Your personal wind maximums

[rcheing]

I want to go out and fly my P3P today but it's too windy in my opinion. Not sure what you guys do but when it's windy outside like today, I usually check my closest airport's METAR.

Here's the latest one: 101950Z 13015G22KT 10SM SCT025 26/18 A3020

Basically winds coming from 130 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 22 knots. In MPH that would be winds at 17mph gusting to 25mph.

It's been like this for the last 3 days and yesterday as I was hovering, I noticed the P3P could hold it's position with GPS but as I was descending, it seemed to wobble a bit. I got scared that I was going to catch it in its own vortex ring and crash it so I descended very slowly and hand caught instead.

What are your personal wind maximums?

 

[QuadBart]

My comfort zone is no more than 10-12 mph. And if its gusting alot, no go...

 

[Meta4]

The P3 can handle more wind than most users imagine.
It can easily handle 20 knots and even a bit more.
But takeoff and landing may be a bit tricky in strong winds.If you fly in strong winds, it's important to test the wind by flying directly into it and see how it slows the Phantom.
And be very aware of this by not going any distance away downwind.

 

[Air Ontario]

I usually limit myself around 15 mph max with no reported gusts plus I look also at the wind speed at my RTH height. 15 -17mph is my max at 250' RTH also.

 

[Ashby1]

I keep it on the shelf anything over 10mph.

 

[NEair]

I generally don't fly if it's more then 12mph or so


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[flpholt]

same over 10 play here on website

 

[Providian623]

Under 10 mph and basically calm.

 

[PrecisionAeroworks]

I think your personal maximum should be whatever wind speed you are comfortable flying (and recovering) in Atti mode. I've only had GPS blip out once, for a short period of time. But I expect landing on the ground without flipping would be tricky in Atti mode in a gusty 20 knot wind. A solo hand catch would be near impossible.

 

[rcheing]

Just by reading the replies it seems to me that the general consensus is 12mph or less (10 knots or less).

I usually limit myself around 15 mph max with no reported gusts plus I look also at the wind speed at my RTH height. 15 -17mph is my max at 250' RTH also.

Where do you look at RTH height wind speeds? Does the P3 have a pitot-static system inside the case that measures airspeed and then somehow compares this to its maximum speed against a headwind and makes an educated guess at what wind speeds are? Or it's all manual calculations? I'm having a brain fart, I literally just got the P3 almost two weeks ago and I can't remember what info is displayed in the DJI Go app.

I think your personal maximum should be whatever wind speed you are comfortable flying (and recovering) in Atti mode. I've only had GPS blip out once, for a short period of time. But I expect landing on the ground without flipping would be tricky in Atti mode in a gusty 20 knot wind. A solo hand catch would be near impossible.

Agreed, since I got the bird, I've been flying it in GPS mode. I need to hone my Atti skills.

 

[flpholt]

use uav forcast app shows wind speed

 

[PrecisionAeroworks]

Just curious about the answers...

If, for whatever reason or reasons, you found yourself and your flying P3 in very strong, gusty winds with no GPS. I mean like the gusty 20+ knot winds mentioned above.

Assume you are solo (no partner hand catch).
Your basic choices are:
1) Try to land it on the ground on concrete or asphalt (no flat grassy area nearby, sorry).
2) Controlled ditch into some low bushes.
3) Attempt heroic 1 handed solo catch
4) ???
What do you do?

 

[flpholt]

I don't think wind can change that fast all of a sudden so would never be in the spot unless I was out trying to film a tropical storm or hurricane coming

 

[rcheing]

Just curious about the answers...

If, for whatever reason or reasons, you found yourself and your flying P3 in very strong, gusty winds with no GPS. I mean like the gusty 20+ knot winds mentioned above.

Assume you are solo (no partner hand catch).
Your basic choices are:
1) Try to land it on the ground on concrete or asphalt (no flat grassy area nearby, sorry).
2) Controlled ditch into some low bushes.
3) Attempt heroic 1 handed solo catch
4) ???
What do you do?

Lol, I'd try heroic 1 handed solo catch near some low bushes!

 

[Interstellar]

I use UAV Forecast and don't fly if it's more than 15mph at the altitude I'm flying to.

 

[rcheing]

That's the thing, I just downloaded UAV Forecast and it only shows the wind speed (along with other info) in the first screen. When I look at the forecast, same thing, except by hour. It does not show the wind speeds at different altitudes. Do I need to purchase a subscription for this info?

 

[Interstellar]

You can just change the wind altitude in the Settings.

 

[rcheing]

You can just change the wind altitude in the Settings.

DUH! *SLAPS FOREHEAD*

It would help if I look at the settings.

Thanks man!

 

[flpholt]

opps it happens

 

[Meta4]

Where do you look at RTH height wind speeds? Does the P3 have a pitot-static system inside the case that measures airspeed and then somehow compares this to its maximum speed against a headwind and makes an educated guess at what wind speeds are? Or it's all manual calculations?

You have to think about it and use common sense.
If you put your Phantom up in a strong wind, first thing to check is how much the wind slows the Phantom.
Try flying straight into the wind and note your speed.
If you are only making 5 m/s you know the wind is 10 m/s ... and you know not to fly away any distance going downwind because it's going to be a long slow ride home.

use uav forcast app shows wind speed

It's amazing how so many trust numbers they see on an app but don't think about how the app gets those numbers.
Get a feel for the wind you are in rather than some numbers that might be in the ballpark or could be completely wrong.