endotherm
First Officer
Flight distance : 503241 ft
Australia
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Tomsbird Posted at 2016-12-7 06:19
Thanks. It's too bad really. I always hovered the AC 3 ft off the ground until the battery warmed up. I will miss that option to heat the batteries up that way. It's -18C here today and at that temp there is no way to keep the batteries above 15C for more than 5 minutes no matter how good your coat is. If they changed the limit to 5C, that would help a lot. I know battery warmers are always an option but I have enough gear to carry already. At least you can start your car when it's that cold and let it warm up before you drive it.
Thanks again for you help but I wish I never did the firmware update.
I never really got the "hover the aircraft to warm the battery" thing. If it's too cold, then "flying" the aircraft is going to be drawing a lot of amps to attain lift, which is really the last thing you should be doing. Taxing a cold battery will damage it, it's that simple. I'm also in two minds about using a battery warmer that uses the cold battery as its power source, but I assume the current draw isn't nearly as much as that required for flight, so the effect on the battery isn't severe. Idling the aircraft on the ground would be gentler and safer than hovering it.
You only need to have the batteries at 15° or more to start it up. Once it is running, the battery will continue to warm as it discharges and is surrounded by warm electronics. I have never seen a battery get colder in flight. Changing the startup limit to 5° would be pointless, as they have already determined that that temperature is dangerous to the battery, and you shouldn't be operating it at that temperature. They have been issuing warnings in the app for attempting to fly at that temperature for ages. They have plenty of recorded instances of batteries shutting down in the cold, with crashes and loss of aircraft resulting. All it needs is a small change to your routine, make sure the battery you intend to use next is in your pocket so it can warm through from body temperature. As long as it is at least 15° when you start the motors, you are good to go. It will warm up to the recommended 25° all by itself from there.
Sorry I can't run any tests for you, it is the start of Summer here in the Southern Hemisphere.
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