Prepping for a Drone Flight – Firmware Updates and Battery Checks

Before a drone ever leaves the ground, the real work begins. Whether filming the Thames for pmrsailing.uk, capturing multispectral images for science demos, or shooting B-roll for Philip M Russell Ltd, a safe drone flight depends on thorough preparation.

Two steps matter more than all the rest:
up-to-date firmware and healthy batteries.

Pre-flight checks aren’t exciting, but they are essential — and they prevent 95% of mid-air issues.

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Why Firmware Matters

Drone manufacturers constantly release updates to:

• improve flight stability

• fix bugs

• adjust geofencing zones

• update map data

• improve image processing and colour

• patch security vulnerabilities

• refine battery and power-management behaviour

Flying with outdated firmware risks:

• poor GPS lock

• unstable hovering

• odd gimbal behaviour

• failed return-to-home

• inaccurate battery predictions

Even small glitches can ruin a flight or compromise safety.

How we handle firmware updates:

• Check updates the night before, not at the field

• Update drone + controller + batteries (many drones need all three)

• Reboot everything once installed

• Do a test power-on to ensure no errors appear

• Never update firmware on location unless absolutely necessary — it’s slow and unpredictable

A calm, warm indoor environment is always better than a windy riverside.

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Battery Checks – The Hidden Lifesaver

Batteries are the number one point of failure on drones.
A healthy battery means a safe flight; a mismanaged one becomes a very expensive paperweight.

Key battery checks we do before every flight:

• Charge to full the night before

• Check for cell imbalance (no cell should drift more than 0.05–0.1 V)

• Inspect for swelling or softness

• Confirm cycle count — older batteries need gentler use

• Pre-warm in cold weather (especially vital on winter Thames shoots)

• Carry spares, but mark any that behave oddly

On DJI and Autel batteries, we also check:

• calibration

• maximum charge setting

• battery health report inside the app

On the day of the flight:

• Power the drone on and let the battery “settle” for 20–30 seconds

• Check the app for any warnings

• Avoid full-throttle take-off on cold batteries

• Land early — don't push batteries below 20–25% for routine filming

• Rotate batteries to keep ageing even

Healthy batteries = longer life + smoother flights + reliable return-to-home.

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Additional Pre-Flight Steps

While firmware and batteries are the big ones, our full checklist includes:

• propeller inspection

• ND filter installed?

• camera sensor cleaned

• SD card formatted

• geofencing checked

• weather confirmed (wind especially)

• NOTAMs reviewed

• local drone laws checked

• take-off/landing zone cleared

• flight route planned with emergency options

It takes a few extra minutes but saves hours of stress — and protects the camera gear in the air.

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The Takeaway

Drone flights succeed before take-off.
Firmware updates prevent software surprises.
Battery checks prevent dangerous power drops.
Together, they ensure smooth, safe, reliable flights for science filming, sailing coverage, and educational content.

A drone in the air is only as good as the preparation on the ground.