how windy is too windy?
- Thread starter plingboot
- Start date
Kilby
Active Member
This is a good question that I have been wondering myself. I use a weather tracking app on my phone that gives me live readings from the local weather station to find my current wind conditions. My general rule of thumb is that I won't do any high altitude flights if the wind is over 10 mph, but I wonder if that is to low.
In the end, I guess it comes down to your craft and how well it handles wind.
In the end, I guess it comes down to your craft and how well it handles wind.
Jake Bullit
Fly,crash,glue,repeat!
I use wind finder soon on my phone, currently its 25kts on the coast near me. That's way to windy for me. 10 to 15 its about my max.
sent from my phone using my finger.
sent from my phone using my finger.
koolkiwikat
Member
Ive flown my smaller quad(1.3kg) in winds where I barely had enough authority to move against the wind to return(thats because I had a camera gimble still attached which caught the wind)...however my larger and heaver hexa(3.5kg) has absolutely no trouble flying in gusty strong winds which my quad will be blown away, remember its hitting the ground/trees that do the damage so providing your multirotor is well dialed in(I fly APM1 in my hexa and CC in my quad) its doable, try it you will have fun its not scary as you think, I dont bother trying to land as its to risky i just catch it with my hands
DJI has a recommendation in the WKM manual, "Suitable Wind Condition: < 8m/s (17.7mph)"
I'd pretty much agree with that for general flying, I've put my MK hexa in the air with winds closer to 20 mph and it was NOT fun, more like a battle for control and I got the feeling that the longer I persisted in trying to fly the more likely that the hexa wasn't going home in one piece.
Yesterday I did a couple test flights with the CineStar 6 in winds that were gusting to 12 mph and it flew fine, a little bumpy at times but very controllable. If the goal is recording video I try to limit it to about 6 mph if possible, less if practical.
Ken
I'd pretty much agree with that for general flying, I've put my MK hexa in the air with winds closer to 20 mph and it was NOT fun, more like a battle for control and I got the feeling that the longer I persisted in trying to fly the more likely that the hexa wasn't going home in one piece.
Yesterday I did a couple test flights with the CineStar 6 in winds that were gusting to 12 mph and it flew fine, a little bumpy at times but very controllable. If the goal is recording video I try to limit it to about 6 mph if possible, less if practical.
Ken
matwelli
Member
for me too windy is when it stops being fun, and becomes a chore
with lots of thrust and lots of control authority you can fly in some supprisingly bad conditions.
50kph/35mph is about my limit before its just pain to be flying, but i do prefer still to 10 kph for trying out manuvers and 10 to 20 kph for tuning, prefer to tune with a bit of wind than with none.
with lots of thrust and lots of control authority you can fly in some supprisingly bad conditions.
50kph/35mph is about my limit before its just pain to be flying, but i do prefer still to 10 kph for trying out manuvers and 10 to 20 kph for tuning, prefer to tune with a bit of wind than with none.
Droider
Drone Enthusiast
I recon it depends what you are fly and why you are flying.. If its to get panoramic video the as Ken says as low as possible.. for photography with a gimbal I have flow in 20mph and got the shots I wanted but it was not fun and it was a quick up and down with my Y6.. if its just coz you want to fly then as long as your copter can make progress in to the wind then go scare yourself. While I was in Scotland at New Year Its was justing 25/30mph and boy did my WKM 450 get away from me fast down winf but it must of been on the verge of me having to go manual to get it back! There is some footage on here somwhere..
Any how Dave I thought you would be out swimming the Thames, running up Box Hill or grinding them cranks!
Its blowing a whooly here so may go out with the 450 and test its limits!
Dave
Any how Dave I thought you would be out swimming the Thames, running up Box Hill or grinding them cranks!
Its blowing a whooly here so may go out with the 450 and test its limits!
Dave
plingboot
Member
less windy than yesterday, so i'll be out for a few packs with the two flamewheels shortly.
@dave, swimming in rivers and lakes doesn't really get going until early may, it's just too cold and unpleasant.
doing the River Arun ironman distance swim in june which is a laugh, 3.8km in the uk's fastest tidal river - first 2k is into a current, second half, if they time it right, is with the current which makes for an eventful experience. the only time i swim in the thames is for the windsor tri, did also do a 3.8km race in it from hampton court to kingston and was ill for about two weeks afterwards - two-bob-bits like you'd not belive.
@dave, swimming in rivers and lakes doesn't really get going until early may, it's just too cold and unpleasant.
doing the River Arun ironman distance swim in june which is a laugh, 3.8km in the uk's fastest tidal river - first 2k is into a current, second half, if they time it right, is with the current which makes for an eventful experience. the only time i swim in the thames is for the windsor tri, did also do a 3.8km race in it from hampton court to kingston and was ill for about two weeks afterwards - two-bob-bits like you'd not belive.
Gunter
Draganflyer X4
I took it out today and posted the video on a separate thread here http://www.multirotorforums.com/showthread.php?p=21528
It was VERY windy but the WKM did me proud!
Regards,
Gunter.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It was VERY windy but the WKM did me proud!
Regards,
Gunter.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk