P3 Wind Speed Tools

[flyNfrank]

Whether you are flying casual or like me for an occasional adrenaline rush after seeing your P3 flying over head at 70+mph, you should at least have a anemometer for wind speed.

In the video below you can see what kind wonderful wind I have had for the past 3 days now. Only problem is there has been rain mixed with the wind. Hopefully the rain will diminish and the wind will stay long enough to get some air time.

The weather station I use is wireless and communicates with a anemometer and rain gauge I keep attached to the chimney on my house. However, I have it easily setup to remove and take mobile anywhere. The upper left shows wind speed live, and the graph below is max wind speed per each hour. So, this weather station plus a few other things are what I use to be focused prior to and at different times of the day when flying.

 

[Fplvert]

Cool, Frank! I didn't know it so windy in Indy.

 

[msinger]

That looks like my weather station. Is it a Davis Vantage Pro2?

 

[snerd]

Wow! 77 degrees inside! I'd be melting! I'm more of a 68-70 kind of guy.

 

[B- Scene Films]

How do you get a wind speed reading if it's away from the anemometer?

 

[msinger]

How do you get a wind speed reading if it's away from the anemometer?

The weather station wirelessly transmits its data to the console (pictured above).

 

[alokbhargava]

The weather station wirelessly transmits its data to the console (pictured above).

...but the weather station is not mounted on your P3, correct? We need to know wind speed and direction at flying heights. Am I missing something?

 

[B- Scene Films]

...but the weather station is not mounted on your P3, correct? We need to know wind speed and direction at flying heights. Am I missing something?

Wireless is good for about 700' tops. So, based on what I see here, the weather station console can be taken to a location up to about 700' away from the anemometer so that I can see the wind speed at that location instead of the one I am flying at. I am with alokbhargava here, I don't get it...

 

[aaronrivera]

Wish dji could built in a wind speed tool to their phantoms in da future.. Read the wind speed right at the app.. Wow wt a dream

 

[Spikeymous]

Put a little flag like heliports, if it's moving in any direction, but straight down, it's windy.

 

[robinb]

the vantage pro 2 is hardly portable.

you need a hand held device if you have a wind problem.

 

[msinger]

am with alokbhargava here, I don't get it...

The OP is suggesting you take an anemometer with you to check the wind speed where you're flying. I don't think he necessarily expects that most people will take a full-sized weather station with them. But, the Davis Vantage Pro2 is certainly portable enough to do so if you wanted to.

 

[robinb]

sorry but the VP2 is not portable.

a $20 hand held device is portable.

 

[msinger]

sorry but the VP2 is not portable.

Well, it's certainly not handheld -- if that's what you mean by portable. If you're planning on flying all day at a site though, it would be super easy to transport and setup if you have it on a tripod.

Disclaimer: I own a Davis Vantage Pro2.

 

[robinb]

So do I and I would not dream of making it portable. Get a $20 handheld unit

 

[alokbhargava]

So do I and I would not dream of making it portable. Get a $20 handheld unit

Handheld unit doesn't tell you whats happening at 400' above you.

 

[alokbhargava]

Wish dji could built in a wind speed tool to their phantoms in da future.. Read the wind speed right at the app.. Wow wt a dream

No, you are not dreaming. Few years ago, I had started an experimentation to measure the wind speed and direction by monitoring the ESCs current differences. I was getting good results but I discontinued the project as fell sick for very long. Now I have P3 and would not like to void the warranty at least for the time being but I know its not a rocket science to work out the real time wind pressure and its direction on the aircraft.

Alternately, we have compact digital probes to measure air pressure/ velocity, only issue to be tackled is how to communicate down to the console.

 

[Mako79]

No, you are not dreaming. Few years ago, I had started an experimentation to measure the wind speed and direction by monitoring the ESCs current differences. I was getting good results but I discontinued the project as fell sick for very long. Now I have P3 and would not like to void the warranty at least for the time being but I know its not a rocket science to work out the real time wind pressure and its direction on the aircraft.

Alternately, we have compact digital probes to measure air pressure/ velocity, only issue to be tackled is how to communicate down to the console.

The phantom can measure wind speed. Healthy drones uses calculations and guestimations based on angular of the P3. We just need DJI to adopt a similar calculation and send it back to the display.

How is wind calculated?
Wind is calculated using the angle of the aircraft, the speed of the aircraft and the status of the remote control knobs.
In order to get a reading, all the following conditions must be met for at least 5 consecutive seconds:

1. The aircraft must be in GPS mode (P mode on the remote) - missions and other modes are currently not supported
2. The aircraft must fly at full speed and in a straight line - OR - hover at the same spot without moving
3. No direction change, right-left turns or altitude change should take place during these 5 seconds

Note that the wind is blowing in the direction the arrow is pointing.

 

[kphantom]

Wish dji could built in a wind speed tool to their phantoms in da future.. Read the wind speed right at the app.. Wow wt a dream

Have you seen the Healthy Drones wind speed page?

Here is a picture attached of one of my flights I've uploaded to Healthy Drones.

 

[B- Scene Films]

Handheld unit doesn't tell you whats happening at 400' above you.

Unless you have the anemometer on the end of a pole 400' in the air, the VP2 will not tell you either...