Inspire 2 Cold Weather

[jonathan Atkin]

I searched for cold temperature operation and found some interesting threads in the Inspire 1 section of people flying down to -30ºC and I'm hopeful the Inspire 2 will operate at even colder temperatures with the heated batteries?

I am a commercial operator and have a client who would like some footage in the Arctic where it could reach -35 to -40ºC. I know the rating of the Inspire 2 is to -20ºC but if I keep the batteries warm do you think operating at these temperatures is possible, granted if I can stand that cold myself! I'm hoping it can stand these temperatures if the Inspire 1 with the single unheated batteries operate at -30.

This past Thanksgiving I flew both Mavic2Pro and Inspire2 on a wintery cold 15 degree F Grand Isle Vermont. Both aircraft performed flawlessly. I kept the RC in my heated car just before flight and kept spare batteries warm as well. My flight times were short. I had no issues Both performed flawlessly. I have friends on research ships in the Arctic flying MAVIC Pro1....and they counsel to keep all batts warm and ONLY fly 50% of the time as the bats can get cold quickly on the Mavic and the drone may simply stop. In cold weather even for the Inspire 2, don't push the flight time. I generally fly 50% of what is normal flight even with heating of batteries...simply being conservative. With Mavic2 that conservatism will pay off.

 

[jonathan Atkin]

 

[Douglas Bader]

This past Thanksgiving I flew both Mavic2Pro and Inspire2 on a wintery cold 15 degree F Grand Isle Vermont. Both aircraft performed flawlessly. I kept the RC in my heated car just before flight and kept spare batteries warm as well. My flight times were short. I had no issues Both performed flawlessly. I have friends on research ships in the Arctic flying MAVIC Pro1....and they counsel to keep all batts warm and ONLY fly 50% of the time as the bats can get cold quickly on the Mavic and the drone may simply stop. In cold weather even for the Inspire 2, don't push the flight time. I generally fly 50% of what is normal flight even with heating of batteries...simply being conservative. With Mavic2 that conservatism will pay off.

Great advice well done and thanks

 

[Dobmatt]

Technical aspects with greatly reduced battery performance aside, I've found frostbite the biggest obstacle when piloting quadcopter in sub-zero temps. After 5 minutes of exposure you start to feel nothing but pain in fingertips and manipulation of RC becomes a torture. So many times I had to hit RTH and wait for command execution with hands in pockets. Plan your flight well before, accomplish the mission as fast as possible and be done in 10-15 minutes max. Battery warmed gloves may help to recover for next flight, but they aren't good nor safe to operate sticks on RC ...