Compass Calibration & Battery information

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Hi Guys I'm a newbie,so please go easy.

I am going next week to get some images of a boat while at sea. As the boat is metal is it ok if I just calibrate onshore before I board the vessel?

Also to get to the ship I need to fly from Aberdeen to Heathrow, I will be taking the phantom and batteries as Hand Baggage,is it ok to fly with the batteries charges,or do I need to discharge them as I'm sure that I read that somwhere.

Thanks in advance
 
All airlines have guidance on li-po batteries. (They have to be hand baggage and connectors insulated, no more than two spare batteries sometimes.) I'd be interested in the answers for the difficult question, I suspect it'll be a no-no, even in atti mode.. I'd be scared to try.
 
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As the boat is metal is it ok if I just calibrate onshore before I board the vessel?
Yes, you definitely don't want to attempt to calibrate the compass near any magnetic metallic objects. Taking off near those objects might be tricky too. If you must do it, it would be best to keep the Phantom as far away as possible from any metal objects. It could confuse the compass and cause your Phantom to fly erratically until you're able to get far enough away from the boat.
 
Also to get to the ship I need to fly from Aberdeen to Heathrow, I will be taking the phantom and batteries as Hand Baggage,is it ok to fly with the batteries charges,or do I need to discharge them as I'm sure that I read that somwhere.
You probably read that from DJI or someone on a forum repeating it.
No airline or airport security check has ever asked about the discharge state of anyone's batteries.
And none suggest discharging batteries in the dangerous goods sections of their websites.
 
Be very careful when launching from a boat if that is your plan. If the boat is moving, then return to home is basically useless.

Be good at ATTI mode!

Keep in mind that many boats have a LOT of RF going on, sailboat rigging can cause issues, VHF radios, AIS systems, WiFi based Navigation, Radar, Depth Sounder integrated systems, just to name a few. So there is a lot that might interfere.

That said, I have launched from our aft deck and our RIB while moving. It is a more advanced ( read experienced pilot ) move, so as long as you have some flight time and are experienced in tricky areas with good depth perception; good luck and enjoy.

A steal boat is problematic, aluminum not so much.

Just be aware that it is a higher risk and more chance of losing the bird then a nice clear field with no trees, wires and metal around.
 
Be very careful when launching from a boat if that is your plan. If the boat is moving, then return to home is basically useless.

Be good at ATTI mode!

Keep in mind that many boats have a LOT of RF going on, sailboat rigging can cause issues, VHF radios, AIS systems, WiFi based Navigation, Radar, Depth Sounder integrated systems, just to name a few. So there is a lot that might interfere.

That said, I have launched from our aft deck and our RIB while moving. It is a more advanced ( read experienced pilot ) move, so as long as you have some flight time and are experienced in tricky areas with good depth perception; good luck and enjoy.

A steal boat is problematic, aluminum not so much.

Just be aware that it is a higher risk and more chance of losing the bird then a nice clear field with no trees, wires and metal around.

Thanks for your in depth info.

I will be using another UAV pilot to help with hand launch.

I will also be choosing not to calibrate and fly just in Atti

Thanks for your help

Regards
Mark.
 

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