The other day, I flew my drone for the first time in light rain but landed when it started to pick up. A bit later, an epic rainbow appeared, and I really wanted to send the drone back up, but I didn’t—mainly because I was under power lines with no good launch spot.
I know the general rule is to avoid flying in any rain, but I’ve seen videos of people pulling it off. What’s the actual threshold? How much rain is too much?
Honestly, any rain is too much. These drones aren’t water-resistant at all.
My personal rule is this: if you need to wipe off water from your phone or controller screen, it’s a no-go. Officially, flying in any rain is discouraged, and that’s a good baseline to stick with if you want to stay safe.
I was flying today, and it started raining mid-flight. By the time I landed, the drone was wet. I wiped it down afterward, so I guess we’ll see if it’s okay in the long run.
I’ve flown in light mist and fog often—enough that I have to wipe off the lens when it lands. I’ve used my Mini 3 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro for this with no issues so far, but I wouldn’t recommend it without DJI Refresh for peace of mind. To be safe, I put Gorilla tape over the battery compartment to help keep water out.
I’ve done a few jobs where there was heavy mist or light rain. No issues completing the flights with my Mavic 3 Pro. Afterward, I always shelter the drone (like in my car) and spin up the motors for a few minutes to help dry out the prop and motor housing areas.
@Raleigh
That’s a great idea—thanks!
For context, I’m using an Air 2S. Not sure if that matters.
Skyler said:
For context, I’m using an Air 2S. Not sure if that matters.
Oh yeah, the Air 2S is definitely waterproof… just kidding!
Skyler said:
For context, I’m using an Air 2S. Not sure if that matters.
Oh yeah, the Air 2S is definitely waterproof… just kidding!
Lol, had me for a second.
I use a Mini 2 with a Phantom rain suit and fly in almost any weather—rain, snowstorms, you name it. The suit is high-quality and comes with a lifetime warranty. The only thing that’s ever worn out was the rubber band that seals the top of the battery door, but they replaced it for free.
I’ve had my Mini 2 for 3-4 years, with thousands of flights and hours logged, and it’s still going strong. One time, water got into the memory card slot, and I lost video and connection to the remote. I panicked, thinking it was done for, but the drone still came home and landed safely. I even have videos of it flying in a downpour. As long as the wind stays under 25 mph, the Mini 2 is my go-to.