend, for example, I flew 6 back-to-back 20 minute Litchi missions in the -5 – -15°C range without any issues – primarily because the humidity was fairly low (~30%). What you need to avoid is anything that looks like freezing fog, even if the temperatures are above freezing.

 

[RobH2]

I've been flying in significantly subzero (Celsius) temperatures this winter without problems. Last weekend, for example, I flew 6 back-to-back 20 minute Litchi missions in the -5 – -15°C range without any issues – primarily because the humidity was fairly low (~30%). What you need to avoid is anything that looks like freezing fog, even if the temperatures are above freezing.

That's good anecdotal evidence. Until I know better, I'll try to fly freezing weather if the humidity is 50% or below. Hopefully, that will be a safe threshold.