Geomagnetic Storms

[Bad Andy]

There’s no need to be snarky.

Your entire world relies on GPS signals for timing and synchronization more than you
seemingly realize so your drone is the least of your worries.

This does not mean it’s not vulnerable to disruption by bad actors but that it’s more reliable and its use more ubiquitous than you might imagine.

GPS.gov: Applications

Not being snarky. Just didn't feel like arguing with someone who's so certain he's correct.

You would evidently be surprised about what I "seemingly realize" when it comes to GPS and to anything RF related.

But thanks for your concern.

Fact is, space weather does sometimes affect things down here. There are cases where weird, unpredictable things happen to electronic and digital devices and folks casually shrug it off as a software bug or some kind of glitch inherent to the widget. The reality is there is at least some likelihood that the issue could have been related to a charged particle whizzing by and hitting the wrong thing at the right time. The fun part is you can never know for sure.

These little birds of ours rely on radio communications with satellites, ground stations and with remote controllers, and they rely on magnetic compasses for general orientation. Space weather can affect all of the above, directly and indirectly.

ObReasonable: Will it? No way to know, any more than we'll know if today's the day we're gonna be killed by an out of control semi. Which sort of branches into the discussion in another thread about using gloves, safety glasses, etc. It's not a matter of right or wrong. Everyone will have a different idea of what the proper precautions really are. But just like I know that the month of April is notorious for motor vehicle collision rates here, and gear up accordingly for my motorcycle commute, I also know that space weather can be an indicator for how much hassle I'm going to have on my shift on a given day. These factors don't necessarily stop me from doing things but they may compel me to take extra precautions.

You of course may and should do as you wish.

Thanks,
-W2ZZZ

 

[Meta4]

The reality is there is at least some likelihood that the issue could have been related to a charged particle whizzing by and hitting the wrong thing at the right time. The fun part is you can never know for sure.

Rather than assuming that all kinds of weird things might possibly happen, it's better to deal with actual facts about what is likely to happen.
This post is from someone that knows and deals with this stuff professionally ...
Solar Flares

 

[Bad Andy]

Thanks Meta4. That post while very informative doesn't really dispute what I'm saying. It focuses on the geomagnetic aspects of solar flares without discussing other issues revolving around the increase in charged particles.

And pardon me but when you're taking off from someplace like the Forest Park air field, a 70'-80' GPS error or a compass error (or worse yet, both) could easily put your bird in the trees or even into traffic in a RTH scenario, which is a very common event with all the RF interference, intermod and spectrum crowding here.

Here's a nifty article from Scientific American. Pay special attention to the discussion of "bit flip".

Mysteriously Powerful Particles from Solar Explosions Unveiled in New Study

While this is a far greater risk to devices whizzing around outside the protection of our planet's various shields, some of those particles do manage to get through and cause random and, outside of a lab environment, impossible to diagnose problems.

In reality it probably causes a problem or two every day somewhere in the world. But during weather, the probability of it affecting us increases. Rare? Certainly! Impossible? Nope.

The chance of being struck by lightning is tiny. But smart money is on heading indoors when you hear the zzzzt sounds on your AM radio.