About us:
We are an Aerial Photography Business who operate drones and portable cameras day-to-day, so we collected some useful points of information to share about making your batteries last for years.
Preserving drone batteries is important to ensure their longevity and consistent performance over time.
Biggest considerations:
- The real killer of drone batteries, and other lithium batteries, is heat:
- High temperatures will age batteries and shorten their useful life
- Similarly using powerful chargers can be convenient but devastating:
- These will stress your batteries over time and cause them to degrade in performance and potentially lead to damaged cells
- This might lead to visual signs such as swollen or ruptured batteries which will eventually fail. Any drone batteries with visible damage will have degraded performance and may fail – you’ll want to avoid this as your drone will likely crash, and/ or cause a fire. Great…
Here are some tips to help you preserve your drone batteries:
Storage Temperature:
Store your batteries in a cool, dry place. Avoid exposing them to extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, as this can degrade battery performance and shorten their lifespan.
Charge Levels:
Avoid leaving your drone batteries fully charged or fully discharged for extended periods. Lithium batteries are best stored at around 50% charge.
Most drones have a storage mode that will automatically discharge or charge the batteries to the optimal level for storage.
Regular Use:
Even if you’re not flying your drone frequently, it’s beneficial to use the batteries occasionally.
Completely discharging and then fully charging them once every few months helps maintain their health.
Avoid Over-Discharging:
Try to avoid flying your drone until the battery is completely drained.
Most drones have low-voltage warnings or automatic return-to-home features to prevent over-discharging.
Avoid Overcharging:
Similarly, avoid leaving your batteries on the charger for too long after they’re fully charged.
Most modern chargers will stop charging once the battery is full, but it’s still a good practice to unplug them once charging is complete.
Cooling Down:
Allow your batteries to cool down a bit after flight before recharging. Charging a battery that’s still warm from flying can increase stress on the battery cells.
Proper Charging:
Always use the manufacturer-approved charger and cables. Avoid using third-party chargers that might not have the proper safety features.
Avoid Fast Charging:
While some drones support fast charging, using it too frequently can put extra stress on the battery and potentially reduce its overall lifespan. Use fast charging sparingly.
Transportation:
If you’re storing or transporting batteries separately from the drone, make sure to place them in a fireproof battery bag or container designed for this purpose. This reduces the risk of accidents in case of a battery failure.
Check for Damage:
Inspect your batteries regularly for any signs of damage, swelling, or deformation. If you notice any issues, it’s best to stop using the battery and contact the manufacturer for guidance.
Firmware Updates:
Keep your drone’s firmware up to date. Sometimes, manufacturers release updates that optimize battery performance and health.
Remember that lithium batteries have a limited lifespan, even with proper care.
Depending on usage, you might need to replace drone batteries every couple of years to maintain optimal performance and flight times.
Not into drones? That’s fine, because these principles apply to most rechargeable devices with lithium batteries.
T-Hathaway Aerial Photograpy
Professional Drone Services across Yorkshire
T-Hathaway Aerial Photograpy 