Cold Temperatures?

[AndreGtable]

What is the coldest you guys fly in? Granted that your batteries were just in a warm car or house with you.Do you get reduced flight time or does the battery make its own heat. I live in Minnesota and I plan to fly all winter. Thanks

 

[jason]

What is the coldest you guys fly in? Granted that your batteries were just in a warm car or house with you.Do you get reduced flight time or does the battery make its own heat. I live in Minnesota and I plan to fly all winter. Thanks

Fly in extremely cold weather will reduce your flight time. Batteries do not make there own heat but they do get warm from usage.

 

[AndreGtable]

Fly in extremely cold weather will reduce your flight time. Batteries do not make there own heat but they do get warm from usage.

Thats what i was trying to say. Does the heat from usage keep it warm enough and will i be able to tell how much faster its going down?

 

[jason]

Thats what i was trying to say. Does the heat from usage keep it warm enough and will i be able to tell how much faster its going down?

The heat generated by the battery is the by product of power being used. If your P2 is not equipped with a FPV system (mini iOSD,TX and monitor/RX) there is no way to tell how low the battery is unless it's close enough so you can see the rear LED's.
Flying during the winter months can be enjoyable depending on the temperature but you will need to carry extra batteries with you if you intend to fly for awhile.

Footage for this video was done over two days in 20° weather.

This was done during a snow storm.

 

[Qoncussion]

Flying a fully loaded P2 on a fairly new battery (3 months old), in the cold (around 36° F) I saw my battery life get cut in half. I had heard stories of such dramatic drops in flight time, but did not believe them until I saw it for myself. Having driven to this cold location, when I got home and I charged the battery and got my full flight time out of it (around 60° F outside). So yes, definitely carry extra batteries and monitor your battery power in the cold.

 

[Qoncussion]

I have found that I get more jello on my P2 w/H3-3D gimbal in the cold. I'm sure it's due to the dampner balls stiffening up. Any suggestions?

 

[Kubelwagen]

I have found that I get more jello on my P2 w/H3-3D gimbal in the cold. I'm sure it's due to the dampner balls stiffening up. Any suggestions?

Yeah cold balls are never a good thing.

I've noticed that my video seems to be a little less stable in the cold as well but one thing that has helped quite a bit are Neutral Density and Polarizer filters for the GoPro. The ND filters in particular cause the GoPro to lower it's shutter speed so the video is smoother. It doesn't technically remove the jello because that's a vibration issue but I was impressed how much more stable it made my video appear otherwise.

Something else I was going to try and haven't yet is to put foam earplugs in the center of the balls. The theory is the dense foam is a vibration killer. That would also allow for use of the very thinnest balls because it would stiffen their structure in the mount Might help.

 

[Qoncussion]

Well, darn it - I always fly with an ND filter, and had earplugs installed on my last few cold weather flights. I just can't get rid of the jello...

 

[Kubelwagen]

Which color balls are you using? I still have the gray ones on there with no ear plugs. Jello is noticeable but not severe. It's actually worse at hover than in forward flight. Couldn't see any jello at all above 40 degrees.

 

[Qoncussion]

I change my balls often lately. That's a sentence I don't say every day ... I've had luck with the white balls, but more so with the ribbed 50° balls with earplugs. Props are well balanced, but I have been using 9550s on stock motors (all four motors are brand new, along with gimbal, shell & props). I'm going to go back to white balls with 9443 props.

 

[jason]

Well, darn it - I always fly with an ND filter, and had earplugs installed on my last few cold weather flights. I just can't get rid of the jello...

Which color balls are you using? I still have the gray ones on there with no ear plugs. Jello is noticeable but not severe. It's actually worse at hover than in forward flight. Couldn't see any jello at all above 40 degrees.

What dampers are both you using?? The top video I posted above was done with a h3-2d with gray dampers and the next video was done with the h3-3d using the with dampers. In both of those videos the temperature was in the 20's but the flight time per batter was lower then in that in warmer weather but never half. Of course I do not land at 30% as most do I start bringing it back at 20% and land at 15 percent.

Using ear plugs will only make the dampers stiffer and you doing just the reverse by increasing the chances of vibration and jello in the cameras footage. When's the last time either of you have balanced the props? Are the gains still at default or have you been adjusting them?

Never used ND filters has they are waste of money and as videographer I know the benefits of using filter on a camera you have full control of and you have no control over a GoPro in the air.

 

[Kubelwagen]

I change my balls often lately. That's a sentence I don't say every day ... I've had luck with the white balls, but more so with the ribbed 50° balls with earplugs. Props are well balanced, but I have been using 9550s on stock motors (all four motors are brand new, along with gimbal, shell & props). I'm going to go back to white balls with 9443 props.

I think you mean 9450 props but I use the same ones with upgraded motors. I wonder if the extra pitch on the 9450's could cause a bit more vibration. Going back to the 9443's might help. I'd be curious what you find. Keep us posted.