Concerned about magnetic interference

[Slade]

I’m still learning about magnetic interference. I was recently told that “magnetic interference while flying under bridges isn’t a concern. It only matters when calibrating the drone”. Is this true?

 

[msinger]

No, it's not true. You want to keep the aircraft away from all magnetic metal objects while it's powered on. 10+ feet away should keep you safe.

 

[Thomas B]

Can’t vouch fully for the no concern under bridges part.... quick fly through likely no problem, but prolonged flying could possibly, at the least, trigger RTH with resultant climb into the bridge and crash. General rule is 10 feet away.... got beat to the answer

Never calibrate compass, etc, when there is magnetic interference

 

[msinger]

Never calibrate compass, etc, when there is magnetic interference

For calibrations, the compass calibration is the only calibration that can be negatively affected by nearby magnetic metal objects.

 

[Slade]

No, it's not true. You want to keep the aircraft away from all magnetic metal objects while it's powered on. 10+ feet away should keep you safe.

Thanks for clarifying my concerned. ?

 

[RawRock]

I lost my Mavic in a River due to magnetic interference from a metal bridge. When I went under the compasses went nuts and it flew sideways all the sudden and crashed. Still havent saved enough to get another drone and its been a year. I literally cried, lol. Funnest thing i ever done was fly that stupid thing. Lol

 

[msinger]

I lost my Mavic in a River due to magnetic interference from a metal bridge. When I went under the compasses went nuts and it flew sideways all the sudden and crashed.

Flying under a bridge could also cause the GPS signal to be lost. If that happens, the aircraft could drift sideways due to the switch to ATTI mode. When flying in ATTI mode, the aircraft will not be able to hold its horizontal position when it's too high for the sensors to "see" the ground below.

 

[Slade]

I lost my Mavic in a River due to magnetic interference from a metal bridge. When I went under the compasses went nuts and it flew sideways all the sudden and crashed. Still havent saved enough to get another drone and its been a year. I literally cried, lol. Funnest thing i ever done was fly that stupid thing. Lol

Thanks for sharing what was a painful and expensive loss. I know there are pilots flying under bridges but I suspect they have a horseshoe up their arse?? as a new pilot I question everything because there’s so much misinformation out there. Hope you get back in the air soon.

 

[Slade]

Flying under a bridge could also cause the GPS signal to be lost. If that happens, the aircraft could drift sideways due to the switch to ATTI mode. When flying in ATTI mode, the aircraft will not be able to hold its horizontal position when it's too high for the sensors to "see" the ground below.

Thank you. There’s so much misinformation on You Tube channels that I question much of what I hear. Thanks.

 

[PropSpin]

Flying under a bridge could also cause the GPS signal to be lost. If that happens, the aircraft could drift sideways due to the switch to ATTI mode. When flying in ATTI mode, the aircraft will not be able to hold its horizontal position when it's too high for the sensors to "see" the ground below.

Flying over surfaces like water gives unpredictable results with the bottom positional sensors as well - as DJI makes clear in their instructions.

I was recently flying at the beach and hovering about 15 feet over the shallow water that rolls up onto the beach and my drone was drifting up and down by a foot or so each way. I quickly disabled the bottom sensors...

 

[RawRock]

I bet it was the switch to Atti mode that did it, I never thought about that. I searched and searched that river, she was never seen again, lol.

 

[zzxrox]

Just to point out if you were to fly under a bridge GPS is not your friend. If you are a new pilot get a "toy" drone to fly around. It wont have the GPS and you will know how to control it without it. I would think ay this point you would also have to NOT rely on your compass for magnetic interference anyway. You need to be watching your bird. Here is a video of flyng under a freeway. And on another video on my channel you can see me crash under the other side. Pilot error and a tree though lol

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[sar104]

I bet it was the switch to Atti mode that did it, I never thought about that. I searched and searched that river, she was never seen again, lol.

If the uncontrolled flight looked more powered than just drifting on the wind then the problem was likely that it suffered compass interference but didn't switch to ATTI mode, and instead the FC was still trying to hold position with incorrect heading information - i.e. applying thrust in the wrong direction.