What are the best mapping drones in wind?
Wind is one of the biggest concerns in aviation. The way wind is factored into manned aircraft automation is continuously studied and improved upon. In the field of professional mapping drones—where engineers push the edges of aerodynamics for the sake of retrieving useful data with dependable accuracy—wind remains a major determinant of whether or not a UAV is capable of carrying out its mission.
Why is wind such a complicated factor in flight?
The movement of air due to different pressure gradients, a.k.a. wind, can change and gust unpredictably near water or steep inclines. And its speed rises at higher altitudes. When wind changes abruptly over a short distance, windshear results, causing a strong gust. This is common around objects and buildings, but can also happen in open fields.
As it picks up, wind influences the environment. And at higher speeds, it demonstrates great force. No wonder professional mapping drones are limited to fly and capture data in specific wind speeds.
Different types of wind, and related drone behavior
| Wind speed | Environment | Drone behavior |
|---|---|---|
|
Calm
< 0.4 m/s < 1 mph |
|
Perfect conditions for cruise flight, hand-launched drones have difficulties taking off
|
|
Light breeze
2-3 m/s 4-7 mph |
|
Perfect flying conditions
|
|
Fresh wind
8.5-11 m/s 19-24 mph |
|
Unpredictable landing accuracy for belly landing drones, tippings expected for tailsitters, possible data gaps for lighter drones
|
|
Strong wind
11.2-14 m/s 25-31 mph |
|
Not recommended to fly
|
|
Gale wind
17-21 m/s 39-46 mph |
 Twigs break, hard to walk against it |
Impossible to fly
|
Smoke rises in a straight line
Wind vanes move, leaves rustle
Small trees sway, crests form on water
Branches sway, umbrellas malfunctionWind means different things to different UAVs. Clear wind guidelines exist around all types of drones to help pilots decide when and when not to fly. In most cases, wind at the high end of published limits means less predictable take-off and landing and challenges to gathering useful data. Knowing this will inform clearer decisions about what drones to purchase for mapping, and how to fly them safely and more reliably.
As we run through the following types of drones and some key points about their behavior in wind, it’s important to remember that the goal is to capture useful and accurate data while keeping the environment and equipment intact.
