Flying in snow?

[Littlegrizzlybiggins]

just a quierey about flying in light snow.

It's currently snowing where I am and I sent my quadcopter up for some aerial footage and to check what the roads are like. It was only for maybe 10 mins max.

I'm wondering what the chances are of snow getting into, and causing an undesired effect on a motor? Like an electrical fault/short ect...

The flight controller is sealed with no exposed pins or circuit boards and so is the esc. So really the only place snow could get into is a motor.

The snow isn't heavy, I could still see the quad a couple of hundred meters up.

 

[Focusowner]

I ran mine today in heavy snow and had no ill effects but wouldnt do it again just in case

 

[GJH105775]

Snow could melt around the electronics. But more importantly the LiPo batteries don't have very good battery life when cold. There are also cases where the voltage drop over time is much more sudden in cold conditions vs warmer conditions. NEVER charge a cold LiPo. If you fully charge you lipo in the cold garage and then bring it inside. The voltage will increase as it warms up, causing a runaway reaction ending with a big bang and a burned down house.

This chart shows the effects of cold weather on LiPo batteries.

 

[NCFRC]

Not that many of us do that but it's a great mental note to have.

" If you fully charge you lipo in the cold garage and then bring it inside. The voltage will increase as it warms up, causing a runaway reaction ending with a big bang and a burned down house. "

 

[NCFRC]

I ran mine today in heavy snow and had no ill effects but wouldnt do it again just in case

The ill effects only start showing up over time. Electrical and moisture don't usually mix well.
I just shake my head when I see somebody taking a garden hose to the engine compartment of their car.
And thats usually after they have sprayed it down with a chemical oxidating degreaser,,,, NOT GOOD.