Compass calibration

[nonoti]

Okay so another finding;

I can stop it wanting a re-calibration EVERY time i fly by taking my Apple Watch off (i'm left handed so watch and Aircraft are in my right hand when calibrating compass).

However packing it in the car, or my laptop bag for a while still results in the compass errors and needing re-calibration. I'll try storing it elsewhere and see.

Also I need to see my cellphone screen when calibrating so often the hand holding the remote+phone is very close to the drone, not sure if that can cause it to think its compass is wrong when i power it up?

 

[msinger]

However packing it in the car, or my laptop bag for a while still results in the compass errors and needing re-calibration. I'll try storing it elsewhere and see.

Packing it away shouldn't cause any issues as long as it's not near any magnets (like a sub woofer in the trunk of a car).

Also I need to see my cellphone screen when calibrating so often the hand holding the remote+phone is very close to the drone

Why not lay your remote+phone on the ground after you initiate the calibration process? You can watch the lights on the drone to confirm each step has been properly completed.

 

[freightshaker]

You can calibrate using just the lights

Okay so another finding;

I can stop it wanting a re-calibration EVERY time i fly by taking my Apple Watch off (i'm left handed so watch and Aircraft are in my right hand when calibrating compass).

However packing it in the car, or my laptop bag for a while still results in the compass errors and needing re-calibration. I'll try storing it elsewhere and see.

Also I need to see my cellphone screen when calibrating so often the hand holding the remote+phone is very close to the drone, not sure if that can cause it to think its compass is wrong when i power it up?

 

[Meta4]

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.

Since yesterday however, I now have this new message... (see screenshot)
However, it still calibrates and flies? Any ideas?

No-one has pointed it out to you but Compass Data Error is not your common garden variety compass error.
It's not going to be fixed by recalibrating te compass.
You could try the action recommended by the warning message .... Contact DJI Support.

 

[zenfly2]

4mos ago I calibrated my Spark and as I remember it gave me a confirmation it was complete and is still good.. 2 weeks ago I got the MA and did the calibration with no confirmation it was complete so I did it again and a third time still no confirmation so I decided to take off and hover,there was no warning anything was wrong and looking at the map and the orientation was correct so I've been flying it since with perfect RTH every time... Some above mentioned being near metal...The amazing thing to me is when I go inside the 4th floor steel reinforced poured concrete condo with 2 floors above and turn on the MA and controller to change settings the position still is correct on the map.. I can spin the MA around on the dining table and watch the icon do the same on the map.. Mind blown when I saw that.

 

[kydroneman]

I have always used the fly more bag. It just holds everything I need and I might have to calibrate every 3rd use. I just accept it's something you have to do.

 

[nonoti]

Packing it away shouldn't cause any issues as long as it's not near any magnets (like a sub woofer in the trunk of a car).


Why not lay your remote+phone on the ground after you initiate the calibration process? You can watch the lights on the drone to confirm each step has been properly completed.

So, this got me thinking - cause I got a new car about the time i bought my Mavic a few months ago and it has a Bose sound system. It sounded like it had a subwoofer but i couldn't find one.

Until I looked at the spare wheel, below where the drone sits in my bag - is a HUGE subwoofer lol.

Guess I wont be keeping it there anymore...

 

[nonoti]

No-one has pointed it out to you but Compass Data Error is not your common garden variety compass error.
It's not going to be fixed by recalibrating te compass.
You could try the action recommended by the warning message .... Contact DJI Support.

Yes, but completing calibration makes the error go away and it flies perfectly? Until the next time I power it off, remove the battery and put the next one on.

If I just land it, turn it off and leave it there then turn it on without moving it much its still fine. But the moment its been in the bag, and re-used its back to its nonsense.

 

[grullonm]

I live in Dominican Republic, got my Mavic from first day and never again calibrated, even on a trip to Iceland it did not asked me to do that (only took longer to go Green GPS ready.

As any GPS or computer, big speakers could be the best bet, also if you leave near cellphone towers or big electric powerlines.

 

[dronepilotbob]

One of the reasons I sold my Mavic Air. Drove me nuts that I had to calibrate it “almost” every flight. If I was in my home zone, then it was okay, if I drove out 50+km out of my area, the odds were high I needed a calibration. If I flew to another province or country, it was a guarantee it needed calibration. I had it stored in the official DJI bag, and no electronics were near it.

I as well thought it was a Mavic Air thing.

As for my Mavic Pro, I think 2 calibrations since I owned it. And I owned it for a while now.

 

[johnbirt]

As vladone noted a watch can be an issue. I have had issues with actually calibrating my Air at all having been told it needs it.

Yesterday I gave up trying to calibrate as advised repeatedly there was magnetic interference wherever I positioned it. Had this issue several times before. Flew my M2 Pro with no problem at all without any calibration needed in the same area.

Remembered the suggestion that a watch could be a problem. On arriving home removed my Apple series 3 watch which has magnetic charging and calibrated the Air with no problem in my garden. NFZ area so couldn't test fly it. Took it out today minus my watch to the same spot I had been yesterday and the Air was ready for flight almost immediately everything was connected. Flew perfectly.

Hard to imagine that the Air can be that sensitive to the magnetic field of a watch but seems to be the case. Hopefully out again tomorrow to test the hypothesis further.

 

[swooshdave]

I would be forced to recalibrate the compass before every flight regardless of where I was. No watch, no nothing that would cause it.

Latest firmware update seems to have finally solved this. More testing to come but last two flights have not required a calibration.