UAV Forecast Mobile App and Website

[svjobeth]

I've been using UAV forecast, both on the web and my phone (Android), and have never seen a 'Good to Fly' status anywhere I've checked.

I thought perhaps it was due to my 'home' location, which is situated right between two no fly-zones: Hunter Army Airfield and Fort Pulaski National Monument. (I'm in Savannah, GA.) The no-fly 5 mile boundary for Hunter AAF is approximately 1.5 miles from my location, as is the Ft. Pulaksi boundary.

However, I've checked this app in many, many locations, well inside known no-fly areas and well away - and I mean well away - from any known airports, federal lands, etc. I'm not seeing TFR's except as noted; emergency responders, etc. Not once have I gotten the green 'Good to Fly' status bar.

In the interest of transparency, I use UAV Forecast primarily for the weather datum - and AirMap/B4UFly for NFZ, TFR, etc. Still, I'd like to understand what's happening. I'm thinking it's something in my settings. I've been through them multiple times, but am not seeing any issues. Thoughts?

 

[mikero]

I've been using UAV forecast, both on the web and my phone (Android), and have never seen a 'Good to Fly' status anywhere I've checked.

I thought perhaps it was due to my 'home' location, which is situated right between two no fly-zones: Hunter Army Airfield and Fort Pulaski National Monument. (I'm in Savannah, GA.) The no-fly 5 mile boundary for Hunter AAF is approximately 1.5 miles from my location, as is the Ft. Pulaksi boundary.

However, I've checked this app in many, many locations, well inside known no-fly areas and well away - and I mean well away - from any known airports, federal lands, etc. I'm not seeing TFR's except as noted; emergency responders, etc. Not once have I gotten the green 'Good to Fly' status bar.

In the interest of transparency, I use UAV Forecast primarily for the weather datum - and AirMap/B4UFly for NFZ, TFR, etc. Still, I'd like to understand what's happening. I'm thinking it's something in my settings. I've been through them multiple times, but am not seeing any issues. Thoughts?

I have put your location into my app and the results are here.

 

[pwsl100]

What are the specific warnings you are getting, are they fly zone related or weather, wind, temperature, visibility related? The app should show you in red where the trouble is. If it's weather or similarly related you can change the threshold settings to raise the threshold to meet your needs. When you compare the fly zone data directly to airmap, are the locations and warnings the same? Are your distance thresholds from airports set correctly? If all else fails, reset the entire app or delete and reinstall and enter all the correct settings for you circumstances.

 

[RunningWithScissors]

are the locations and warnings the same? Are your distance thresholds from airports set correctly?

As @pwsl said, check ALL the threshold settings in the app. That sometimes gets over looked. The thresholds determine the go/no indicators that you see on the main screen.

 

[RunningWithScissors]

I might add, those threshold settings don't lock down, and they're very sensitive, so it's very easy to mess up the settings. I've gone in there, adjusted one setting, and accidently messed up some others without realizing it right away. Other than that, I use the app every time I plan to fly.

 

[svjobeth]

Thanks everyone - changing specific weather threshold settings did the trick.

I have to say, I had not considered the weather threshold settings as being an issue, particularly the wind direction and my settings for gusts at 200ft. Intriguing...

 

[Meta4]

I've been using UAV forecast, both on the web and my phone (Android), and have never seen a 'Good to Fly' status anywhere I've checked.

Trusting UAV forecast to tell you if it's good to fly isn't that useful.
It has things that make no difference like cloud cover and KP index.
Neither of these make a shred of difference to flying a Phantom.
SImilarly with their default settings.
Their wind numbers are just a guess and is not the actual wind you will experience at your flying location which can vary significantly.
The same with rain.
Back in time everyone knew to take forecasts with a grain of salt but put it on an app and many people imagine it's accurately telling you what's happening.

 

[DroneJI]

Trusting UAV forecast to tell you if it's good to fly isn't that useful.
It has things that make no difference like cloud cover and KP index.
Neither of these make a shred of difference to flying a Phantom.
SImilarly with their default settings.
Their wind numbers are just a guess and is not the actual wind you will experience at your flying location which can vary significantly.
The same with rain.
Back in time everyone knew to take forecasts with a grain of salt but put it on an app and many people imagine it's accurately telling you what's happening.

Yeah today it said wind was ok but I was experiencing 25 mph gust it’s definitely all guess work I had to cut my air time down because of the unforeseen winds today.

 

[svjobeth]

Trusting UAV forecast to tell you if it's good to fly isn't that useful.
It has things that make no difference like cloud cover and KP index.
Neither of these make a shred of difference to flying a Phantom.
SImilarly with their default settings.
Their wind numbers are just a guess and is not the actual wind you will experience at your flying location which can vary significantly.
The same with rain.
Back in time everyone knew to take forecasts with a grain of salt but put it on an app and many people imagine it's accurately telling you what's happening.

Agreed, in and of itself. Just another tool in the bag.

 

[Hounddog]

I live in southern Ontario and find they forecast not that accurate especially the temp , it is showing minus 10 for tomorrow but it is actually plus 2 tomorrow and sometimes the wind speed not all that close , but not a bad guide, but also use wind finder and cross reference with it

 

[svjobeth]

I didn't mean to imply I rely on this (or any one specific) app for weather information/flight planning. I was just puzzled as to why I getting some of the data I was seeing.

I use a variety of other apps/website for sailing and ocean passage planning which are much more accurate for weather forecasts. Windfinder, mentioned above, is one of those. Another is Passage Weather. These apps/sites, and others like them generate forecasts more useful to the mariner than the pilot. However, if you're near a coastline, the wind forecasts, for example, can overlap.