Hi, Seasons are changing in the northeast, Cooler evenings at twilight... Tonight at 7pm it was in the lower 50's. What are the lower limits you've tested your P3S? Whats the reliability of the battery and AC proformance from your experiences?

Batteries should be above 68f, 20C, at power up. Keep batteries in pocket  or in a warm place  when going to fly, and let it hover a few minutes before moving out and up for battery to warm itself up. Other have flown in sub zero weather (F). Hard on the hands because of the cold. I dont fly below 20 degrees F. Hate  the cold. Im in Wisconsin.

The working temperature of P3 battery is around 0-40℃. Please take care as it consumes more battery in the cold weather.

More details, please refer the user manual: https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/ ... ser+Manual+v1.4.pdf

Hold the battery warmer than 18`c . Before you take off,make the CSC and let the props spin 30 - 40 secs and then take off.  

Thanks for the info Stuka,Susan and Peterx....  Ha... 20 degrees F. Won't be doing that. But I can keep the battery warm. Install it and hover to warm up the battery more for at least a 10 minute flight maybe in cooler temps.

Try to keep the DJI multi rotor pilot warm too. Hahaha

Cold and numb fingers don't promote great drone control. ;-)


RedHotPoker

I was out tonight flying,  quite nippy out lol  The big thing I see with LIPO batteries as SUSAN pointed out is decreased run time fortunately as the power is consumed the battery heats up. I warm up all my batteries to 70*F before I put them in the aircraft, be it drone or plane, this gives me a head start. haven't measured flight times, but if I'm loosing any its not significant enough to notice. I love cold weather as it makes for good Deer hunting for me lol so I obviously have the personal gear to keep warm as RedHotPoker pointed out. There is no finesse in frozen fingers have a pile of crashed planes to prove it lol

But do remember that, if the battery starts to cool off, it's remaining charge will go down quickly.   I'd have it home before it hits the 30% mark.

Epicdoom Posted at 2017-10-17 15:25
I was out tonight flying,  quite nippy out lol  The big thing I see with LIPO batteries as SUSAN pointed out is decreased run time fortunately as the power is consumed the battery heats up. I warm up all my batteries to 70*F before I put them in the aircraft, be it drone or plane, this gives me a head start. haven't measured flight times, but if I'm loosing any its not significant enough to notice. I love cold weather as it makes for good Deer hunting for me lol so I obviously have the personal gear to keep warm as RedHotPoker pointed out. There is no finesse in frozen fingers have a pile of crashed planes to prove it lol

Hey, fellow outdoorsman. Greetings... Haha
Did you know you can scout and check on deer movement with your drone? ;-)

Makes a great way to keep track of deer travels and bedding areas, in your neck of the woods.
Being an avid Bowhunter, I need and enjoy more stats...

Happy flying, and enjoy those back straps. Weeee


RedHotPoker

Last winter here in Minnesota I'd fly mine between 20-30F with no problems, sometimes down to around 10F. There's been a few times I'd come across some wild turkeys, especially this time of year, and watched them run around. I definitely give them a little distance. They can fly and would they ever make a mess of your Phantom! Like stated above, the main things to do is keep the battery warm up to when you use it, let the bird idle for a minute or 2 to warm the motors, and be aware of your battery discharging a little faster than normal, and make sure your mobile device is charged as well.

This is one reason why I purchased my drone. To track the heavily traveled paths...and maybe spot a few big ones while flying. Born and raised in the northwoods. Whats cold?...... Riding a sled across a frozen lake at 3am in a 40mph headwind at 80mph...-20 temps. THATS cold. Although I'm sure a drone will say different.
Can't wait for gun hunting season!

OriontheHunter Posted at 2017-10-17 20:30
This is one reason why I purchased my drone. To track the heavily traveled paths...and maybe spot a few big ones while flying. Born and raised in the northwoods. Whats cold?...... Riding a sled across a frozen lake at 3am in a 40mph headwind at 80mph...-20 temps. THATS cold. Although I'm sure a drone will say different.
Can't wait for gun hunting season!

I try to rYde my '13 Can Am SpYder RS-S all winter. Roads and weather permitting of course. ;-)

Yes, it gets cold in them there chills. Hahaha
Talk about wind burn? Ouch!!

But once you're on the road and traveling, it gets a bit easier, as you know. On a mission!!
We are a hardy breed, and can overcome the frost bite.

For anyone who hasn't appreciated wild game, we pity you. Wicked grin

RedHotPoker

Hey, I got the picture Michgold.... thats golden. I was up 100' other evening and noticed a bird coming towards me, It was large and dark.  Looked like 500 yards away... thinking he may attack and I'm in his space I retreated and landed. He was now 250 yards...  about 75' high.....  He came from the south heading north..  almost flying over me head. The bird was a Blue Heron... full bent neck and 3' wing span. I would have die to get that video.....   What would you have done?

It's a tough call if you're eyeing your potential video prize through your screen while trying to pinpoint what actions to take next. "Objects in your screen may be closer than they appear"! It's always fun to get some great vids or pics of wildlife but I also like to give them their deserved space. That's a big bird so I probably would have done the same thing, never know if they are feeling territorial or could care less that you're there. Michelob makes a draft that's called Michgolden draft light. Tastes good, hence the name ;)

Quite a few forum posts in the snow and at least one in a snow storm (but can't locate it ). I went into my data to find coldest temp. Couldn't find it but Airdata reckons the hottest battery temp was 46.95c What the heck was I doing? Probably keeping the flies off

Hmm... I should be NYBud then...  hehe..  I'll look for your brew soon. I underestimated the size for this Great Blue Heron. More like 4' wingspan, 4'+ nose to tail. A beast to a drone if it's mad I'm sure.

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-10-17 16:44
Hey, fellow outdoorsman. Greetings... Haha
Did you know you can scout and check on deer movement with your drone? ;-)

yes sir Ive been over my hunting area quite a bit. I'm also an Avid bowhunter  I have a huge thicket deer bed in, but I couldn't figure out where they come in and go out of it because its very dense, I put the drone up and could see the trails through it as well as deer bedded up. Now I know what ends they come and go from and set up accordingly.

A buddy of mine sets his drone in the field when he heads into the woods he gets set up 30yards in when the deer come out to the field he takes off and runs them back into the woods where he is lol he has a big SYMA drone, he's pretty funny and gets it on video. I have hunted up your way a few times, but mostly for bear. I'd love to take one of those monster bucks you guys have I've seen deer in Canada while waiting on bears that were so big they look like cows. I was just out for out early muzzleloader season yesterday and took a 6 point buck I take 12 deer a season on average here in my state.

Wow... drones and hunting make sense yeah...  but drones,hunting,game wardens take all the fun out of it. Be safe.

Not sure of the rules here in my state, but the property is mine so I can fly it anytime I want. I do take care to not fly and hunt on the same day as most folks me including myself would find that unethical and I'm sure that's against the law to fly over and hunt within a 24 hour period. I know in Alaska you cant fly a manned aircraft over the area you intend to hunt and then hunt that location within a 24 hour period. I don't personally care what other folks do, like my buddy if that's what he wants to do that's his choice he owns the property and he does it even though I advise him not to, To each his own. I would definitely advise against flying over public hunting grounds that could definitely be met with some issues not only from game wardens, but also fellow hunters. I honestly don't think it gives much of an advantage because lots of other factors have to fall in place especially bow hunting, you have to insure your in the right tree for the close shots required from the equipment you have to be well camouflaged and you have to be scent free, then on top of that you have to be able to draw undetected and make a good shot. I hunt agricultural fields 90% of the time because I'm primarily a meat hunter, but if I'm after a good buck I set up in the woods to intercept them between bedding and feeding areas.

Thanks Doom....  In  Alaska bush I'd say you do what it takes to survive and plan. I Don't hunt anymore though. Nothin better than a arrow shot @ 30 yards I know. I like 50 cal. B/P myself. Game wardens here are aware of drone use in reserve hunting area's here. They bust a few and make examples on the evening news. HA.....   have a good one.

sSunSets Posted at 2017-10-21 13:21
Thanks Doom....  In  Alaska bush I'd say you do what it takes to survive and plan. I Don't hunt anymore though. Nothin better than a arrow shot @ 30 yards I know. I like 50 cal. B/P myself. Game wardens here are aware of drone use in reserve hunting area's here. They bust a few and make examples on the evening news. HA.....   have a good one.

I agree on the Alaska deal those folks don't get meat they are hard pressed to survive the winter. For me hunting is my vacation from everyday life. I have a grandson coming up and cant wait till we can hunt together. He's already shooting the bow at 3.5 years of age and doing fairly well. I have several compound bows, but I'm mostly a traditional archer. I am half Cherokee Indian and my grandfather taught me bow making, flint knapping and stone tool making, I will pass that down to my grandson as I have my son. We cant hunt with knapped arrow points here in my state so I'm forced to use metal points, but I do make those myself as well. I cant for the like of me understand why flint knapped  points cant be used especially made from obsidian that stuff is sharper then any metal blade will ever be. I use an Osage long bow mostly.

huh! "flint Knapped points" I gotta research that. I taught myself at 10, shooting a 25LBS recurve longbow. Oh.... Grandma was a Chippawa... Her name is Rosilie Staley... Husband, David... Me.... well.. it's 10.21.17....lots of memories...  I hope more, peace brother!

Flint Knapping takes some practice I've been doing it for since age 10 40+ years now. it's relaxing for me to create and arrow head or spear point from a rock, I like to keep myself busy so I have lots of hobbies.  I'm a musician play guitar, RC Drones planes cars and trucks,  Flint knapping and bow making, I build firearms and do a lot of shooting, I have my own machine shop, do my own metal casting and forging, I hunt, Trap, fish, hike, camp I teach Primitive Survival, primitive Trapping, I teach firearms training Handgun, combat and sniper rifle training,  and I have a Private Pilots Lic. so I love to get in the air often. pretty much anything outdoors wife hates it, but I remind her I could be spending my time Drinking lol  

+1 for Stuka's post

Hey, Epicdoom.... just watched PBS story on flint knapping....  They were making arrows from the right reeds, curing and stone grinding, then heating them with campfire to straighten them. Arrowhead to flitch....

Thats so cool Epic... Blessed life too you....

Epic.... I can't be sure now if the 1 hour story was on PBS, CBC or CTV... I'm in NY. And now that I here you, I think you may be the instructor teaching the person I watched. Making a arrow with using all methods.

Epicdoom Posted at 2017-10-24 16:49
Flint Knapping takes some practice I've been doing it for since age 10 40+ years now. it's relaxing for me to create and arrow head or spear point from a rock, I like to keep myself busy so I have lots of hobbies.  I'm a musician play guitar, RC Drones planes cars and trucks,  Flint knapping and bow making, I build firearms and do a lot of shooting, I have my own machine shop, do my own metal casting and forging, I hunt, Trap, fish, hike, camp I teach Primitive Survival, primitive Trapping, I teach firearms training Handgun, combat and sniper rifle training,  and I have a Private Pilots Lic. so I love to get in the air often. pretty much anything outdoors wife hates it, but I remind her I could be spending my time Drinking lol

WOW...and you have time for a wife???

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-10-25 17:38
WOW...and you have time for a wife???

LOL I spend the evenings with her we make time for each other when we have to, We have been married 32 years so we are well past the need to be up each others back side all the time lol With the Grandson running around he has been getting a good bit of my attention. I'm a full time on the go type person I hike 5-10 miles back in the woods and drag a deer out so I'm pretty fit, never though a 3.5 years old could wear me out, but he definitely does.

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-10-17 16:44
Hey, fellow outdoorsman. Greetings... Haha
Did you know you can scout and check on deer movement with your drone? ;-)

It would be nice to track deer with the drone, but here in Maine, it's illegal.  

Jake Phantom 3  Posted at 2017-10-28 07:00
It would be nice to track deer with the drone, but here in Maine, it's illegal.

What ever your Hunter regulations state, is fine with me.

But for others, it may be alright.

Thanks for being an ethical Hunter, that's a big issue for me. Much respect, fellow Hunter.
Fair chase, is top billing...


RedHotPoker