I vote for battery temp on GO top bar

IrishSights · Dec 31, 2015

All you silent and not so silent folks with DJI R&D connections how about feeding back the idea of showing the battery temp on the main flight screen of the GO app, a bit like how the voltage option suddenly appeared in a dim and distant app version.

IrishSights · Dec 31, 2015

AND being told what the criteria is for the power reduction. If we know the parameters we can fly safer. Lack of this knowledge actually makes for unsafe flight in cold windy conditions.

The Editor · Dec 31, 2015

IrishSights said:
All you silent and not so silent folks with DJI R&D connections how about feeding back the idea of showing the battery temp on the main flight screen of the GO app, a bit like how the voltage option suddenly appeared in a dim and distant app version.

I am liking that idea - I am liking that a lot. Leave it with me (silently of course

)

huppe · Dec 31, 2015

The Editor said:
Leave it with me (silently of course

Oh I forgot ,you are a undercover DJI agent.But nothing will be revealed when you ask for silence

xahhax · Dec 31, 2015

Very good idea!

The Editor · Dec 31, 2015

OK - I have popped the idea up on driving force and I have also sent an email to DJI directly (Allegedly of course since what I say is all 'Bunk' anyway

)

xahhax · Dec 31, 2015

And maybe you could even have the temp color coded, e.g. ideal range in green, below 15C in red etc.

Canuck32 · Dec 31, 2015

IrishSights said:
All you silent and not so silent folks with DJI R&D connections how about feeding back the idea of showing the battery temp on the main flight screen of the GO app, a bit like how the voltage option suddenly appeared in a dim and distant app version.

A warning message comes up on the main screen when you try and arm motors and the battery temp is too low and the motors won't turn on. I didn't save the screen shot but it was very clear message along th lines of
'Warning battery temp too low. Please warm battery before attempting flight.'

Remember also it's based on battery temperature and not air temperature. I've successfully flown with no issues in an air temp of -24 C and battery maintained 20 C during the flight.

The Editor · Dec 31, 2015

Canuck32 said:
A warning message comes up on the main screen when you try and arm motors and the battery temp is too low and the motors won't turn on. I didn't save the screen shot but it was very clear message along th lines of
'Warning battery temp too low. Please warm battery before attempting flight.'

Remember also it's based on battery temperature and not air temperature. I've successfully flown with no issues in an air temp of -24 C and battery maintained 20 C during the flight.

Agreed, but a warning message is too late if you are already airborne! A display of actual pack temperature would be far more informative and would show if the pack was actually approaching the throttle limitation temperature. Agreed, it shouldn't do once flying but an actual display would be nice.

IrishSights · Dec 31, 2015

Canuck32 said:
A warning message comes up on the main screen when you try and arm motors and the battery temp is too low and the motors won't turn on. I didn't save the screen shot but it was very clear message along th lines of
'Warning battery temp too low. Please warm battery before attempting flight.'

Remember also it's based on battery temperature and not air temperature. I've successfully flown with no issues in an air temp of -24 C and battery maintained 20 C during the flight.

Well that's a start but the power reduction threshold might be different or even a sliding reduction or even logarithmic! Wish we didn't have to speculate. Hopefully our slightly silent advocate might hear back from DJI.

Canuck32 · Dec 31, 2015

The voltage display if selected already has warning colors that report on lowest cell condition. If your showing red while flying, your either too aggressively flying or its other issues with individual cells. The problem I see with the temp is the sensor is in the middle of the pack and not able to report an individual cell being cold.

Baron1964 · Jan 1, 2016

Canuck32 said:
The voltage display if selected already has warning colors that report on lowest cell condition. If your showing red while flying, your either too aggressively flying or its other issues with individual cells. The problem I see with the temp is the sensor is in the middle of the pack and not able to report an individual cell being cold.

Let's not forget some of us live on mountains. We may be subjected to hitting a thermocline , more than others. That ; wind and other factors may effect how your battery reports and / or functions. Those can cause a cel to report red while in flight due to temps...so, for safety sake I would also like bat temp to be HI-VIZ

I will add, please include an AUDIO CUE because it warrants it.

My avatar : a mountain dog ...

Lesmess · Jan 2, 2016

Prepare properly for the flying conditions, use a cold weather checklist, check your battery several times during the flight, it only takes a couple seconds and don't fly aggressively. PS I haven't upgraded my firmware after what happened to Scotflieger.

IrishSights · Jan 2, 2016

Lesmess said:
Prepare properly for the flying conditions, use a cold weather checklist, check your battery several times during the flight, it only takes a couple seconds and don't fly aggressively. PS I haven't upgraded my firmware after what happened to Scotflieger.

That is not enough to fly safe with 1.6 however without knowing the threshold of power reduction when clients jobs and safety are at stake. On 1.5 what you state is what most of us are already doing and it's safe.

eldorado · Jan 2, 2016

IrishSights said:
That is not enough to fly safe with 1.6 however without knowing the threshold of power reduction when clients jobs and safety are at stake. On 1.5 what you state is what most of us are already doing and it's safe.

I agree. Thank you IrishSights!
If the standard ability to fly in 10 m/s gusts degrade in temps below ?5ºC? what is the revised threshold of power reduction affect on max wind speed?

There needs to be a published graph or table in order to know if a flight is possible if there is any wind forecast.

Keeping the battery warm before take-off should help but until there is a published spec it seems risky to fly below 5ºC in windy conditions.

Lesmess · Jan 2, 2016

There are plenty of aftermarket covers that afix to the outside of the battery enclosure with varying thermal properties, this together with the DJI battery covers should be sufficient for the coldest climates. I doubt if we need to go to this level in the UK though.

eldorado · Jan 2, 2016

Lesmess said:
There are plenty of aftermarket covers that afix to the outside of the battery enclosure with varying thermal properties, this together with the DJI battery covers should be sufficient for the coldest climates. I doubt if we need to go to this level in the UK though.

Yes! Cool idea.
I'm in Canada and need to drive more than 40 min to a safe flying field. I have not flown since 1.6 as I just can't trust the situation and its a long way to go to test and log results for what should be offered as a revised specification.
I keep my batteries in an insulated and pre-warmed picnic bag and let the copter run a minute or so while monitoring the battery temp/voltage screen (batt temp rises when powering the aircraft).
I decided the DJI battery warmer was probably a bad idea given the power drain (however minimal). An aquarium sticker on the battery covers might be interesting but I really need to understand what the temp sensor will do to flight performance.

The Editor · Jan 2, 2016

eldorado said:
Yes! Cool idea.
I'm in Canada and need to drive more than 40 min to a safe flying field. I have not flown since 1.6 as I just can't trust the situation and its a long way to go to test and log results for what should be offered as a revised specification.
I keep my batteries in an insulated and pre-warmed picnic bag and let the copter run a minute or so while monitoring the battery temp/voltage screen (batt temp rises when powering the aircraft).
I decided the DJI battery warmer was probably a bad idea given the power drain (however minimal). An aquarium sticker on the battery covers might be interesting but I really need to understand what the temp sensor will do to flight performance.

I am liking the idea of an aquarium style sticker on each battery.

I currently use an infrared laser spot handheld thermometer but I like the idea of a temp guage on each pack.
Only problem is most of those crystalline strip indicators only go down to around 18degrees C. I haven't found one (yet) that starts at zero degrees or even 5c.

damoncooper · Jan 2, 2016

Lesmess said:
There are plenty of aftermarket covers that afix to the outside of the battery enclosure with varying thermal properties, this together with the DJI battery covers should be sufficient for the coldest climates. I doubt if we need to go to this level in the UK though.

Got any links to any of those? I'm interested