Compass calibration

[Air_Joe]

Mavic air here too.
Using combo bag from day 1.

Almost every launch , it will prompt me to calibrate the compass.
As in after flight, bird back , chg a fresh batt, need to re calibrate again.
So basically minimum 3 times for my every outing since combo comes with 3 batt. More times if in between i bribg it back.
Getting used to it now.. [emoji28]

And i thought im the inly unlucky one. Seems like many of us have the same issue. Perhaps it occurs more on mavic air?

 

[Curt M]

I've had similar issues but then started being more cognizant as to how I am holding the drone when I first turn on the Air's power. I have made it a point to make sure I'm holding it close to level when I first push the power button. That approach has worked so far. I also immediately place it on the pad.

Thank you, yes I’ve been trying the same thing and getting much better results. What order do you power up the 3 components? Lately I’ve been powering up the Drone 1st, then opening up the DJI app, then lastly powering up the RC.

 

[BenF]

Seems to me, that when the MA is moved after turn on, then after it is set down, a compass calibration is required. If its turned on after sitting it down first, no compass calibration is needed.

 

[Curt M]

Do you wear a metal watch on the hand and hold the drone with that hand while it is on?

I do not wear a watch

 

[Curt M]

I do not wear a watch

I have a basic titanium wedding band on my finger

 

[sar104]

Seems to me, that when the MA is moved after turn on, then after it is set down, a compass calibration is required. If its turned on after sitting it down first, no compass calibration is needed.

If I understand your scenario correctly - no - that is unrelated to calibration requirements. You can move it as much as you like after turning it on since the IMU will detect the movement and update the ptich, roll and yaw values appropriately. Compass calibration is only to measure and then subtract the magnetic field of the aircraft itself and so, from a purely technical point of view, recalibration is only necessary if the magnetic state of the aircraft changes.

 

[pclaytor]

I'm having same issues with MA. When out of the box, all worked well, then shortly after maybe 4 flights in beginner mode it's been a pain in the !#%. Took to Ireland and no luck one place and at Blarney no problem. I do same thing each time.
I think it's BS that I hear everyone worring down to a wedding ring being possible cause. If you never hear this problem from millions of flights from other DJI and others in general but then so much about the MA. It looks like DJI should fix this. Please comment as to updates and fixes and Does DJI even care (so many out there and we are such a small %)

 

[awsan5]

Could be anything, phone, car keys, change in your pocket underground pipes, in my case, it was my hearing aids lol

 

[pclaytor]

Thanks awsan5 but maybe the electronics in the hearing aids could do it but then again. that spells out way too sensitive a setup which could send it who-knows-where just flying and somebody with a CB radio keys the mike and Zowie or a local rc nut test his airplane in the neighborhood.
I live down a 1/2 mile dirt road 5 miles from town (nothing around - 50+ feet from the house) nothing on me and the controller back at the house. I worked fine in between houses in Blarney Ireland but not in a little graveyard way out in the country.
I think this thing is becoming a DJI Gremlin.

 

[InvisibleName]

All I can offer is that in the vast majority of reported cases (including my own experiences) of the MA demanding Compass Calibration, it turned out to be local magnetic interference. I was once in the middle of nowhere in the UK, but kept getting this. Turned out, when I looked more closely at the site I was trying to take off from, that it was obviously a previous location of a building. Moved away by maybe 50 metres and everything was good again - no cal required.

Are you confident that where you’re trying to fly doesn’t have anything that could be be doing something similar?

 

[Tiago Miranda]

Much of my compass calibration issues vanished when I've started taking of from my hand while grabbing it away from my body.

 

[pclaytor]

I have the DJI Care insurance - maybe I will tri that , I was in hopes that i would hear something here that would solve the problem.
Actually what I am hearing here and other places can be described as a unit being way too Tempermental and flukey. Flight starts based more on chance than science is a sucking formula for a reasonably expensive and sophisticated unit.
I have calibrated in the exact same location and conditions that at other time would not calibrate. this makes no sense at all. the whole process has spoiled the experience. A system you can't count on is a system that is broken.,

 

[awsan5]

I sometimes wonder what we had to worry about before we had a drone .

 

[pclaytor]

Yep, but it does upset me because I wanted to make a little beer money running around makng pics for lawyers, real estate and others. Sounded like fun to me along with some personal play time.
Now, I have alot of money tied up in an unreliable toy.
Not the first time I wasted money

 

[sar104]

Yep, but it does upset me because I wanted to make a little beer money running around makng pics for lawyers, real estate and others. Sounded like fun to me along with some personal play time.
Now, I have alot of money tied up in an unreliable toy.
Not the first time I wasted money

It's more likely that it's behaving unreliably because you haven't figured out exactly what is wrong with it. I would explore that first, and if that fails then use the refresh option. Since you haven't posted any flight logs everyone here is basically just guessing.

 

[pclaytor]

thanks sar
yes, I'm a true newbie and need to check out this site even more to understand all you guys have to offer. I appreciate hearing what others have experienced. I don't like to complain for the sake of complaining either.

 

[sar104]

thanks sar
yes, I'm a true newbie and need to check out this site even more to understand all you guys have to offer. I appreciate hearing what others have experienced. I don't like to complain for the sake of complaining either.

If you want some advice and interpretation of the log data then I'm sure that will be forthcoming.

 

[nonoti]

For a few weeks now i've been having the same calibration problems. Not sure what is causing it, but it needs calibrating on EVERY flight.

I don't have a storage bag it just sits in its case in my laptop backback.

Since yesterday however, I now have this new message... (see screenshot)

However, it still calibrates and flies? Any ideas?

 

[Deleted member 94047]

I don't have a storage bag it just sits in its case in my laptop backback.

I am very particular about where I put the MA and I won't put it anywhere near any magnets. I won't put it in the same bag with my surface pro for example because the magnets on the surface and the type cover are very powerful (I disected an old type cover and the magnets are insanely powerful). Now this could just be me being paranoid but as long as it does no harm, I won't mind that. I have the very rare instances where I am asked to calibrate the compass and that is just it. All I am saying is, you might want to minimize the chances of the compass on the MA being exposed to external magnetic influence for extended periods of time.

 

[nonoti]

ok will try that. the same bag has my macbook pro and ipad in it and some external hard disks. maybe theres magnets there doing it.