Battery storage safety is an important part of owning any drone but is often overlooked due to everything else going on around. Ensuring batteries are safely stored keeps batteries and personnel stay safe and ensures the lifespan of the battery is maximised.
Physical storage and conditions
It's important to store batteries in a cool, dry place where the temperature sits around 20°C to 25°C and is out of direct sunlight. Batteries should also be disconnected from the drone or device it is used in and placed inside a battery storage bag or a cabinet that can withstand a fire in case the battery ignites while in storage.
Place batteries in storage mode
Some batteries require the user to place them in a special storage mode that allows it to slowly and safely discharge overtime to a set percentage. This mode can usually be found within the app for a drone.
DJI's newer drones have this feature built-in and no longer require manually selecting this option. After a preset number of days, the batteries will automatically switch into storage mode.
DJI Matrice 30's and Matrice 350 charging stations have a special battery storage option that will charge and keep the batteries at 50%.
Safely drain the batteries
If the batteries aren't smart batteries, it is recommended to drain them to around 50% by either using the drone and monitoring the battery level or placing a safe load on the battery.
Keep batteries updated
Many of the smart drone batteries from companies such as DJI come with firmware that allows manufacturers to improve efficiency and performance and fix any bugs. For this reason, and not having to update a battery on location, it is recommended that batteries are periodically checked to ensure they are up to date.
