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Weather · Gate WFlight SU 107
WX → ATM

Atmosphere & density altitude

Two columns of air: yours on the left, the standard atmosphere on the right. Make the day hotter, higher or more humid and watch your air thin out. The ghost drone shows the altitude your drone thinks it's flying at.

Standard temp
15 °C
Standard pressure
29.92 inHg
Temp lapse
2 °C / 1,000 ft
Pressure lapse
≈1 in / 1,000 ft
Pressure alt
Density alt
Air density
Dots = air molecules (more dots, denser air)Discs = pressure levels (inHg)

What you're seeing

Each card ties one test idea to something you can change above.

The standard atmosphere

At sea level a standard day is 15 °C and 29.92 inHg. Temperature drops about 2 °C per 1,000 ft, and pressure about 1 inHg per 1,000 ft in the lower atmosphere.

Pick "Standard day" and compare the two columns: they match.

Pressure altitude

Your altitude in the standard atmosphere based only on pressure. Rule of thumb: field elevation + (29.92 − altimeter) × 1,000.

Drop the altimeter setting and watch pressure altitude climb.

Density altitude

Pressure altitude corrected for temperature. It's the altitude the aircraft "feels". Add about 120 ft for every 1 °C above standard temperature.

Raise the temperature and follow the ghost drone up.

High, hot and humid

All three make air less dense and raise density altitude. Humid air is lighter than dry air, because water vapor molecules weigh less than the nitrogen and oxygen they replace.

Same temperature, slide the dew point up.

Warm columns stand taller

Warm air expands, so each pressure level sits higher in a warm column than a cold one. That's also why your altimeter reads wrong when it's very cold.

Compare the disc heights between the columns on a hot day.

What it means for a drone

Thinner air means each prop spin moves less air. Motors spin faster to hover, the battery drains sooner, and climb rate and payload drop. Plan shorter flights on hot, high days.

Pick "Leadville summer" and read the drone meters.

Check yourself

Practice questions written for this app.