Magnetic interference check app

[Narayan Mukkavilli]

Hi all

of late every time I power on the controller and the Mavic 2 pro I get a message “ magnetic interference check app” on the controller

this message goes away when I launch the DJI App but having had one M2 drop out of the sky and into the river( thankfully replaced under warranty) I am a bit spooked

has anyone else has this happen to them? What’s the cause and the cure?

note that changing location doesn’t seem to work ; my iPhone used for flying is in aeroplane mode; my regular
IPhone is switched off or in airplane mode

thanks in advance for any advice

Narayan

 

[Rattydude77]

Hi all

of late every time I power on the controller and the Mavic 2 pro I get a message “ magnetic interference check app” on the controller

this message goes away when I launch the DJI App but having had one M2 drop out of the sky and into the river( thankfully replaced under warranty) I am a bit spooked

has anyone else has this happen to them? What’s the cause and the cure?

note that changing location doesn’t seem to work ; my iPhone used for flying is in aeroplane mode; my regular
IPhone is switched off or in airplane mode

thanks in advance for any advice

Narayan

I only had this happen to me once when I was flying 6to7 feet after take of and off to my right the message came on my screen so I stayed away from that spot but landed my drone and did a compass calibration and was fine they say steel or metal can cause this to happen

 

[Recoveryone]

Concrete is the most common factor in this case. If where you are flying has thick slabs of concrete 99.9% of the time there is large amount of rebar to help strengthen the slab (walkway, driveways or even steps). Move to an area away from the offending location, do a compass calibration and all should be good.

 

[Narayan Mukkavilli]

I agree that concrete can cause this problem but this happened last week when I was launching from a grassy area 50 metres off a first road with no concrete nearby and no mobile towers or high voltage lines nearby

Funny thing is message appears on controller not app and when the aircraft is on the ground not in the air.

 

[Camino Ken]

I agree that concrete can cause this problem but this happened last week when I was launching from a grassy area 50 metres off a first road with no concrete nearby and no mobile towers or high voltage lines nearby

Funny thing is message appears on controller not app and when the aircraft is on the ground not in the air.

It is caused by a magnetic source in the immediate vicinity, typically within a meter or so. Any metal can cause this. It could even be something on you like a watch or chain, or maybe a big set of keys. Try moving yourself away from the aircraft to eliminate this possibility. Try lifting the aircraft in the air with it on but not running to eliminate the possibility of something on the ground.

Calibration is usually not necessary because it only corrects for things within the drone itself not the environment. The drone will however ask for calibration if it has been moved a significant distance or it has been a while since it was last flown.

 

[sar104]

This is most likely not caused by actual magnetic interference - the FC only detects that in extreme cases. With the Mavic 2 the common cause of this message is the firmware request to recalibrate if more than 30 days since the last calibration or if the location is more than 50 km from the previous flight. It doesn't reflect any actual magnetic interference, as can be verified in the app by looking at the compass readings in the sensor section and by verifying that the compass is reading correctly by checking the aircraft direction indicator on the map.

In most cases it can be ignored, and I have often done that. Eventually I give in and recalibrate though.

 

[Deleted member 94047]

On the Mavic Air, it actually disables the motors and you can't take off without doing the requested calibration first. Was curious to see if I could ignore it and take off and tried it yesterday after having travelled some distance the day before.

 

[Narayan Mukkavilli]

It is caused by a magnetic source in the immediate vicinity, typically within a meter or so. Any metal can cause this. It could even be something on you like a watch or chain, or maybe a big set of keys. Try moving yourself away from the aircraft to eliminate this possibility. Try lifting the aircraft in the air with it on but not running to eliminate the possibility of something on the ground.

Calibration is usually not necessary because it only corrects for things within the drone itself not the environment. The drone will however ask for calibration if it has been moved a significant distance or it has been a while since it was last flown.

I usually have my car and house keys on me and maybe that’s causing the problem

or my other iPhone even if it is in airplane mode

something for me to test next flight


but again wonder why this is a recent issue not something I have encountered in the past

This is most likely not caused by actual magnetic interference - the FC only detects that in extreme cases. With the Mavic 2 the common cause of this message is the firmware request to recalibrate if more than 30 days since the last calibration or if the location is more than 50 km from the previous flight. It doesn't reflect any actual magnetic interference, as can be verified in the app by looking at the compass readings in the sensor section and by verifying that the compass is reading correctly by checking the aircraft direction indicator on the map.

In most cases it can be ignored, and I have often done that. Eventually I give in and recalibrate though.

interesting and good

I almost always recalibrate as I live in a red zone and virtually never have two flights taking off from the same place and my
flights are many kilometres apart

 

[Camino Ken]

This is most likely not caused by actual magnetic interference - the FC only detects that in extreme cases. With the Mavic 2 the common cause of this message is the firmware request to recalibrate if more than 30 days since the last calibration or if the location is more than 50 km from the previous flight. It doesn't reflect any actual magnetic interference, as can be verified in the app by looking at the compass readings in the sensor section and by verifying that the compass is reading correctly by checking the aircraft direction indicator on the map.

In most cases it can be ignored, and I have often done that. Eventually I give in and recalibrate though.

Hey Sar,

I’m surprised that you are saying this. There has been numerous cases of nearby metal causing this message. I personally have several spots on my driveway where it very consistently gives the message and I move it 6 feet and it goes away without calibrating. What’s up?

edit: Unless your saying this because it happened out in the middle of a field.

 

[johnbirt]

I and others can attest to the fact that certainly with Mavic Air wearing a watch with magnetic charging facility will guarantee compass interference. M2Pro is not as picky and neither is a Parrot Anafi.

 

[Jet skier]

I and others can attest to the fact that certainly with Mavic Air wearing a watch with magnetic charging facility will guarantee compass interference. M2Pro is not as picky and neither is a Parrot Anafi.

I have a Mavic two pro and I get that warning quite frequently as I think it is very sensitive to anything metal, fence nearby,electrical wireS , concrete ,magnet on the back of my phone which I don’t use with controller it’s in my pocket. Just yesterday I had it about a half a mile away and a little caption came up that said controller interference have no idea what that was, I was standing in a field and there was a junction box sticking above the ground about 15 feet away ,could that have been it?

 

[sar104]

Hey Sar,

I’m surprised that you are saying this. There has been numerous cases of nearby metal causing this message. I personally have several spots on my driveway where it very consistently gives the message and I move it 6 feet and it goes away without calibrating. What’s up?

edit: Unless your saying this because it happened out in the middle of a field.

I'm not saying that real magnetic field distortion from nearby objects or structures, such as rebar, cannot cause this message. However - noting that the OP says that it happens on every power up - it's far more likely to be the firmware recalibration request rather than real interference. And it's easy to check which it is, as I mentioned.

 

[Camino Ken]

I'm not saying that real magnetic field distortion from nearby objects or structures, such as rebar, cannot cause this message. However - noting that the OP says that it happens on every power up - it's far more likely to be the firmware recalibration request rather than real interference. And it's easy to check which it is, as I mentioned.

You might be right, again, if the OP is moving the required 30+ miles between flights.

 

[sar104]

You might be right, again, if the OP is moving the required 30+ miles between flights.

Or hasn't calibrated for more than 30 days, since it sounds like he is not actually doing the requested calibration.

 

[ToddCarey]

I read a lot about people seeming to complain about recalibration. With the way these system rely on all sensors working correctly, just do it. It does not take that long.

I have to recalibrate almost every time I fly my M2Z, but that is because most of my flights are work related and miles apart. No big deal.

 

[crlmjohnson]

Hi all

of late every time I power on the controller and the Mavic 2 pro I get a message “ magnetic interference check app” on the controller

this message goes away when I launch the DJI App but having had one M2 drop out of the sky and into the river( thankfully replaced under warranty) I am a bit spooked

has anyone else has this happen to them? What’s the cause and the cure?

note that changing location doesn’t seem to work ; my iPhone used for flying is in aeroplane mode; my regular
IPhone is switched off or in airplane mode

thanks in advance for any advice

Narayan

I get it, sometimes,.my solution...move the drone or calibrate...

 

[dave canada]

I get it over lava flows here in NM, Ive Lost two drones on Mt taylor , with a magnetic interference at 8500 ft the drones altitude sensors lose 95 feet or so ,and in rough mountain,s with lots of major elevation changes, and lost signal you have to pay attention to all the details i,ve got video of my drone running into the ground over and over trying to return home with a 168 ft return home altitude. my brother took his garmin up helping me search and it was useless up there

 

[GCMM2P]

I habitually get compass error/recalibration request with my M2P. It almost always fails to recalibrate. Looking at the map on the controller, it always seems to be oriented properly. I fly anyway and haven’t had a problem, but it makes me very.... tense! I’m thinking it might be my Apple Watch. It has a magnetic clasp... I’ve have to try it without my watch next time!

 

[sar104]

I get it over lava flows here in NM, Ive Lost two drones on Mt taylor , with a magnetic interference at 8500 ft the drones altitude sensors lose 95 feet or so ,and in rough mountain,s with lots of major elevation changes, and lost signal you have to pay attention to all the details i,ve got video of my drone running into the ground over and over trying to return home with a 168 ft return home altitude. my brother took his garmin up helping me search and it was useless up there

So you have magnetic interference affecting the aircraft barometer and accelerometers, and messing with a GPS unit? That doesn't really make sense - none of those sensors are affected by magnetic fields.

 

[crlmjohnson]

I habitually get compass error/recalibration request with my M2P. It almost always fails to recalibrate. Looking at the map on the controller, it always seems to be oriented properly. I fly anyway and haven’t had a problem, but it makes me very.... tense! I’m thinking it might be my Apple Watch. It has a magnetic clasp... I’ve have to try it without my watch next time!

it should recalibrate, if it does not you should check more into why it did not....I have never been not able to complete my recalibration on any of my drones