COM CAL before each flight...

[JOE CHRONIC]

Lately I have been doing a com cal before each flight session (5 batteries/session)

I haven't been getting a message to so but feel better knowing my drone knows where to return home to.

Anyone else do this or is it overkill?

 

[Repaid1]

Lately I have been doing a com cal before each flight session (5 batteries/session)

I haven't been getting a message to so but feel better knowing my drone knows where to return home to.

Anyone else do this or is it overkill?

Have no clue what a "Com Cal" is but whatever it is, it isn't just overkill...it's a plain waste of time and not needed. You would do better to verify your return home height every flight and trust that when the app says it recorded your homepoint to verify and check it on the map...then fly and know that your DJI will come right back there. I have been flying DJI for about 5 years and RTH has never failed and I use it for about every flight

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

Com Cal = Compass calibration

I am under the impression it helps with the RTH button?

I use the RTH almost every flight especially if I am out in the boons going for max distance out of sight

 

[Repaid1]

Com Cal = Compass calibration

I am under the impression it helps with the RTH button?

I use the RTH almost every flight especially if I am out in the boons going for max distance out of sight

DJI has always said more harm than good can come doing the compass cal over and over. I have a DJI aircraft that has had one (1) compass cal in 4 years, it has been more than 1000 miles from that point. My RTH never fails to bring me within 2 foot of launch point...and that aircraft doesn't have Precision landing feature. RTH is reliant on Compass, but more so on GPS and recording that info. IF it records homepoint and tells you that it has that info...it just does from my obdservations...stop doing unneeded Compass Cals.

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

DJI has always said more harm than good can come doing the compass cal over and over. I have a DJI aircraft that has had one (1) compass cal in 4 years, it has been more than 1000 miles from that point. My RTH never fails to bring me within 2 foot of launch point...and that aircraft doesn't have Precision landing feature. RTH is reliant on Compass, but more so on GPS and recording that info. IF it records homepoint and tells you that it has that info...it just does from my obdservations...stop doing unneeded Compass Cals.

Thanks for the reply, I'll try a few trips without doing a com cal and see how RTH works just off the GPS

 

[Thomas B]

Thanks for the reply, I'll try a few trips without doing a com cal and see how RTH works just off the GPS

For best results take off and hold at an altitude of 10-12 feet or so to give gps time to be full recognized.

 

[DanMan32]

Only do a com cal when asked, but even then check if there's no magnetic interference, as sometimes that's reported or thought to be a compass problem.

Reason for not often doing a com cal: if there is moderate interference, you could turn a great calibration into a poor one. What com cal does is negate any magnetic influence the AC has on itself.

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

Good to know, thanks Dan

 

[volition]

Also note guys. The MA2 has a precision landing facility. If you take off and go up to just above 7m (21 ft) no other inputs just ascend. it will take a snapshot of the area and in addition to ps give you much more accurate landings. Note that if you don’t go straight up without any other inputs it will not perform the precision landing facility,

My take off - I never take off until I have the GPS signal very strong. I look for suitable area (not too near lots of magnetic metals and a clean patch with no overhangs) I then just go straight up on launch, let it hover at say 8m for 10 seconds. Then I do a small test on each input one a a time . If I am happy I then just go about my business. Even though I mostly manually return & hand land. I like that I have a precision landing capability up my sleeve.

The compass calibration is definitely overkill each time. You can use say air data UAV software to keep up with maintenance and schedule say a regular one every 50 hours perhaps.

This is just my main method, not always hard and fast depending on the purpose of each flight too,

I know that’s not exactly your question, but it was leaning towards start of flight procedures. Definitely interested in reading what other things you guys are doing at start of flights, if I can add layers of protection at not too much an effort I will.