Any of you use Inspire Battery Heater?

[Merko]

Hello.

As some of us lives in cold environment, do any of you use the DJI Battery Heater?

I saw my local dealer got them in, so bougth one to test. In my country they cost about $25 (probably $10-15 for the rest of the world )

Part15
Recommended Usage Temperature -20 to 5degree celcius
Power no more than 41.5W
Input Amperage no more than 1.6A
Dimension 62mm x 99mm x 115mm
Heating time 10-15min

 

[The Editor]

No - but I'm getting one ready for next winter!

 

[InterMurph]

Anybody have experience with these?

 

[The Editor]

Anybody have experience with these?

Yes - have been using one regularly.
They work well and only deplete the battery around 4% so you still have 96% for the flight and a nice toasty battery.
You maybe lose 30-45 seconds of flight bit that's it.

 

[InterMurph]

That was my main concern; if it cost 20% of the battery to warm it up, that's not a good bargain. But 4% is well worth it!

The description says it takes 10 to 15 minutes; is that your experience? If so, it would line up almost perfectly with a flight.

Thanks!

 

[The Editor]

That was my main concern; if it cost 20% of the battery to warm it up, that's not a good bargain. But 4% is well worth it!

The description says it takes 10 to 15 minutes; is that your experience? If so, it would line up almost perfectly with a flight.

Thanks!

Yup - you only really need to make sure your first battery is warm because the next one in line can be toasting ready for flight. It's thermostatic as well so if it reaches temp earlier it will simply cut off and only top up as necessary to maintain level temp.
I usually have if sitting in the trunk of my 4x4 and if its REALLY cold with the tailgate down.
To be honest, unless I'm on a longer commercial shoot my fingers tend to give up the will to live in sub zero long before I run out of batteries.
I figured for the price of the warmers I'd get one and if it was rubbish I hadn't exactly wasted my life savings - they are actually pretty good though.

 

[InterMurph]

I have a pair of these gloves on order:

Photography Gloves: Extend your session in style

I am hoping that they help. But you're right, a cold shoot is always shut down by my fingers not working.

 

[InterMurph]

I tried my batter heater today for the first time, in 34-degree F/1-degree C weather, and it worked great. Not sure it was needed, but The Editor was right; it only uses 4% of the battery. This gives me confidence for colder days!

 

[Scotflieger]

I tried my batter heater today for the first time, in 34-degree F/1-degree C weather, and it worked great. Not sure it was needed, but The Editor was right; it only uses 4% of the battery. This gives me confidence for colder days!

With the FW 1.6.0.40 update, which addresses cold condition battery usage, you can not take off if the battery temperature drops below 15C (don't ask me what that is in outdated Fahrenheit) the motors will not start. The Battery Heater is working well for me and I am I believe getting better flight times in freezing conditions despite consuming 2-3% before take off.

 

[FlyHighUSA]

I have been using the heaters for a while now and I love them, I like how toasty but not too warm just right the temp is and it uses a non significant amount of power. To be honest I haven't seen any reduced flight time when using it, actually using it has helped my flight time versus not using it at all and flying with a not perfect temp battery. I use mine whenever it gets around 36 degree F and under. Does take a bit though to get the temp up, still thumbs up.