Chances are you don't use your AeroPoints every single day. The key to long term success with AeroPoints is taking care of them between data collection. It's important to remember that AeroPoints are water resistant, not waterproof. They cannot withstand exposure to heavy rains or being submerged.
AeroPoints are durable, but you can extend their life by keeping them clean and dry when they're not in use. Remove dirt and dust with a damp cloth as soon as you finish using them.
Reduce the risk of sand or gravel scratching the solar panels by stacking and storing AeroPoints with the undersides together.
Short-term storage
Here are some tips for using your AeroPoints if you use them only for End-of-Month (EOM) flights:
- Check the battery level of the AeroPoint(s) in your dashboard the day before you head out for your flights.
- If you are using AeroPoint 2s, charge them using the plug-in charger. For AeroPoint 1s, place them in the sun for the day before your EOM flights to ensure you build up a good base charge.
- Keep the battery healthy by charging your AeroPoints the day after your EOM flights.
It is important to have a base charge before storing them. A continuous period of use without enough sun exposure will cause the battery to deplete faster than it recharges.
Long-term storage
Here are some rules to follow if you store your AeroPoints for over 30 days.
Keep them in a warm and dry place
AeroPoints run on a lithium battery, so keeping them from getting too cold is important, or the battery will lose effectiveness. The operating temperature is 32ºF/0ºC to 104ºF/40ºC, so we recommend storing them indoors at least 60ºF/15ºC to protect the batteries.
Keep them charged
Once the battery is dead, it is very difficult to charge it again. So, you should charge your AeroPoints about once a month. You can check the battery percentage in your AeroPoints dashboard in your portal based on the last time they connected.
If you are using AeroPoint 2s, clean out the charging port and ensure the cap is snugly in place before long term storage. For more information, check out How Are AeroPoint 2s Different than AeroPoint 1s?
Testing your AeroPoints
You can conduct a short test capture to ensure the AeroPoint is still working. To do so, press the button once to start a capture and set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, press the button again to start the upload. Check your AeroPoints dashboard to see if the upload was successful.
Please conduct this test capture outside to ensure the AeroPoint can obtain a fix and capture data.
If your AeroPoints are not working correctly after some time in storage, the battery is likely low and needs to be charged before you use them again. Charge your AeroPoints for at least 10 hours. If they are still not working as expected, refer to the troubleshooting process for AeroPoint 1s or AeroPoint 2s.
I still can't do it!
We wrote these articles to equip you with everything you need to get the job done on your own, but we understand that sometimes this isn't sufficient.
If you're stuck, the Propeller hardware support team may be able to help. You can contact them by emailing hardwaresupport@propelleraero.com.au.
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