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It can be extremely risky to fly your drone in strong winds. With that being said, we notice quite a plenty of people are going to do it at any rate, and we are going to attempt to give you the tips for doing it as safely as you can.
How to Know The Current Wind State?
Remember, whenever there is the wind, it is genuinely expanding the odds that you will wreck the drone and possibly hurt someone. So, let’s start this post with some essential understanding of the wind and its impacts on drones.
To begin with, can you measure the state of the wind that you cannot even see? If so, by how?
What we can let you know is that sooner or later, you will be able to develop a great judgment and feeling concerning whether you can utilize the done outside or not. Yet, there are indeed instruments that you may want to count on to gauge wind precisely as well.
Sure, you cannot see wind, but you can feel it. Forecasters attempt to work out where the wind will blow and what state of the atmosphere will be at a place and time as regards wind. The direction and speed of the wind are the most significant factors you have to know.
We have many words to portray how quickly a wind is blowing. By a gust, we mean a sudden rush of wind, which can get you off guard. A storm refers to the wind full of power, and it is difficult to stand up before him.
- Anemometer: Scientists make use of an instrument called an anemometer, to quantify the speed of the wind. And people also use this gadget in meteorological stations.
An anemometer comes with cups that capture the air current, making it rotate. The rotation’s speed helps decide the rate of the flow of air blowing. Keep in mind that while this unit measures wind at the present height at which it is set, the natural movement of the air might be even more potent at higher altitudes.
- Mobile Apps: There are a few applications that show the present condition of the wind, and as far as we know, every drone user had better have.
You can consider an app called Windy; it will let you know the wind direction, whether there are any clouds nearby and everything with the association with wind specifications. For those who are flying their drones, this is unquestionably extraordinary and appropriate as compared to other apps available out there today.Â
How Does the Strong Wind Impact Your Drone?
The crucial thing you have to realize when you fly your drone in a strong wind is that the wind radically influences a ton of factors on the drone. More often than not, they are regularly exposed to particular winds since they fly.
The pilot ought to be behind his uncrewed aircraft confronting the air current so that if something happens to the machine, he will be able to catch and secure it. Not all, you ought to see that during high winds, the propeller and motor will be somewhat noisier than expected, because of the higher consumption of the battery.
Further, if your device cannot win over the strong current of the air, particularly in case you arrive at higher altitudes, then you have to move down immediately and land your machine. Also, you should be in an open area so that if the wind catches your aircraft, you will be able to land it securely and come over to it.
The maximum speed of your flying robot moving downwind needs to be the downwind airspeed plus your drone’s max speed. Yet, a few drones are limited, dependent on the data from the GPS. That is why, in case you would like to surpass that speed, you should drop it into Attitude Mode (ATTI) mode.
Plus, be cautious when flying around tremendous gusts all over cliffs. Be careful not to lose your robot everlastingly in circumstances like that.
Things to Account for When Flying in Strong Winds
The wind is one of the critical factors that can influence a crewless aircraft its flying time. The model, in strong winds, utilizes more energy, considerably straining the battery and making its flight time shorter.
On the off chance that you fly in the wind direction, your consumption of the energy will be significantly higher. And the robot will travel considerably less distance than it can without the air current.
If you fly high in high winds, you will have almost no control over the automaton, particularly in case you desire to rotate the device or navigate it sideways. The sign could likewise be delayed, and in this way, the unit could make abrupt movements. Hence, attempt to keep the robot as low as could be expected under the circumstances while flying, and during the wind, avoid doing acrobatics.
Drones come in different modes, and it would be ideal to utilize manual or ATTI mode in the wind. For GPS mode (or Positioning mode), you get a defined speed of flying, so refer to the instructions on how far your robot can arrive at the max speed. In the case of Sports mode, it can make a pretty decent difference when flying.
The Most Useful Tips for Flying Drones in Strong Winds
You should avoid flying in the high current of the air as it brings dangers. Still, if you, for no matter reason, feel you need to fly, there are a few things you can do to diminish the possible risks. Let’s discover them right below.
1. Know Your Drone’s Maximum Speed
This is a significant factor. Supposing that the speed of the wind is higher than the most extreme speed of your automaton, you will not have the option to fly your device.
You can, by and large, check out the specifications specified by the manufacturers to find out that. Yet, note that it is not, in every case, accurate.
Specifically, for instance, the DJI Inspire 2 Drone by DJI is software limited to 55 miles per hour. Also, regardless of whether it could speed up, the software will not let it.Â
The reason you need to have an idea of the maximum speed of your model is that the speed is continuously comparative with the airspeed.
When you lift off, and in case you are flying your automaton in 30 mph winds, it will get tilted sideways up to the wind. It will become hovering in place with its GPS.
You will use up batteries genuinely fast as you are flying upwind. Meanwhile, once it is moving downwind, it will utilize fewer cells. That is essential to know, in such a case that you fly downwind first and you use up a large portion of your power units, and you think the other half is going to have the option to get your automaton home – it is definitely not!
What is more? With the speed of the wind in mind, you will be able to generally calculate the highest speed of your automaton flying upwind or downwind. The upwind speed is your device’s most considerable speed, minus the speed of the wind. The downwind speed refers to the most extreme speed of your models plus the wind speed.
Thus, in case you are attempting to set some sort of speed record for your drone, consider taking it out on a windy day and flying it downwind. With that being said, for the worse scenario, you are likely not going to have the option to get your robot back after that.
Do you need to know more about drones as well as how they behave? Then, this is a book we suggest: Drones (The Ultimate Guide): How they work, learning to fly, how to fly, building your own drone, buying a drone, how to shoot photos – by Ben Rupert.
2. Consider Using Sport Mode While You Are Flying Your Drone at Strong Winds
Many drones such as DJI have Positioning mode (P mode), which does not allow for the top velocities during the flight. In case you are restricted to 15 mph in P mode, you will not have the option to battle winds that are over that constrained speed.
In that case, think about placing your automaton into Sport mode. You need to set this mode manually, and it will not be switched on by default in the DJI Go mobile app. Instead, activating it is what you have to do.
Since you take off and land, you should take off in an area with the wind blocked (for example, next to a vehicle or buildings). In case you attempt to take off in heavy winds, that robot will simply tip over. Understandably, as it is beginning to take off, the machine will lift a tad off the ground and lose friction from it and crash.
3. Abstain from Flying Above Water During Winds
The most exceedingly awful spot where you can see your device land is in the water. It is enticing to fly over water is enticing – Truly, we know that. We have done it plenty of times; nonetheless, during the intense air current, keep a distance from it!
In case you do not know, your drones contain a lot of electronics and chips inside, and they are vulnerable to water. So, any contact with water is a potential hazard for them.
On the off chance that you see your robot drown in the water, do not save it by jumping into the water. It can put your life into danger. After all, that is only a bunch of electronics, and there are some ways to fix the damaged water models.
We know that it is, now and again, hard not to record some incredible footage of cascades whenever you have the chance. Yet, if flying close to water is not necessary, simply do not! Plus, be sure you check everything before flying.
Other Quick Valuable Tips
- Full battery
- Avoid high altitude
- Stay away from people, trees, individuals, and buildings. It is a piece of excellent advice for any flight, yet even more in this way. If the wind is strong, you may go through the odd signal loss and abnormal movement with your automaton.Â
- Fly out upwind and return to home (RTH) downwind
- Other than using Sport mode, turn off obstacle avoidance (OA) sensors
- During the flight, unexpected movements can happen, and these robots may blow up. Thus, setting the control signals for them to be smooth is advisable.Â
- Ensure you fly with a full battery. Stop running the risks and stop pushing your robot as far as possible.
- Attempt to protect your device during the takeoff. Also, turn it to the side that the breeze is blowing. You should stay away from the machine when taking off as well – keep a safe distance.Â
- Try flying a little lower. The winds typically raise when you go higher, and frequently, when you are extremely near the ground, you will just have a strong wind. So attempt to go 40 meters or 50 up into the air; higher than that, and you will be presented to considerably heavier winds.Â
- As you fly, you should fly out into the wind. That way, your robot is coming back with the wind. This stops you from getting caught out by being excessively far away and discovering the difficult way that you cannot make it back.Â
- Remote landing retrieval
- When landing, it is wise that the device’s front faces the wind. This will keep potential slipping and harm to your automaton at bay.
- Fly over the wide-open area in which you can, without much of a stretch, retrieve your robot. Doing so will be particularly helpful on the off chance that you need to make an emergency landing.
In Short
So, things to remember when you are flying your drone in strong winds are that you need to operate the device to your comfort level – in case you fly your robot higher, it could be significantly windier up there.
Try not to get excessively near things or overly low to the ground. Do not go over people and avoid getting too near the water since you never know whether the wind can destroy the automaton. For other handy tips, check out the list mentioned above.
Good luck and happy flying!
