How many of you do compass calibration before take off?

mildim · Jul 11, 2017

No calibration unless asked for.

mavic6611 · Jul 11, 2017

Redline870 said:
I've been flying DJI aircrafts since the Inspire 1 came out. It was always recommended by DJI to calibrate the compass before every flight in a new location, and I have always done so, even with my fairly new Mavic Pro. Did they change their recommendations with the Mavic Pro? I always figured the extra 20-30 seconds was not an inconvenience to ensure a properly calibrated aircraft. Should I not be doing this anymore?

I spoke to dji a few days ago. I asked them the question and they said they recommend doing it. However, after reading everyone else's take on it I've decided to not calibrate unless prompted by the app as people are quite rightly saying that recalibration can sometimes get a bad calibration and therefore cause a problem. But like you I have always previously calibrated before every flight.

bakerboy · Jul 11, 2017

No need to do it unless prompted

Routinely travel hundreds of km's between launch sites with no issues

You'll get the crowd that think the mavic is like a P1 or P2 where it needed it but it's not

They will also flip out if you show them your mavic resting on a subwoofer haha

Travelling between places does not require it because the magnetic declination is calculated from your gps location

mkdive · Jul 11, 2017

I only calibrate when asked. I have read on the DJI forum (posts from dji reps) stating it's a good idea to calibrate each turn on. And I have also read other dji reps saying not too? If that's not confusing I'm not sure what is.

Beemer533 · Jul 11, 2017

wayy510 said:
View attachment 16944
Doesn't matter where I launch from, the Mavic always ask that I calibrate via the black calibration screen.

It loads everything and then goes to the black calibration screen.

I have two Mavics and they both ask before every flight. Never had any kind of issues with them other than that.

I see folks talking about this screen that tells them to calibrate, but it clearly says "aircraft status" at the top of the page.

This page is just telling you the status (as indicated by the right column; everything should be listed as "normal" prior to lifting...

geigy · Jul 11, 2017

Nope - not me. Compass calibrations are like spouses. Once you get a good one, stop messing around

wayy510 · Jul 11, 2017

Beemer533 said:
I see folks talking about this screen that tells them to calibrate, but it clearly says "aircraft status" at the top of the page.

This page is just telling you the status (as indicated by the right column; everything should be listed as "normal" prior to lifting...

Yeah, you're right. I just assumed because it had the calibrate button.

Edward De Bruyn · Jul 12, 2017

EdM said:
Are you sure you are not just seeing the calibrate button, if you are asked to recalibrate the compass it will be in red.

What button are you talking about, never seen but maybe missed ?
Thanks for any reply

Testman · Jul 12, 2017

mavic6611 said:
I'm interested to know if you do compass calibration before every take off or not.

Pro's/Cons?

What's your take on it?!

Never.

BossBob · Jul 12, 2017

Edward De Bruyn said:
What button are you talking about, never seen but maybe missed ?
Thanks for any reply

On the aircraft status page between the words Compass and Normal is the word Calibrate in a box. This button takes you to the compass calibration page. It is not an instruction to calibrate!

EdM · Jul 12, 2017

Edward De Bruyn said:
What button are you talking about, never seen but maybe missed ?
Thanks for any reply

Look back at message number 112 in this thread and you will see a screenshot.

Michael Ainsworth · Jul 12, 2017

So many posts.
No need to calibrate unless the App specifically tells you to.
Again 2500 Kim's travel no problem flying, no need for calibration.
Every thing is ok.

mavic6611 · Jul 13, 2017

Judging by the amount of replies stating that basically about 90% of people don't calibrate unless prompted, I'm going to forget calibrating unless necessary.

Thanks for all your input guy's.
Just goes to show what a great forum this is [emoji106]

dwallersv · Jul 13, 2017

Baltorep said:
I say there is a need. I almost had a complete fly away because of magnetic interference from a previous flight. I had to crash into a bush to keep it from flying into a river. After I did the compass calibration all was well again. Needless to say I’m a big fan of calibrations. It could not hurt in my book. YMMV.

And demons are responsible for the flu.

dwallersv · Jul 13, 2017

KRH said:
I do so before nearly every flight. I am prompted by the software to do it, even in circumstances where I have flown from the same location on the previous flight. I guess the question is better asked: why wouldn't you?

Because the aircraft isn't sensing the magnetic field where you're calibrating it while in flight -- it's sensing a guaranteed undistorted field away from any metal disturbance.

For this reason, it is very important that a calibration take place under the same conditions. If you calibrate every time, in a variety of different locations, the risk increases dramatically that you get a distorted calibration, and then the Mavic is confused when flying.

Do you know what's under the ground where you're calibrating? Are you considering such things (and others) every time you calibrate wherever you are?

BTW, a comment made earlier that the compass is not used in flight, only for determining orientation at power-on is incorrect (entirely so). The IMUs in Mavic (and all DJI aircraft) are not precise enough for Inertial Navigation. The compass is used 100% of the time as the primary course/heading sensor.

The safest approach is to get a good calibration and then leave it alone unless the software detects that the compass is giving inconsistent results.

mavicQ · Jul 13, 2017

I have used my drone 3 times and never asked for this.

Nephroghost · Jul 13, 2017

This was a long read but helpful. I have been calibrating prior to each flight as I see the calibrate box on startup and figured I needed to do it. Now I know otherwise. Thanks everyone!

schroeder1959 · Jul 14, 2017

I calibrate if I travel any distance from home, just to be safe. Flew to Germany in March, and recalibrated while there, and again when I returned home. Unless I travel over a couple hundred miles, I don't recalibrate. I forgot once, and I noticed some drift in the Mavic while hovering, nothing major, just not usual behavior. Calibrated, no more drift.