FIELD MANUAL / 15
Batteries
Battery sets, individual packs, IR readings, charging voltages and pack health.
Batteries are tracked as sets: a LiPo or Li-Ion pack family like "CNHL 6S 1300 (x4)", with the individual packs inside managed separately.
Battery sets
Create a set in Hanger ā Battery Sets with:
- Name and brand
- Cell count (3Sā8S) and connector (XT60, XT90...)
- Number of packs in the set
When you log a real session you pick a battery set and a pack count. BeaconUAV adds those packs to the set's lifetime total automatically.
Individual packs
Open a battery set to manage individual packs. Each pack carries:
- IR readings: internal resistance per cell, measured over time. Rising IR is the classic early-warning sign of a tired pack.
- Charging voltages: record storage/full voltages after charging to spot cells drifting out of balance.
- Pack status: mark packs as healthy, tired or retired so you stop flying a pack before it puffs.
Tip:
Log IR after every few cycles, at the same resting state (e.g. storage charge, cooled down). Consistency makes the trend line readable.
Why track packs
- Pack totals: the ledger splits cost per pack-flown so you know what each minute of real airtime really costs.
- Safety: retired packs stop appearing as usable gear when logging.
- Squadron fleets: shared battery sets in a squadron track usage across all members. See Shared gear.