Compass calibration needed alert

[bonmot]

I got a compass calibration needed alert last night. I changed a few location around the house, and move the aircraft to middle of street. It didn't fix the problem.
So I just did a calibration and continue the flight.
Before and after the calibration. I rotated my Mavic 2 to see if the heading on the map is correct.
There was no difference before and after.

Personally, I don't think compass calibration is a big deal for what I am doing in short range flight.
I do check the compass before every flight to see if it is heading the right direction and also rotate the Mavic 2 360 degree to see if the arrow on the map follows.

 

[Jeff A]

It's what you don't know that should worry you. Good luck!

 

[sar104]

That request is initiated by the firmware, which for the Mavic 2 (with a few documented exceptions) requests compass calibration every 30 days or if the location is more than 50 km from the previous flight. You can ignore it and still fly provide that the sensor readings look good and the aircraft orientation arrow is pointing in the right direction.

 

[Broken Star Photo]

It takes a whole 30 seconds to do a calibration. Why would you want to risk it? If the software that controls and keeps your bird flying requests calibration take the 30 seconds to do it and have peace of mind.

 

[bonmot]

That request is initiated by the firmware, which for the Mavic 2 (with a few documented exceptions) requests compass calibration every 30 days or if the location is more than 50 km from the previous flight. You can ignore it and still fly provide that the sensor readings look good and the aircraft orientation arrow is pointing in the right direction.

Yes. That’s 30 days exactly from the first time I powered my Mavic 2 Zoom! Thanks for the info. I was wondering why.

 

[bonmot]

It takes a whole 30 seconds to do a calibration. Why would you want to risk it? If the software that controls and keeps your bird flying requests calibration take the 30 seconds to do it and have peace of mind.

Exactly, that’s what I did. The firmware asks you to do it, why not?
I have seen some people so nervous about this calibration and making decision by themselves in stead of following the message on the screen.

 

[Andrew H]

I have a new drone and have been trying to do compass calibration without success. I get the message too strong magnetic interference detected. I am wondering whether it could be my pacemaker?

 

[ChrisA114]

I have a new drone and have been trying to do compass calibration without success. I get the message too strong magnetic interference detected. I am wondering whether it could be my pacemaker?

No magnetic field from pacemakers so not that.

 

[4wd]

Usually the magnetic interference warning is due to metal nearby - a vehicle is obvious but metal can be hidden in concrete or just in the ground.
The solution is to change location, don't try to calibrate in a problematic location.
If the warning persists in a near perfect place you may have to try a calibration there.
Check the heading shown on app is the same as in reality.

The compass can become faulty or permanently upset if it was somehow near a magnet.
On older phantoms it was located externally on a leg and could be degaussed by circling a magnet around it.
That might still be worth a try as last resort before returning for repair.

 

[PHZ]

You may want to check out the Cfixer.

 

[Jeff A]

I learned the hard way about being careful to not calibrate the compass around metal. For me, I learned that I could not do a calibration in my office, period!

 

[johnbirt]

Mavic Air can have magnetic interference issues with all sorts of non-obvious sources. Apple watch, flying gloves with metal studs etc.

Mine won't take off if I have my Apple watch on!

 

[bonmot]

wow. thanks for all the "interesting" feedback. I check the heading on the map and in the reality every time before I take off.
Does compass sensor in the drone do anything else other than telling itself the absolute heading?

 

[sar104]

wow. thanks for all the "interesting" feedback. I check the heading on the map and in the reality every time before I take off.
Does compass sensor in the drone do anything else other than telling itself the absolute heading?

No - that's all it is doing - keeping the IMU yaw value aligned with the earth frame of reference.