When looking at UAV forecast, should I be concerned too much about wind gust speed?

[shadow3467]

I recently got a Mini 3 Pro and been using UAV forecast (app) to see when its a good time to fly and when its not

I've noticed alot of times, the wind will be like 3-7 m/s but gusts will be 10-12 m/s

Is that bad weather for flying or is it ok if gusts are higher speed since they're not usually CONSTANT wind speed and more like a burst?

If I don't fly when gusts are 10-12 m/s then I basically only get to fly my mini 3 pro like 2 days a week here (ontario canada)

 

[SuperSkymaster]

I’ve been wondering the same thing here in New Jersey. Most days it says “Not good to fly”. I just got my Mini 3 Pro and don’t want to risk losing my first drone in the first month.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Wind speed, wind gusts, yes and no.
It's just a forecast, and like a lot of forecasts what's forecast can be so far off (either way).

I use it rarely, usually just a check of that (or more so Ventusky on the web) when planning a trip next day etc.

On site, I much prefer using visual indicators of the general local wind characteristics.
That and the attitude bowl (Go4) as I ascend, and I think the Fly app has that tool available on screen now too ?

 

[Faster]

Wind speed, wind gusts, yes and no.
It's just a forecast, and like a lot of forecasts what's forecast can be so far off (either way).

I use it rarely, usually just a check of that (or more so Ventusky on the web) when planning a trip next day etc.

On site, I much prefer using visual indicators of the general local wind characteristics.
That and the attitude bowl (Go4) as I ascend, and I think the Fly app has that tool available on screen now too ?

Fly app has the Attitud indicator too. I use it all the time, it's a very good tool for knowing wind force and direction.

 

[LoudThunder]

I recently got a Mini 3 Pro and been using UAV forecast (app) to see when its a good time to fly and when its not

First thing you need to do is read your User Manual and learn how Wind can affect your Drone. Not only can the wind destroy your drone, it affects its Flight Characteristics and Flight Time. If you are flying with a strong tail wind, your Drone may not have enough battery reserve to return fighting a head wind. If you are flying along in a nice slow pace (by indicated air speed), you may not realize that your Drone is flying at Maximum power just to fight that head wind and your flight time will be drastically reduced by your Drone drawing so much power from the battery just to maintain that slow pace…

If you are using the UAV App to predict Flight Conditions, then you need to setup the UAV Flight App for your particular Drone and you own aversion to flying in harsh conditions.

THE UAV App is totally User Definable; you only need to Tap the specific category. In the illustration I Tapped the "Gust" Block and the Setup Screen comes up and you define what is acceptable and what is not. The Mini does not have the wind bucking ability of the Mini SE or Mini 2 and the they do not have the wind bucking ability of the Mini 3. You decide what you are willing to accept. So, if you had a Mini you would set the Gusts lower than for a Mini SE and Mini 2, and they would be set lower than the Mini 3.



Taking your Drone's Wind-Bucking ability and your adversity to watching your little bird getting whipped around by the wind, you need to establish just how much you are willing to accept as Acceptable Gusts. Just because the UAV App says there are 35 MPH gusts in your area, perhaps your specific area is tree lined or there are adjacent hills that are blocking the wind; and it does not mean you cannot fly in those "reported Gusts…"

In the worst case, you can screw-up the setup so badly by accepting the highest or lowest values in all categories (for example 50 MPH Gusts, 100% Precipitation, Zero (0) Satellites, Zero (0) Visibility, etc…) that the App would say, "It's Good to Fly" with a Hurricane outside…

By the way, on the Satellites, you need to check your User Manual as to which of the Global Positioning Systems your Drone will receive signals. My Mini 2 only receives the USA's GPS, Europe's Galileo, and Russia's Glonass. It does not receive China's Beidou. So I have the Beidou disabled in the UAV App…

Now how you set it up is all up to you and no two will be exactly the same. For example, you and your friend both fly the Mini 3, but one of you has a lower threshold to the risk of damaging your Drone…

On another branch of this subject and that is the Attitude Indicator in your Fly App. It not just there to show you which way your drone is pointing nor where your drone is in relationship the Home Point nor which direction is North, nor whether you are actually facing your Drone. But it also shows you the Attitude your drone is taking in relationship to flight.

Hint, When I fly and there is the possibility of high altitude winds or Gusts that my position may not feel, I lift off to various altitudes with my Drone, facing North, and hover for a short while and I check the Attitude Indicator to see if My mini 2 is struggling to maintain its position. This way I know if I fly in a certain direction, I'm not being blown along with a tail wind and find that I've gone too far away to recover due to the wind.



In the Attitude Indicator Graphic You will see various colored lines radiating from the Drone Icon. Your App will only show Light Gray Lines (my Drone was hovering in this screen shot with no wind so the two parallel lines radiating out at 3 and 9 o'clock indicates Level Flight).

I have added the colored lines just an exemplar to particular flight situations.

The Red Lines indicate that the Drone is dipping its nose and is either Flying forward very fast or it is fighting a very strong head wind (coming from the front).

The Blue Lines indicate that the Drone is dipping its tail and is either Flying reverse very fast or it is fighting a tail wind (coming from its tail).

The Yellow Lines indicates that the Drone is banking to the Right or it is fighting a very strong wind coming from the Right.

The Green Lines indicates that the Drone is banking to the Left or it is fighting a very strong wind coming from the Left.

And if there are No Lines visible, the tornado has it and if Dorothy finds it while she's on the Yellow Brick Road, she might bring it back if Toto doesn't think it's a Chew Toy…

So, when it comes to flying your Drone is the Wind or in Gusty Conditions, you need to use all available resources. The UAV App for a Good General Weather Condition Report, your own Good Judgement, and once you are in the air, the Attitude Indicator to tell you exactly what your Drone is Experiencing…

 

[Chaosrider]

Fly app has the Attitud indicator too. I use it all the time, it's a very good tool for knowing wind force and direction.

This reminded me of a related question.

How does the drone decide to give you a "High Wind Warning"? What information does it use to make that decision, and where does it get that information?

When the Minis give me that warning, it's wrapped in some dire text that suggests that the world is about to end.

When the FPV gives me the high wind warning, the tone is more like, "High winds. Ho-hum..."

I routinely climb up the opposite wall of the canyon so that I can look over the ridge. I'll be 1200 ft ATL, but well under 400 ft AGL. The winds at that elevation can easily be 15 - 20 mph greater than they are at my house.

I watch the Weather Channel every morning, whether I plan to fly or not. When I'm planning to fly, I rely mostly on the sea of tall green anemometers that I live in...

 

[FLDave]

Weather is a serious issue and local wind conditions cannot be determined or known by general area wind forecasts. It also requires knowledge of past experiences of how the drone reacts to various wind conditions. You can establish your own correlation between wind forecasts and your own local wind conditions.
My approach is to look at weather underground forecasts for my very local area. Hourly forecasts help. I can look at current conditions for wind at our airport 7 miles away. I can look at reported wind at all of the local reporting individual weather stations. I'll also check out the window how flags and trees are moving and compare that with forecast winds.
If flying is still considered then I go to the takeoff spot and do a visual and feel analysis of the wind. Next step is to use my anemometer and measure the wind speeds and direction; that number gets recorded in my flight log so I have it for future reference. If all is still questionable the next step is take off and watch how the drone (Air 2s) performs; it if matches expectations then continue; if not then land immediately.
After the flight the data gets uploaded to AirData where I then check the estimated winds aloft to see how that compares to my expectations.
You will need to develop your own numbers for go-no go decisions.
It's all part of the learning experience. Weather is a serious issue for pilots. I learned that from my SEL piloting days.

 

[yankfanp]

I recently got a Mini 3 Pro and been using UAV forecast (app) to see when its a good time to fly and when its not

I've noticed alot of times, the wind will be like 3-7 m/s but gusts will be 10-12 m/s

Is that bad weather for flying or is it ok if gusts are higher speed since they're not usually CONSTANT wind speed and more like a burst?

If I don't fly when gusts are 10-12 m/s then I basically only get to fly my mini 3 pro like 2 days a week here (ontario canada)

If I understand the app correctly, you set the parameters according to what you think is best or what the drone company recommends. If it reads not to fly, I don't or make sure I fly at a low level.

 

[shadow3467]

Fly app has the Attitud indicator too. I use it all the time, it's a very good tool for knowing wind force and direction.

how do you read that? is it just indicating the drone horizontally like a plane's indicator would?

 

[MS Coast]

how do you read that? is it just indicating the drone horizontally like a plane's indicator would?

See post #5. @LoudThunder provided a detailed explanation.

 

[shadow3467]

See post #5. @LoudThunder provided a detailed explanation.

Yeah I just saw that, great post. So I guess it is exactly like a plane's indicator, good to know.

 

[Sharpshooter]

Wind is part and parcel of the flying experience, regardless of the type and size of the aircraft. Experience is your best guide, fly in various wind conditions, build up from light winds to conditions that are a bit more robust. You will develop a feel for how the drone is affected and what you are comfortable with. I've seen reviews where operators talk about not having enough power to fly the drone back to the home point, obviously not a situation that you want to find yourself in and largely predictable. Like full size aircraft, the pilot needs to know how each drone deals with varying conditions. My I2 will perform in winds 10-20 with gusts to 30, steady as a rock, but it requires close attention to how the wind is behaving around landscape and structures. Another factor to consider is the difference between surface winds, which is the forecast that you are looking at, and what it might be doing at 400', there can be a big difference on some days. There are some great reviews where the operator demonstrates flying a drone in very windy conditions, 30 knots and above. That's all well and good, usually they are flying DJI's drone as a loaner and it's no big deal if it ends up in a pile of parts. Aviation has a common thread no matter what you are flying, push the envelope and the risks go up proportionately, ultimately it comes down to experience and determining one's tolerance for bad outcomes.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

how do you read that? is it just indicating the drone horizontally like a plane's indicator would?

Yeah I just saw that, great post. So I guess it is exactly like a plane's indicator, good to know.

Yes, it gives you pitch of the aircraft to cope with wind / gust strength in pretty much all directions.
I usually fly low-ish, but if going higher I just take it up a little, stop and hover a few seconds, check attitude for any radical changes.
There can be changes at altitude, but really, unless you are flying around mountains / hills, around cliffs, especially seaside, there isn’t a lot of difference normal from ground to 120m / 400’.
It all comes down the reading the area you’re flying, and knowing what your drone can manage safely.
It can take some time to gain this sort of gut feel, but flying very conservatively in initial piloting / model ownership is usually enough to prevent incidents.

 

[DSRT_VLTR]

I fly my Mini 2 when the forecast says wind is 0-10 mph with gusts up to 15mph.

 

[LoudThunder]

How does the drone decide to give you a "High Wind Warning"? What information does it use to make that decision, and where does it get that information?

The Drone uses the GPS system to determine its location and it uses its Accelerometer (for Orientation and Positioning) and its Gyroscope (to Measure and Maintain Orientation and Angular Velocity).

The Flight Processor takes the data from all three of these sensors to determine if it is having to work to maintain its global position. As I wrote earlier, when the drone is hovering in a head wind, it is actually "flying forward" to maintain its position.

To fly forward to maintain its position, it has actually increased power to its rear motors and if you were to view it from the side, you would see that the Drone's nose is low and its tail is high (as if it is flying forward…).

When the Drone has increased its "angular velocity" to a certain power level, near max, just to maintain its position or if it is "racing forward" and making little progress as determined by the input from the GPS sensor, the Fly App sends you the "High Wind Warning"

You want to simulate a high wind? Hover the Drone about 4-5 feet off the ground, now reach over and grab one of its front legs, and pull it towards you. As I say, "Your little baby will scream…" The Drone will increase power to that side's motors in an attempt to get back in position and if you tilt it, the Drone (the processor) will interpret that action as a high wind blowing it out of place…

For those folks who may never have seen the "High Wind Warning" the Screenshot shows you what to expect…



The Screenshot showing the Attitude Indicator and Speed Indicators should send chills down any Drone Flyer's Spine…

You can almost hear my little Mini 2 screaming, "What are you doing to me? Look at the Attitude Level Indexes, they are off the Scale, I'm almost standing on my head. And in spite of all that power pouring into my propulsion system, look at my Speed Indicator, it's reading a negative 4.5 MPH, but I'm supposed to be flying forward, but I'm actually traveling backwards… I'm feeling Hot, are my motors starting to glow?"

 

[Joethedrone]

I recently got a Mini 3 Pro and been using UAV forecast (app) to see when its a good time to fly and when its not

I've noticed alot of times, the wind will be like 3-7 m/s but gusts will be 10-12 m/s

Is that bad weather for flying or is it ok if gusts are higher speed since they're not usually CONSTANT wind speed and more like a burst?

If I don't fly when gusts are 10-12 m/s then I basically only get to fly my mini 3 pro like 2 days a week here (ontario canada)

You set your own parameters, personally I have mine set at 18-22 regardless of what the drone is allegedly capable of. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[LoudThunder]

So, you just got a Mavic 3 and you've got questions… Below I've included a link to the user manual, READ IT!

Any Case, Welcome from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA. I fly a Mini 2 and I know the excitement you are going through…


Living in Canada, be sure you are following all of the laws and rules applicable to you. Here is a DJI Link to Many Sites of interest to all.

Drone Flight Application Strategy Digest, continually updated!

Do not let the excitement of the moment get the best of you. When you are going out to fly, do it slowly and deliberately. Get used to a set procedure and even practice it.

Plug in your phone/tablet into your controller; turn on the Controller and DJI Fly App (if it does not start on its own…). On the Drone, open the front legs, then open the back legs, then remove the Gimbal Cover.

The Gimbal is the most delicate item on the Drone and banging or bumping can damage it. I also fastened a short "Remove Before Flight" ribbon to the cover so it's more noticeable and I do not forget to remove it…

Turn on the drone and watch it come to "life." Watching the Gimbal go through its self-check is almost like watching a kitten or puppy opening its eyes for the first time…

Place the drone down (preferably on a Landing Pad) while it finishes its self-test (collecting satellites, etc…).

Check your battery status (Phone, Drone, and Controller), check the Signal Strength, by now the Controller should have reported it updated the Home Point.

Lift off, 4-5 feet (1-1/2 meters) or so, hover a bit, check the controls (move the drone a bit forward, back, left, right, yaw left and right). By now, your Controller will probably report again, Home point Updated.

If you go out in a rush and race thru your start up and take off before the drone has finished it prep, it may update its Home Point over that pond or that old tree you are flying over and in your excitement, you'll fly the drone long past it Low Battery point and when it engages Return to Home and lands in the pond or in a tree; it will be all on you…

Now go have fun, learn to fly the drone by sight before you try to fly it out a distance depending on the video feed, FPV.

The following YouTube Video by Jeven Dovey is well worth watching and you might even subscribe to his channel…

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I would also advise you to use YouTube and watch a lot of the Videos on flying and setting up the Drone. When it is too dark, too cold, or too wet, you can "fly it vicariously" through YouTube. Also watch some of the Blooper Drone Videos and learn how not to fly your "New Baby."

Below is the link to all of the downloads offered by DJI for the Mini 3 Pro. You will also find the 74-page Mini 3 Pro's User Manual, in case your Drone did not come with one. The User Manuals are published in different languages.

After you read the Manual, read it again, you will be surprised what you missed the first time and you will be better prepared for that first "scary moment…"

DJI Mini 3 Pro - Downloads - DJI

Happy and Safe Droning…

 

[veryzebra]

I’ve been wondering the same thing here in New Jersey. Most days it says “Not good to fly”. I just got my Mini 3 Pro and don’t want to risk losing my first drone in the first month.

Hawthorne is in a wind gulch. Seems like that area, and as far east as Paramus, there's always gusts coming through.

Be aware of what it can do. If you're flying along at 200' and nothing is in your way then it's not as critical. If you're hovering 10' over a waterfall and a strong gust his you hard then it could drive a rapid decrease or sideways push. If you're too close to something you may regret flying. Also keep in mind the direction versus the direction of flying so you always have enough juice to get home.

 

[LoudThunder]

there's always gusts coming through

As an after-thought concerning wind gusts, if you Hand-Launch or Hand-Catch your Drone; Always, Always keep your back to the wind. When Catching or Launching, you only have one hand on the controller and it's more likely than not you are just holding it so it does not fall. If while Catching or Launching, you get hit with a Wind Gust and the wind is not at your back, you could very likely get a Face-Full or Propeller…

 

[akdrone]

I've never used an app to check wind. I just look around me and feel and see what is happening. I've flown my Mav3 in 25+mph winds at -25mph and my big concession to high winds is to be sure to fly into the wind while testing things out and to take great care as I go higher and higher. I've been full tilt boggie on the sticks going nowhere forward and at that point I come down lower. Altitude is often a huge factor in high winds. In high winds I also am very conservative with battery use and plan to return home by 20% battery taking into account the wind direction. I must admit that when I first went out with an experienced pilot friend I was astounded we were going to fly our drones in 25mph wind with snow blowing across the road but...no problem. I have taken exactly zero flights in high wind with my Mini3 Pro and obviously that will be a different story .