Well here are the results from a CrystalSky Heat Performance Test from Mr. Robert Starling. Valuable information that all us SW United States drone pilots have been waiting for! How does the CrystalSky perform in scorching heat???
DJI CrystalSky Monitor Heat Test & Review
by Las Vegas Drone Operator Robert Starling, SOC
First, a huge shout out to our amazing UAV system support team partners at Advexure for the demo unit!
DATE: July 15, 2017 - 3:10pm PST
LOCATION: Baker, California (Death Valley Area)
TEMP: 115-118 degs F - 9% Humidity
AIRCRAFT:
Inspire 2
CAMERA: X5S with Olympus Zuiko 25mm lens
TABLET: 2017 iPad Pro
PHONE: 2017 iPhone 7 Plus
PROCEDURE:
Both the iPad Pro and the DJI CrsytalSky 5.5" monitor were placed in the back of my pickup truck camper top with windows open in Los Angeles and made the 2.5 hour trip across the Mojave desert until we at were at full ambient temperature of approx 115-118 degs in Baker, CA to assure neither system had the advantage of being cooled in the cab of the truck prior to the test. Our personal iPhones used to film this had been inside the truck with us. This is for us here a real world scenario of a typical day of heat / work.
RESULTS:
The first filming iPhone 7 overheated during the first take in under two minutes despite coming straight out of the AC cooled truck interior. The second filming iPhone lasted about four minutes before overheating despite coming out of the cooled truck interior. The "preheated" iPad Pro used in the heat test overheated before we could test it despite sitting in the shade. The "preheated" DJI CrystalSky 5.5" monitor operated normally as advertised for about 40 minutes with no signs of faulting but my assistant and I were personally overheating and ended the test / review to get cooled off in the truck and re-hydrate. Even our shoes got super hot.
COMMENTS:
I am fully aware these temperatures are likely outside the normal recommended operating temperatures of the tablets, phones,
Inspire 2 and DJI CrystalSky monitor. These temps are also deadly for humans as well. The reality is that working in Las Vegas / Desert Southwest means we shoot when the clients need us and our clients don't always plan for times of year when we have more reasonable temperatures and weather.
OPINION:
Based on today's test results I feel very confident that the DJI CrystalSky 5.5" monitor can, with some care and attention work in even the most extreme heat we are faced with for a full day.
Robert Starling, SOC
Las Vegas, Nevada
FAA Licensed Drone Operator