I’m going to fly my drone in a really cold area where it’s usually below freezing. I’m planning to use li-ion batteries for a longer range. Would wrapping them in a Mylar blanket help keep them warm, or could it make them too hot during flight?
I wouldn’t use a Mylar blanket since batteries already generate a lot of heat while they’re in use. I fly all year round in Alberta, and all I do is warm my batteries with the car defroster before flying. Once they’re warm, they stay warm as they’re in use. The cold never really bothers the drone itself.
@Parker
Maybe, but you said it’s below freezing. If there’s moisture in the air, you could run into icing issues on the props. Icing messes with airflow and could cause problems.
Parker said:
@Parker
Maybe, but you said it’s below freezing. If there’s moisture in the air, you could run into icing issues on the props. Icing messes with airflow and could cause problems.
Prop icing isn’t really a problem on small drones like these. They’re flexible and spin fast, so if any ice forms, it’ll likely fall off. I’ve flown in freezing conditions plenty of times without issues. The bigger problem for me was cold hands.
Parker said:
@Parker
Maybe, but you said it’s below freezing. If there’s moisture in the air, you could run into icing issues on the props. Icing messes with airflow and could cause problems.
Icing on props? I’ve flown hundreds of times in below zero weather, and that doesn’t happen. It’s a drone, not an airplane. That’s just silly.
@Parker
It can definitely happen, and it’s dangerous.
Teal said:
@Parker
It can definitely happen, and it’s dangerous.
Really? Has it happened to you? No? I wonder why.
Teal said:
@Parker
It can definitely happen, and it’s dangerous.
Really? Has it happened to you? No? I wonder why.
No, but that’s because I’ve never flown in those conditions. My instructor has seen it several times though. Maybe it’s different where you live? Just because it hasn’t happened to you doesn’t mean it can’t happen.
@Parker
How do you manage flying in Alberta during the winter? It gets pretty cold year round, doesn’t it?
Vail said:
@Parker
How do you manage flying in Alberta during the winter? It gets pretty cold year round, doesn’t it?
You don’t always need to get out of your car. I fly from inside sometimes. It’s not like it’s -30°C every day; there are warm days even in winter, especially now.
@Parker
Oh, cool! I’m in Alberta too, and I just got into drones. I was wondering what to do for the six months of winter here!
Kai said:
@Parker
Oh, cool! I’m in Alberta too, and I just got into drones. I was wondering what to do for the six months of winter here!
Yeah, there’s always good days in the winter for flying. Plus, the snow helps with fire control—it’s been a tough year with all the smoke. What drone are you using?
@Parker
I have a Mini 2 SE and an old Mavic Pro my friend gave me. I’m also trying to get into FPV flying indoors during the super cold days. What do you fly?
Kai said:
@Parker
I have a Mini 2 SE and an old Mavic Pro my friend gave me. I’m also trying to get into FPV flying indoors during the super cold days. What do you fly?
I’ve got a Mini 2, Mini 3 Pro, and an Air 2S. The Air 2S is my favorite because of its power and range. But I’m not too happy with the Mini 3 Pro—it keeps giving me weak signal warnings even at 2 km, which is worse than my Mini 2.
Keep your batteries inside your jacket until you’re ready to fly. Once you launch, hover for a bit to let the battery warm up, and you should be good to go.
Cleo said:
Keep your batteries inside your jacket until you’re ready to fly. Once you launch, hover for a bit to let the battery warm up, and you should be good to go.
Flying in winter is awesome! I do it in Minnesota all the time. I keep my batteries in my jacket and they stay warm enough during flight. Just make sure to warm them up again when you’re done flying.
Cleo said:
Keep your batteries inside your jacket until you’re ready to fly. Once you launch, hover for a bit to let the battery warm up, and you should be good to go.
You could also use a hand warmer. Just don’t keep it in there too long.
Nope, just keep the batteries warm in your jacket or bag until you’re ready. They’ll warm up while in use, but it’s important to start them warm.
Joss said:
Nope, just keep the batteries warm in your jacket or bag until you’re ready. They’ll warm up while in use, but it’s important to start them warm.
This is super important! If they start cold, you could lose up to 30% of the battery life.
Keep them at room temperature until you take off, and they’ll heat themselves during flight. Just remember, it’s not recommended to fly below -10°C for extended periods.