Calibrating compass on the beach.

[fin032]

Just heading to the beach today. Is there anything to worry about Calibrating the compass on the sand?

Cheers

 

[Drogon]

I've done this a number of times with out any problems. Helps to have someone with you to hold the RC so you don't have to set it down. I use my case to launch from.

 

[arrankeady]

Should be fine. What are you going takeoff from to reduce sand getting into motors?

 

[bobmyers]

Just heading to the beach today. Is there anything to worry about Calibrating the compass on the sand?

Cheers

I don't know about that, I would be more concerned about keeping the sand out of the motors. Have Fun!!

 

[fin032]

Thanks for the tips. I always take off from my DJI hard shell backpack and hand catch land. You think that will be ok in the sand?

 

[Trumple]

No the beach should be fine. I have done this before. Use a coolbox with a towel underneath to take off from to avoid kicking up lots of sand. Or, use a coolbox but on wet sand.

 

[Meta4]

Just heading to the beach today. Is there anything to worry about Calibrating the compass on the sand?

Why? You don't have to calibrate the compass every flight and doing it increases the chances of getting a bad calibration.
Just go and fly.

 

[Trumple]

Why? You don't have to calibrate the compass every flight and doing it increases the chances of getting a bad calibration.
Just go and fly.

I thought the rule was to calibrate if you're flying >100m from where you last flew?

 

[Meta4]

I thought the rule was to calibrate if you're flying >100m from where you last flew?

Does it say that in your manual?
No.
But you may have read members here talking about flying more than 100 MILES from home.
Otherwise just fly.

 

[Trumple]

Does it say that in your manual?
No.
But you may have read members here talking about flying more than 100 MILES from home.
Otherwise just fly.

Sorry, by 100m I did mean 100 miles. If you go 100 miles from where you last calibrated I think it is sensible to recalibrate, as the magnetic deviation will almost certainly be different.

Edit: with that said, I did fly my quad without calibrating when I first got it because I was slightly distracted, excited and scared. All went OK though which does go to show calibrating is not necessary most of the time

 

[fin032]

I am about 50 miles from home so not far. The thing is I turned the phantom on in the house to check the setting and the camera was beeping. Had a look at the screen and had a compass error with a reading of 2000. I made the mistake of sitting it on a speaker [emoji15]. As soon as I moved it the compass went back to normal at around 1500. This is why I was going to recalibrate. Do you think I worry to much and there is no need to calibrate if the figures are around 1300-1600?

 

[1vision]

Compass calibration at 4:09. New location = calibration. Wet sand works great.

 

[fin032]

Ok I never ended up calibrating as I just checked the compass reading and as it was fine I took it a flight. The P3 was fine with only a few small problems. The first being the gimbal being off line when yawing. Lots of people seem to have that problem. 2nd small problem was I lost RC signal at 4000ft on the beach when before I was flying in the countryside I went well over 10000ft on full bars

 

[ianwood]

DO NOT calibrate on the beach. If you want to know why, search.

 

[jdeana1968]

I tried holding it over my head to calibrate and it worked on the first try. I know I looked like an idiot, but it worked.