Does cold weather affect drones?

Does cold weather affect drones?

Is there a danger to drones in winter?

Winter landscapes are some of the most beautiful and captivating. We're sure you can't wait to take off with your drone and scour the skies with it to capture the snow-capped mountains. However, are you hesitant about its safety for your flying robot outside? Winter can indeed offer extreme conditions, and it's good to be informed about how the cold can affect flight. High winds and freezing temperatures shouldn't be underestimated. In this article, we'll discuss how winter cold can affect your drone and give you some valuable tips on how to pilot in such conditions.

What can happen to your drone if you fly in freezing weather?

Batteries can drain quickly

The cold will certainly affect the performance of your drone's batteries. Modern drones are powered by LiPo batteries, which tend to drain faster in extreme cold temperatures. This is because they begin to cool, and their chemical activity begins to decrease. Logically, in this situation, your drone will not be able to stay in the air long enough. It is also possible that your connection to the machine starts to break and even get lost.

Low visibility

In winter, the visibility is very often too low, which will certainly affect your flight. This is mostly because of the fog and snowfall during this season. Do not be too adventurous if the weather is not suitable. Apart from it not being worth it as you won't be able to capture particularly good footage, there is a great danger to your drone.

The camera is not functioning at its full capacity

Whatever we say, most people purchase a drone with the aim of capturing beautiful footage with the camera. However, if there is the presence of snowfall, it can reduce the quality of the footage. Some of them may be blurry. You will also need to make appropriate adjustments in the color balance.

Tips for flying drones in cold weather

It's not enough to just know that it's not good to pilot your drone in cold and wet weather. We'll give you a few tips to put into practice this winter season.

1. Pay attention to proper storage of drone batteries

Taking care of your drone batteries isn't just during the flight. How you store them and under what conditions is important. Ensure a dry and cool place where the temperature is not too cold. It is best to store them at room temperature.

Another valuable tip is to store the batteries separately from each other and outside your drone. Charging should be avoided to be done in excessively warm or cold conditions.

Do not charge batteries to full charge before putting them away for storage.

2. Avoid longer flights

Since your drone's batteries will drain faster than usual in colder weather, you should take this into account when planning your flight. This means your mission time should be significantly shorter so you don't risk losing contact with the machine due to low charge.

3. Keep batteries warm

A major reason batteries lose their charge is that they get cold very quickly. To help them last longer, you can try to warm them up just before the flight itself. You can get a battery heater for this purpose. Another option is to use hand warmers, but it is not advisable to have the heater and the batteries in direct contact. In this case, you can use gloves or a scarf to wrap them.

4. Personal care

It is also necessary to take care of yourself. You know that cold weather requires warmer clothes. Do not forget the gloves so that your hands do not freeze. Otherwise, you run the risk of not being able to react adequately at some point and, for example, not being able to avoid an obstacle.

Conclusion

Time is of the essence for your flight. It is important not to risk piloting in too extreme conditions. It is not advisable to fly in snowfall, high winds and fog. If the weather forecast is favorable for flight, dress well and prepare your batteries for winter conditions. Enjoy the capabilities of your drone, but always assess your surroundings before taking off.

If you need advice or are in search of your new drone, drop us a line. Our team will be happy to assist you. Keep an eye on our drone blog where you will find lots more useful information.