Two days ago we had a typical winter day with cold fog around 0°C. I made some nice videos for approx. 5 mins. at about 2-3m flight level and then wanted to go straight up to break through the fog to see some sunshine above the fog-layer (and get impressive pics). After another 3-4 mins. flight I got the alarm: "Battery overload", descended immediately, landed without hazzle and inspected my Mavic: leading edges of rotors were full with ice (which with an airplane/heli would lead to an unrecoverable stall and crash). Well, the Mavic made it for a safe landing, but always keep in mind: if a battery overload-alarm beeps (motors consume more juice to keep the rotors spinning and keep Mavic flying) it could be icing of the rotors ..........................

You handled that very well. kudos! Thanks for giving everyone the heads up on icing.  I have that issue when flying small aircraft and it can come on very quickly.

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-1-4 07:25
You handled that very well. kudos! Thanks for giving everyone the heads up on icing.  I have that issue when flying small aircraft and it can come on very quickly.

Yeah, had the problem once flying my gyroplane ..... was less funny than with my Mavic ............... Greetings from Austria

Angelo26 Posted at 2017-1-4 07:38
Yeah, had the problem once flying my gyroplane ..... was less funny than with my Mavic ...............  Greetings from Austria

lol wow

Never underestimate HUMIDITY is what you mean.  That's why it's not CLEAR ICE, it's RIME ICE caused when the dewpoint is below freezing.

That's pretty cool looking on the Mavic, but I'd hate to see that on an A/C I am IN!  Glad you got it down safely...  WHEW!  


I can even see it forming on the leading edge surface of the legs.

DRONE-flies-YOU Posted at 2017-1-4 08:10
Never underestimate HUMIDITY is what you mean.  That's why it's not CLEAR ICE, it's RIME ICE caused when the dewpoint is below freezing.
That's pretty cool looking on the Mavic, but I'd hate to see that on an A/C I am IN!  Glad you got it down safely...  WHEW!

Completely correct DRONE ! I just wanted to send the message "ice-clear" for non-pilots ..........

Angelo26 Posted at 2017-1-4 08:21
Completely correct DRONE ! I just wanted to send the message "ice-clear" for non-pilots ..........

It can also create a signifficant inbalance once ice breaks away on one blade only or even just build-up gets different...
Experienced it with other rc-models as well

The key is to avoid temperatures close to freezing with a lot of moisture (i.e. flying in clouds/fog) in the air.

WolfgangStiller Posted at 2017-1-4 12:31
The key is to avoid temperatures close to freezing with a lot of moisture (i.e. flying in clouds/fog) in the air.

Yep, that´s the message .............

Wow....being in Canada its a good reminder.  I am going to Saalbach in Feb and have just had some correspondence from Austro Control that suggests the rules are too strict / expensive to bring my Mavic.  I was really hoping to fly some there.
BTW, like the red!

Cwood Posted at 2017-1-5 04:37
Wow....being in Canada its a good reminder.  I am going to Saalbach in Feb and have just had some correspondence from Austro Control that suggests the rules are too strict / expensive to bring my Mavic.  I was really hoping to fly some there.
BTW, like the red!

Dear Cwood ! Welcome to one of our most beautiful skiing resorts ! {:4_181:}  We could have met there for a Mavic-race but this year I will be in Bad Hofgastein at that time (Congress + Skiing ).

I will take my Mavic definitely with me for some "tracking-feature" tests in snow.

As a matter of fact (speaking as an active ultralight-pilot) Austro Control would like to ban ANY flying vehicle without registration number and approval by AC from flying in Austria. BUT: general European regulations prevail.   All airspace up to 90 ft (30m) AGL (above ground level) is principally free airspace (except close to airports and other restricted D/E/TMZ-zones) and cannot be controlled anyhow by primary and secondary radar, and airspace "G" (up to 1000 ft) is "uncontrolled airspace" without the need of a permission or registration to fly there with microlights (120 kg T/O weight and below, With ultralights T/O weight max. 450kg You need a registration for the aircraft).  So AustroControl CAN NOT prohibit to fly Your Mavic up to 30m AT ALL and even not in airspace "G"(up to 1000ft).

(Just imagine - and You might see them - what all the tandem-paragliding companies would do if they would have to ask for permission at AC)

Provided You will mostly fly Your Mavic in track- or follow-me-mode You will most probably stay below 30m. In case You want to take footage of the mountain-panorama high up adjust max. height to 1000ft in DJI GO. (DJI GO would allow 500m/1500ft max. height as far as I know).

CAUTION: one thing You have to be strictly aware of (and for which even a permission couldn´t prevent  legal consequences at all):  ALWAYS BE ALERT OF RESCUE-HELICOPTERS AND AVOID ANY AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT PROGRAM OF YOUR MAVIC (Tap-Fly, Waypoints etc.) AND KEEP YOUR MAVIC IN SIGHT (when doing a flight out of direct sight on Your Mavic, like taking panoramic-footage at 300m, go STRAIGHT up and STRAIGHT down) !  THE SAME APPLIES TO PARAGLIDERS, WHICH - DEPENDING ON THE WIND-CONDITIONS - MIGHT BE NUMEROUS !

Once You hear the typical "flap-flap" of a heli or see a paraglider, descend Your Mavic manually and immediately (no RTH), watch out for the heli/paraglider and only when heli is in view You might continue the flight at max 30m, but not so when close to paragliders (then land just to be sure).

OTHER PRECAUTIONS:

1. even when there is no wind at T/O-position, keep in mind that heavy turbulances can and will occur due to Your leewards/windwards T/O-position causing heavy lee-swirls that might blow away/crash against Your Mavic esp. close below the cliffs at the top of the skiing-mountain.

2. when doing track-mode/follow me - mode operations mind the many very thin and mostly hard-to-see cables all over the skiing area and - of course - the cables of the cable-cars and skiing-lifts.

3. in some areas helicopters are stationed directly at or close to the skiing-slopes with the pilot sitting inside the heli. Don´t T/O Your Mavic close to one of these helis (although it might be deceiving to circle around this POI) or only T/O after You have spoken to the pilot to check wther he is "restrictive" or "open-minded" .
4. Stay away min. 100m from cable-car/skiing-lift stations and pylons, power-lines and wind-mills ! Calibrate compass more in the middle of a slope and not at the sides (sometimes cables are dug into the ground). They might goof Your Mavic´s compass and cause erratic flying, malfunction or complete failure of RC.

If You follow these precautions You won´t get ANY trouble, get hilarious footage and - most of all - You won´t  lose Your Mavic by crashing into woods, cables or steep rocky cliffs ...................  

Enjoy Your stay .......................