Big changes are coming and I’m not just talking about new regulations (for once). The days are getting shorter, temperatures are dropping and that can only mean one thing. Construction season is over in Canada and we’re preparing for winter to hit.
Whether you prefer to hibernate or stay flying over our winter months, read on for some tips to keep you and your drone happiest.
PRODUCT (your drone)
Batteries
Cold weather and LiPo batteries go together like me and winter sports. Batts and I would much rather be warming a bench than hanging out in cold air. When temps drop, battery efficiency drops too meaning shorter flight times and potentially unreliable power output. Pre-warm your batteries before you fly by storing them inside your jacket or using a battery warmer. Maybe increase your reserve buffers (40% should do it) and monitor voltage during your flights.
If winter months mean flights are less frequent for you, make sure your batteries are set to go to storage voltage. Double check the manual for the specifics of how to do this with your drone.
Icing
Even a thin layer of frost can reduce lift and increase drag with the effect of seriously reduced performance, if the aircraft can fly at all. And it’s not just below-zero temperatures that can cause issues. Because of the slight temperature drop that occurs when lift is being created, near-freezing conditions can be even more hazardous because we still get to freezing, and those slightly warmer temps mean the air can hang onto more moisture, making icing more likely. Listen for changes in motor sounds as your first indication of ice or frost formation.
If you live somewhere “lucky” enough to get to -25°C, it’s unlikely icing will be a concern because the air is so dense at that temperature, it’s dry. No moisture can be suspended as a gas.
Inspections
Cold plastic and wiring don’t perform well under (literal) pressure. Inspect your drone for hairline cracks before and after each flight. It’s best to let the aircraft acclimate to outside air temps slowly to reduce the chances of condensation forming on internal electronics.
Procedures (your SOPs)
Plan for the Cold
Keep flights shorter and have a clear pre-flight checklist that includes warming batteries and hands. Maybe even add some new items like hand warmers, gloves and a toque to your packing checklist. Keep in mind that your drone might not be the only system that needs to be able to perform in the cold. If you’re using laptops or power supplies, they might get slower in cold and wind.
Emergencies
If you’re looking to stay sharp through some downtime, test your memory with your emergency procedures. Hopefully you don’t get many opportunities to practice these in real life, but you never want to out of practice if you do need them. Power up your GCS and build muscle memory with switch locations, menu options and troubleshooting steps so that you’re ready to go when spring time rolls around.
Pilot (you!)
Stay Warm, Stay Sharp
Frozen fingers make for clumsy flying. Thin touchscreen gloves or heated glove liners can help you keep dexterity without losing feeling, and hand warmers in your jacket pockets are a nice backup. Snow glare can also be intense, so wear sunglasses or tinted lenses to maintain a clear visual line of sight without squinting through reflections. The combo of sunny skies and snowy ground can make sunglasses even more necessary than when the weather is hot.
Recency Reminder
Check that you’re still in the green with your credentials and set a calendar nudge for about 30 days before they expire. You have 24 months from your last qualifying activity which could be a seminar, flight review, exam or other recency exercise!
Speed Dial Prep
While you have some downtime, look up tower emergency contact phone numbers for the typical areas you fly and add those to your cellphone contacts. We’ve had good luck grabbing them from the COMM section of the CFS pages available here.
Whether you choose to hunker down or layer up and head outside, I hope these tips help make this winter your best one yet. Stay warm and stay safe!
Online CFS Page Access
Haven’t used FLTPLAN.com to access CFS pages yet? No worries! It’s very easy when you know where to look.
- Head to fltplan.com (or download the FLTPLAN GO app)
- Click the FBO & Airport Tab
- Search for the airport by name or identifier
- Scroll until you see a button for Canada Flight Supplement for “Airport Name”
- Double check that the page that loads is valid (it’ll have a date in red in the margins)
