It is -1°C, there is a bit of low cloud and feels slightly damp with no wind
Perfect for a quick flight around the local field this morning to see if I could get above the low cloud
Take off and hover, then up we go to 120m, can’t see anything it’s not that low the cloud
Came back down and had a little fly about
My fingers are freezing so decided to call it a day and bring the drone back
That’s when I realised it was unresponsive and acting erratic it was struggling to hold altitude and maintain its position
Then a warning Motor overloaded
Luckily it wasn’t too high and close by, I struggled but got it back and landed
Looks like a combination of sub zero temp and 90% humidity. Beginning to think that the humidity level is a big factor in prop icing. I know I have flown, probably yourself and others too at lower temps with no sign of icing
One thing I have tried when forced to fly in sub zero temps is to put some WD40 on a rag and give a very light wipe to the prop blades - my thinking is the ice will be less likely to adhere to the props - may be talking out my A-hole. Not had any prop icing since using WD40 but there again they may not have iced up anyway
Most of the A2 CofC courses advise an alert temp of +4 degrees C.
I would be weary of using wd40 or ant other chemical on my prop blades as the chemicals might affect the structural integrity of the blades over time.
As mentioned above the A2COC covers prop icing in detail as its a known issue on full size aircraft too
There’s a good reason why most propellor-engined aircraft that are certified for flight in icing conditions have propellor anti-ice systems Accumulation of ice on the leading edge can dramatically reduce the efficiency of a propellor, leading to loss of thrust that can’t always be countered with higher power settings. Note it’s ice that’s the problem, not just temperature.
its the combination of temperature and moisture, that give rise to prop icing ,i flew my Mini 3 pro today ,and it was minus 3 but it was a clear day with some sunshine, and i had no icing issues, i also would not put any wd 40 on my props .
If you’re worried about WD40 then use a little silicone lubricant - I worked all my life in aircraft industry and WD40 is widely used even on plastics.
Polycarbonate and polystyrene are a definite No-No for WD40.
Wonder if a proper ceramic coating would make a difference on the blades ?
Works well on vehicle paintwork for water repellency, no moisture no freezing
You are meant to be cautious at 4 degrees as thats the temperature where icing on the pops can occur. This info was plastered all over the a2 c of c training.
But would love to get winter snow shots myseld so its the risk you take.
When it’s cold like this, check dewpoint - can use Avia weather app, or just check the METAR of the nearest airport. If the dewpoint is very close to the actual temperature when it’s cold, the risk of prop icing is high.
Higher altitude, longer flight = higher risk. And it doesn’t take much to completely eradicate lift! Keeping the drone warm before takeoff will help a bit, but once airborne keep flights short.
Not any signs of significant ice shedding either. Giving the blades a surface that the ice that will form less chance to stick to is the only thing to do about it. What’s best depends on the materials but generally you should be OK with a WD type fluid, spray on and buff off.
For a scientific look at this issue see this article
Good to know it all ended in well. I also had seen somewhere that if there are thick clouds, that the drone sometimes will think that it is an obstacle and will not go down through them. I have not had this issue myself.
it’s not that low the cloud 
it was struggling to hold altitude and maintain its position
Motor error. Check propellers and fly with caution (Code: 120652). Motor overloaded. Land promptly or cancel takeoff. Check whether the motor and propellers are blocked or have frozen (Code: 30303)
didn’t know that there was a warning for this / code, good but not good, if you know what I mean, or lucky rather 
.