Difficulty calibrating compass(es) on MP

[Steady Eddie]

As I understand, the MP has two compasses. Since I've had this drone (about 4 months), I've had limited success doing a compass calibration. The GO4 app tells you to first rotate the drone 360 deg horizontally, no problem there. You then need to rotate with the drone on it's side, or so the diagram shows, although the text instruction says hold vertically, go figure. Here's where the problem is. After rotating holding the drone vertically or on it's side, I get a "calibration failed" and "strong magnetic interference" message. I get this at any location so I'm pretty sure it's not due to some nearby metallic object. The first part of the calibration always works, the second part almost always fails. Despite being unable to do a successful compass calibration, I don't have any issues with establishing a home point or returning to it. No other control issues at all. Any ideas?

 

[Drone Or Boat]

Any electronic devices around like cell phone?

 

[Drone Or Boat]

This may be dumb but, are you walking around the drone while holding drone in a fixed axial position?

 

[Steady Eddie]

This may be dumb but, are you walking around the drone while holding drone in a fixed axial position?

Yes, I am doing this. I have also been "orbiting" the drone at arm's length while I rotate axially on my feet. Same result either way. I don't think it should make much difference either way. It's always the second part of the calibration that fails.

 

[Drone Or Boat]

 

[Steady Eddie]

Thanks for that Drone or Boat. I'm doing exactly as the vid says. No joy getting the second part to work with the drone on it's side. Sometimes I've seen a message flash which says something like "compass redundancy switch". I'm thinking that one of the two compasses is on the fritz.

 

[Drone Or Boat]

Hummmm.... saw something a while back about some compass issues with first generation Mavics assembled with low quality control due to demand. Not sure how you can check this for your particular drone but maybe someone else can ring in. Good luck with your issue and sorry I wasn’t much help.

 

[old man mavic]

may i ask why you are doing a compass calibration in the first place,were you getting prompted to do so by the app,when in the app do you check the sensor state ,if they are all green then you do not need to do a calibration in 8 months of ownership i have never done one calibration of the compass or IMU must be lucky i guess

 

[Steady Eddie]

may i ask why you are doing a compass calibration in the first place,were you getting prompted to do so by the app,when in the app do you check the sensor state ,if they are all green then you do not need to do a calibration in 8 months of ownership i have never done one calibration of the compass or IMU must be lucky i guess

No I'm not being prompted to do a compass calibration. Just doing it because I noticed today while flying that when landing (after a manually initiated RTH) that the Mavic was not pointing in the same direction as at take off. Maybe 30 deg off, although it did land on pretty much the same spot.

 

[old man mavic]

do you always wait for the home point message that shows you have a home point lock before you take off,it is important that the home point is recorded if you take off without the message you could be getting a compass error and always wait for a good GPS lock at least 10 sats before lift off

 

[BossBob]

You are right in looking to do something about the mismatch of headings of icons before flight but rather than calibrating the compass, how about moving the drone first? There can be hidden metalwork that can influence the magnetic field and therefore the heading reported by the drone. Some are obvious, such as the engine block of a fibreglass car, others not so, pipes below the ground, the metal frame supporting a wooden structure, a bundle of wire in some builders rubble that is buried under a now beautifully manicured lawn.
When calibrating your drone make sure that you are not influencing the magnetic field yourself with belt buckles, keys, smart watches, mobile phones, knives or multi tools, they can all have an influence. There is the possibility that running a demagnetising device over the drone might help.
I’ve flown the same drone for 2 years, in Southwest England and Western Scotland and calibrated the compass once, after installing some firmware.

 

[Steady Eddie]

You are right in looking to do something about the mismatch of headings of icons before flight but rather than calibrating the compass, how about moving the drone first? There can be hidden metalwork that can influence the magnetic field and therefore the heading reported by the drone. Some are obvious, such as the engine block of a fibreglass car, others not so, pipes below the ground, the metal frame supporting a wooden structure, a bundle of wire in some builders rubble that is buried under a now beautifully manicured lawn.
When calibrating your drone make sure that you are not influencing the magnetic field yourself with belt buckles, keys, smart watches, mobile phones, knives or multi tools, they can all have an influence. There is the possibility that running a demagnetising device over the drone might help.
I’ve flown the same drone for 2 years, in Southwest England and Western Scotland and calibrated the compass once, after installing some firmware.

I've tried all the obvious things you mention like changing location etc. The problem is that the compass calibration procedure itself is not working. Successful once in 20 attempts maybe. Any idea why there are two compasses? Maybe someone with good technical insight could chime in here.

 

[GavieboyDji]

I have the new Samsung galaxy S10+ and it came with the Bluetooth Ear Buds and I've found out that even when it's closed and I'm not using them the Bluetooth seems to be Still affecting my Spark and Mavic drones. I nearly had a lost Spark the other day it had a massive magnetic interference and Shot off over some trees and over a big business park, in the end I figured out it was the Bluetooth headphones that was setting the magnetic interference off every time I had them in my pocket. When I didn't everything was fine.

You are right in looking to do something about the mismatch of headings of icons before flight but rather than calibrating the compass, how about moving the drone first? There can be hidden metalwork that can influence the magnetic field and therefore the heading reported by the drone. Some are obvious, such as the engine block of a fibreglass car, others not so, pipes below the ground, the metal frame supporting a wooden structure, a bundle of wire in some builders rubble that is buried under a now beautifully manicured lawn.
When calibrating your drone make sure that you are not influencing the magnetic field yourself with belt buckles, keys, smart watches, mobile phones, knives or multi tools, they can all have an influence. There is the possibility that running a demagnetising device over the drone might help.
I’ve flown the same drone for 2 years, in Southwest England and Western Scotland and calibrated the compass once, after installing some firmware.

 

[Slade]

I’m saddened to read of your compass issues. If anyone can help it’ll be the experts on this forum. I recently received my Refurbished MP. I set it up but chose not to upgrade because if it “ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I’m sure your issue might be more different. Hopefully the wonderful folks on this forum can walk you through a fix.

 

[Maddox24]

As I understand, the MP has two compasses. Since I've had this drone (about 4 months), I've had limited success doing a compass calibration. The GO4 app tells you to first rotate the drone 360 deg horizontally, no problem here. You then need to rotate with the drone on it's side, or so the diagram shows, although the text instruction says hold vertically, go figure. Here's where the problem is. After rotating holding the drone vertically or on it's side, I get a "calibration failed" and "strong magnetic interference" message. I get this at any location so I'm pretty sure it's not due to some nearby metallic object. The first part of the calibration always works, the second part almost always fails. Despite being unable to do a successful compass calibration, I don't have any issues with establishing a home point or returning to it. No other control issues at all. Any ideas?

Keys in pocket, cell phone etc

 

[BossBob]

2 compasses for redundancy.

 

[Steady Eddie]

2 compasses for redundancy.

Ok, sounds plausible. I gather the Mavic 2 gets by on only one compass quite happily.

 

[awsan5]

I have the same problem with my new drone, the difference being the RTH is not as accurate, about the only thing that I haven't tried ( other than stand in the middle of a field naked ) is to remove my hearing aids, do they have a magnetic field that could affect calibration?

 

[BossBob]

Ear pieces do have magnets driving the diaphragms that make the sounds that you hear.
I passed one of my Apple EarPods (wired) near a compass. I could see the needle starting to deflect at about 4 inches/10cm distance.

 

[Meta4]

I have the same problem with my new drone, the difference being the RTH is not as accurate, about the only thing that I haven't tried ( other than stand in the middle of a field naked ) is to remove my hearing aids, do they have a magnetic field that could affect calibration?

RTH autolanding accuracy has nothing to do with the compass.
You can re-calibrate the compass 100 times and it still won't make any difference.

RTH autolanding accuracy is all down to the variable inaccuracy of GPS which you can't do anything about.
If you really want your RTH autoland to be within inches rather than feet, read up on the Precision Landing feature and use that.