Just a quick reminder for those in the Norhern Hemisphee of this big blue marble  we call earth, it is getting colder this time of year  .  As I was flying this morning  in my commuinity of mourning in East Lasnsing Michigan ,  We lost another football game  to Penn State and In this town you would think Elvis died all over again-  but  I digress.  As  I went about my morning flying before the wife gave my list of "Honey Do's "   I did note that it was a bit colder than  usual  as I flew over the now deserted local golf course  and suddenly realized   that my battery went down to the Low Battery warning rather quickly  ( mine is set for 30 % )  so  I usually make a leisurely flight home to lower the battery to a good recovery charge level , this was not to be the case today .  My trusty old battery #3 ( T 48 ) was  loosing digits quicker than the Spartan football team  ever could , about half way back It seeemed to go from 25 % down to 10 % and was dropping  fast , as my heart began to pound , the low battery warning was mocking me ,  and  prayers to my diety of choice began to become more desperate  my quarry began to near........I am going to make it !  , then I thought, God had nothing to do with this , It was my superior flying skills.................. at this very moment the craft began to DESCEND and the gear came down , Just at this point MR. Superior piloting skills began to pray again, Dear God please get me a bit closer so I dont end up in the farmers tree and property  (  He dis-likes me but thats another story )  I pushed on the Left stick hard to maintain some level of altitude but gravity was winning , Now I am down to like 3% battery and just clear the fence of Mr. Green Jeans spread .  Terra Firma at last , a bit of a walk , ( The walk of shame I call it )  but my aircraft was all in one piece.


The moral of the story is that in cold weather the battery is going to dissipate quickly , and I knew better having been a Michigan native and RC flyer most of my life .  So to make a long story short , use caution in cold weather flying or you may end up with your Aircraft in "  Mr- If you fly over my homestead  again I am going to shoot  you down " ( Mr . green Jeans ) back yard  to which I normaly reply , If you do pack a lunch because you and I hard going to have an old fashioned  donniebrook  ( Pun "Donnie"  Intended )   


( I took a bit of dramatic liscense with the farmer , he does not  quite hate me any more after  I got to know him but he  jokes ( I hope ) about using it for trap shooting practice .  


Long story short , Its cold  and you cant fly as long any more when  it gets cold ......Amen


Donnie

That was you!

Nice story Donnie and I am glad you are in one piece!

I always charge right before flying and use the battery heater if it gets down in the 40's. Now that our batteries have more cycles on them (over 50) they just do not hold up to long flights.

It is a good idea to keep your flights short and keep a good eye on them while you are flying in the winter for sure

I can relate to your football analogy because the Oregon Ducks have been simply awful this year and I think Elvis did die.... out west

Rich

RichJ53 Posted at 2016-11-27 10:49
Nice story Donnie and I am glad you are in one piece!

I always charge right before flying and use t ...

It's is a somber mood in East Lansing for sure , Now I dont feel so bad, you are in the same boat !

donnie

What was the ambient air temp?   Its starting to get cold here too.   Glad it all worked out and thanks for the reminder!

Thanks for the story, and I too have had the same problem and inconsistent with cooler temps.  Curious, did you have the Thermal Pads on the battery?  I assume you did not use the heater?

info.mthome Posted at 2016-11-27 20:44
Thanks for the story, and I too have had the same problem and inconsistent with cooler temps.  Curio ...

No, I usually put the the thermal pads on when it gets a bit colder, I am  going to look into the battery heaters today .

cheers-- donnie

QuadBart Posted at 2016-11-27 20:41
What was the ambient air temp?   Its starting to get cold here too.   Glad it all worked out and tha ...

45 degrees in the morning , not that bad really .  It was a surprise for sure .  Maybe a "One OF "  event

I hope so anyhows

donnie

Donnie Posted at 2016-11-28 04:32
45 degrees in the morning , not that bad really .  It was a surprise for sure .  Maybe a "One OF " ...

Wow, I'm surprised the batteries dropped that quickly and it was only 45 degrees.  We've got a smattering of cold weather here in the Rockies.  I've flown my Inspire in temps this year as low as 35 degrees and did not notice any "obvious" shortened flight time or sudden drop of voltage...  Just tells me it can happen even when temps are as "high" as 45.  Definitely hoping it was an anomaly...

RichJ53 Posted at 2016-11-28 00:49
Nice story Donnie and I am glad you are in one piece!

I always charge right before flying and use t ...

You guys are comical.

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2016-11-29 11:49
You guys are comical.

Thank you ...thank you very much..... I am here Monday - Sunday ..be sure to tip your waiters and waitresses and try the Veal it's delicious ........

Donnie Posted at 2016-11-30 22:32
Thank you ...thank you very much..... I am here Monday - Sunday ..be sure to tip your waiters and w ...

I'm always in the market for some good Veal!

Lmao....What's up Donnie... been a while.  Great story...had me on the edge of my seat.  hahaha

Jim09 Posted at 2016-12-7 21:17
Lmao....What's up Donnie... been a while.  Great story...had me on the edge of my seat.  hahaha

Hey Jim, went back to one of my writing classes to try and have a little fun with it .  All is well in East Lansing Michigan, although you would have thought Elvis died all over again with our football team taking a dive this year , oh well- there is always next year .  I guess it is worse for me because several coaches live in my subdivision ( Dantonio , Izzo , Narduzzi just sold his house , etc )

I did get up to Oscoda to put up the Winter Fence .  Guess who lives 3 doors down...... coach Harbaugh ....I had no idea till just the other day  Cant get away from these people LOL !

Happy Christmas season to you and yours my friend !

donnie

i would suggest getting the stick on toasty toes. They work amazingly well.

when using my iphone i stick them on the back of the phone too.... iphones do not like cold temps and will shut off on you.

solarscar Posted at 2016-12-11 20:41
i would suggest getting the stick on toasty toes. They work amazingly well.

great idea, thanks for the tip !

donnie

solarscar Posted at 2016-12-11 20:42
when using my iphone i stick them on the back of the phone too.... iphones do not like cold temps and will shut off on you.

Another good idea , thanks for sharing

donnie

I can't let Donnie have all the fun with his well spun tales, so I have to one up him by telling you all that I tried flying my I1 in my freezer.  That DEFINITELY did not work as planned.  I don't recommend it.

Chris

NailDrivingMan Posted at 2016-12-13 07:10
I can't let Donnie have all the fun with his well spun tales, so I have to one up him by telling you all that I tried flying my I1 in my freezer.  That DEFINITELY did not work as planned.  I don't recommend it.

Chris

There are two  people on this planet I want to party with , Nail Drivin Man and Lee Harvey here.  I mean NDM,  an Inspire and a Freezer..... and Lee harvey with that cow !!!!

  

WELL PLAYED SIR!

Donnie Stugots Posted at 2016-12-8 14:39
Hey Jim, went back to one of my writing classes to try and have a little fun with it .  All is well in East Lansing Michigan, although you would have thought Elvis died all over again with our football team taking a dive this year , oh well- there is always next year .  I guess it is worse for me because several coaches live in my subdivision ( Dantonio , Izzo , Narduzzi just sold his house , etc )

I did get up to Oscoda to put up the Winter Fence .  Guess who lives 3 doors down...... coach Harbaugh ....I had no idea till just the other day  Cant get away from these people LOL !

Well it would appear the classes paid off.... have me lmao...hahahah.   Small world...thats awesome...!   Wife and I were just talking about going back to Oscoda (where we met) and then Mackinaw for a weekend.

I'll trade this high desert for MI any day... hahahaha

Best wishes and Merry Christmas to you and yours as well....

Cheers Mate.

Jim09 Posted at 2016-12-14 20:04
Well it would appear the classes paid off.... have me lmao...hahahah.   Small world...thats awesome...!   Wife and I were just talking about going back to Oscoda (where we met) and then Mackinaw for a weekend.

I'll trade this high desert for MI any day... hahahaha

"I'll trade this high desert for MI any day..."   I dont think so ! LOL

It has been just dreadful this last week , tons of snow . The problem is my  family is in the Car business ( Buick -GMC and a Chevrolet Store )  so when it snows most people who have to broom off 1 car complain about it , when you have 700 + it is a genuine Nightmare , they not only must be cleaned , they most be moved to clear the aisle between them .  So needless to say , we always look forward to Spring time!
I love flying over the lake, I bring the AC about five feet ( or lower when I fell ballsy )  off the deck about half a mile out and then come full bore to the shore , makes for a real cool scene !  I also like to fly out to the buoy that is 2.5 miles out and then come back onced again low to the deck .

good times

donnie


Oh yea , Mackinaw is always a good time , stay at the Grand Hotel at least once in your life , it is expensive but makes some good memories, they have like a overnight deal with breakfast that is just awesome !!  we only did it once as it is a bit pricey , but put it on the Bucket list .  

NailDrivingMan Posted at 2016-12-14 18:15
WELL PLAYED SIR!

Thanks buddy , I Knew you could handle a little joking around !!  

Merry Christmas to you and yours........................None of that Happy Holidays Crap !!!

donnie

Donnie Posted at 2016-11-28 03:31
No, I usually put the the thermal pads on when it gets a bit colder, I am  going to look into the battery heaters today .

cheers-- donnie

I live in Montreal Quebec Canada, so no stranger to cold weather.
Inexpensive and alternate solution is a zip lock baggy filled with rice.
Put in the microwave for a short period and then into a thermal lunch bag with the batteries.
I do this to transport and then put them into my hoodie pockets while flying my first battery then switch.

MaYhEm sMiLeY Posted at 2017-1-1 06:34
I live in Montreal Quebec Canada, so no stranger to cold weather.
Inexpensive and alternate solution is a zip lock baggy filled with rice.
Put in the microwave for a short period and then into a thermal lunch bag with the batteries.

That is a good idea also , as of late I have been using a heating pad that I  put inside of a simple foam cooler , just set it on low to Medium and have toasty batteries for the flight .  DJI must know about the batteries because they have internal heaters on them on the  new Inspire 2 .

Thanks for the idea , I really like when members  come up with unique ideas like this .  

donnie

Donnie Stugots Posted at 2017-1-1 07:26
That is a good idea also , as of late I have been using a heating pad that I  put inside of a simple foam cooler , just set it on low to Medium and have toasty batteries for the flight .  DJI must know about the batteries because they have internal heaters on them on the  new Inspire 2 .

Thanks for the idea , I really like when members  come up with unique ideas like this .  

YW wish I could claim the idea was mine.
Saw it either on this forum or another.
Creds to the owner of the idea.
Happy New Year and fun flying