Modern drones are packed with technology, capable of carrying out complex missions with great precision. Yet an invisible danger from space can seriously disrupt their performance: geomagnetic storms.
At HighCloud, we constantly monitor space weather to ensure safe, effective flights that meet Transport Canada requirements. Here's why it matters.
What is a geomagnetic storm?
A geomagnetic storm is caused by a solar flare that releases charged particles at high speed. When these particles reach Earth, they interact with the planet's magnetic field and cause large-scale electromagnetic disturbances.
These events are sometimes visible as northern lights—but their effects go well beyond the beauty of the sky.
What are the risks for drones?
1. GPS loss or inaccuracy
GPS is at the heart of all automated drone operations: navigation, position holding, flight plan, return to home. During a geomagnetic storm, the ionosphere becomes unstable, disrupting or distorting GPS signals.
Possible consequences:
- uncontrolled drone drift
- position errors of several metres
- return to wrong location
- interruption of mapping or inspection missions
2. Electronic compass malfunction
The magnetometer (electronic compass) is used to orient the drone. During a storm, Earth's magnetic field becomes unstable, which can cause misalignment at takeoff, erratic behaviour in flight, sudden turns or unexpected rotations.
3. Communication interference
Drones use radio frequencies to transmit video, telemetry data and receive pilot commands. A storm can introduce electromagnetic noise that disrupts these transmissions, causing temporary signal loss, black screen on the pilot side, or radio disconnection in flight.
4. Sensor data corruption
Some sensors, such as lidar, IMUs or barometers, can be indirectly affected by disturbances, especially if several onboard systems become desynchronized.
What we do at HighCloud
Before each mission, our team checks the Kp geomagnetic index, a scale from 0 to 9 used to measure disturbance intensity. We avoid flying above Kp 5, except in critical situations with enhanced safety measures. Our procedures include full pre-flight sensor testing, fallback plans if GPS is compromised, manual or assisted flight only when in doubt, and use of redundant systems for certain critical operations.
Why it matters
A drone mission, even well prepared, can quickly go wrong if space conditions are ignored. By integrating this reality into our planning, we ensure operational safety, reliability of data collected, and regulatory compliance required by Transport Canada.
In summary
Do you have a critical project to carry out by drone? Trust a team that watches both the sky and space. Contact us for a safely planned mission.
- 📞 450-915-1188
- 📧 info@highcloud.ca
- 🌐 www.highcloud.ca
