KP INDEX
- Thread starter NRRTRAINS
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It doesn't. You should ignore it and worry about more important things like compass interference.
No. Major electromagnetic storms are just very rare. You'll likely never encounter one while out flying.
Your first problem is going to be finding an electromagnetic storm that is large enough to negatively affect the Spark. There's no need to plan for something that will likely never occur.
this may answer your question , go to you tube and put in " KP Index " . learn and decide for your self , me I have a few K-Index apps on my phone and when i go to fly my drone's i check the KP index if it's high I'M grounded . why take a chance it's not worth it i can always fly tomorrow . now this my opinion and the opinion of many more drone pilots . I posted this question because i'm new to JDI and getting a Spark and wanted to know about the way JDI handles the KP Index problems . I am not trying to offend anyone for this answer to your question .
Do you know of any crashes that were the result of a geomagnetic storm? If not, why would you ground yourself for something that is nothing more than an urban legend?
While I am inclined to agree with the advice of Mike Singer, who posted above.... This may help explain further. Where I am, I have never seen (in 6 months since I started) the index exceed 2 . How accurate that tool is may be questioned as can any forecasting tool.
Paying attention to things that can mess with your compass is a much better use of your pre-flight concerns.
According to UAV Forecast......
Paying attention to things that can mess with your compass is a much better use of your pre-flight concerns.
According to UAV Forecast......
The Kp index measures geomagnetic disruption caused by solar activity, on a scale from 0 (calm) to 9 (major storm). The higher the Kp index, the more likely you are to have problems. Kp's of 1-4 are completely safe.
At a Kp of 5, you'll have problems perhaps 1% of the time. At a Kp of 6, you'll lose an average of 5% of your locked satellites; at 7, you'll lose roughly one third.
Solar activity interferes with GPS signals in two ways, both due to disruptions in the ionosphere.
(1) It decreases the signal-to-noise ratio and affects carrier frequency, causing the receiver to lose lock on some satellites. Instead of 9 satellites, you might lock only 6, or the number might fluctuate from second to second.
(2) It changes the propagation delay through the ionosphere, making GPS positioning inaccurate even if the receiver has all satellites locked.
Even during a major storm, the extent to which you see these problems will depend on many other factors, including your latitude (worse at high latitudes) and the time of day (worse at night). Sometimes everything will be fine. At other times you'll lose lock completely, or appear to have a lock but the position will actually be wrong by hundreds of feet.
The storms can also interfere with radio control signals, or with the onboard electronics.
So in general it's better to play it safe during solar storms at Kp of 6, even though most of the time you won't notice any issues. At 7 or higher, you're better off sitting inside and flying a simulator. Happy flying!
For current and forecast Kp conditions, as well as the weather, see http://www.UAVForecast.com.
At a Kp of 5, you'll have problems perhaps 1% of the time. At a Kp of 6, you'll lose an average of 5% of your locked satellites; at 7, you'll lose roughly one third.
Solar activity interferes with GPS signals in two ways, both due to disruptions in the ionosphere.
(1) It decreases the signal-to-noise ratio and affects carrier frequency, causing the receiver to lose lock on some satellites. Instead of 9 satellites, you might lock only 6, or the number might fluctuate from second to second.
(2) It changes the propagation delay through the ionosphere, making GPS positioning inaccurate even if the receiver has all satellites locked.
Even during a major storm, the extent to which you see these problems will depend on many other factors, including your latitude (worse at high latitudes) and the time of day (worse at night). Sometimes everything will be fine. At other times you'll lose lock completely, or appear to have a lock but the position will actually be wrong by hundreds of feet.
The storms can also interfere with radio control signals, or with the onboard electronics.
So in general it's better to play it safe during solar storms at Kp of 6, even though most of the time you won't notice any issues. At 7 or higher, you're better off sitting inside and flying a simulator. Happy flying!
For current and forecast Kp conditions, as well as the weather, see http://www.UAVForecast.com.
you said " Paying attention to things that can mess with your compass " what are the things that can mess with your compass . most of us fly in open fields and not in the city or near buildings or power lines or over neighborhoods full of wi fi signals .
There are many instances of random fly-aways causing lost drones. I wouldn't be surprised if GPS or compass errors caused by solar electromagnetic storms account for some of these. It would be hard to prove it disprove so there's no point in arguing that here. The risks are real - some pilots are just more willing to take them.
But denying the fact that these storms exist and cause interference with guidance systems is just nonsensical. It's a well proven scientific fact. Airline jets have special shielding to protect their electronic from the effects.
It would be prudent to check UAVforecast.com or download their app before each flight. This will check a dozen or so parameters and help you decide if it's good conditions to fly.
But denying the fact that these storms exist and cause interference with guidance systems is just nonsensical. It's a well proven scientific fact. Airline jets have special shielding to protect their electronic from the effects.
It would be prudent to check UAVforecast.com or download their app before each flight. This will check a dozen or so parameters and help you decide if it's good conditions to fly.
Its about where you calibrate, and also getting too close to radio equipment... lots of evidence that cell towers, power lines can have some bearing. And "most of us" I would suggest is not so accutate, the majority of videos I see posted on YT about the Spark are in urban settings.
This!
I am a Spacecraft Operations Engineer with NASA and it is indeed a fact that these storms interfere with communications on all of the satellites I've worked on since 1989.
Are GPS satellites a "communication" satellite?
I would think so as a GPS signal from space to the receiver is a form of communication.
I'm not a rocket scientist but I did buy a shirt in NASA's gift shop saying I am.
I watched the "return to flight" launch when they had the last mission to Hubble.
I have a picture of the two shuttle's on the launch pad 39A and 39B when they were going to use the other shuttle as a rescue should something go wrong since the ISS was in a different orbit than Hubble.
Good times.
RPL
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