Shooting drone videography in the winter can be very appealing for plenty of drone pilots. The visuals of ice crystals forming on branches and a blanket of snow on everything can make for some really stunning shots.
However, if you’re not careful, you risk placing your drone in danger, especially if you fly in the cold weather recklessly. Some of the dangers that you face when flying your drone in the winter or colder weather are your drone crashing due to loss of power, the cold weather getting into the inner mechanism, and the damp damaging your wiring.
While flying your drone in the winter certainly is possible, it’s very important to stay safe when doing this, or you may end up losing your drone to the cold. If you’re planning on shooting some drone videography footage in the winter, here are some tips to help you out.
Watch out for your battery
One of the biggest things that you should look out for when flying your drone in the winter weather is your battery life. The biggest contributor to drone crashes in the winter is the quicker drain on battery power that the cold weather can cause.
A high-end drone can average about 25 minutes of flight time, but in the colder weather, you’ll be lucky to get 15 minutes of flight time, at most. The best way to counter this is by keeping your batteries warm before you fly your drone, as well as making sure that your batteries are fully charged before the flight.
Watch out for ice
Ice is another huge risk to face when shooting drone videography in the winter. This is especially true if you’re flying your drone in a higher altitude.
In higher locations, the formation of ice is more prevalent, and if you’re going to be flying your drone in these areas, this is something that you’re going to really have to prepare for. Ice buildup on the exterior of your drone can cause a weight imbalance with your drone, making it difficult to fly properly.
Don’t rush into things
It might be an exciting experience, flying and shooting drone videography in the winter, but don’t use that as an excuse to rush into things. Right after takeoff, before you fly off, make sure that you take a minute or so to hover your drone.
This helps you check that everything is in place before you fly off. If you fly your drone without checking it, your drone may break down mid-flight because of something that could have been prevented.
You should stay warm too
While your drone is very important to watch out for, you shouldn’t forget your own personal safety as well. Make sure to bundle up and wear warm clothing to avoid getting sick while piloting your drone and shooting drone videography.