Yes. Work does get done when flying a drone in snow and cold weather -- when you know what to expect. And if you operate in Norway or Siberia, flying a drone in extreme temperatures and harsh climate conditions is just the norm.
This is what three loyal DJI customers, COWI, the HIVE company (GASKAR GROUP), and Arkhangelsk Center for Unmanned Technologies shared with us in a recent interview in collaboration with retailers Droner.dk and iMetro.
“We can only choose between ‘bad weather’ and ‘really bad weather’” said Postovalov Yuriy, Head of Arkhangelsk Center for Unmanned Technologies, leaving room for a series of questions on how to effectively manage batteries, storage, visibility, environment and of course, body freezing in such adverse conditions.
While we answered most of these questions in our guide on cold-weather flying, these testimonials could not be more timely. With the recent release of the Matrice 300 RTK, two factors take on more relevance than the usual challenges: superior image quality and weather resistance.
A product capable of enduring all kinds of weather and temperature tests, thanks to improved features such as self-heating batteries that can operate down to -20°C, is no small feat when you fly over the Arctic for mapping and geo services.
With traditional surveying tools, flying over a coal mine covered in snow in West Siberia would take up to 5 days. Flying a drone in snow and extreme cold can now be completed within 2-3 hours thanks to the M300 RTK self-heating batteries and increased flight time.
In this article, we have highlighted some of the main challenges and most important advice from our customers on how to fly drones in snow and extreme cold weather. We have also made sure to include a recap of our most reliable winter drone flying for enterprise customers.
One of challenges experienced by both customers throughout their winter missions is body freezing. The way your fingertips tend to ice below zero can affect control of the device and readiness to intervene in extreme situations.
Being able to complete the work quickly, sometimes from inside the car to prevent shivers and loss of senses, is of utmost importance to COWI, the Hive company, and Arkhangelsk Center for Unmanned Technologies and easily accomplished with a smaller DJI drone.
The trick, the HIVE company mentions, is to watch the camera: if the lens becomes foggy, frost is about to happen, and the pilot can decide to perform a quick return home.
With most DJI drones able to perform steadily in cold temperatures and now even against rain and wind gusts with the weatherproof M300 RTK, snow remains one of the most difficult challenges to overcome.
While snow reflection can be a natural advantage in terms of brightness, it makes for a dangerous scenario, where flying in line of sight is simply impossible.
Furthermore, a bird’s-eye view of a site simply covered in snow does not provide any information about the thickness of the snow layer, making operations such as photogrammetry more complex to carry out during winter.
Generally speaking, our customers are well aware of the risks that come with flying a drone in snow or icy rain which can penetrate, freeze and potentially damage the propellers, and opt not to fly at all in such circumstances.
This is why training in extreme winter scenarios becomes essential: rain or snow can happen mid-flight, and drone pilots must be ready to recognize the risk, assess the situation and make a calm decision to avoid dangerous knee-jerk reactions.
Whether you are an experienced pilot or are just getting your feet wet in your first drone flying in snow and cold weather, there is no better advice than the one given by another pilot with first-hand experience in the Arctic.
Preparation during take off
Flight Tips
Storage and maintenance after flight
|
Test Name |
Test Temperature |
Methods |
Test Sample Quantity |
|
Low Temperature Storage Test |
-4°C |
M300 RTK stored for 24 hours |
40 |
|
Low Temperature Power-On Test |
-25°C |
M300 RTK and batteries stored for 2 hours, then powered on and off. Repeated several times |
20 |
|
Low Temperature Operating Test |
-25°C |
M300 RTK flown continuously for 24 hours |
20 |
|
Temperature Cycle Test |
-25°C/55°C |
M300 RTK flown continuously for 72 hours |
20 |
|
Low Temperature Flight Test |
-25°C |
M300 RTK and batteries stored for 2 hours, then underwent test flight. Repeated several |
10 |
|
Low Temperature Storage Test (With a Carrying Case) |
-40°C |
M300 RTK stored for 24 hours |
10 |
For more in-depth and in detail advice, read our complete guide on flying drones in the winter and guide on flying in cold-weather.