What Triggers a Compass Calibration Prompt?

[Deleted member 93449]

I'm trying to understand what triggers a compass calibration request for a Mavic Pro versus a Parrot Anafi. Every time I fly my Mavic Pro I get a compass calibration prompt. I think after the initial compass calibration of the Anafi I may have received one other prompt to calibrate the compass. Both are stored and typically flown in the same locations. Is the compass calibration prompt just a normal start-up prompt for the Mavic or is there something specific that is occurring in the environment that initiates the prompt.

 

[Starz]

Any metal close by? Could be hidden in concrete.
Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.

 

[razoraerial]

Usually some sort of metal or magnet Has been my experience. Is. Table under gazebo. Lol

 

[Johnmcl7]

Just to double check it's a Mavic 1 Pro rather than a Mavic 2 Pro? I almost never had any compass prompts on the Mavic 1 Pro but I get them fairly regularly on the Mavic 2 Pro which from what I've read is due to the distance moved or a certain time period has elapsed since the last calibration. I've not looked into it closely so that may not be true, I just calibrate when it asks me.

 

[dirkclod]

Same here. Can move 100 miles which I do often and have to recal my pro and dont have to the MP. As for that time I don’t know I fly to much but have seen that posted here.

 

[AMann]

Traveling between flight areas does it for me also, it’s usually after I relocate over a hundred miles or more.

 

[BossBob]

Not even distance has caused a prompt for compass calibration for me. Starting up next to a large steel mass (for example , a car) will do it every time.

 

[AMann]

Not even distance has caused a prompt for compass calibration for me. Starting up next to a large steel mass (for example , a car) will do it every time.

The directions [Edit: M2P manual] recommend that one should recalibrate it if they move more than 31 miles (50km) from where it was last flown and at least every 30 days. I would do it whether the controller says to or not in this case.

 

[old man mavic]

a little tip for finding out if there is any ferrous material in the ground where you want to fly that could affect the compass
whenever i fly i always take a small pocket compass with me ,i use it to set my landing pad to north ,it has an N on one edge
what i do is aligne the compass to magnetic north at chest height then i lower it down to the ground,if there is no change in the direction of the arrow ,then i know its ok to fly there
if there is ferrous material in the ground then as the compass gets closer to the surface it will start to swing as it detects it,
i have used this method on many flights and always when i have done so, when the Mav is all set ready to take off ,the arrow on the screen has always faced the N symbol on the direction display
in practice it only takes a moment to do and i think its worth the effort if it prevents issues in flight

 

[BossBob]

These are relatively new instructions. Prior to the delivery of my Pro, I’d read the manual many times, (6 months of anticipation) and watched the DJI videos. They emphasised that compass calibration should not be carried out unnecessarily.
Components change, firmware changes (mine only when I want it to), combinations of component and firmware might have led to a state where calibration needs to be done more often. The state of calibration of my compasses have hardly moved in almost 3 years of ownership though I still check every flight.

 

[4wd]

The Mavic 2 does want you to do it once a month regardless. Earlier models you might never be asked unless it somehow got near a magnet (a speaker could do that).
When you start up check that the app direction indicator tallies with how you placed it and on the mapping if available, that's more or less all the compass is doing but it's important.
If it's out, the data being received from GPS and compass will be contradictory and things can go very wrong.

 

[old man mavic]

These are relatively new instructions. Prior to the delivery of my Pro, I’d read the manual many times, (6 months of anticipation) and watched the DJI videos. They emphasised that compass calibration should not be carried out unnecessarily.
Components change, firmware changes (mine only when I want it to), combinations of component and firmware might have led to a state where calibration needs to be done more often. The state of calibration of my compasses have hardly moved in almost 3 years of ownership though I still check every flight.

i totally agree on my MPP i have only had to do one calibration,and that was when i first got it ,the MPP and i believe MP1 have both got 2 IMUs and 2 compasses on board,but the M2P only has one of each and i think the way they interact in the M2P is different to the earlier versions

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

a little tip for finding out if there is any ferrous material in the ground where you want to fly that could affect the compass
whenever i fly i always take a small pocket compass with me ,i use it to set my landing pad to north ,it has an N on one edge
what i do is aligne the compass to magnetic north at chest height then i lower it down to the ground,if there is no change in the direction of the arrow ,then i know its ok to fly there
if there is ferrous material in the ground then as the compass gets closer to the surface it will start to swing as it detects it,
i have used this method on many flights and always when i have done so, when the Mav is all set ready to take off ,the arrow on the screen has always faced the N symbol on the direction display
in practice it only takes a moment to do and i think its worth the effort if it prevents issues in flight

Brilliant!

 

[johnbirt]

As others have said plus be aware of wearing some watches particularly Apple ones which have a magnet built in for charging purposes.

This will guarantee issues with Mavic Air which seems particularly sensitive and will ask to be calibrated because of magnetic interference and then fail. M2Pro and Anafi in my experience haven't the same degree of sensitivity and am rarely asked. I calibrate anyway when I remember!

 

[AMann]

These are relatively new instructions. Prior to the delivery of my Pro, I’d read the manual many times, (6 months of anticipation) and watched the DJI videos. They emphasised that compass calibration should not be carried out unnecessarily.
Components change, firmware changes (mine only when I want it to), combinations of component and firmware might have led to a state where calibration needs to be done more often. The state of calibration of my compasses have hardly moved in almost 3 years of ownership though I still check every flight.

Sorry, the manual excerpt I posted was for a M2P. I just updated the post.

 

[DanMan32]

The Mavic 2 does want you to do it once a month regardless. Earlier models you might never be asked unless it somehow got near a magnet (a speaker could do that).
When you start up check that the app direction indicator tallies with how you placed it and on the mapping if available, that's more or less all the compass is doing but it's important.
If it's out, the data being received from GPS and compass will be contradictory and things can go very wrong.

Actually I believe it's the earlier ones that triggered at 30 days/30 miles. My first one obtained late August 2018 didn't do it and my current replacement obtained October 2018 doesn't do it either. People were already discussing it before then.

But unless you're always in an interference area, it shouldn't be more often than that. If so, your compass/AC may have gotten magnetized and needs degaussing.

 

[Skywalker]

I started getting the recalibrate notice once I started using a large tablet. Realized the tablet has a strong magnet (sticks to the outdoor table) and I was carrying the ac and tablet in close proximity a short distance from the house to launch position. Being careful to keep them separated resolves my issue.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I started getting the recalibrate notice once I started using a large tablet. Realized the tablet has a strong magnet (sticks to the outdoor table) and I was carrying the ac and tablet in close proximity a short distance from the house to launch position. Being careful to keep them separated resolves my issue.

You can also check the condition of the compass sensor when you get the compass recalibration prompt. If it is still green, you know it is the 30 day prompt, and can safely fly with the red compass warning anyway, saving the compass calibration for a more convenient time, so as not to lose daylight and waste precious flight battery juice, doing the calibration in the field, in an unknown environment!