Cold Weather Drone Operations

Instructions for battery usage in cold weather environments to avoid battery overload error and forced landing.

When operating a spray drone in cold weather climates, battery issues can be a common occurrence if proper internal temperatures are not maintained. A common issue with cold weather operations is forced landing with a battery overloading error.

  • In order to maintain proper overall battery health, it is vital to store the batteries in a climate-controlled environment and set on non-conductive materials.
  • The night before operation if ambient temperatures in the storage location are low (below 60 degrees), relocate the batteries inside of a warm place (i.e. your home or heated shop).
  • When operating in cold weather placing the batteries and charger near the exhaust of the generator can be useful.
  • Running a small heater can also be beneficial but note the power draw from electric heaters may cause slower charging.
  • Running lower capacity and for shorter periods of time gives the batteries less time away from heat sources as well as a lower strain, reducing the risk of forced landing from battery overloading.