Flying Drones in the Winter: Challenges, Safety and the Solutions That Keep Us in the Air
- Josh Dusang
- Dec 16
- 3 min read
Operating drones in Canadian winter conditions is an entirely different world compared to flying in summer. The cold brings unique challenges that affect both the pilots and the aircraft, and at First Class Drones we have spent years refining our winter workflow to keep our operations safe, compliant and consistent across all our aerial drone services. Whether we are performing drone inspections, drone filming services, FPV drone fly throughs, aerial drone photography, or construction progress monitoring, our winter protocols ensure reliability even when the temperature drops well below freezing.
Below are some of the core challenges we face every winter and the professional solutions our team has developed to overcome them.
Crew Readiness: Staying Warm, Sharp and Safe
Winter flying affects more than the drone. It affects the team.
Extended exposure to cold can reduce concentration and reaction time, both of which are critical for safe operations during aerial filming, drone inspection services or large scale FPV flights.
To combat this, we rotate pilots when possible and take scheduled warm-up breaks between flights. If an operation is not time sensitive, we always give the crew a moment to reset indoors before resuming.
This ensures that every drone operator stays mentally and physically prepared to perform at their best throughout the entire shooting day.
The Pilot Challenge: Fighting Cold Hands While Maintaining Precision
Ask any drone pilot what the worst part of winter flying is and they will likely answer the same way. Cold hands.
Precise control is everything in drone videography and drone photography, especially when flying heavy lift systems or FPV drones in tight environments. Losing dexterity due to freezing fingers is not an option.
Our solution:
We use ultra thin heated gloves that provide warmth without sacrificing tactile sensitivity. They keep our hands operational for long periods without adding bulk, allowing us to maintain steady and accurate control during aerial filming, FPV flights, real estate drone videography and all other drone services we provide.
You can shop for heated gloves here.
Cold Batteries: Why Heating Matters More Than Most People Realize
Drone batteries are significantly affected by cold temperatures. Low battery temperature leads to voltage drops, reduced flight time, unexpected shutdowns, and in extreme cases, aircraft failure. For professional operations, this risk is unacceptable.
At First Class Drones, every battery must reach a minimum of 21°C before takeoff.
To achieve this consistently, our team uses a custom built battery heating system designed specifically for our high-capacity lithium batteries. This ensures optimal performance for all drones in our fleet, from the DJI Inspire 3 used in high-end film productions to our FPV and sub-250 g systems used in urban environments.
Battery heating is one of the most critical steps in our winter workflow, especially for event videography, drone security and real estate drone photography where repeatable and reliable performance is required.
Weather Conditions: The Foundation of Every Safe Winter Operation
Canadian winters are unpredictable, fast-changing and often severe. Before any flight, our crew completes a multi-layer weather review using sources including:
These platforms help us analyze temperature, wind, precipitation, visibility and icing potential.
Icing: A Non Negotiable, No Fly Condition
Professional drone operators must follow strict rules from Transport Canada, Nav Canada, all aircraft manufacturers and our own company safety protocols.
No flights are permitted when icing conditions are observed, reported or reasonably expected.
This includes:
Heavy wet snow
Conditions where frost may appear on propellers
Conditions where frost or ice could form on the drone body or any component of the aircraft
Ice accumulation, even in small amounts, can drastically change aerodynamic performance and introduce severe hazards. Following these rules is essential not only for compliance but for safe winter aerial operations.
Why Winter Flight Standards Matter
Whether we are capturing cinematic aerial videography for TV and film or providing drone services for commercial real estate, construction monitoring or drone photography services, our winter standards ensure:
Aircraft reliability
Crew readiness
Client safety
Full regulatory compliance
High quality results
Winter may introduce additional complexity, but with the right preparation, equipment and expertise, it becomes another environment where First Class Drones delivers world-class drone photography, aerial filming and all around drone problem solving from coast to coast, across Canada.
If you want more tips about flying in the Canadian cold, email: Josh@firstclassdrones.ca
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