Summer Drone Quadcopter Flying Guide

Summer is a golden season for drone flying and aerial photography, with bright sunshine, stable climate and charming scenery. However, factors such as high temperature, strong light and crowded people also bring challenges to flight safety and equipment maintenance.

Can you fly a drone in hot weather? Do you understand the pros and cons of flying a drone quadcopter in summer? Whether you are a beginner or an experienced pilot, this guide will help you better enjoy the fun of summer flying.

Effects of high temperature on drones

UAV quadcopters are usually equipped with high-capacity and high-density lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries themselves are prone to rapid discharge in overheated environments, accelerating battery power loss, which in turn leads to unstable internal operation of the drone and damages the flight experience.

In the summer quadcopter flight of drones, extreme high temperatures, low air density, high humidity, and strong light all have a certain impact on drones. As a consumer-grade electronic device, the normal operating temperature of drone quadcopters is 32 degrees Celsius, and the extreme ambient temperature is -10℃~40℃.

When the drone aircraft is continuously exposed to the scorching sun in summer, the internal temperature of the drone will rise rapidly, and the battery, controller, camera, and electronic components inside the fuselage will heat up, which will affect the drone control, image transmission, shooting, and return.

If you use a drone remote controller without a screen, you need to use a mobile phone as the remote control screen display. Under the strong light in summer, you will feel that the phone heats up quickly and the power drops rapidly, and the screen reflection dizziness is serious.

Read More: How To Fly A Drone

Five tips for flying a quadcopter in hot weather

1. Choose the right flight time

During the noon (11:00 to 14:00), the ground temperature may be as high as 40℃ or above. High temperatures may not only affect battery performance, but also cause overheating of the flight control system. It is recommended to choose to fly in the morning or evening, when the temperature is moderate and the light is softer, which is more suitable for shooting.

One hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset is the Golden Hour, when the angle of the sun is low and the color temperature is gentle, which is very suitable for taking layered landscape photos.

2. Preparations before summer flight

Check the battery status

In high temperature environments, battery consumption is accelerated. It is recommended to check whether the battery is bulging and whether the charging is normal before use. Try to avoid the battery level being less than 20% during flight.

Clean the lens and sensor

In summer, there are many flying insects and dust, and the lens and obstacle avoidance sensor are easily affected. Be sure to wipe and clean the lens with a lens cloth before takeoff to avoid affecting the image quality and flight safety.

Prepare ND filters

It is easy to overexpose when shooting in strong sunlight. Using ND filters can effectively control the amount of light entering, making the picture more textured and improving the aerial photography effect. Both Autel EVO Lite series and EVO II Pro support ND filters (ND4, ND8, ND16, ND32).

3. Precautions during flight

Pay attention to GPS and signal interference

In summer, there are a lot of people, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals in parks, beaches, scenic spots, etc. may interfere with GPS positioning and affect flight stability. It is recommended to take off in an open area and always pay attention to the satellite signal and compass status in the APP.

Avoid exposure and overheating

When the drone is hovering, the motor, battery and flight control system will heat up. Long-term flight may cause overheating protection or even crash. The flight time is controlled within 15-20 minutes, and the temperature is cooled in time after the flight to avoid immediate charging.

Beware of bird attacks

Summer is the breeding season for birds, and birds in some areas are strongly hostile to flying objects in the air. When you find a flock of birds approaching, quickly rise or return to avoid angering them.

4. Summer flight equipment list

Pilots should prepare sun hats/sun-proof clothing to avoid long-term outdoor ultraviolet sunburn.

Mobile phone/remote control sunshade. When using a smart remote control, the screen brightness will be four times that of the mobile phone, which effectively prevents screen reflection.

Multiple spare batteries. In summer, when flying at high temperatures, it is recommended to have more spare batteries, which can be quickly replaced to reduce waiting.

Cooling packs or small fans can cool down batteries or remote controls in time.

ND filter sets can effectively improve shooting effects. This is very helpful for professional drone photographers.

Cabin boxes or sun-proof backpacks can effectively protect drones and keep drones and accessories neatly arranged inside the backpack.

5. Recommended summer aerial photography themes

There are many summer aerial photography themes, including beaches and coastlines, summer flowers or farms, city skylines, outdoor activity scenes, etc.

With the help of the high-quality photography drone Autel EVO2 Pro V3, 1-inch CMOS, adjustable aperture f/2.8-f/11, ND filter can be added, and support output of 6K video and 12-bit DNG photos, you can quickly produce blockbusters during the day and at night, and enjoy the texture of the movie version.

The most suitable summer drone lens for filming

• Beach and coastline: shoot the natural dynamics of people, waves and beaches.
• Summer rice fields or flower fields: rich composition and bright colors.
• City skyline: The city outline under the sunset has a unique charm.
• Outdoor activity scenes: such as camping, cycling, water activities, etc., dynamic capture is very contagious.

Conclusion

Summer is the season for drone flying and shooting inspiration. But at the same time, high temperature and environmental changes also put higher requirements on flying. As long as you prepare in advance and operate scientifically, you can capture those wonderful moments of summer safely and efficiently.

Pilots, take your drone and embrace the sun and scenery!