Calibration on a boat

[DanielRunyan72]

I plan to launch my Mavic from a boat to capture some images/video of the boat and possible whales/dolphins. If I do the calibration before boarding, will it still be a good calibration at sea? I doubt I will get a good calibration on the boat.

Thanks
Loving the ability to travel with the Mavic!
Daniels_adventures on Instagram if you want to check out some of my short videos.

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

 

[Kilrah]

Sure, you should definitely not calibrate on a boat, do it in an appropriate location on shore.

 

[GerdS]

NEVER do calibration aboard, always ensure that a good calibration has been done at a magnetic-neutral location. On the boat look for a takeoff and landing position far away from magnetic influence, e.g. the engine and electric cabling. Best might be a wooden or gfk surface near the bow.

Also avoid takeoff and landing while the boat is moving. The Mavic seems to give preference to the VPS sensors over GPS. So after takeoff at a moving boat the Mavic might first hover over the boat with sticks centered, but as soon as it goes higher than VPS range or away from the boat and GPS will take over, it might look as if the Mavic will jump away, although it will just keep its GPS position at the moment GPS will take over. Similar effects may occur when you come back for landing on a moving boat, risking a collision with something.

 

[Joris]

Also [..]

Thanks, very informative. My AR Drone had VPS before it was cool; a car passing under the bottom camera caused the quadcopter to follow the car (almost hitting traffic: OUCH).

Any experience with flying close over water? I can imagine the VPS getting confused by waves (moving patterns) and the height sonar behaving differently.

Ideally the Mavic would recognise water and not land (even when the battery is almost empty).

 

[GerdS]

I don't have my Mavic yet and also no other drone with VPS, so cannot say anything about behaviour in low height above water. But I would not trustthe VPS there. at least I remember some accidents with P3 from other forums.
In general I intend avoiding flights above water as any problem might lead to loss of the craft.
For such missions I prefer using my amphibic Mariner II/Splash Drone which lets me fly very relaxed.

 

[Mako79]

You sound like you calibrate your compass everytime before flight. I think its a no-no. You should find an open field and do only once or requested by the app. If you keep doing it at every flight location, you maybe capturing a bad compass snapshot.

 

[Achilles]

You sound like you calibrate your compass everytime before flight. I think its a no-no. You should find an open field and do only once or requested by the app. If you keep doing it at every flight location, you maybe capturing a bad compass snapshot.

I was under the impression that you wanna do a compass calibrate prior to each flight, especially new locations and an IMU calibrate ever so often.


Mavic - North Bay, CA

 

[msinger]

I was under the impression that you wanna do a compass calibrate prior to each flight

It would be best to follow this guide.

 

[Achilles]

Very helpful. Thank you.


Mavic - North Bay, CA

 

[networth]

So you mean, no need to calibrate at complex places ?

So basically fly ATTI mode then ?

So RTH wont work ?

 

[nes2020]

Daniel, where are you at in Houston? I was flying my mavic in that spot from your picture on Saturday afternoon.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using MavicPilots mobile app

 

[DanielRunyan72]

I live in Sugar Land, but takes photos and videos as often as possible around town @nes2020.