Drones and weather are joined in a unique partnership. Weather affects drone performance and maneuverability at every phase of flight, from preflight, to launch, to landing. Drones interact with the gamut of weather elements, including wind, turbulence, precipitation, reduced visibility, and temperature.

Although preflight planning can help prepare crews for what to expect in the air, microclimate variations and unforecast conditions can impact UAS operations in unexpected ways.

Under some conditions, such as extreme wind, launch may not be possible, or worse yet, a flyaway results. Due to their light weight, many drones are especially vulnerable to wind and can be pushed into objects or beyond the limits of software telemetry, resulting in inability of crews to complete a Return To Launch (RTL).

Extreme temperatures can also affect UAS operations, both on the ground and in the air. Battery life can be reduced and electronic components compromised. Warm air and high density altitudes cause propellor and fixed wing performance to decrease. Moisture in any form can be troublesome, especially if it contacts electronics or cameras.

The complexities of weather can be challenging as UAS operators are faced with making go/no-go/abort decisions during every flight. Actual flight experience is an important building block of weather knowledge and there are always new situations that arise paired with new learning opportunities.

In this issue of UAS Safety In Sight, we offer report excerpts of weather encounters and the insights which followed.