I’ve had my DJI Air 2S for a few years now. On their site, DJI says it’s built to handle between 0°C and 40°C. This year we finally have snow, and I’d love to get some footage. But I’m worried about flying in subzero temperatures. Has anyone tried this? Is it risky to fly below freezing? Any tips for handling the cold?
Shouldn’t be a big deal.
Jamie said:
Shouldn’t be a big deal.
Even temperatures below -20°C aren’t usually an issue if you preheat the batteries first.
Jamie said:
Shouldn’t be a big deal.
Even temperatures below -20°C aren’t usually an issue if you preheat the batteries first.
Appreciate it! 
I asked about this for the DJI Mini 4K recently. People told me to warm up the batteries in my pocket before flying. I tested it last night in subzero temps, and it worked fine.
Still, I’m nervous about ice buildup. I think avoiding rain, snow, and fog should help.
@Lilly
How cold was it when you flew?
Cedar said:
@Lilly
How cold was it when you flew?
The drone will warn you if the battery is too cold. The only time I had to preheat was around -15°C to -20°C after being outside for a couple of hours before flying. Otherwise, it’s usually okay.
@Mackenzie
Good to know, thanks!
Cold isn’t as big an issue as ice on the propellers. Keep your batteries warm before takeoff, and you’ll probably be fine. Here’s a video of someone testing it in snow:
Icing isn’t a concern below -5°C unless there’s freezing fog or rain, or visible moisture like heavy snow. Once it’s around -12°C, there’s barely any moisture in the air.
The main problem is that cold temps affect battery performance. If you keep your batteries warm and don’t fly too long, you should be okay. Moving them from a warm car directly into the drone helps too.
Battery life will suck in the cold. Plus, the plastic of the drone gets more brittle the colder it gets. You can fly at freezing temps if you want, but the manufacturer advises against it. Just know you’re taking a risk.