Compass calibration...first or last

[Monte55]

Just when I think I am doing things correctly I hear some do it a different way. I have a Phantom 1.1.1 ver 4.00. I power up the quad..get all the proper led flashes. The last being two sets of rapid green flashes followed by slow green flashes. That's when I may do the compass dance. Now, I see some say they power up the quad and immediately flip the S1 switch to enter compass calibration. Why do that?

 

[Fplvert]

Just when I think I am doing things correctly I hear some do it a different way. I have a Phantom 1.1.1 ver 4.00. I power up the quad..get all the proper led flashes. The last being two sets of rapid green flashes followed by slow green flashes. That's when I may do the compass dance. Now, I see some say they power up the quad and immediately flip the S1 switch to enter compass calibration. Why do that?

That's how it's done. Doing the compass dance when your bird is in ready to fly mode does nothing. :roll:

 

[Monte55]

Can you elaborate on that. I have seen so many do it the way I do it. Why is doing a compass dance after a bad thing?

 

[Fplvert]

http://youtu.be/PyMgWmGi_XU
You have to flip S1 to enter calibration mode.

 

[Monte55]

I know to flip S1 to enter compass calibration as stated in my first post. My question is to why do it first as to after the ready to fly lights are done.

 

[Meta4]

Why are you doing a compass calibration before flying at all ?
Unless you have traveled a long distance from your last flight, it shouldn't be necessary.

 

[Fplvert]

I know to flip S1 to enter compass calibration as stated in my first post. My question is to why do it first as to after the ready to fly lights are done.

Sorry I misunderstood the question as stated. I wait for the IMU to warm up and like Meta4 stated, it's not necessary every flight. So the answer is you're doing it right.

 

[N017RW]

This is one of those things that has bordered on superstition.

I have calibrated twice since I got my P2 in May.
Once out-of-the-box and then when I replaced the control system about 4 mos. ago.

Also I have traveled and flown as far as 600 miles since the last cal with no issues.

 

[Monte55]

http://youtu.be/dswQNkUNkDk

 

[Buk]

This is one of those things that has bordered on superstition.
...<snip>...

You got that right. I practice voodoo and I'm superstitious about my GoPros and Phantoms. Since I've seen no evidence that over calibrating is harmful*, I practice my voodoo and calibrate Phantoms before every session. Never sure if riding in the car or being carried about the house, some stray magnet hasn't affected the compass.


*I do worry about the act of calibrating causing the gimbal to hibernate so often.

 

[Meta4]

You would think that if it was important to calibrate every flight that DJI might recommend it in the manual.
But they don't and I've never heard anyone that does give any kind of scientific reason that they do.

 

[sergekouper]

You don't need the GPS data to calibrate the compass.

 

[hotstink626]

I recently traveled overseas and it only just accured to me after seeing this post not once did I calibrate .

 

[ianwood]

The amount of bad advice here is impressive. Just because you got away without re-calibrating when you went on your big trip, does NOT make it advisable. I'd suggest first understanding why and what compass calibration does before you open your gob and insinuate that calibration is somehow unimportant.

DJI advises you do it when you make changes to your bird and when you travel over a reasonable distance. I would stick with these at a minimum. As to when during the power up cycle is best, I don't think there is a clear answer. One could argue that once the Phantom has finished acquiring satellites and locked in course and position, it will be less likely to have something interfere with the calibration given the Naza isn't exactly 100% error free.

I do recall reading in one or more DJI docs (don't recall which) that their procedure was to wait until the FC was ready to fly and then calibrate, power down and restart.

 

[Buk]

From one of the many manuals and guides for models of Phantoms and Naza.

Quoting from the Naza-M (V2) Quick Start Guide version 1.24:

4. When to do re-calibration
. (1)  The flight field is changed.
. (2)  When the multi-rotor mechanical setup has changed:
. a)  If the GPS/Compass module is re-positioned.
. b)  If electronic devices are added/removed/ re-positioned (Main Controller, servos, batteries, etc.).
. c)  When the mechanical structure of the multi-rotor is changed.
. (3)  If the flight direction appears to be shifting (meaning the multi-rotor doesn’t “fly straight”).
. (4)  The LED indicator often indicates abnormality blinking when the multi-rotor spins. (It is normal
for this to happen only occasionally)

 

[Monte55]

The amount of bad advice here is impressive. Just because you got away without re-calibrating when you went on your big trip, does NOT make it advisable. I'd suggest first understanding why and what compass calibration does before you open your gob and insinuate that calibration is somehow unimportant.

DJI advises you do it when you make changes to your bird and when you travel over a reasonable distance. I would stick with these at a minimum. As to when during the power up cycle is best, I don't think there is a clear answer. One could argue that once the Phantom has finished acquiring satellites and locked in course and position, it will be less likely to have something interfere with the calibration given the Naza isn't exactly 100% error free.

I do recall reading in one or more DJI docs (don't recall which) that their procedure was to wait until the FC was ready to fly and then calibrate, power down and restart.

This is the post that seems to understand my original question. I don't calibrate the compass each flight. I will do it the first flight of the day at that location or if it seems weird during first flight or when I change location. I have been doing the gps locks and then compass dance on first flight. I now see it might be a good idea to do it that way but after compass dance ..power down and back up again and reestablish gps...then fly. The way I have been doing it seems to work but a couple of times the quad did things I can not explain resulting in a minor tumble. No damage. Once in my yard which is large and clear view of sky, my compass calibration failed. That time I did it differently than I normally do. Rather than hold it at arms length, I held it close to my body. I had keys in my pocket and a small 1/4 inch magnetic chuck in my pocket.I redid the calibration at arms length and all was well. Was it just a fluke? Who knows. Most flyers are not engineers and do not do accurate testing. So they just say what they think and what works for them. Just because you do something and get away with it doesn't make it the correct way. Some calibrate the compass every flight...some never do it since out of box. Some may wear garlic around their neck for luck. I just want to do it correctly....badda bing...badda boom

 

[N017RW]

Then read the manual(s) and ignore what you read here.

Opinions and advice will always differ if you get enough of them.

Ever been given advice to seek another Doctor's opinion? It's common.

I tend to use the Russian Proverb: 'Doveryai, no proveryai'.... translated means: 'Trust, but verify'.

 

[Monte55]

I have watched many videos on powering up the quad and doing the compass calibration. I haven't actually seen a video to specify in the order it should be done. It's always like they do one thing and then the other. There's a zillion videos on compass calibration but never explain when to do it in the startup procedure getting ready to fly.

 

[ianwood]

No nearby metal especially magnetic material is molto importante! Don't calibrate in a magnetically dirty environment. A bad calibration can ruin your day.

I don't calibrate nearly as often as I first did. Now I only calibrate when I upgrade firmware, make a physical change to the Phantom or take it out of town. When I do, I wait until the Phantom has settled down and is fully locked in before I start. Then I calibrate and power cycle.

 

[Damon]

"Any man who reads to much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking"

Since we are into quotes on this forum