We are heading to the winter months, and for many areas in the northern hemisphere, this means colder temperatures. Drones are a big hit over the last couple of years and have become a highly popular gift given during the holiday season. Whether you get a drone for Christmas this year or have recently bought one for yourself, it is essential to keep in mind that winter brings undesirable conditions which could be harmful to your drone.
Let us take a look at some tips for flying your drone throughout the winter months! You can still fly your drone during winters, but many factors make it more challenging than flying in optimal weather conditions.
Let us take a look at some tips for flying your drone throughout the winter months! You can still fly your drone during winters, but many factors make it more challenging than flying in optimal weather conditions.
Before you venture out to catch aerial pictures of that picturesque winter landscape, have a moment to read up on how cold weather can affect your flight and also learn the steps you can take to maintain your drone safe.
Before you venture out to catch aerial pictures of that picturesque winter landscape, have a moment to read up on how cold weather can affect your flight and also learn the steps you can take to maintain your drone safe.
Challenges of Cold Weather Flight
Keep the Pilot Warm. When you're flying a drone in chilly weather, be sure to keep warm at all times. Put on a thick winter coat, scarf, and suggest that you get some touch screen gloves. You might also bring a thermos full of coffee to keep you warm and awake.
If you are relaxed and comfortable, it will make for a much more Controlled and secure flight.
If you are relaxed and comfortable, it will make for a much more Controlled and secure flight.
Preserve Your Batteries
The biggest difference you will notice when flying in colder temperatures is reduced flight times. Many quadcopters include lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries. When the climate gets chilly, LiPo batteries' chemical reactions slow down, reducing the battery capacity. A completely charged drone that typically gives 20-25 minutes of flight time may just give 10-15 minutes in cold weather. You may see large, sudden reductions in power levels or perhaps experience complete battery failure (however, total failure is quite rare).
Ensure that your drone's batteries are completely charged before each flight. Hover your drone only slightly off the floor for a moment or two, so the batteries can heat up.
Ensure that your drone's batteries are completely charged before each flight. Hover your drone only slightly off the floor for a moment or two, so the batteries can heat up.
Frequently Check Your Drone's Battery Status Throughout Long Flights
Cold weather may also impact the drone sensors, which may trigger the drone to ramble or be less receptive to control inputs. Cold fingers and hands can make it more challenging to operate the controllers, which may be another barrier to smooth and secure flight.
Flying Reliably In Cold Weathers
Here are a few steps you can take to get the maximum out of your drone throughout cold weather flights:
Review Your User Guide For Guidelines
Many well-known quadcopters are designed to fly in temperatures which range from approximately 32°F -- 104°F (0°C -- 40°C), giving you the capability to safely fly in several climates. If you are flying in high altitudes or in regions with harsh seasonal weather, then you may be exceeding the recommended temperature guidelines, which could place your drone at risk. Make sure you reference your user manual for instruction on safe working conditions for the drone, gimbal, and battery.
Listed below are some popular drones' best flight temperatures.
Yuneec Typhoon: 32 °F to 104 °F (0 °C to 40 °C)
DJI Mavic Guru: 32 °F to 104 °F (0 °C to 40 °C)
DJI Phantom 4: 32 °F to 104 °F (0 °C to 40 °C)
DJI Inspire Guru: 14 °F to 104 °F (-10 °C to 40 °C)
When flying at a temperature around or under 32 °F (0 °C), the opportunity of experiencing problems is greatly increased. This results from the fact that most drones use Lithium Polymer (Lipo) batteries, which create less power when subjected to cold weather.
Listed below are some popular drones' best flight temperatures.
Yuneec Typhoon: 32 °F to 104 °F (0 °C to 40 °C)
DJI Mavic Guru: 32 °F to 104 °F (0 °C to 40 °C)
DJI Phantom 4: 32 °F to 104 °F (0 °C to 40 °C)
DJI Inspire Guru: 14 °F to 104 °F (-10 °C to 40 °C)
When flying at a temperature around or under 32 °F (0 °C), the opportunity of experiencing problems is greatly increased. This results from the fact that most drones use Lithium Polymer (Lipo) batteries, which create less power when subjected to cold weather.
Keep the batteries warm: If you are going to be outside for extended periods, do what you can to keep the batteries warm. By way of example, rather than merely throwing the batteries on your backpack, wrap them up in a sweater, scarf, or glove. Some drone pilots use hand warmers to help ensure batteries remain warm. If you drive to a distant place, keep the batteries at the vehicle's cabin rather than the trunk. These additional precautions will help extend the flight time and decrease the odds of temperature-related battery mistakes.
Hover after takeoff: When you initially launch the drone, then bring the aircraft up to 10-12 feet, allow it to hover for 30-60 minutes, or until the battery temperature is at 59° F (15° C). Most drones provide a means for you to inspect the battery temperature, either in the mobile app or on the control itself. Hovering the drone offers the battery and motors an opportunity to warm up and provides you with the chance to affirm that the drone is flying and stable as you expect. In fact, bringing the drone to a very low elevation and making it hover after takeoff is an excellent practice, no matter weather conditions.
Ensure batteries are fully billed: Some drone batteries incorporate technology that automatically discharges battery power after a certain inactivity period. This maintenance feature helps prolong the battery life, but if you have not flown for a few months, it can be simple to forget that your batteries might no longer be at the expected levels. Before you move out the door, take a moment to confirm that your batteries are fully charged.
Minimize heavy control inputs: Flying at high rates or at full throttle calls for a heavy current from the battery and can result in a sudden voltage drop. Preventing full throttle, especially during the first couple of minutes of your flight, and reducing hefty control inputs will increase flight time.
Do not drain the battery under normal weather conditions, increasing the flight period, and flying into a low battery level is not uncommon. However, when you're flying in cold weather, completely draining the battery can be insecure. Fly before the battery drops to 30-40 percent capacity, and then bring the down drone. Take a few spare batteries with you if you know you are going to require a whole lot of time in the air.
Bring a portable charger for your portable device: Several popular drones stream live video to a mobile device on the control. Do not forget that the battery in this device will also be influenced by cold weather. You might want to purchase a small portable charger to power up your mobile device if necessary.
Hover after takeoff: When you initially launch the drone, then bring the aircraft up to 10-12 feet, allow it to hover for 30-60 minutes, or until the battery temperature is at 59° F (15° C). Most drones provide a means for you to inspect the battery temperature, either in the mobile app or on the control itself. Hovering the drone offers the battery and motors an opportunity to warm up and provides you with the chance to affirm that the drone is flying and stable as you expect. In fact, bringing the drone to a very low elevation and making it hover after takeoff is an excellent practice, no matter weather conditions.
Ensure batteries are fully billed: Some drone batteries incorporate technology that automatically discharges battery power after a certain inactivity period. This maintenance feature helps prolong the battery life, but if you have not flown for a few months, it can be simple to forget that your batteries might no longer be at the expected levels. Before you move out the door, take a moment to confirm that your batteries are fully charged.
Minimize heavy control inputs: Flying at high rates or at full throttle calls for a heavy current from the battery and can result in a sudden voltage drop. Preventing full throttle, especially during the first couple of minutes of your flight, and reducing hefty control inputs will increase flight time.
Do not drain the battery under normal weather conditions, increasing the flight period, and flying into a low battery level is not uncommon. However, when you're flying in cold weather, completely draining the battery can be insecure. Fly before the battery drops to 30-40 percent capacity, and then bring the down drone. Take a few spare batteries with you if you know you are going to require a whole lot of time in the air.
Bring a portable charger for your portable device: Several popular drones stream live video to a mobile device on the control. Do not forget that the battery in this device will also be influenced by cold weather. You might want to purchase a small portable charger to power up your mobile device if necessary.
Steer Clear of Precipitation
Can You Fly a Drone in the Snow?
This simple answer to that is yes, you can, and it's been done many times before. But if moisture was to get in the drone, you run an extremely substantial risk of losing the drone altogether. Personally, we do not like to fly if it is snowing, but it's up to you whether you wish to take this risk.
Most drones are not waterproof, and precipitation of any kind can harm the camera and gimbal, short out an engine, or cause other malfunctions in the drone or controller. If your drone will get caught in the rain or snow, then land it whenever possible. Be sure you dry off the body and props of the drone. In chilly weather, keep in mind that any moisture from the gimbal pads may freeze, affecting the quality of your aerial footage.
Snow and other winter weather changes can reduce visibility and negatively influence your drone's performance. Take these steps when flying your drone in winter.
See weather conditions before flying. Do not fly your drone on times, where strong wind, rain, or snow are forecasted.
Don't fly your drone in cold temperatures -- stick to flying days over 32°F. Moisture can harm your drone's motors, so try to prevent landing it from the snow.
Most drones are not waterproof, and precipitation of any kind can harm the camera and gimbal, short out an engine, or cause other malfunctions in the drone or controller. If your drone will get caught in the rain or snow, then land it whenever possible. Be sure you dry off the body and props of the drone. In chilly weather, keep in mind that any moisture from the gimbal pads may freeze, affecting the quality of your aerial footage.
Snow and other winter weather changes can reduce visibility and negatively influence your drone's performance. Take these steps when flying your drone in winter.
See weather conditions before flying. Do not fly your drone on times, where strong wind, rain, or snow are forecasted.
Don't fly your drone in cold temperatures -- stick to flying days over 32°F. Moisture can harm your drone's motors, so try to prevent landing it from the snow.
Store Your Drone Properly
If you reside in a place that faces a lot of snow and other bad winter weather, you might consider putting your drone off until springtime. If the drone will is idle for a while, it needs to be stored properly to get optimal performance when you do take it out to get a flight:
Maintain battery healthy by charging and charging the battery once every 3-4 months.
Eliminate the propellers when storing, if at all possible.
Store the drone in a dry location that is not susceptible to moisture and keep it away from anything magnetic. Ensure the storage area is not too hot and not too cold -- the drone should be kept in a location that's always around 75°F.
Maintain battery healthy by charging and charging the battery once every 3-4 months.
Eliminate the propellers when storing, if at all possible.
Store the drone in a dry location that is not susceptible to moisture and keep it away from anything magnetic. Ensure the storage area is not too hot and not too cold -- the drone should be kept in a location that's always around 75°F.
Consider Drone Insurance
There are a few different types of drone insurance policies you can buy to secure your drone, in addition to yourself and your property in cases where another drone besides your own is concerned:
Liability Coverage: This coverage protects you if your drone induces any bodily or property damage to others.
Hull/Physical Damage Coverage -- this policy insures your drone if you damage it or it's stolen or destroyed.
Non-Owned coverage -- this policy insures drones that you do not own or drones that third parties run on your premises.
Liability Coverage: This coverage protects you if your drone induces any bodily or property damage to others.
Hull/Physical Damage Coverage -- this policy insures your drone if you damage it or it's stolen or destroyed.
Non-Owned coverage -- this policy insures drones that you do not own or drones that third parties run on your premises.
The Bottom Line
You can still fly your drone in winters, but it may need a little additional leg work before the flight and a few extra cautions when you're drone is up in the air. Your flight times might be relatively brief, but if you give proper attention to the batteries and prefer best practices, your chances of constant, safe flights are significantly enhanced.
RSS Feed