I have a simple question- does  the new firmware prohibit P3P from flying if the tempature is 15c or less?

Where do people get this from ? Even the DJI site lists the specifications of the Standard / Advanced / Pro to be 0C to 40C ...

Which many can show is only specs and many fly at less temp than 0C ..... and many fly at greater than 40C.

nigel

I think it actually does, but certainly not at 15C. I think it can come up with a message saying the battery is too cold, and ask you to warm it up first.

Geebax Posted at 2016-12-10 08:51
I think it actually does, but certainly not at 15C. I think it can come up with a message saying the battery is too cold, and ask you to warm it up first.

That's a bit different from OP's question I think...

I know that my Standard does show 'Warming up' when temp is cold but it still flies fine ... and DJI themselves advise to either warm battery before fitting and if possible hover for a minute or so to get battery up to working temp.

Standard or Pro - I don't think there would be much difference as they use the same battery..... motors etc.

Nigel

The warning says to warm it to 25C. In reality lipos do work below 15C, but the IR increases dramatically as temp drops.

Keep lipos warm, in your pockets near skin, or use hand warmers in your battery bag (if you have one) - they warm up very fast in use but voltage sag under load on a cold battery can cause a intelligent battery and/or the phantom to  shut down

solentlife Posted at 2016-12-10 11:58
That's a bit different from OP's question I think...

I know that my Standard does show 'Warming up' when temp is cold but it still flies fine ... and DJI themselves advise to either warm battery before fitting and if possible hover for a minute or so to get battery up to working temp.

'I know that my Standard does show 'Warming up' when temp is cold but it still flies fine ... and DJI themselves advise to either warm battery before fitting and if possible hover for a minute or so to get battery up to working temp.'

The warming up message is to do with the IMU, it has to reach the same temperature as when it was calibrated. But I think in recent versions of firmware, if the battery measures too cold, it will stop you flying and send a message telling you to warm the battery. This was introduced at firmware 1.6 if I remember correctly, in response to aircraft dropping out of the sky when agressive flying on cold batteries caused some crashes.

But certainly not at 15C, that is not even vaguely cold, and any battery should work fine at that temperature.

My statement was taken from a DJI post itself ... I only added to it.

Whether its IMU or not - effect is same .. and as you and I have said ... 15C is not a problem as is 0C etc.

There are plenty enough evidence online of youtube videos .... forum posts of winter flying in below zero conditions ...

Nigel

Not from flyingit self,  but from using a battery that is under 15C until that battery has reached minimum safe temp level.

Not from flying itself,  but from using a battery that is under 15C
until that battery has reached minimum safe temp level.

this has to do with battery shut downs last winter

A few winter flying tips from Tom. ;-)


And The Kitchen Table



RedHotPoker

Kirk2579 Posted at 2016-12-10 09:30
Not from flying itself,  but from using a battery that is under 15C
until that battery has reached minimum safe temp level.

Minimum safe temp level ..... interesting phrase ....

Consider the millions of RC'rs around the world flying / driving models in temps that freeze the proverbials of monkeys ...

it is generally considered that full performance of a LiPo is from 10C and up ... that reduction of performance is an exponential curve down from that ... and serious loss of performance occurs at well below 0C. If this was not true then no-one would hold flight competitions in low temp conditions - which actually are quite common.

If worried about battery temp .... then maybe this will help :



https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turn ... mer-bag-12v-dc.html

At about $15 ..... peace of mind !!

I have this on order to compliment my Beer Cooler bag I use in winter to keep my LiPo's warm.

nigel

Geebax Posted at 2016-12-10 01:51
I think it actually does, but certainly not at 15C. I think it can come up with a message saying the battery is too cold, and ask you to warm it up first.

Quite right, cold batteries won't work. Swap it to another one. ..

It is correct - 15c ! in 1.8.0-1.9.6 FW - but - 1.10 now allows you to start but with a warning they prefer above 25C  

SimonH78 Posted at 2016-12-10 12:50
It is correct - 15c ! in 1.8.0-1.9.6 FW - but - 1.10 now allows you to start but with a warning they prefer above 25C  
http://www.aerial-image.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/image1.jpg[/img]

If I saw that screen I would know that the motors are running, and that I needed to wait for the battery temperature to rise. I would speed up the process by hovering just above ground for a minute or two.
The guidance is given to ensure the battery will give good flight performance without fear of the battery cutting out due to too much demand on a colder battery.

There are 5 Phantoms incl. mine in our club ... some not on latest FW ... and incl all models Standard, Advanced and Pro. Not one has refused to fly in cold weather. They do have temp warnings come up on displays - but none have refused to start up and fly.

Nigel

This morning at 22F I flew my refurb'd P3s with a pre-warmed battery. No problem and when I landed the battery temp was 17C.

I updated my Phantom 3 STD with the latest firmware some weeks ago (DJI documentation tell you to use the latest).

I have to drive some distance to be able to fly - the outside temperature was +7C and it refused to start the motors with a message on the mobile device that the battery temp was below 15C.
I waited to see if it would go through some battery-warming proceedure but no luck.  
Being in Central Europe it will be April (or End March if we are lucky) before we'll see temperatures about +15C combined with suitable flying weather.

I AM aware that colder batteries deliver less power (happens on the larger scale Antares 20E...).