Compass calibration every flight

[Dmascot]

Ever since I updated my Mavic Mini to the newest firmware I have been directed to calibrate my compass before every flight. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Saigondroner]

Ever since I updated my Mavic Mini to the newest firmware I have been directed to calibrate my compass before every flight. Has anyone else experienced this?

I don't have a Mini, but most other DJI models. I almost always will calibrate the compass, and not risk it...the compass is very important to RTH. My guess is that you are in locations that have lots of metal, or mag interference. Side walks, buildings, fences, and home TV's all can hurt the compass calibration. If you move a good distance, it might need another calibration.

 

[old man mavic]

i believe that the latest firmware did make changes to the compass asking for calibration, i think this was a direct result of the number of fly away(blow aways), that were being contributed to compass errors, i think that the sensitivity to magnetic interference has been increased to help prevent take off, if you get a warning sometimes it will go away, if you just move a few yards away and try again i flew 3 batteries today without any issues after doing the update

 

[wjkrysak]

I expect to do a calibration when I fly in different locations, often 90 miles apart. Once done, it is good for the area and all batteries used. Yesterday, I calibrated without the usual spin around dance, I just turned it around horizontally and then vertically in my hand. Took less than a minute. Enjoy your flying.

 

[sar104]

i believe that the latest firmware did make changes to the compass asking for calibration, i think this was a direct result of the number of fly away(blow aways), that were being contributed to compass errors, i think that the sensitivity to magnetic interference has been increased to help prevent take off, if you get a warning sometimes it will go away, if you just move a few yards away and try again i flew 3 batteries today without any issues after doing the update

I haven't seen many, but there have been a couple of cases posted where uncontrolled flight appeared to result from a fairly small yaw error. @BudWalker hypothesized that the Mini might be more sensitive to yaw errors than previous models.

 

[BudWalker]

I haven't seen many, but there have been a couple of cases posted where uncontrolled flight appeared to result from a fairly small yaw error. @BudWalker hypothesized that the Mini might be more sensitive to yaw errors than previous models.

I did?

 

[sar104]

I did?

I thought I recalled that you mentioned it in an email when we were discussing this event - hence my comment further down. I may have misremembered.

 

[BudWalker]

I thought I recalled that you mentioned it in an email when we were discussing this event - hence my comment further down. I may have misremembered.

But, I was making the claim that it wasn't just the Mavic Mini where a relatively small (30° ) Yaw error could lead to problems. A couple of posts later I referenced a P3 incident that started with a 30° error. I'm pretty sure I've seen in it in the other platforms.

 

[johnbirt]

Don't have a Mini but can confirm Mavic Air is very sensitive to magnetic interference so not surprised Mini may be. As posted elsewhere even watches with magnetic charging and gloves with metal studs etc. can even prevent compass calibration altogether. As pointed out in this thread re-enforced concrete can also be a problem. My M2P is far less picky and can't remember last time I was asked to do a calibration. If it sets RTH when taking off that is good enough for me.

 

[65Fly]

Ever since I updated my Mavic Mini to the newest firmware I have been directed to calibrate my compass before every flight. Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes, me too ... in fact it usually takes several attempts and I am a bit fumbly in my old age and find the process difficult when holding the drone and trying to rotate it. Perhaps DJI will come out with a gimbal like cradle that can orientate and rotate the drone to set the compass every time before you fly.

 

[Captain Zipper]

Yes, me too ... in fact it usually takes several attempts and I am a bit fumbly in my old age and find the process difficult when holding the drone and trying to rotate it. Perhaps DJI will come out with a gimbal like cradle that can orientate and rotate the drone to set the compass every time before you fly.

Try holding the housing of your drone horizontally and you then rotate your body 360 degrees, then hold the drone in a nose down angle and again rotate your body in place 360 degrees. I found this much easier. ?

 

[sar104]

Don't have a Mini but can confirm Mavic Air is very sensitive to magnetic interference so not surprised Mini may be. As posted elsewhere even watches with magnetic charging and gloves with metal studs etc. can even prevent compass calibration altogether. As pointed out in this thread re-enforced concrete can also be a problem. My M2P is far less picky and can't remember last time I was asked to do a calibration. If it sets RTH when taking off that is good enough for me.

One other point to consider - the Mavic 2 has a built in correction to fix incorrectly initialized IMU yaw values at power up, as detailed here. The Mavic Air doesn't have that. I don't have a Mini to test, so I'm not sure whether it was included in the Mini firmware, but I would have expected it would be.

 

[DanMan32]

Try holding the housing of your drone horizontally and you then rotate your body 360 degrees, then hold the drone in a nose down angle and again rotate your body in place 360 degrees. I found this much easier. [emoji6]

That's not a good idea since the center of pivot is you and not the AC. You'll not get as accurate of a calibration as you will if you spin on the AC's axes.

 

[douglas_in_philly]

Try holding the housing of your drone horizontally and you then rotate your body 360 degrees, then hold the drone in a nose down angle and again rotate your body in place 360 degrees. I found this much easier. ?

I'm not specifically advocating it (especially in light of DanMan32's comment), but here's a video that shows that method:

 

[Thomas B]

That's not a good idea since the center of pivot is you and not the AC. You'll not get as accurate of a calibration as you will if you spin on the AC's axes.

it’s OK to do that. I have done both ways multiple times and find no detectable difference in aircraft behavior between the methods, likely because of the relatively small distance differences involved and the compass readings therefore offering no noticeable difference.
So do it either way using the one easiest and/or preferred by the operator.

 

[celdcl]

I expect to do a calibration when I fly in different locations, often 90 miles apart. Once done, it is good for the area and all batteries used. Yesterday, I calibrated without the usual spin around dance, I just turned it around horizontally and then vertically in my hand. Took less than a minute. Enjoy your flying.

Spin around dance? I thought I was supposed to do it by hand. Is the correct way to hold it and turn your body around?

 

[sar104]

Spin around dance? I thought I was supposed to do it by hand. Is the correct way to hold it and turn your body around?

Provided that you are in a location with little or no magnetic distortion then it doesn't matter how you do it, as long as the aircraft is rotated on two of its axes.

 

[celdcl]

Thanks

 

[EricJT]

One other point to consider - the Mavic 2 has a built in correction to fix incorrectly initialized IMU yaw values at power up, as detailed here. The Mavic Air doesn't have that. I don't have a Mini to test, so I'm not sure whether it was included in the Mini firmware, but I would have expected it would be.

So, when I power up my M2P, I face it north. Does it matter if it is true north vs magnetic north? I assume my brain identifies true north easily due to the north/south and east/west typical grid layout of roadways in most rural areas in my area.

 

[sar104]

So, when I power up my M2P, I face it north. Does it matter if it is true north vs magnetic north? I assume my brain identifies true north easily due to the north/south and east/west typical grid layout of roadways in most rural areas in my area.

It doesn't matter what direction it is facing.