What is the ideal battery level for storage?

[Chrisinhouston]

So let's say I spend an hour or so flying and come home with discharged batteries. Should I store them that way if I will not fly for a bit or charge them up some or all the way?

 

[msinger]

If you're going to fly again within the next week, then there is no need to charge them up right away. If you're not planning on flying again for a week+, then it would be best to charge them up until the 3rd battery light starts blinking. That would put the current charge level right in this sweet spot:

 

[AstroMelly]

Shouldn’t you just leave them as discharged as possible until you want to fly and then fully charge them? That’s the advice I have seen everywhere. You certainly don’t want to leave them on the charger for weeks as I have read someone did, it kills the batteries internals.

I wasn’t aware LiPo batteries had a charge sweet spot which improved their lifespan or anything like that. The Air’s batteries will automatically discharge after a time period of not being used (which you can set, default 10 days). Do they discharge to this sweet spot if left? I would have thought they would discharge to a level similar to that at the end of a flight - maybe 20-30%. Be interesting to know.

 

[msinger]

Shouldn’t you just leave them as discharged as possible until you want to fly and then fully charge them?

No. You could damage the batteries by storing them for long periods of time below the range in the red box above.

The Air’s batteries will automatically discharge after a time period of not being used (which you can set, default 10 days).

Right. However, that default 10 day setting cannot be adjusted in DJI GO. Hopefully DJI will eventually expose that setting so we can adjust it.

Do they discharge to this sweet spot if left?

Yes.

I would have thought they would discharge to a level similar to that at the end of a flight - maybe 20-30%.

If the charge level is within that red box at the end of your flight, then you're good to go. All flights are different though, so the remaining charge level is not always going to be the same.

 

[AstroMelly]

Ok, this is really interesting, I'm glad I asked. I wonder how many people actually know this. May I ask where you got this information from? This basically means not only will the batteries benefit from a small top up post flight (after cooling of course), but also time to fully charge pre next flight should be dramatically reduced.

One thing - I'm flying with my drone (on a plane) in the next few days and I think the advice there is to discharge (or leave as post flight) the batteries while they are in transit. I think that would be the safest thing to do rather than trying to explain this to a security officer in the airport. Actually I just found from the manual:

Before carrying Intelligent Flight Batteries on an airline flight, they must be discharged to 30% or lower. This can be done by flying your Mavic Air outdoors until there is less than 30% charge left or until the Intelligent Flight Battery no longer turns on. ​

I also found in the manual that the auto discharge does indeed discharge the battery to 'below 65%', but there didn't appear to be any specific mention of the best charge level to store the batteries at (I admit I have not gone back to the battery safety manual yet).

I'll top them up as you suggest when I arrive and then fully charge before my first flight.

Thanks for sharing that information, I'm sure others will benefit.

BTW I am sure I have seen the setting for changing the discharge time period in my Mavic Air via DJI Go4 App. It is in the battery section. I've certainly seen a vid of someone where they recommended reducing it to 5 days. Maybe I imagined seeing it but I'm sure it is in there.

Iain

 

[msinger]

May I ask where you got this information from?

You can find the following in the "Storage" section of the Mavic Air Battery Safety Guidelines:

"charge the battery until the battery level reaches between 30%–50% for long-time storage"

I'm flying with my drone (on a plane) in the next few days and I think the advice there is to discharge (or leave as post flight) the batteries while they are in transit. I think that would be the safest thing to do rather than trying to explain this to a security officer in the airport.

Nobody at the airport is going to ask to see the charge level of your drone batteries (nor the batteries from your phone, camera, laptop, etc.).

I am sure I have seen the setting for changing the discharge time period in my Mavic Air via DJI Go4 App.

Perhaps you were watching a Mavic Pro video?

 

[AstroMelly]

You can find the following in the "Storage" section of the Mavic Air Battery Safety Guidelines:

"charge the battery until the battery level reaches between 30%–50% for long-time storage"

Thanks!

Perhaps you were watching a Mavic Pro video?

Bingo!

Cheers
Iain

 

[tfrank48]

I always store my batteries at 50% and have had very good results.
If I am storing, for say, 2 to 3 months, I run my MP to 12%, then charge
back to 100%, and then finally to the 50% level. Anyway this works for me.
note: this is on my MP bought when 1st released.
Also, I land my bird at 17 - 18 battery % and run down to the 12% level while grounded.

 

[Jotne]

If you store battery with 100% charge, they will go down to 50% after some weeks (self discharge). So why bother use time to run the Mavic until battery is at 50%? Or I am wrong?

 

[tfrank48]

That is true, however, I personally prefer to run my batteries in, shall I say, battle mode. Thanks for your feedback.

 

[colinfowler]

One thing - I'm flying with my drone (on a plane) in the next few days and I think the advice there is to discharge (or leave as post flight) the batteries while they are in transit. I think that would be the safest thing to do rather than trying to explain this to a security officer in the airport. Actually I just found from the manual:

iv never had a problem at security with my batteries at any charged level.