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

[DanMan32]

If RC and iPad were to affect each other, the iPad's compass would be affected by the RC's magnets, and not the RC affected by the iPad's magnets. The RC doesn't have a compass, and the hall sensors are for the sticks. If the hall was affected, you'd have problems with your stick control.

 

[atxmavic]

I may have fixed it - or at least figured a way to fix it at the start of each session. In my case and with the MP fully 'assembled' (iPad mounted as described above and all powered components 'hot') - holding the RC and iPad securely in-hand, simply make a wide figure-8 with the RC/iPad while 'rolling' the RC/Ipad forward/backward - probably easier to show than describe... I'll try to make a short video... In other words, how some others have described to calibrate their (phone's/iPad's) compasses but which is not a ready/visible option in iOS 12.x.... In my case, fully connected/assembled, it worked...

 

[DanMan32]

I always have to do that figure 8 whenever I use an app dependent on the compass.

 

[atxmavic]

Was unsuccessful last night in the same field as the original post although my flying partner's worked fine. That said, swapping the iPad to her controller/MA had the same result so it is definitely iPad compass calibration. Any more thoughts on how to do that for an iPad running iOS 12.1?

 

[sar104]

Was unsuccessful last night in the same field as the original post although my flying partner's worked fine. That said, swapping the iPad to her controller/MA had the same result so it is definitely iPad compass calibration. Any more thoughts on how to do that for an iPad running iOS 12.1?

I don't think it's a compass calibration issue. When this happens the iOS compass appears to work just fine until it is plugged into the controller, then it goes wrong.

 

[atxmavic]

Latest and greatest "thing that worked in the lab" ... download/install/open "Compass Commander" (a compass app ...)... in the upper-left is an animated 'figure 8' implying "calibrate me". Spin it around, figure 8 it... basically twirl that compass dial until it does not know which way is up... when you stop, if it has successfully calibrated itself, "N" should point North (I keep a 'needle' compass in my bag to be sure)... and, imagine, that, the craft (arrow) direction is correct... I'll try it at the field tonight.

 

[atxmavic]

Sure enough - compass was off at field. Doing above helped but compass never got better than +90 degrees of correct - as a result, the radar dial was still off. Interestingly, when I physically disconnected the two (iPad and RC) then reconnected, everything centered up just fine. We'll see if that's the holy grail of solutions...

 

[atxmavic]

PROBLEM SOLVED

I've now tested this multiple times with 100% results.

Always keep a 'needle' compass in your flight bag...

If your display device (e.g. iPad) exhibits the problem above, disconnect it from the RC and (literally) spin it in your hand like a pizza - if you are using the Compass Commander above, the results are readily visible - let it settle, then repeat if necessary. Reconnect your (iPad) to the RC once corrected. This has resolved my problem all but once in the past half-dozen flights - the other was a combination of (AC) compass calibration + (iPad) calibration.

Signed - a much, much happier flier.