Newbie Compass Calibration Questions

[samasyeo]

Hello guys, I need some advice regarding compass calibration. Be honest to you all, I'm handicapped due to 4 strokes in my past. So I only use 1 hand to operate the drone. I really wish to try on these drones.
Recently I bought a Mavic Air. On my 1st flight, I already encountered calibration problems. It too me about 15mins to calibrate my Air. After I flew my Air straight up to the top probably 100m. And as I forward abit maybe 20m. the signal lost. then it prompted to to return home. After it comes back, it prompt me to re-calibrate again. I re-calibrated it and try again. it just flew up less then 10m. still prompted me re-calibrate again & again. End up I give up. don't intend to fly on the day anymore.
On the 2nd day, I hope i can have a good flight again, So I went to try it out. And then I can't even link my drone with my remote.
Been doing this linking more then 20mins. After I linked, it prompt me calibration again. I tried calibrate about 15mins & I can't passed this process. I even switch my location & tried another 15-20mins. All failed. I've to give up and go home.
I don't know it was the drone faulty or it was my problem because I calibrate it by using 1 hand.
But because I just bought it, I can send back to the seller & get my refund or choose other drones which is more easier for me.
I felt the compass calibration is annoying.
Can you all give me some advice? Is there a drone no need to keep doing calibration all the time? My Air, replace battery also need to re-calibrate again & again.
Which drone is more suitable for me?
Now I'm looking at Parrot Anafi & Mavic pro.

 

[Robert Mitchell]

Hello guys, I need some advice regarding compass calibration. Be honest to you all, I'm handicapped due to 4 strokes in my past. So I only use 1 hand to operate the drone. I really wish to try on these drones.
Recently I bought a Mavic Air. On my 1st flight, I already encountered calibration problems. It too me about 15mins to calibrate my Air. After I flew my Air straight up to the top probably 100m. And as I forward abit maybe 20m. the signal lost. then it prompted to to return home. After it comes back, it prompt me to re-calibrate again. I re-calibrated it and try again. it just flew up less then 10m. still prompted me re-calibrate again & again. End up I give up. don't intend to fly on the day anymore.
On the 2nd day, I hope i can have a good flight again, So I went to try it out. And then I can't even link my drone with my remote.
Been doing this linking more then 20mins. After I linked, it prompt me calibration again. I tried calibrate about 15mins & I can't passed this process. I even switch my location & tried another 15-20mins. All failed. I've to give up and go home.
I don't know it was the drone faulty or it was my problem because I calibrate it by using 1 hand.
But because I just bought it, I can send back to the seller & get my refund or choose other drones which is more easier for me.
I felt the compass calibration is annoying.
Can you all give me some advice? Is there a drone no need to keep doing calibration all the time? My Air, replace battery also need to re-calibrate again & again.
Which drone is more suitable for me?
Now I'm looking at Parrot Anafi & Mavic pro.

Are you in a wheelchair with metal? Are you able to stand and isolate yourself and do the rotations correctly?
Good news is, with the Mavic Pro, once you get it right, you never (or rarely) need to worry about it again. Not sure about the others.
Make sure your calibration isn’t near metal, or concrete with metal in it, and you should be good to go indefinitely. Take it, or get someone to help you with a proper Isolated calibration.

 

[samasyeo]

Are you in a wheelchair with metal? Are you able to stand and isolate yourself and do the rotations correctly?
Good news is, with the Mavic Pro, once you get it right, you never (or rarely) need to worry about it again. Not sure about the others.
Make sure your calibration isn’t near metal, or concrete with metal in it, and you should be good to go indefinitely. Take it, or get someone to help you with a proper Isolated calibration.


Bro, thanks for your advice. No, I'm not sitting on wheelchair but I'm sitting on a motorized scooter. I can stand, but just awhile. If i go fly, usually I go alone. Nobody can help me to calibrate. When I'm doing the calibration I already get up from my scooter. But keeps failing.
That's why I'm looking for a drone where doesn't need compass calibration.

 

[Canuk]

Try a mavic pro . I bought a second one that came from the USA and traveled to northern Alberta here in Canada and it didn’t ask for anything. It has been used on about 20 flights and also tried the RTH button and all works great

 

[samasyeo]

Try a mavic pro . I bought a second one that came from the USA and traveled to northern Alberta here in Canada and it didn’t ask for anything. It has been used on about 20 flights and also tried the RTH button and all works great

Thanks bro.

 

[BossBob]

Are you in a wheelchair with metal? Are you able to stand and isolate yourself and do the rotations correctly?
Good news is, with the Mavic Pro, once you get it right, you never (or rarely) need to worry about it again. Not sure about the others.
Make sure your calibration isn’t near metal, or concrete with metal in it, and you should be good to go indefinitely. Take it, or get someone to help you with a proper Isolated calibration.


Bro, thanks for your advice. No, I'm not sitting on wheelchair but I'm sitting on a motorized scooter. I can stand, but just awhile. If i go fly, usually I go alone. Nobody can help me to calibrate. When I'm doing the calibration I already get up from my scooter. But keeps failing.
That's why I'm looking for a drone where doesn't need compass calibration.

Your mobility scooter is full of metal and motors containing magnets and will have an effect on any compass let alone the primary and secondary compasses in a Mavic Pro.
First, are you sure that your drone needs calibrating? The message on aircraft status page of the app is misleading and indicates the button to go through the calibration routine. You can check the status of the drone sensors via Main Controller Settings, Advanced Settings, Sensors. Swap from IMU to Compass and the status of the compasses is shown there. Put the drone down on a completely none metallic surface, even nails or screws in a wooden table have an effect, turn the drone on and then move the scooter a good distance, 4 or 5 metres away. Now check on the compass status. Hope that helps.

 

[samasyeo]

Your mobility scooter is full of metal and motors containing magnets and will have an effect on any compass let alone the primary and secondary compasses in a Mavic Pro.
First, are you sure that your drone needs calibrating? The message on aircraft status page of the app is misleading and indicates the button to go through the calibration routine. You can check the status of the drone sensors via Main Controller Settings, Advanced Settings, Sensors. Swap from IMU to Compass and the status of the compasses is shown there. Put the drone down on a completely none metallic surface, even nails or screws in a wooden table have an effect, turn the drone on and then move the scooter a good distance, 4 or 5 metres away. Now check on the compass status. Hope that helps.

 

[samasyeo]

Your mobility scooter is full of metal and motors containing magnets and will have an effect on any compass let alone the primary and secondary compasses in a Mavic Pro.
First, are you sure that your drone needs calibrating? The message on aircraft status page of the app is misleading and indicates the button to go through the calibration routine. You can check the status of the drone sensors via Main Controller Settings, Advanced Settings, Sensors. Swap from IMU to Compass and the status of the compasses is shown there. Put the drone down on a completely none metallic surface, even nails or screws in a wooden table have an effect, turn the drone on and then move the scooter a good distance, 4 or 5 metres away. Now check on the compass status. Hope that helps.

Bro, this is my scooter. It have plastic & metal. And I’m very sure my Mavic Air needs calibration because it cannot take off as my calibration keeps failing.

 

[Safet4u]

Whew! I was worried! I was afraid that if I traveled that far, "takeoff" would have it corkscrew into the ground, since "up" would be "down" halfway around the world!
For folks that think I'm being an AH, that was a joke. I am STILL a newbie, after a year of flying only occasionally, and doubt I'll EVER be an "expert". The best I can hope for is competency and a lot of fun. I have -and still do- rely on information in this forum, and appreciate the help I've received and the tips I've read. We were all newbies once; something to remember. Happy Holidays and Thanks to All!

 

[mikeGR]

This question keeps coming up again and again. Mavic compass does not need to be calibrated unless you get prompted. I have flown in Europe and just came back from Indonesia, never calibrated once.

Asking this question in a forum like this you will get all sorts of replies, you see that there's mainly two categories: people who calibrate before every flight and others who never do so.

Why risk messing up the factory calibration when the MP is flying fine? Just go out there and enjoy, calibrate only if genuinely prompted. My two cents.

Just an update from me, having flown the Mavic Pro for over a year and a half now while travelling around the globe (from Europe to the Middle East to Indonesia).

I had never calibrated the compass, not even once, as it was never really required. Until last month, when I visited Australia and New Zealand. There, I was prompted to calibrate as both compasses were way off, no matter where I tried to fly. Initially, I thought I am near some metal object etc but that wasn't the case. After calibrating, the compasses were back to normal. Now, having returned back to the Middle East, I attempted to fly again only to get another prompt to calibrate, as my compasses were off again. So here goes my conclusion:

If you travel around the world, no matter how far from home, you don't need to calibrate unless you switch hemisphere. Then it is necessary, as apparently, the magnetic field differs significantly between north and south hemisphere.

Anyone having the same experience?

 

[old man mavic]

True ... but am again interested to see how many others have not calibrated their Mavic's even on first receiving them where they were calibrated in China ... and have flown them like that ever since without calibrating ... with absolutely no issues.

I have mine is fine no issues different to my p3s which I always calibrate at different locations

 

[Robert Mitchell]

Just an update from me, having flown the Mavic Pro for over a year and a half now while travelling around the globe (from Europe to the Middle East to Indonesia).

I had never calibrated the compass, not even once, as it was never really required. Until last month, when I visited Australia and New Zealand. There, I was prompted to calibrate as both compasses were way off, no matter where I tried to fly. Initially, I thought I am near some metal object etc but that wasn't the case. After calibrating, the compasses were back to normal. Now, having returned back to the Middle East, I attempted to fly again only to get another prompt to calibrate, as my compasses were off again. So here goes my conclusion:

If you travel around the world, no matter how far from home, you don't need to calibrate unless you switch hemisphere. Then it is necessary, as apparently, the magnetic field differs significantly between north and south hemisphere.

Anyone having the same experience?

This sounds fairly reasonable. I never calibrate unless prompted, and then, once eliminating other causes with a reposition and a restart, I'll gladly do it.

 

[samasyeo]

Just an update from me, having flown the Mavic Pro for over a year and a half now while travelling around the globe (from Europe to the Middle East to Indonesia).

I had never calibrated the compass, not even once, as it was never really required. Until last month, when I visited Australia and New Zealand. There, I was prompted to calibrate as both compasses were way off, no matter where I tried to fly. Initially, I thought I am near some metal object etc but that wasn't the case. After calibrating, the compasses were back to normal. Now, having returned back to the Middle East, I attempted to fly again only to get another prompt to calibrate, as my compasses were off again. So here goes my conclusion:

If you travel around the world, no matter how far from home, you don't need to calibrate unless you switch hemisphere. Then it is necessary, as apparently, the magnetic field differs significantly between north and south hemisphere.

Anyone having the same experience?

Hello, bro is yours Mavic pro?

 

[mikeGR]

Hello, bro is yours Mavic pro?

Yes it is.

 

[samasyeo]

Yes it is.

I hope Mavic Air is build on this way. I saw many complains of Mavic Air needs calibration on every flight.
That's really annoying & SUCKS!.
I've even contacted DJI support regarding this matter. Asking them whether can they update Mavic Air firmware to make it just like Mavic pro. Unfortunately they said NO.
This makes me deeply disappointed for choosing Mavic Air.