Flying in lightning?!

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Hi everyone. A while ago I flew my drone at night to catch some fireworks and conveniently was able to capture lightning out at sea. Anyways I'm wondering if anyone has flown closer to a storm and had any problems. Let me know you thoughts

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Thank you
 
WOW!
Maybe someone should try flying their drone with string going to the ground in a storm? The video would look awesome for the millisecond it stays working.
It wouldn't do much for the Phantom's electronics lol. Best seen from a distance.
 
With storms you get strong updrafts that could seriously see you struggle to control you craft.
 
Commercial aircraft, despite all the measures they take, despite the fact they have a metal skin that mostly deflects lightning, still fly around thunderstorms whenever they can to avoid lightning. I once saw a vintage glider, built from metal tubes and fabric, get hit by lightning in a winch start. The pilot was ok, but it burnt a hole in his wing large enough to stick your head through.

So no, your phantom with a plastic shell and filled with sensitive electronics will not survive a lightning strike, not a chance. And you wouldnt even get a cool video out of it, because it wont be on the sd card, even if that somehow survives the bolt. These digital camera's always record with some latency, as they need to collect enough frames to compress them before writing them to disk (Ive crashed enough RC craft to know that the crash is never caught on video if the crash destroyed or powered off the camera. Typically I wouldnt get the 5 seconds preceding the crash).
 
I would strongly suggest you keep away from thunderstorm. Like said above even professional pilot don't go there. Unless you want to lose you UAV and $$$.
 
Hi everyone. A while ago I flew my drone at night to catch some fireworks and conveniently was able to capture lightning out at sea. Anyways I'm wondering if anyone has flown closer to a storm and had any problems. Let me know you thoughts

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Thank you
Great video and music trac....
 
My thought is I would want to avoid flying near a storm.
Commercial aircraft, despite all the measures they take, despite the fact they have a metal skin that mostly deflects lightning, still fly around thunderstorms whenever they can to avoid lightning. I once saw a vintage glider, built from metal tubes and fabric, get hit by lightning in a winch start. The pilot was ok, but it burnt a hole in his wing large enough to stick your head through.

So no, your phantom with a plastic shell and filled with sensitive electronics will not survive a lightning strike, not a chance. And you wouldnt even get a cool video out of it, because it wont be on the sd card, even if that somehow survives the bolt. These digital camera's always record with some latency, as they need to collect enough frames to compress them before writing them to disk (Ive crashed enough RC craft to know that the crash is never caught on video if the crash destroyed or powered off the camera. Typically I wouldnt get the 5 seconds preceding the crash).
With storms you get strong updrafts that could seriously see you struggle to control you craft.

After reading, 100% agree. Better to stay away. But just imagine how awesome the footage would be
 
I captured this but was several miles away.
1469478669399.jpg


Sent from my SM-N900P using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
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I also love the contrast of storms and fireworks here is last 4 th 2 min after i landed winds 30-40 came through almost lost my phantom thank god i came down when i did i knew trouble was close when in full forward it went like 3 mph
 
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I have taken mine up into a couple of storms, only 300 ft, and always straight up... I haven't captured anything worth sharing so far, and it always seems to start raining as soon as I fly.... It is exciting and interesting, and I will continue...
 
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Great vid! As you have demonstrated here, there is a difference between being *in* a storm, which would be lunacy and the rain alone would ruin your bird, and *filming* a storm. I've gotten some beautiful lightning strikes from a storm that was maybe 10 miles away. If the conditions and visibility are good enough to see exactly where the storm is and isn't, go for it. Just be aware which direction things are moving - and that the wind may well be going quite fast at higher altitudes!
 
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