IMU calibration question...

[Tkoglin]

When you come to the step in calibration, when the picture shows the drone pointing straight up, are you able to do this with your drone?
Mine either balances to far back or to far forward- nothing close to pointing straight up.
Do I need to hold the drone with my hands in this position?

 

[Former Member]

Are you trying to calibrate your gimbal or your sensors?

Gimbal calibration is done on a table. Sensor calibration is done with the drone in your hand.

 

[Tkoglin]

Are you trying to calibrate your gimbal or your sensors?

Gimbal calibration is done on a table. Sensor calibration is done with the drone in your hand.

Yes I meant IMU calibration

 

[Former Member]

When you come to the step in calibration, when the picture shows the drone pointing straight up, are you able to do this with your drone?
Mine either balances to far back or to far forward- nothing close to pointing straight up.
Do I need to hold the drone with my hands in this position?

I hand hold mine straight up until it shows you the next step.

 

[Tkoglin]

I hand hold mine straight up until it shows you the next step.

Thanks.

 

[brett8883]

I hand hold mine straight up until it shows you the next step.

Wait what?!?!?!? The Mavic WILL stand up on its back. It’s not pointing straight up but I figure this is accounted for in the IMU calibration. I’m really surprised the IMU will even calibrate with you touching it. It won’t calibrate if it’s not perfectly still.

Do you really hold it straight up? Have I been doing this wrong the whole time?

 

[Former Member]

Wait what?!?!?!? The Mavic WILL stand up on its back. It’s not pointing straight up but I figure this is accounted for in the IMU calibration. I’m really surprised the IMU will even calibrate with you touching it. It won’t calibrate if it’s not perfectly still.

Do you really hold it straight up? Have I been doing this wrong the whole time?

I do! It works for me 100% of the time. Give it a try.

Maybe I have the hands of a surgeon (ok maybe not that steady)

 

[brett8883]

I do! It works for me 100% of the time. Give it a try.

Maybe I have the hands of a surgeon (ok maybe not that steady)

Well after a little research I found this from DJI. Is there a reason you don’t do it like this?

 

[Tkoglin]

Well after a little research I found this from DJI. Is there a reason you don’t do it like this?

See that’s the question I have. Mine won’t stand up like that on its own. It either forward until it rests on the legs or backwards until it rests on the rotor motor housing.
I can’t find a side view for this position to see how straight up it is?

 

[Kilrah]

It's not straight at all. It's... well, the only stable way it can set itself when you put it there, on the legs.

 

[brett8883]

It's not straight at all. It's... well, the way it sets itself when you put it there, on the legs.

So they way you do it’s slightly “right side up?” I’ve been doing it so it’s back on the motors slightly upside down.

It didn’t occur to me till this thread either but there are two ways to have it stand up on its back like that. Either on the motors or the font landing gear.

 

[Kilrah]

On the legs it's very stable, on the motors it's just asking to fall. Guess which is the right one

 

[Tkoglin]

On the legs it's very stable, on the motors it's just asking to fall. Guess which is the right one

It would seem to me that the drone should be perfectly straight up for calibration. They say to make sure you lay the drone on a flat level surface so why would the vertical position be leaning forward or backward?

 

[brett8883]

On the legs it's very stable, on the motors it's just asking to fall. Guess which is the right one

Yea your right. This is like astonishing to me that I’ve been doing it wrong. It must not make much difference because it flies fine the way I’ve been doing it. Attitude is perfectly level in no wind, and thunderdrones has been doing it a third way but yea this is a revelation. I’m gonna have to redo it and see if I notice any changes.

Great thread @Tkoglin

 

[Kilrah]

It would seem to me that the drone should be perfectly straight up for calibration. They say to make sure you lay the drone on a flat level surface so why would the vertical position be leaning forward or backward?

The surface must be flat but the calibration procedure obviously knows about the angle the airframe has with regard to it and takes it into account. Holding it differently would screw things up since it wouldn't be as expected anymore.

 

[Tkoglin]

The surface must be flat but the calibration procedure obviously knows about the angle the airframe has with regard to it and takes it into account. Holding it differently would screw things up since it wouldn't be as expected anymore.

I’m just surprised that DJI isn’t more clear on the drone positioning for this step. In the instructions it shows the drone exactly vertical.

 

[brettbrandon]

I can see in the above video that the drone is leaning on the legs for vertical. You can see that when they place it and you see more of the rear lights....