DJI Neo 2 Winter Flying Tips: How to Fly Safely in Snow and Cold

The DJI Neo 2 launched in late fall, and for many people, winter has already arrived. I think this is going to be a very popular drone this holiday season. You might be picking one up for yourself or giving one as a gift, and you might be wondering whether you can fly it in the snow when it’s really cold.

The simple answer is yes, you absolutely can.

All drones have a minimum operating temperature, and DJI has rated the Neo 2 all the way down to -10°C (14°F), so you can fly it on some pretty cold days. But unlike flying on a warm summer day, there are extra precautions you need to take.

I’ve been flying drones in the winter for the past 10 years, and I’ve never had a problem. Here’s everything I’ve learned about cold-weather flying with the Neo 2.

Can You Fly the Neo 2 in Snow?

If there’s a light snow falling, you might wonder if you can still fly. This is just my personal preference based on experience, not any scientific fact or official DJI guidance.

If it’s a really cold day with light, powdery snow, I will still fly my drones. On those types of days, the snow won’t stick to the drone. The movement of the propellers just tends to blow it away, so you don’t get moisture building up. I’ve never had any issues flying in light powdery snow.

However, if it’s a milder day with heavy, wet snow, you definitely need to be careful. You can get a lot of moisture building up on your drone, and electronics and moisture do not mix well. Use your own discretion and decide which days are best for flight.

Keep Your Batteries Warm

Batteries in general don’t perform well on very cold days, so it’s important to keep your spare batteries as warm as possible.

The simplest way is to carry them in an inside pocket of your jacket. The DJI Neo 2 batteries are extremely lightweight and small, so you could have several in an inside pocket without any discomfort. With larger drones, this isn’t always an option, but with the Neo 2, it’s an easy way to keep batteries at a reasonable temperature.

Another option is an electronic hand warmer. I’ve had one for quite some time. Put it on a low setting inside your camera bag, and it will keep your batteries at a reasonable temperature throughout your session.

Watch for Ice on the Propellers

Ice buildup on the propellers can cause serious problems. It could create vibrations that affect your footage, but more importantly, it can actually cause the drone to fail and crash. These props are spinning at a high rate of speed, and if they get even a little wobble, they could crack.

With the Neo 2, because the flight time isn’t all that long, you can check your props when you bring the drone back to swap batteries. With larger drones that offer 35 to 40 minutes of flight time, I sometimes recommend coming back halfway through just to inspect the propellers.

It doesn’t have to be a terribly cold day to get ice buildup. Even if the temperature is hovering right around zero, you still have the chance of ice forming.

Don’t Drain Your Battery as Low as Normal

In the summer, I sometimes take my batteries down to 20%, even 15%. But when flying in winter, I usually don’t go below 40%.

When a battery gets really cold, you can lose power very quickly. You might think you have plenty of power left, then suddenly you don’t. Keep your flights a little shorter than normal, and don’t fly out as far as you usually would. You don’t want to be caught a kilometer away only to find out you don’t have enough power to get home.

The Neo 2’s Winter Advantage: Palm Launch and Landing

In the past when I made videos like this, I would recommend investing in a landing pad so you have a nice surface to take off from and land on. But the nice thing about the Neo 2 is we don’t have to worry about that. We can just take off from the palm of our hand and land in the palm of our hand.

No more setting down gear in the snow.

Gear Recommendations for Winter Flying

If you plan on flying a lot in the winter, consider a pair of photography gloves. You can find different options on Amazon. I use a pair by PGY Tech. The nice thing about photography gloves is they let you expose your fingertips when you need precision on the controller sticks or need to change settings. They’re also touchscreen sensitive, so you can still adjust everything without fully removing your gloves.

I also recommend a messenger bag or shoulder bag instead of a backpack for winter flying. Backpacks are great for drone gear in general, but in winter they can be a nuisance. You have to take it off and set it in the snow to get your gear out. A messenger bag just sits in front of you. You can open it up, pull your drone out, and put it away without ever taking it off.

A fairly small messenger bag works great with the Neo 2. The drone fits inside with some other camera gear and spare batteries.

Winter Flying Quick Reference

• The DJI Neo 2 is rated to -10°C (14°F)
• Light powdery snow is generally fine; heavy wet snow is not
• Keep spare batteries in an inside jacket pocket or use a hand warmer in your bag
• Check propellers for ice buildup between flights
• Don’t drain batteries below 40% in cold weather
• Keep flights shorter and don’t fly as far as you normally would
• Use palm launch and landing to avoid setting gear in snow
• Photography gloves and a messenger bag make winter flying more enjoyable

The DJI Neo 2 is definitely fully capable of winter flights. I’ve already flown it many times on some pretty cold days, and it performs really well. Flying in the winter can allow you to capture some really stunning footage.

Just remember to keep your batteries warm, keep your flights a little shorter than normal, come back with plenty of battery power, check for icing, and you’re not going to have any problems.

What winter flying tips have worked for you? Let us know in the comments below.