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Weather and Drones

Joined
Mar 31, 2020
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Location
Etex
Online weather stations do good jobs these days of providing us with current conditions and forecasts. Since I am interested in weather and weather records for other reasons as well as flying, several years ago I started buying home weather stations. I'm now on my 3rd "good" station, and it's the proverbial cat's meow. No moving parts except the rain collector dump mechanism. Highly accurate, but all readings can be re-calibrated if necessary.

It uses ultrasonic to determine wind speed and direction. It shows current indoor, outdoor, and other sensors temperature and if the temps are rising or falling. It uses both solar and battery power. Wind speed and max wind gust speeds, Humidity, Barometric pressure, rain, "feels like" temp, Dew point... and it records results. Connects to internet, and can send realtime 24/7 info to servers such as Weatherunderground, etc.

Weather conditions affect our drones ability to perform, and pilots, both manned and unmanned, need to be aware and incorporate weather into their flight plans.
GOOD FLYING!
 
Absolutely agree with you, always take a look outside the windows before charging batteries.
Are also available some apps for help drone pilots, like this one that I use
UAVForecast.com UAV Forecast
You can find it on the play store of Google.
It's designed for DJI drones but is useful for any brand.
Free version has 24 forecast, paying annual fee forecast are weekly.
This is a screenshot of main page
Screenshot_20210416_193816.jpg
Hope can be useful for somebody
 
Absolutely agree with you, always take a look outside the windows before charging batteries.
Are also available some apps for help drone pilots, like this one that I use
UAVForecast.com UAV Forecast
You can find it on the play store of Google.
It's designed for DJI drones but is useful for any brand.
Free version has 24 forecast, paying annual fee forecast are weekly.
This is a screenshot of main page
View attachment 25449
Hope can be useful for somebody
Thank you for sharing this app. I have a Q500, curious what you used for your threshold settings.
 
I use UAV Forecast as well.

I tried out the paid version a year or so ago. I found that the extended forecasts, especially the forecast winds, were not accurate at all. Any more than 3 days out and you had about a 30% chance of them being correct. Anything more than 4 days out seemed to be the "stock" weather forecast, meaning it was basically the expected average temps/winds, unless there was a big and obvious system coming in.

@Pier2162 what has been your experience? (assuming the paid version)
 
I use UAV Forecast as well.

I tried out the paid version a year or so ago. I found that the extended forecasts, especially the forecast winds, were not accurate at all. Any more than 3 days out and you had about a 30% chance of them being correct. Anything more than 4 days out seemed to be the "stock" weather forecast, meaning it was basically the expected average temps/winds, unless there was a big and obvious system coming in.

@Pier2162 what has been your experience? (assuming the paid version)
Hi.
I'm not using the paid version.
I can say that, in any case, weather forecast are forecasts, for that they cannot be so infallible at long term, assuming long term for me is 3~4 days.
I use this app only for the Kp value, number of visible satellites, temperature and winds, all the other conditions can be checked directly looking out of the windows (clouds, visibility, rain etc.)
At the moment, after more than 1 year of use, the app seems to be pretty precise about above values at short terms.
I don't expect from this app more than other local forecast can provide, if I have to go to fly many km from my location I check weather forecasts in more than an app...
As we say here in my area..."weather, a*s and rich people do what they want" ?
 
I tried the paid version for the longer-range look at winds. That's a big one for me and how I use my aircraft.
 
Looking out the window has worked for hundreds of years, as well as observing nature's indicators. Here in Etex, planning a flight tomorrow based on current conditions may not work well.

The suggestions given so far are good and useful for newbies and anyone wanting to become more drone literate.

Terrance, do you still have and use your Davis Pro Vantage 2?
 
Looking out the window has worked for hundreds of years, as well as observing nature's indicators. Here in Etex, planning a flight tomorrow based on current conditions may not work well.

The suggestions given so far are good and useful for newbies and anyone wanting to become more drone literate.

Terrance, do you still have and use your Davis Pro Vantage 2?
Especially when flying gliders. Wind shear can make a bad situation even worse. Calm on the ground doesn’t mean squat. Hills, trees, and other obstructions will make it difficult to navigate at times higher up.Since we can’t use flaps, ailerons or rudders to pull out, drones present a new set of problems. Having low or junk batteries when the power is needed can mean a difference between a loss or a save. I like the battery idicator, however balance charging and discharging can uncover intercellular malfunctions that bars on a base station cannot see. I always date and mic my new lipos. Makes it easier to determine puffing and end life.
 

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