Wind My Enemy

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I don't know if I am being too wimpy, but I have a supposed 9 mph wind and am not sure if I should fly.

Part of the reason is I don't know if it is actually that, or not. 3 sites are pretty much tell me that. But they aren't RIGHT where I am.

Also, the temp is 32F, so I'm not sure if I should be concerned with a 7 min flight.

When do you fly and when don't you? I guess I just really don't know wind yet!...but I'm not a fan (there could be a bad pun there)
 
The Phantom 3 will do fine with a 9mph wind. Just be sure to fly upwind on the way out and when coming back, it won't be fighting the wind.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
download uav forecast on phone or tablet then you can see everything around you
 
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google "wind visual scale"
do bits of calculations. i'm looking to bring p3 on 20knots kite surf session

that's quite lot of wind, but i think it'll make it just fine. if crash, my bad.
wind is great. you can have lots of fun starting at 15kts. wind.
 
The Phantom 3 will do fine with a 9mph wind. Just be sure to fly upwind on the way out and when coming back, it won't be fighting the wind.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
Unfortunately I have routes that I would need to follow that are back and forth. Thanks though! It's good to know about it being fine!
 
google "wind visual scale"
do bits of calculations. i'm looking to bring p3 on 20knots kite surf session

that's quite lot of wind, but i think it'll make it just fine. if crash, my bad.
wind is great. you can have lots of fun starting at 15kts. wind.
I never heard of visual wind scale. Thanks! Sound interesting!

Good luck with the kite surf session! Post pics/vid! That would be awesome to see!
 
download uav forecast on phone or tablet then you can see everything around you
Just did! What a cool app! I was using this from their webpage, but the app is better in my opinion.

So, what height do you set it at? I see the default is 32 feet. Do you do what you would be flying at?
 
I have flown in 20mph wind and when flying with the wind in ATTI mode, did 56mph.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Um...WOW! I so couldn't do that! You, obviously, have been flying a while! I just started last week ;)

It's great to hear what possible!

Was the 20 mph in P mode? If so, was it fine?
 
Learn to read the wind speed based on flags, tree leaves, tree limbs, whitecaps on water, etc. Look at METAR from nearby airports, UAV forecast, rawinsondes from airport/weather sites.
 
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Air Ontario is spot on. Also I have an anemometer to do actual measurements on site. It does temp as well. Watch for icing conditions. You will find that with the metar and av weather.
 
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What you really need to know is the wind speed at the altitude your aircraft will be at. Although there are other ways to find that, the UAV Forecast app makes it easy.
 
Fly your bird up... and up ... and up and let it sit there. Make a decision from there. The wind will be much higher there than at the surface.

If I was planning on flying with a pilot, in a passenger airplane, and he questioned if the weather was unsafe to fly in, I wouldn't go.

Sagebrush
 
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9mph is to a Phantom is like a tomato is to Mike Tyson in 1986.

Hey maybe that's what "Tomato" is all about.
 
If you are new be very careful with wind. If something happens things go to crap faster. I didn't fly mine if the wind was over 5 mph when I was new. After I got some flights under my belt I started getting a little more brave. There is nothing wrong with being cautious with your new bird. After all, at the end of the day if your crash it... it will be all you and only you who has to deal with it.
 
If it is a nice steady wind, don't worry. 20km/hr winds are no problem - just remember that if you have to come back into the wind, there is a pucker-factor as you watch your battery go down. Even in gps mode, they will do 50km/hr. In my experience, they have a longer flight time when moving than when hovering. The only real drawback is if you hover in that sort of windspeed, the p3 has to lean into the wind to hold position, and that can lead to angled horizons when you begin to move again, as the software for the gimbal [ which has quite a long integral period], will get "level" wrong for about 10 sec while it sorts the new bank-angle out.
Always hand-catch in wind!
 
If you are new be very careful with wind. If something happens things go to crap faster. I didn't fly mine if the wind was over 5 mph when I was new. After I got some flights under my belt I started getting a little more brave. There is nothing wrong with being cautious with your new bird. After all, at the end of the day if your crash it... it will be all you and only you who has to deal with it.
5-15mph wind means NOTHING to a Phantom. The only thing that would endanger you is fear.

Once your 300 feet up, you are so far gusting more than 20mph.
 
10mph winds are ok to fly and not be on edge with nerves. When it gets stronger than that it becomes a bit more stressful. You eventually have to become confident in your phantom and your skills enough to fly with some wind, otherwise you'll be grounded more than flying. Light to calm wind days can be few and far between. You don't always have to fly all over creation either, especially in windy conditions. In that case, fly lower and closer in and work on your flying skills. Fly some boxes nose in and tail in. Figure eights. Practice flying to the side. It never hurts to keep practicing. Then on calmer days, let the leash out!
 
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Thank you for such GREAT answers! It amazes me the information that is available here but searching, and asking if you don't find it!

I swear this is the fastest way of learning...asking those who have done!

Thanks again! Now, I need to ask a better question! :)
 

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