A drone profile tells Altiwind what your drone can handle, so the forecast is judged against your aircraft rather than a generic number. Pick your model from a list of about 100 drones, each with the maker's wind resistance, weight, temperature range and IP rating, and the go/no-go score uses those figures for every hour.
What's in a profile
| Field | Where it comes from | What Altiwind uses it for |
|---|---|---|
| Max wind resistance | The maker's spec sheet | The sustained wind and estimated gust checks |
| Weight | The maker's spec sheet | Shown for reference |
| Temperature range | The maker's operating range | The temperature check |
| IP rating | The maker's spec sheet, if any | Whether the rain chance check applies |
Each model has its own page in the drone list showing these figures.
How the limits are derived
Altiwind doesn't let you fly right up to the maker's wind figure. By default:
- Sustained wind is "Within your limits" up to 60% of the drone's max wind resistance, and "Marginal" up to 85%.
- Estimated gusts are "Within your limits" up to 80%, and "Marginal" up to 100%.
The maker's number is roughly the most the drone can hold against, not a comfortable working figure. You need headroom to fly home into the wind, for a battery that is half empty, and for the gusts no forecast catches.
Example: DJI Mini 4 Pro
DJI rates the Mini 4 Pro for winds up to 10.7 m/s, with an operating range of −10 °C to 40 °C, a takeoff weight under 249 g and no IP rating (DJI spec sheet, checked October 2026). That gives these default wind limits:
| Check | Share of 10.7 m/s | m/s | km/h | mph | kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sustained, within your limits up to | 60% | 6.4 | 23.1 | 14.4 | 12.5 |
| Sustained, marginal up to | 85% | 9.1 | 32.7 | 20.3 | 17.7 |
| Estimated gust, within your limits up to | 80% | 8.6 | 30.8 | 19.1 | 16.6 |
| Estimated gust, marginal up to | 100% | 10.7 | 38.5 | 23.9 | 20.8 |
With no IP rating, the rain check applies: under 20% rain chance is "Within your limits". On a 2 °C winter morning the temperature check shows "Marginal" with a battery warning, because it is below 5 °C but still inside DJI's range. At −12 °C it is "Outside your limits".
Custom profiles
If your drone isn't on the list, if you built it yourself, or if you'd rather use your own numbers, make a custom profile. Enter a wind limit, a temperature range and whether it has an IP rating, and it works just like a listed model. For a home-built quad with no published wind figure, start with a cautious number and raise it only as you learn how it handles.
One profile, default thresholds
Altiwind keeps one drone profile, listed or custom, and checks it with the default thresholds.
The guide on drone wind limits by class puts these numbers in context, and the gust forecast page explains the estimated gusts the profile is checked against.
FAQ
My drone isn't on the list. What can I do?
Pick a listed drone with the same wind rating as yours (it's on your maker's spec sheet), or choose "Any drone", which uses 10.7 m/s.
Why does Altiwind use 60% and not the full rating?
Because the maker's figure is close to the most the drone can manage, measured in the maker's own conditions. Working at 60% for sustained wind leaves room for gusts, battery and the flight back.
Does weight change the wind limits?
Not directly. The limits come from the maker's wind rating, which already reflects the drone's size and power. Weight is shown so you can compare models.
Can I make the limits stricter?
Not in the app. The defaults are shares of your drone’s rating, so leave yourself extra margin when your drone carries accessories, and read the gust value as a guide.