Calibration problems

[Sassy]

After doing the most recent firmware update for the Mavic Air and the remote, I've been having a hard time with calibration. On several occasions, it won't let me fly. I move away from any suspected obstacle that might contain magnetic forces or metal. And I still get calibration failed. You can't fly. Sometimes, it suddenly goes to you can fly after 1 or 2 minutes. I never had this problem prior to the last firmware update. In research I heard that if you turn off the MA and the turn it back on it will let you calibrate (like a computer reset). I am flying in cold weather the temp is usually between 32 and 40 degrees f.

 

[brett8883]

After doing the most recent firmware update for the Mavic Air and the remote, I've been having a hard time with calibration. On several occasions, it won't let me fly. I move away from any suspected obstacle that might contain magnetic forces or metal. And I still get calibration failed. You can't fly. Sometimes, it suddenly goes to you can fly after 1 or 2 minutes. I never had this problem prior to the last firmware update. In research I heard that if you turn off the MA and the turn it back on it will let you calibrate (like a computer reset). I am flying in cold weather the temp is usually between 32 and 40 degrees f.

Is it the compass that won’t calibrate?

 

[Porky]

I’ve had this happen to me a couple of times in the past. What I did was turn everything off then powered everything back up. Done the compass calibration dance then I was good to go

 

[Sassy]

Is it the compass that won’t calibrate?

Yes it is the compass

 

[Sassy]

I’ve had this happen to me a couple of times in the past. What I did was turn everything off then powered everything back up. Done the compass calibration dance then I was good to go

I've done that a couple times. I think it worked one time. I'm still wondering if it's the cold. I'll be testing it again tomorrow if it warms into the high 40s. But it did work perfectly from the same exact place where it now fails. Worked perfectly before the update and failed repeatedly after the update. I'm hoping to fly tomorrow and will update the post. Thanks to all

 

[brett8883]

I've done that a couple times. I think it worked one time. I'm still wondering if it's the cold. I'll be testing it again tomorrow if it warms into the high 40s. But it did work perfectly from the same exact place where it now fails. Worked perfectly before the update and failed repeatedly after the update. I'm hoping to fly tomorrow and will update the post. Thanks to all

This issue has come up multiple times and always when there’s a software update. I’m sure you’ve already done these things but let’s go over the basics so we can rule them out.

Mavic Air seems to me particularly sensitive to anything metal when calibrating. Things you might not have thought of like a ring, big belt buckle, watch, necklace anything and everything try to take off when calibrating. Biggest one people forget about is their phone and the remote. Put down the remote and your device when calibrating and walk a few feet away to do calibration. The lights on the drone blink to let you know you can switch from spinning nose to the horizon to spinning nose pointing down. It also blinks when it’s complete.

Another thing to make sure of is that when you do a calibration the drone needs sufficient GPS signal. You can’t calibrate a compass if you don’t know where you are.

Lastly, if the above doesn’t work it could be because the compass has become magnetized. I’m not really sure how this happens but apparently it happens with the Mavic Air more than other drones and always comes up in the forums after a software update. All you need to do in this case is find two magnets, hold them together so they oppose each other. Slowly move the magnets around the front of the drone near the gimbal but avoid actually touching the magnets to the drone. Then re-calibrate.

PS are you in the northern hemisphere or southern? Is that where you purchased the drone?

 

[Porky]

This might help out if you’re not to sure about compass calibration, but know doubt you already know this worth a look though

 

[brett8883]

This might help out if you’re not to sure about compass calibration, but know doubt you already know this worth a look though

Yea it was a good year in and I realized I had been calibrating incorrectly the whole time hah. It’s a miracle it was still flying correctly anyway

 

[Porky]

Yea it was a good year in and I realized I had been calibrating incorrectly the whole time hah. It’s a miracle it was still flying correctly anyway

It might help out the op in some way, it’s always better seeing someone else doing it then you can compare.

So many people are unsure on the correct procedure and if there are doing it correctly, YT helps out all the time

 

[nodrogthims]

When I first bought my Phantom 3 Pro it was stressed that, according to the official DJI video (and almost everyone else) I should ALWAYS calibrate the compass when flying from a new location, end of story. Things seem to have changed a bit now as the advice seems to be and according to the Camera Jabber YT video above, that you should only calibrate the compass when prompted to do so by the DJI app. Can someone explain why this should be? Maybe I'm interpreting the advice wrongly.

 

[Porky]

When I first bought my Phantom 3 Pro it was stressed that, according to the official DJI video (and almost everyone else) I should ALWAYS calibrate the compass when flying from a new location, end of story. Things seem to have changed a bit now as the advice seems to be and according to the Camera Jabber YT video above, that you should only calibrate the compass when prompted to do so by the DJI app. Can someone explain why this should be? Maybe I'm interpreting the advice wrongly.

Going back to my phantom 2 vision and inspire 1 days I only calibrated the compass when I traveled long distances, more so when I went abroad. I’ve never callibrated the compass at the start of every flight I took.

My M2P asks me to calibrate the compass every 30 odd days now, Dji must of incorporated that into the firmware. So for me it’s definitely more frequent than it used to be.

 

[Aussie Oldtimer]

I move around a lot and just about every time i start in a new location, im asked to re-calibrate. it takes about 30 seconds and is easy to do.

 

[Sassy]

This issue has come up multiple times and always when there’s a software update. I’m sure you’ve already done these things but let’s go over the basics so we can rule them out.

Mavic Air seems to me particularly sensitive to anything metal when calibrating. Things you might not have thought of like a ring, big belt buckle, watch, necklace anything and everything try to take off when calibrating. Biggest one people forget about is their phone and the remote. Put down the remote and your device when calibrating and walk a few feet away to do calibration. The lights on the drone blink to let you know you can switch from spinning nose to the horizon to spinning nose pointing down. It also blinks when it’s complete.

Another thing to make sure of is that when you do a calibration the drone needs sufficient GPS signal. You can’t calibrate a compass if you don’t know where you are.

Lastly, if the above doesn’t work it could be because the compass has become magnetized. I’m not really sure how this happens but apparently it happens with the Mavic Air more than other drones and always comes up in the forums after a software update. All you need to do in this case is find two magnets, hold them together so they oppose each other. Slowly move the magnets around the front of the drone near the gimbal but avoid actually touching the magnets to the drone. Then re-calibrate.

PS are you in the northern hemisphere or southern? Is that where you purchased the drone?

Thank you my down under buddy. Appreciate the time you spent with the response. I'm in the Northern hemisphere. Yesterday I spent time attempting to resolve this issue. I think I've made progress. Instead of calibrating the compass while on my cement drive way, or out in the street, I did the calibration in my lawn. I also took your advise and left the remote behind when I calibrated. It calibrated just fine. I did this more than 2 or 3 times as sometimes when I changed batteries it asked me to calibrate. As I think back, all of the failed calibrations were when I was performing the dance on cement or asphalt. I'm hoping that this is the solution. But I'll continue testing it.

By the way, my wife and I visited your country on a sales award. We had a wonderful time, and while dancing at a dinner establishment, we met a wonderful couple who invited us out to their place outside of Brisbane at the end of the road for a traditional BBQ including Pavlova desert. It was awesome. I want to thank your countrymen for the friendliness and hospitality it gave me an "85 story", a story I'll repeat several times when I'm 85 years old.

 

[brett8883]

Thank you my down under buddy. Appreciate the time you spent with the response. I'm in the Northern hemisphere. Yesterday I spent time attempting to resolve this issue. I think I've made progress. Instead of calibrating the compass while on my cement drive way, or out in the street, I did the calibration in my lawn. I also took your advise and left the remote behind when I calibrated. It calibrated just fine. I did this more than 2 or 3 times as sometimes when I changed batteries it asked me to calibrate. As I think back, all of the failed calibrations were when I was performing the dance on cement or asphalt. I'm hoping that this is the solution. But I'll continue testing it.

By the way, my wife and I visited your country on a sales award. We had a wonderful time, and while dancing at a dinner establishment, we met a wonderful couple who invited us out to their place outside of Brisbane at the end of the road for a traditional BBQ including Pavlova desert. It was awesome. I want to thank your countrymen for the friendliness and hospitality it gave me an "85 story", a story I'll repeat several times when I'm 85 years old.

I’m actually a corn fed, born and bred, American here in Salt Lake City, UT . You must have me confused with @Aussie Oldtimer lol.

Glad it works! Remember with concrete especially that they often put rebar in the concrete to make it stronger so that’s usually a bad place to calibrate.

 

[brett8883]

When I first bought my Phantom 3 Pro it was stressed that, according to the official DJI video (and almost everyone else) I should ALWAYS calibrate the compass when flying from a new location, end of story. Things seem to have changed a bit now as the advice seems to be and according to the Camera Jabber YT video above, that you should only calibrate the compass when prompted to do so by the DJI app. Can someone explain why this should be? Maybe I'm interpreting the advice wrongly.

It has changed but it’s not so much that calibrating is a bad thing it’s just not nessesary unless the drone asks you to. I can’t remember the last time I calibrated.

 

[Radartk]

After doing the most recent firmware update for the Mavic Air and the remote, I've been having a hard time with calibration. On several occasions, it won't let me fly. I move away from any suspected obstacle that might contain magnetic forces or metal. And I still get calibration failed. You can't fly. Sometimes, it suddenly goes to you can fly after 1 or 2 minutes. I never had this problem prior to the last firmware update. In research I heard that if you turn off the MA and the turn it back on it will let you calibrate (like a computer reset). I am flying in cold weather the temp is usually between 32 and 40 degrees f.

I have been having the same problem since a firmware update this past weekend, !!

 

[Radartk]

Is it the compass that won’t calibrate?

My compass either won't calibrate or has to calibrate a few times before I can fly, after the last Firmware update this past weekend.

 

[Radartk]

I've done that a couple times. I think it worked one time. I'm still wondering if it's the cold. I'll be testing it again tomorrow if it warms into the high 40s. But it did work perfectly from the same exact place where it now fails. Worked perfectly before the update and failed repeatedly after the update. I'm hoping to fly tomorrow and will update the post. Thanks to all

I have been having the same problem even in warmer temps. after the latest Firmware update

 

[brett8883]

I have been having the same problem even in warmer temps. after the latest Firmware update

Try the steps prescribed above. Make sure you are away from ANY and ALL metal and have good gps.

If that doesn’t work try demagnetizing the compass as discribed above. That usually will do it all else fails

 

[Radartk]

Try the steps prescribed above. Make sure you are away from ANY and ALL metal and have good gps.

If that doesn’t work try demagnetizing the compass as discribed above. That usually will do it all else fails

Thanks