Freezing weather flying and lessons learnt

[stuartdew]

So been flying up in park rapids, Minnesota at a log cabin and had the best time following snowmobiles and checking out the ice fishing even though it was between -20 and -10 all day!

few things that i learnt along the way that i wanted to share for anyone else thinking of flying in freezing weather and not totally confident in it and want some tips

1) be prepared for your phone/tablet's battery to die in the cold DON'T PANIC when this happens. i was able to switch from my tablet to my phone and reconnect fairly quickly. a few hand warmers around the tablet and it brought it back to life quickly.

2) your spark batteries aren't designed for this kind of weather so if you leave your batteries in a case or in the car overnight you aren't going to be taking off. keep your batteries around your body and again use those hand warmers to quickly bring them to life. once you take off the spark has enough heat to keep you in the air no problem.

3) have a take off / landing point clear of snow (i used my peli case that my spark travels in) still saw people landing their drones on the ice or snow and wondering why their sensors stopped working.

4) when charging your spark batteries from empty make sure you warm them up. if the spark batteries are cold they WILL NOT charge.

5) for that cinematic feel you really should invest in the filters that you can buy for the spark. because of all the ice/snow and it being a sunny day the filters really took the reflections out and stopped the auto focus from going crazy light to dark due to the sun bouncing off the snow.


excited to see how this footage came out!

 

[Gavieboydgi]

So been flying up in park rapids, Minnesota at a log cabin and had the best time following snowmobiles and checking out the ice fishing even though it was between -20 and -10 all day!

few things that i learnt along the way that i wanted to share for anyone else thinking of flying in freezing weather and not totally confident in it and want some tips

1) be prepared for your phone/tablet's battery to die in the cold DON'T PANIC when this happens. i was able to switch from my tablet to my phone and reconnect fairly quickly. a few hand warmers around the tablet and it brought it back to life quickly.

2) your spark batteries aren't designed for this kind of weather so if you leave your batteries in a case or in the car overnight you aren't going to be taking off. keep your batteries around your body and again use those hand warmers to quickly bring them to life. once you take off the spark has enough heat to keep you in the air no problem.

3) have a take off / landing point clear of snow (i used my peli case that my spark travels in) still saw people landing their drones on the ice or snow and wondering why their sensors stopped working.

4) when charging your spark batteries from empty make sure you warm them up. if the spark batteries are cold they WILL NOT charge.

5) for that cinematic feel you really should invest in the filters that you can buy for the spark. because of all the ice/snow and it being a sunny day the filters really took the reflections out and stopped the auto focus from going crazy light to dark due to the sun bouncing off the snow.


excited to see how this footage came out!

I have just had my Samsung s8 die on me todays flying but I didn't have another device to change to so I was left with my spark 3000 feet away 200 feet up and my phone wouldn't turn back on.
If that happens to anyone else just use the controller rth button and pray that your Spark has turned and started to come back home hahah It was a long few seconds waiting.

 

[Highflyer]

So been flying up in park rapids, Minnesota at a log cabin and had the best time following snowmobiles and checking out the ice fishing even though it was between -20 and -10 all day!

few things that i learnt along the way that i wanted to share for anyone else thinking of flying in freezing weather and not totally confident in it and want some tips

1) be prepared for your phone/tablet's battery to die in the cold DON'T PANIC when this happens. i was able to switch from my tablet to my phone and reconnect fairly quickly. a few hand warmers around the tablet and it brought it back to life quickly.

2) your spark batteries aren't designed for this kind of weather so if you leave your batteries in a case or in the car overnight you aren't going to be taking off. keep your batteries around your body and again use those hand warmers to quickly bring them to life. once you take off the spark has enough heat to keep you in the air no problem.

3) have a take off / landing point clear of snow (i used my peli case that my spark travels in) still saw people landing their drones on the ice or snow and wondering why their sensors stopped working.

4) when charging your spark batteries from empty make sure you warm them up. if the spark batteries are cold they WILL NOT charge.

5) for that cinematic feel you really should invest in the filters that you can buy for the spark. because of all the ice/snow and it being a sunny day the filters really took the reflections out and stopped the auto focus from going crazy light to dark due to the sun bouncing off the snow.


excited to see how this footage came out!

now that's cold it's only -3 here in Sanborn, Mn BTW how's the fishing up there? I was thinking about heading up that way next weekend or the Brainard lakes area. looking forward to watching the video.
Jeff

 

[windryder]

Thanks for the tips. It's a little bit warmer here in New Mexico, but we have dipped down into the single digits at night. Stay warm.

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

Been around-28c or -18f here all weekend so far, not going to risk it.

 

[1uk3y]

I know it's more kit to carry but I always carry a 15,000mah portable battery charger. It charges my spark and the iPhone at the same time and I keep it in an insulating/thermal case to stop it from getting cold!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ZOOMHILL-C...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZB8X8JADJB77NHS5WMRJ

 

[Kendallfordguy]

Also be careful in extreme cold with your device screens. Some screen are LCD, L for liquid. The liquid can freeze or thicken in extreme cold and stop or slow down reaction to inputs. I've never seen permanent damage but I would think it's a possibility.

 

[twickers14]

Really useful stuff everyone. Thank you.

 

[Troy.Spark]

I never take off or land in the snow as the Spark was designed to take off from your hand and land in your hand. You should be able to double tap the battery button and it take in gesture mode then it will revert To the controls only you start using them and I just simply hold my hand out and hold the down stick until it lands even on good days I always hand catch my spark

 

[stuartdew]

now that's cold it's only -3 here in Sanborn, Mn BTW how's the fishing up there? I was thinking about heading up that way next weekend or the Brainard lakes area. looking forward to watching the video.
Jeff

I wasn’t just visiting but went over to fishhook lake and the ice fishing looked alive and well!

I’m from the UK but currently residing in Minneapolis for the winter and ice fishing blew my mind!

Definitely head to the Mississippi headwaters in the state park there it was beautiful round that way.

 

[stuartdew]

I never take off or land in the snow as the Spark was designed to take off from your hand and land in your hand. You should be able to double tap the battery button and it take in gesture mode then it will revert To the controls only you start using them and I just simply hold my hand out and hold the down stick until it lands even on good days I always hand catch my spark

Definitely the best way and how I land most times but the case offers a great way to take off as it’s flat and I can still use my controller with both hands so I’m ready to take control straight away

 

[Barbara]

I experienced the "Dead Phone". Have been trying to figure a way to mount my battery powered hand warmer to it. With my luck though, the battery to the hand warmer would fail.

 

[Chrislaf]

Had my Spark up today checking out the ice huts on the lake. It was -21C and with the wind chill it felt like -28C. Usually there are many more huts out there and lots of fishermen without any shelter, but not taday.

Spark worked fine except the gimbal pitch would not move its whole range or would stick. This is no surprise as this usually happens in really cold weather. Since the 180 auto pano function didn’t work because it has to pitch the gimbal, I just took a manual 6 shot (rushed) pano because my hands started getting cold as soon as I took them out of my gloves.

Here’s the pano:

Chris

 

[Simk1n]

It's -20c where i live now (Norway) have not tried my spark when it is this cold, but tried it in -15c and it went well. I only used 1 battery.

I'm not even gonna try my Mavic 2 in this cold weather, to afraid

 

[Kendallfordguy]

No flying in Wisconsin today, the actual temperature is -27F (-32.8c). Thankfully there is no wind(at least yet).

Update (01/31/19): The actual temp here this morning is -37F (-38.3c).

 

[Barbara]

It's -20c where i live now (Norway) have not tried my spark when it is this cold, but tried it in -15c and it went well. I only used 1 battery.

I'm not even gonna try my Mavic 2 in this cold weather, to afraid

Hasn't gotten much above -20 C here for weeks now. That and the snow banks keep growing, Anyway, no outdoor flying yet here.

Just curious where in Norway you are, my mom was from Geilo. Haven't gotten over for a visit, but it's on my bucket list.

 

[Simk1n]

Hasn't gotten much above -20 C here for weeks now. That and the snow banks keep growing, Anyway, no outdoor flying yet here.

Just curious where in Norway you are, my mom was from Geilo. Haven't gotten over for a visit, but it's on my bucket list.

I live 100km north of Oslo, and from here to geilo its 220km, so a good 3.5h drive.

 

[Gavieboydgi]

I never take off or land in the snow as the Spark was designed to take off from your hand and land in your hand. You should be able to double tap the battery button and it take in gesture mode then it will revert To the controls only you start using them and I just simply hold my hand out and hold the down stick until it lands even on good days I always hand catch my spark

That's what I've always done with the spark I don't think I've ever landed it on the ground it's just so easy to land straight into your palm just being it down to head hight and then just hold your hand underneath and press the left stick down and the spark lands

 

[Chrislaf]

That's what I've always done with the spark I don't think I've ever landed it on the ground it's just so easy to land straight into your palm just being it down to head hight and then just hold your hand underneath and press the left stick down and the spark lands

I agree. I have never landed my Spark directly on the ground - snow or not. If I am not landing in my hand, I will use some form of landing pad. I prefer taking off and landing in my hand and use this method most often.

However, in very cold temperatures this is not practical as exposed skin (my hands) gets cold very fast and this makes it much more difficult and less safe to launch/land in your hand. In these situations, I launch and land from a landing pad.

Chris