We're very quickly approaching winter here in Canada, and I was just curious if that means its time to shut down for a few months. We can easily have temperatures here -10 - -25 degrees, and I know that spark isn't speced for anything below 0. Does everyone just pack up their spark for the winter? Seems kinda sad I won't be able to fly until March at the earliest (if we have an early spring)
Spark in the winter
- Thread starter redsox93
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Chrislaf
Well-Known Member
Today it was -4C with a wind chill around -9C and 10cm of snow on the ground. I flew 3 batteries and averaged about 10min per flight.
There will be a slight decrease in operating time with the cold but if you keep your batteries warm beforehand, you should have no problems. The battery will heat up and stay warm during flight.
With that being said I find the cold does affect the gimbal pitch more than the larger drones like my Phantom 3 Standard but everything else works as normal.
The biggest concern is keeping your fingers warm, reduced battery time on your dispay device and a less responsive touch screen due to cold.
Chris
There will be a slight decrease in operating time with the cold but if you keep your batteries warm beforehand, you should have no problems. The battery will heat up and stay warm during flight.
With that being said I find the cold does affect the gimbal pitch more than the larger drones like my Phantom 3 Standard but everything else works as normal.
The biggest concern is keeping your fingers warm, reduced battery time on your dispay device and a less responsive touch screen due to cold.
Chris
charliespark
Well-Known Member
I was wondering the same as redsox93 as this is my first winter with Spark. We are nowhere near as cold as some of you but good advice all round. The key seems to be to start with a warm battery and I have just the thing to ensure that - a hand warmer.
Sparksupersonic
Well-Known Member
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NDJollyMon
Member
I flew today, just above the freezing point here with snow on the ground. Winds were 10-15 mph, gusting to 30. Batteries lasted around 12 minutes each. I keep them in a pocket to keep them warmer before changing out.
This chart of battery capacity/life is probably a reasonable approximation: https://www.heliant.it/images/FV/ev_temperature_effects.pdf
But remember that chart is assuming the battery itself is at the temperature indicated. If you keep your battery warm before use, and knowing the battery will also offset some/most of the cold air temp by generating heat during flight, then the Spark battery will do much better than the chart indicates.
But remember that chart is assuming the battery itself is at the temperature indicated. If you keep your battery warm before use, and knowing the battery will also offset some/most of the cold air temp by generating heat during flight, then the Spark battery will do much better than the chart indicates.
I too live in Canada and have flown in sub zero Celsius temperatures. It isn't that cold yet but will get much colder. From what i have read here so far, using a warm battery from the get-go is wise and have everything fired up and ready before you got out and fly, right down to a GPS lock. Keep it short and pay attention to in-flight remaining battery capacity and you will survive.
Greets from Central Canada... I've been out in the snow the last two weeks, albeit its not been super cold yet, was going to go out today, but been a little sick... so perhaps Sunday. Last week I had one battery in my pocket, the one in the aircraft was fine, but when I took off with the second one, I got a cold battery warning... other than that, flight time was roughly 11 mins for both batteries. I will wear a better coat with interior pockets, keep the battery warm with body heat. If you look in the Photos and Video's forum, you can see both photos and video of my adventures. I too was wondering how long it would be to flying again in spring, I may fly less frequently now, but I will take it up now and then over the winter.
Keep those snowmobile pictures coming.
I haven't ridden in a few years but now that I have a flying camera, I've been itching to go back out.
I have to trailer hundreds of miles round trip to get to the good stuff.
Thanks for sharing.
One thing to bear in mind, a lithium-ion cell pack exposed to extreme cold can create localised "hot spots" within the cells if the pack is under load and the cold gets that far in. Instant auto-destruct! Keep the flight short but then, who really wants to go "droning" at -42C?
Ha I trailer 600+ miles a couple times a year to Quebec.
Sparky rides protected there in the tank bag. The batteries stow away in a compartment meant to keep your goggles dry and warm from motor heat. So long as the Mavic Air will fit in that tank bag that’s what I’ll be bringing along this year.
