Night flight compass calibration

[Cr1hotrod]

My Mini 2 compass won't calibrate after dark. Is this normal? I see videos of people flying at night....but mine fails every time. It's only a few weeks old but had never been able to calibrate at night. Works fine in the daylight, but needs compass calibration every time I turn it on after dark. I understand the process, but I can spin like I'm at Six Flags all night with no luck. Everything is updated etc... Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Meta4]

My Mini 2 compass won't calibrate after dark. Is this normal? I see videos of people flying at night....but mine fails every time. It's only a few weeks old but had never been able to calibrate at night. Works fine in the daylight, but needs compass calibration every time I turn it on after dark. I understand the process, but I can spin like I'm at Six Flags all night with no luck. Everything is updated etc... Any help would be appreciated.

There's nothing different about day or night as far as the compass is concerned.
Is there something different about your drone at night?
Do you fit accessory lights for night flights?
If so, that's your problem ... they are too close to the compass and upsetting it.

 

[umanbean]

but needs compass calibration every time I turn it on after dark.

Something else is going on - daylight or dark has nothing to do with the compass.

I suggest calibrating your compass one good time, then leave it alone forevermore.

I bought a second-hand Phantom 3 Pro in 2017, never calibrated the compass, never had a problem.

This past April I bought a second-hand MP Platinum, from a forum member in Tennessee - I'm in mid-GA. The compass was 'on-point' when it got here and I checked out the drone. I've never calibrated the compass and never had a problem.

I just don't understand some people's obsession with calibrating the compass so often.

 

[Starz]

I just don't understand some people's obsession with calibrating the compass so often.

I suggest calibrating your compass one good time, then leave it alone forevermore.

What I finally determined was that the folks that have the calibration addiction, look at it as a placebo effect. No discernible difference, but they feel better after spinning around.

”One good time”. Still trying to understand why it’s not included in the manual.

 

[sar104]

My Mini 2 compass won't calibrate after dark. Is this normal? I see videos of people flying at night....but mine fails every time. It's only a few weeks old but had never been able to calibrate at night. Works fine in the daylight, but needs compass calibration every time I turn it on after dark. I understand the process, but I can spin like I'm at Six Flags all night with no luck. Everything is updated etc... Any help would be appreciated.

As mentioned above there is no difference in the magnetic environment at night, so if it does calibrate successfully during the day but not at night (is that what you are saying?) then that suggests a potential problem with the IMU. Rotation was originally determined primarily by the rate gyros, but more recent aircraft, including the Mini 2, use optical detection as well. And while optical rotation measurements should not be essential, they may be if there is a problem with the rate gyros, which may lead to issues when there is insufficient ambient light.

 

[Cr1hotrod]

There's nothing different about day or night as far as the compass is concerned.
Is there something different about your drone at night?
Do you fit accessory lights for night flights?
If so, that's your problem ... they are too close to the compass and upsetting it.

With or without lights, doesn't matter. Lights are small and on the feet under the front rotors. Even with completely stock everything. Calibrates fine in daylight.... fails in the same location at night.... every time.

 

[umanbean]

Rotation was originally determined primarily by the rate gyros, but more recent aircraft, including the Mini 2, use optical detection as well.

Thank you, that's good to know.

Calibrates fine in daylight.... fails in the same location at night.... every time.

So calibrate it once in the daylight and leave alone!

 

[Cr1hotrod]

Thank you, that's good to know.

So calibrate it once in the daylight and leave alone!

Requires calibration at night... will not let me fly. I can literally calibrate it in the day, set it down where I calibrated it, wait for night, and it requires a calibration. Rarely asks for a calibration during the day even if I move it to another town.

 

[Cr1hotrod]

As mentioned above there is no difference in the magnetic environment at night, so if it does calibrate successfully during the day but not at night (is that what you are saying?) then that suggests a potential problem with the IMU. Rotation was originally determined primarily by the rate gyros, but more recent aircraft, including the Mini 2, use optical detection as well. And while optical rotation measurements should not be essential, they may be if there is a problem with the rate gyros, which may lead to issues when there is insufficient ambient light.

That makes sense to me. I was just making sure there wasn't a night restriction or something on the mini 2.... first drone. Sounds like i may have an issue with the unit.

 

[Cr1hotrod]

Something else is going on - daylight or dark has nothing to do with the compass.

I suggest calibrating your compass one good time, then leave it alone forevermore.

I bought a second-hand Phantom 3 Pro in 2017, never calibrated the compass, never had a problem.

This past April I bought a second-hand MP Platinum, from a forum member in Tennessee - I'm in mid-GA. The compass was 'on-point' when it got here and I checked out the drone. I've never calibrated the compass and never had a problem.

I just don't understand some people's obsession with calibrating the compass so often.

It forces it at night.

 

[sar104]

Requires calibration at night... will not let me fly. I can literally calibrate it in the day, set it down where I calibrated it, wait for night, and it requires a calibration. Rarely asks for a calibration during the day even if I move it to another town.

I've never encountered a forced calibration on any DJI aircraft. You will see the "calibration required" message, but if you ignore that and start the motors it will go away.

 

[Cr1hotrod]

Motors won't start, even with the manual override.

 

[sar104]

Motors won't start, even with the manual override.

Then something else is going on. I'd send it in for repair.

 

[EyesWideShut]

Sounds like it does need repair but just wondering if there's something haywire between the bottom positioning sensor and calibration.

QUESTION: For your night flights are you attempting to take off in the dark or is the area very well lit? Maybe test by adding additional lighting.

As your Mini2 has no proximity sensors (other than landing proximity) you can do an easy daytime test indoors or out by putting a box over it to block the light (simulating night) and attempt to just manually power on the motors. You will get a warning about insufficient lighting because the bottom positioning sensor needs good light but the motors would normally start. That would help narrow down if insuficiente lighting is somehow the culprit.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Thinking about the same thing that EyeswideShut highlights.
Are you seeing a warning message, in red, which reads "Unable to take off (n...."
(that is all I can see of the message.)
If so touch the message, what do you see?
If there is some blurb with "Unlock" touch the "Unlock", what do you see?
If
"warning
blah blah blah .............................................................blah blah blah
Cancel Agree "

touch "Agree".
Is that the problem solved?

If so it's probably complaining about it being too dark for the vision sensors to work. Providing you have GPS you should be good to fly.
I get that message virtually all the time for indoor flights but once it is airborne there is sufficient light for the VPS system.
At night outside it is likely there will be insufficient light even when airborne.

If the above is correct and works MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GPS LOCK BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF, otherwise you will be in ATTI mode and almost certain to crash

 

[Meta4]

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GPS LOCK BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF, otherwise you will be in ATTI mode and almost certain to crash

It's always good practice to have GPS and a homepoint recorded before launching, but to say that to launch in atti mode means you are certain to crash is an exaggeration.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

It's always good practice to have GPS and a homepoint recorded before launching, but to say that to launch in atti mode means you are certain to crash is an exaggeration.

"almost certain"

 

[Meta4]

"almost certain"

as is that
It's no problem to fly in atti mode.
Just don't do it close to obstacles.

 

[Yaros]

My Mini 2 compass won't calibrate after dark. Is this normal? I see videos of people flying at night....but mine fails every time. It's only a few weeks old but had never been able to calibrate at night. Works fine in the daylight, but needs compass calibration every time I turn it on after dark. I understand the process, but I can spin like I'm at Six Flags all night with no luck. Everything is updated etc... Any help would be appreciated.

Interesting. I observed similar behavior with my Air 2 but only if I try to takeoff from the top floor of my apartment building where there are antennas, probably at night all of the people turn on their TVs and create interference that the drone thinks mistakenly as compass issue. Try to take off in another location, also click on the top red message and a panel will appear, if there is a button called Unlock then click that!

 

[Meta4]

Interesting. I observed similar behavior with my Air 2 but only if I try to takeoff from the top floor of my apartment building where there are antennas, probably at night all of the people turn on their TVs and create interference that the drone thinks mistakenly as compass issue. Try to take off in another location, also click on the top red message and a panel will appear, if there is a button called Unlock then click that!

Antennas aren't affecting your compass.
But what's under the drone might be.
What kind of surface did you place the drone on?