Drones have opened up unique perspectives for photography enthusiasts around the world to shoot landscapes. Recently, we received feedback from Ruko drone users and found that strong winds did not stop their enthusiasm from taking to the sky. The following are practical tips for dealing with strong winds, covering pre-flight checks, in-flight strategies, and emergency handling.
1. Pre-Flight Checklist
a. Check the weather forecast and use professional weather apps (such as Windy and UAV Forecast) to confirm wind speed and gust conditions to determine whether today's weather is suitable for flying.
b. Choose a suitable model. Although drones that do not require FAA registration are lighter, they have weaker wind resistance. At the same time, the larger the blade size, the stronger the wind resistance (high-efficiency propellers can be replaced).
c. Flight environment assessment, avoid areas prone to turbulence, such as canyons, high-rise buildings, and mountains. Choosing an open and unobstructed site can reduce the impact of wind shear.
d. Equipment inspection, ensure that the battery is fully charged before flying (reserve more than 50% of the battery for return).
2. In-Flight Coping Strategies
a. Use remote control operation skills. Wind speed is usually low near the ground. Descend to a safe height when necessary. When flying against the wind, the drone may automatically increase the inclination angle, so more power needs to be reserved. The speed may increase sharply when returning with the wind, so it needs to be controlled carefully.
b. Using the obstacle avoidance and positioning system, outdoor flight can assist in stable positioning for GPS positioning. Pay attention to the number of satellites on the remote control screen or the APP usage page to ensure that the satellite tree is greater than 10. "Attitude mode" may be triggered in strong winds, and maintain balance through manual control.
c. Pay attention to key parameters and real-time power consumption. Power consumption may double in strong winds.
3. Vital First Aid
If the positioning drifts due to continuous strong winds, return home or land manually immediately. When the battery power is less than 30% and the wind is against the drones, make sure land nearby rather than forcing a return home. When "auto return home" is triggered, manually adjust the altitude to avoid obstacles. If the signal is lost, make sure the return altitude is set correctly (higher than the surrounding buildings). In extreme cases, if the drone is blown over, try to turn off the motor through the emergency-stop combination key to minimize damage. Record the last coordinates for easy search.
Friendly reminder
Regulatory restrictions also need to be noted. Some countries prohibit flying in bad weather, so you must obey local regulations and check your insurance to confirm if it covers accidents caused by windy weather.
