Alternative to holding Mavic for compass cal?

[sar104]

Probably a difference in FW versions?

No - that was ruled out very early on.

More likely slight differences in aircraft versions or non-firmware programming at the factory.

 

[Kazzaaz]

Normally the M2 triggers compass calibration with the following event stream entries - these are from my M2:

10.932 : 454 [L-COMPASS][mag_cali_pt] date_from_last 33|
11.252 : 470 [L-COMPASS][mag auto cali(0)] init|

-72.595 : 1623 [L-COMPASS][mag_cali_pt] distance_from_last 9258717.0 m|
-71.577 : 1674 [L-COMPASS][mag_cali_pt] distance_from_last 9258717.0 m|

Hey there. As far as I was aware the Mavic 2 .dat logs have not been decoded.
How are you pulling the event stream from the flight logs?
Thanks

 

[WerePig]

Would it be possible to get someone to turn the drone for you ? I doubt you will have to do it very oftain.
I only had a warning to calibrate when shooting a neolithic stone circle.
Who knows what mysterious forces were at work at that location.

I fly a lot from the Central Valley in California to the Sierra Nevada and I noticed that when I'm in certain locations, some near Native American sites, I need to calibrate my mag/com. Its weird.

 

[sar104]

Hey there. As far as I was aware the Mavic 2 .dat logs have not been decoded.
How are you pulling the event stream from the flight logs?
Thanks

The mobile device DAT logs are readable - it's only the aircraft DAT files that cannot be decrypted.

 

[GadgetGuy]

No - that was ruled out very early on.

More likely slight differences in aircraft versions or non-firmware programming at the factory.

So, is it serial number based? Is the compass calibration requirement based upon passage of time and distance on earlier or later production versions of the M2? Please share any other information you are aware of regarding this issue. Are there any other threads or discussions covering it?

 

[sar104]

So, is it serial number based? Is the compass calibration requirement based upon passage of time and distance on earlier or later production versions of the M2? Please share any other information you are aware of regarding this issue. Are there any other threads or discussions covering it?

I have no firm information on the issue, except that it has been noted that many M2s make time- and distance-based requests for calibration, while some don't. I'm not aware that anyone has attempted to correlate with manufacture dates.

It's been discussed across many threads - here are a few of them:

Search results for query: compass calibration 30 days

mavicpilots.com

 

[GadgetGuy]

I have no firm information on the issue, except that it has been noted that many M2s make time- and distance-based requests for calibration, while some don't. I'm not aware that anyone has attempted to correlate with manufacture dates.

It's been discussed across many threads - here are a few of them:

Search results for query: compass calibration 30 days

mavicpilots.com

Cool! Will check them out. If it isn't FW related and is, instead, slight differences in aircraft versions, or non-firmware programming at the factory, it should be serial number related. Just need to find out whether it was removed in later versions, or added in more recent versions, and when!

 

[chazzm]

I’ve also only calibrated once and have well over a dozen hours on my Mavic Pro! Even had her in Mexico and didn’t have to calibrate!!!

 

[sputnik378]

Man... WTH I feel like I have to calibrate all the time. The worst culprit is the Mavic Air.. It needs a calibration every time you look at it.

The M2P and M2Z are both less regular, but I travel around a lot and I think that every time I power on in a new area it will ask for a calibration.

When I fly i2s near T&D lines the magnetic interference is constant and I sometimes have to calibrate multiple times a day.

 

[DanMan32]

My original M2Z and Care Refresh replacement hasn't called for calibration. I live 40 miles from Tampa and have flown occasionally in Tampa.
I can't recall if I ever calibrated either one. I originally bought it early September last year, needed a care refresh mid October.

Batteries that came with it showing production date July 2018 if that says anything.

 

[The Editor]

And the OP was asking how, with his medical condition he could more easily facilitate a compass calibration.

Somehow this thread has turned into a 'I don't have to calibrate often - I always have to calibrate - I have never calibrated' diatribe so totally OT.

Oh well.....

 

[Joe Boudreault]

It is said by many that powering up in a new location triggers a compass cal prompt (I can’t recall the distance). I haven’t seen it with mine.

My Air asks for compass calibration every other time, at new locations. I'm glad it prompts me, because I don't want to lose the compass settings. Some of the reasons may be due to drone being too close to a vehicle (metal screws up compass magnetics)...

 

[The Editor]

et factum est in vobis!

 

[PTBperegrine]

Hi all,

I am a new member, but have had my MPP for a couple of months and flown for a few hours.

My question is, can I calibrate my MP without actually holding it and spinning in a circle? I have Cerebral Palsy, and I will admit that I cannot spin around while standing... I've tried using both my hands and trying to turn it slowly and carefully, but I think I am too ham-fisted to make it a smooth movement. That is certainly true if I try to turn in a circle while on my feet, sorry to say.

I have daydreamed about using a modified Lazy Susan to spin the MP but haven't spent the money to buy one and haven't seen one on Buy/Sell. LOL.

Your thoughts and suggestions gratefully received.

Phil

Hi Phil, I’m either on a three wheel motorcycle or a Segway-based wheelchair and have similar problems. Knowing that my transport prompts these compass warnings, I get a friend, or a willing bystander, to stand back and do the calibration for me. When I launch, I move 5-10m laterally and check that the drone is reading compass correctly and then fly. Knowing that my transport interference is a constant, I only recalibrate every few months.

 

[WithTheBirds]

And the OP was asking how, with his medical condition he could more easily facilitate a compass calibration.

Somehow this thread has turned into a 'I don't have to calibrate often - I always have to calibrate - I have never calibrated' diatribe so totally OT.

Oh well.....

Oh well what? Have you considered that to the extent compass calibration was not routinely required (there is no reason it should be) that the OP's concern would be totally if not largely addressed?

 

[Meta4]

When I fly i2s near T&D lines the magnetic interference is constant and I sometimes have to calibrate multiple times a day.

Knowing that my transport prompts these compass warnings, I get a friend, or a willing bystander, to stand back and do the calibration for me.

There's a very common misconception about compass errors and compass calibration that is not helped by DJI's Compass Error wording.

The screen message moves across the screen so you can't see it all at once.
It looks like this:

I forced that compass error by placing the drone on a steel surface.
The app has done it's job and is warning me that the compass is reporting a magnetic field significantly different from what would be normal.
The wording of the message is confusing because recalibrating the compass won't do anything to fix the problem.
The only correct action is to move away from the problem.

When you get a compass error warning at a launch spot, think of it as a compass warning rather than a problem with the compass.
Switch the drone off and move it away from the problem and start again.

 

[The Editor]

Oh well what? Have you considered that to the extent compass calibration was not routinely required (there is no reason it should be) that the OP's concern would be totally if not largely addressed?

Well - no actually.
The OP will (if not routinely dictated by time and/or distance) be required to calibrate his compass. He was asking for an easier way to achieve the physical task, not a plethora of 'never need to calibrate' etc etc...

Oh well..... aliqui iustus dont adepto eam

 

[WithTheBirds]

Well - no actually.
The OP will (if not routinely dictated by time and/or distance) be required to calibrate his compass. He was asking for an easier way to achieve the physical task, not a plethora of 'never need to calibrate' etc etc...

Oh well..... aliqui iustus dont adepto eam

I have never needed to calibrate the compass on my M2 or any of my phantoms. The intent of calibration is to account for, and disregard, any influence of the AC on the measured magnetic field- not for the immediate environment or location.

 

[Meta4]

Oh well..... aliqui iustus dont adepto eam

I don't get why you put those words in Latin.
But what was it you were suggesting that some people just don't get?

 

[sputnik378]

There's a very common misconception about compass errors and compass calibration that is not helped by DJI's Compass Error wording.

The screen message moves across the screen so you can't see it all at once.
It looks like this:

I forced that compass error by placing the drone on a steel surface.
The app has done it's job and is warning me that the compass is reporting a magnetic field significantly different from what would be normal.
The wording of the message is confusing because recalibrating the compass won't do anything to fix the problem.
The only correct action is to move away from the problem.

When you get a compass error warning at a launch spot, think of it as a compass warning rather than a problem with the compass.
Switch the drone off and move it away from the problem and start again.

The issue of course being that I do not have the choice to fly anywhere else when it is my job to fly around a steel pole surging EMF. I understand that there is nothing wrong with the compass technically, honestly my main question would be how long until it will totally fry an i2 from constant exposure to this type of interference.

My question is, can I calibrate my MP without actually holding it and spinning in a circle? I have Cerebral Palsy, and I will admit that I cannot spin around while standing... I've tried using both my hands and trying to turn it slowly and carefully, but I think I am too ham-fisted to make it a smooth movement. That is certainly true if I try to turn in a circle while on my feet, sorry to say.

Furthermore to make a suggestion for the OPs question. I could pretty easily tie up a quick sling out of 550 cord that could be fairly easily looped over a Mavic and used to rotate it on both axis to hopefully simplify the calibration process for you if you have interest in something like that?