Radar dial/compass off by 180 degrees / 2 MPs-iPads

[atxmavic]

<also in the General Discussion forum...>

I have been fighting with this on/off since the spring ... (and yes, I've recalibrated the compass countless times...)

Note 180-degrees-off radar dial craft direction arrows - pics are from 2 different MPs, using 2 different iPads (see below) sitting next to each other on an all-wood (RC plane) prep table... everything 'facing forward' - magnetic north is approximately 90 degrees to the viewer's/craft's left ... Arrow direction is fine up through "Vision Mode" but flips 180 once it says "GPS Mode"... Goggles show 90 degrees right of view (differs from iPad by -90 degrees...)...

Equipment: 2 MPs both purchased Q1/2018 (OE not refurb); iPad Air 2 ('supported' by DJI) and IPad (2018). Goggles purchased Q1/2018.
Location/s: multiple: parks, home, RC airports (examples attached), "10 miles from nowhere" with no electrical lines, etc. ..
Repeatability: varies between MPs/IPads/location - no 'one' location (or MP/iPad) is problem-free all the time hence returning the systems to DJI is impractical (if you can't repeat it, you can't fix it)
* Flying partner's MA: using above iPads, no problems... (same locations)
* Test all 3 one day at home - all worked fine - same settings, different day, only the MA worked correctly all the time; MPs were hit/miss

This is an extremely exasperating problem - I take two full systems out to fly and have to mix-and-match MPs and iPads until I get lucky and one combination works - if it does at all... all too often I go home with only flight-line/test video. But when it works, it's awesome.

I am open to ideas...

 

[Meta4]

I have been fighting with this on/off since the spring ... (and yes, I've recalibrated the compass countless times...)

Which compass have you been calibrating?
The one in your Mavic is not the problem.
Google search to find out how to calibrate the compass in your iPad.

ps .. Even when it's out 180 degrees like that, you stil have some functionality.
You can see when it's facing home in the centre and which way to turn to face home.

 

[Aww@Mavic]

I always thought that any discrepancies with gps should be taken as a serious flaw in data and to certainly stay grounded until resolved

 

[atxmavic]

Which compass have you been calibrating?
The one in your Mavic is not the problem.
Google search to find out how to calibrate the compass in your iPad.

ps .. Even when it's out 180 degrees like that, you stil have some functionality.
You can see when it's facing home in the centre and which way to turn to face home.

Both iPads are running iOS 12.1 and "compass calibration" tips seem to be seriously lacking after v10.x... but I might have found a way by accident: Settings/ Privacy/ Location Services / System Services (all the way at the bottom..)/ Compass Calibration (on/off - but at least it's something...). I'll try tonight and post. As an aside - I have literally taken the same iPads, connected them to a MA (at the same work-table as the 'failing' MPs) and both work fine.

 

[atxmavic]

I always thought that any discrepancies with gps should be taken as a serious flaw in data and to certainly stay grounded until resolved

It's just the radar dial/directional - actual GPS (e.g. RTH), mapping, find-my-drone, etc. work flawlessly.

 

[Meta4]

I always thought that any discrepancies with gps should be taken as a serious flaw in data and to certainly stay grounded until resolved

1. It's a compass issue, not GPS
2. It's the compass in his iPad, not the one in his Mavic so it has no effect on flight navigation.
It's simply that the compass in the iPad isn't correctly showing which direction he is facing with the iPad.

 

[GavieboyDji]

1. It's a compass issue, not GPS
2. It's the compass in his iPad, not the one in his Mavic so it has no effect on flight navigation.
It's simply that the compass in the iPad isn't correctly showing which direction he is facing with the iPad.

My Samsung s8 has these problems with the compass it's really annoying with Samsung to calibrate their compass i have to use Google Maps and do figure 8.
on the radar my Mavic always flies away from that white triangle even when I'm pointing the r.c at the Drone. it's like the original poster says its hit and miss, sometimes it works and then doesn't.

 

[RayOZ]

How far is your iPad from your drone? You realize there are magnets along the sides on the iPad, don't you?

 

[DanMan32]

I always have to do the phone flick with most phones/tablets when using any app that needs the compass. Google Map seems immune probably because it uses GPS delta to calculate heading. That and we're used to viewing Maps north up.

 

[atxmavic]

Both iPads are running iOS 12.1 and "compass calibration" tips seem to be seriously lacking after v10.x... but I might have found a way by accident: Settings/ Privacy/ Location Services / System Services (all the way at the bottom..)/ Compass Calibration (on/off - but at least it's something...). I'll try tonight and post. As an aside - I have literally taken the same iPads, connected them to a MA (at the same work-table as the 'failing' MPs) and both work fine.

Tried the above last night - the iPad "Air" was 'updated' pre-flight and worked flawlessly; the (2018) iPad initially was 180 off as above but then was 'updated' twice in the field - the first time it was still off by 90 degrees with a second attempt self-correcting to 0 degrees when it went to "GPS" mode. (The goggles' directional arrow mirrored this progress.) This is very encouraging. I'll re-try tonight ...

 

[sar104]

Tried the above last night - the iPad "Air" was 'updated' pre-flight and worked flawlessly; the (2018) iPad initially was 180 off as above but then was 'updated' twice in the field - the first time it was still off by 90 degrees with a second attempt self-correcting to 0 degrees when it went to "GPS" mode. (The goggles' directional arrow mirrored this progress.) This is very encouraging. I'll re-try tonight ...

The compass data for the iPhone 7 I normally use goes completely awry when connected up to the controller, even though it is fine beforehand. As soon as the controller is powered up the iPhone compass changes, often by 180° but not always. As a result, the radar display is fine for navigating home - in terms of simply turning the aircraft to point to the center (the home point) but useless for figuring out directions relative to the direction the controller is facing.

I've abandoned trying to fix that for now.

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I had the same problem, and it was bugging me for some time. I use the attitude, compass indicator a lot! So I found a solution that works for me. I'm flying an MPP with an iPad Mini 4 without cellular access, WiFi only.

One observation is that when the GPS kicks in, the compass indicator will flip. So to get around that symptom, here is what I do...

1) Load GO 4 App. DO NOT go to "Enter Device"
2) Start the RC. Wait for it to FULLY connect (to the iPad, iPhone...) and check the firmware. DO NOT go to "Enter Device"
3) Turn on the Drone.
4) When the app says "Go Fly", DON'T DO IT.
5) Watch the blinking light on the back of the Drone. When it connects to the GPS, it will blink rapidly. You have to be patient and wait for it.
6) Now press "Go Fly".

About 95% of the time, this works for me, but I don't know why.

 

[sar104]

I had the same problem, and it was bugging me for some time. I use the attitude, compass indicator a lot! So I found a solution that works for me. I'm flying an MPP with an iPad Mini 4 without cellular access, WiFi only.

One observation is that when the GPS kicks in, the compass indicator will flip. So to get around that symptom, here is what I do...

1) Load GO 4 App. DO NOT go to "Enter Device"
2) Start the RC. Wait for it to FULLY connect (to the iPad, iPhone...) and check the firmware. DO NOT go to "Enter Device"
3) Turn on the Drone.
4) When the app says "Go Fly", DON'T DO IT.
5) Watch the blinking light on the back of the Drone. When it connects to the GPS, it will blink rapidly. You have to be patient and wait for it.
6) Now press "Go Fly".

About 95% of the time, this works for me, but I don't know why.

I'll try that.

 

[silverdragon]

I have the same issue, when i flip the device upside down, it correct the problem. Well, on mine anyways....yours, don't know... give it a shot

 

[atxmavic]

I have the same issue, when i flip the device upside down, it correct the problem. Well, on mine anyways....yours, don't know... give it a shot

Interesting thought... I'll try it if/when it recurs. Too windy today/tonight to validate my earlier findings but I'll post my results of my earlier theory and yours... we've all seen crazier things work... ATXMavic

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I have the same issue, when i flip the device upside down, it correct the problem. Well, on mine anyways....yours, don't know... give it a shot

Brilliant!
Never thought of that! Being right handed, I was more focused on there the home button was, etc. I'll try it.

 

[silverdragon]

Actually it was an accident when i found that flipping the device straightened out the 180 issues. Then it happened again. I then said to myself what did i do to correct it. I remembered when i place the rc and device on my back seat of my car i flipped it so it wouldnt move around on my seat. When the 180 thing happened again i flipped the device around and the 180 issues was back to normal. So, that my fix for now..

 

[skystud1]

I fixed mine by using a phone holder that is further away from the controller. It’s almost as if the controller produces magnetic interference.

 

[BossBob]

Have a look here Hall effect sensor - Wikipedia
You’ll see that hall sensors are based on magnetic fields and for that reason it is often recommended that the iPad mini4 is put in the rc holders with the home button on the right. In that orientation the top edge next to the rc only has a couple of magnets. The other long edge has eight magnets and these might distort the hall sensors magnetic field.

 

[atxmavic]

How far is your iPad from your drone? You realize there are magnets along the sides on the iPad, don't you?

Yes... and using a iPad mount (https://www.amazon.com/Skyreat-Fold...8-1-spons&keywords=mavic+pro+ipad+mount&psc=1) which puts it a few inches above the RC... however, the same problem exists when off-mount even with a longer cord between RC and iPad... -ATXMavic