Mavic Air "drifts"

[spamgnome]

On a few flights recently, I've noticed that in a hover, the Air sometimes drifts in a random direction. I can stop it, but shouldn't it hold position? While not completely still, there has not a been a ton of wind. Maybe I need to re-calibrate something?

 

[sar104]

Calibrate the IMU and compass. Most likely it's the IMU. But when you have calibrated the compass, check to see if it is correctly reporting yaw. I recently recalibrated the compass on my M2P because it was off by around 15° and noticeably crabbing in flight as a result. The first two calibrations didn't fix the offset, so I tried rotating the aircraft CW rather than CCW during the calibration process - that fixed it.

 

[Mavic Mac]

When I filmed a small creek the other day my MA did the same thing. I also know I was flying in a location that had limited satellite connections. I figured the random drifting was caused by that and the flowing water.

 

[spamgnome]

I calibrated the IMU as suggested...gotta go fly to see if that did anything.

 

[RoosArt]

I had the same problem with my MA calibrating the controller solved it for me.

 

[Martysticks]

Here's another suggestion; are you inadvertently resting your thumb on the right joystick making it move laterally? I only ask is that what was happening to me and I never knew I was even doing it

 

[spamgnome]

I had the same problem with my MA calibrating the controller solved it for me.

Is calibrating the controller different than calibrating the IMU???

 

[sar104]

Is calibrating the controller different than calibrating the IMU???

Calibrating the controller calibrates the sticks, to ensure that when they are centered there is no output.

 

[RoosArt]

What happened in my case was that the controller kept making a beeping noise when starting up also I noticed the drone drifting when hovering. I calibrated the IMU but that didn't solve the problem. After calibrating the controller everything worked fine. Utube shows how this is done.

 

[spamgnome]

Here's another suggestion; are you inadvertently resting your thumb on the right joystick making it move laterally? I only ask is that what was happening to me and I never knew I was even doing it

Ha! Yeah, I had the same idea...but that wasnt it.

 

[spamgnome]

What happened in my case was that the controller kept making a beeping noise when starting up also I noticed the drone drifting when hovering. I calibrated the IMU but that didn't solve the problem. After calibrating the controller everything worked fine. Utube shows how this is done.

Thanks...I too noticed the beeping. VERY loud, right? After restarting the controller, the noise would go away...guess I'm surprised that the app didn't report anything awry

 

[RoosArt]

Indeed the noise did go away after taking it up in the air. It reacted a little peculiar though and after calibrating the controller everything worked fine.
The fact that no report or message on the display was given drove me nuts for a while.

 

[hiflyer201]

My Mavic Air controller requires calibrating fairly often for some reason. I've had the gimbal wheel control bank from time to time also. Calibrating has always corrected the problem. Usually you get a red light and a constant beep as stated by Roosart, but it has acted up in flight as well and then generally required calibrating before the next flight. I've also experienced drift at altitude that Airdata indicated had been caused by high winds (30 kts) at a 90degree direction.

 

[Keith Tweedie]

On a few flights recently, I've noticed that in a hover, the Air sometimes drifts in a random direction. I can stop it, but shouldn't it hold position? While not completely still, there has not a been a ton of wind. Maybe I need to re-calibrate something?

Calibrate the IMU then calibrate the drone, A remote possibility is the drone may need demagnetizing , search cFixer on YouTube. Good luck and fly safe

 

[lee82gx]

I recently did a hover a night and it was drifting a lot from lack of downward vision (flow sensor) assistance. Have you ruled in or out this factor?

 

[atomic77]

It could be the controller's fault. If the calibration does not help, and there are incorrect values in the calibration menu, it may be the fault of the potentiometers. This is common. You can replace it yourself, or you can pull out and clean it with isopropanol. I was fine, but sometimes the drone started drifting. I watched the values in the calibration menu and noticed that sometimes at 0% it shows 20% (or it beeps after turning on). After cleaning it is perfect. There is a movie how to do it, or the whole part itself costs about 20 euro.

 

[hiflyer201]

I have written earlier about problems that I have had with calibration, drifting, and gimbal wheel controlling right stick horizontal movement at times on my Mavic Air. I finally sent the drone and controller to DJI and they've replaced several components in the controller including the gimbal controller. It had always given me cause for doubt. It finally became impossible to calibrate to 100% in all directions, but it would act like all was well and start up and fly only to require calibration before the next flight. I'm anxious to fly it again.