5 things to keep in mind when flying in winter
Battery
DJI drones use lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries. However, in cold temperatures, the performance of such batteries is impaired because the chemical reaction in the batteries is slowed down. Note the following:
- Use only fully charged batteries.
- Heat the batteries to 20°C or more before the flight. You can check the temperature of the batteries in the DJI GO app.
- Just let the drone hover for a minute to warm up the battery.
- Gently operate the joysticks to avoid a sudden drop in voltage.
- Batteries discharge faster in cold temperatures. Check the battery status more often during the flight.
Environment
A reduced field of view and the humidity of snow are dangers if you want to take aerial photos of winter landscapes with your drone. Note the following:
- Check out the weather forecast. Avoid strong winds, rain and snow.
- Do not fly at temperatures below 0°C.
- Avoid landings on snow. The moisture can damage the engine. It is recommended to use a landing pad for your drone.
- The GPS signal should be strong enough
Keep your phone/tablet warm
In extremely cold temperatures, it can happen that your phone suddenly turns off. Just like a drone, your phone also uses a LiPo battery. So keep your phone warm as well.
The same goes for your hands. Use gloves to avoid frostbite. The fingertips freeze the fastest and complicate the fine motor skills of the fingers, which is required when steering.
Exposure and white balance
Snow is white. Accordingly, you need to configure the exposure and white balance to get good photos. Relying on Automatic Mode can lead to dark images.
By increasing the corresponding number, your image will be slightly overexposed, but this may have a positive effect on snow pictures. Otherwise, the snow might look gray.
Storage
If your drone is stored for a long time, then this can have a negative impact on performance. A correct storage method is important:
- Charge and discharge the battery at least once every three months.
- Remove the propellers and gimbal clamp when storing your drone.
- Store your drone in a dry environment, away from magnetic radiation and at an ambient temperature of about 25°C.