Naik Media | North West Video Production Editing – Cumbria • Carlisle • Preston • Lancaster • Kendal
It’s supposed to be the coldest week of the winter, and we were lucky enough to have a blanket of gorgeous fluffy white snow.
Normally we don’t get the opportunity to fly the drone during the winter, instead being relegated to practicing on the simulator just to keep pilot hours up. Today however, we were asked to film for Hayes Garden World & Tony West in Ambleside capturing some video footage of the snowy hills that form the backdrop of the garden centre.
While the wind was tricky at times, it was manageable. The cold biting at my bare fingertips was not!!
Flying in the winter has several issues that face drone operators, so if you’re hiring someone to fly for you during the coldest months, bear these in mind:
- Battery life – the cold plays havoc with battery life; the regular useable time of the battery for flights can be cut in half by the cold weather; so keep them warm!
- Wind chill – so your pilots hands are one thing, but the props on the drone are another; if you fly too high during the coldest days, then ice can form on the propellors which can have disastrous consequences. Don’t fly too high if it’s cold.
- Snow – snow and rain have the same effect when it comes to interfering with wi-fi signals, so to keep the drone under control, avoid flying in heavy snow! (or any snow if you can avoid it)
As you can see in the picture above, flying a drone in the winter can produce some brilliant results, so don’t be put off because of the challenges. We won’t be!
On to the next shoot!