Compass sequence question

Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
So after I flip my switch on the controller a bunch of times, the light turns solid yellow. So I am ready for calibration. Great.
All is good... so I do my horizontal spin 1 revolution and the light goes solid green. All is still good if I understand correctly.
So then I turn it nose down for the vertical calibration, do 1 revolution and the lights turn from green to yellow. Then they either turn flashing green or when I sit it down it flashes green.

Seems to fly ok and hover perfectly fine.

Is the light sequence correct?

Thanks.
 
A few questions...

Is your Phantom in NAZA mode?
Does it from solid green to solid yellow, or solid green to flashing yellow?
Are you doing the compass calibration directly following power-on, before it finishes its GPS locking and before you get the two rapid green flashes?
What prompted you to do your compass calibration to begin with?
Is this the first it's been done?

I used to do the compass calibration every time I flew, just about, and was finally convinced by a more senior Phantom pilot that I was going overboard with the calibrations. I have now not calibrated since them and have had zero issues. I will wait for the Phantom to fly erratically or for it to tell me it needs it before I do it again.

Once you answer the questions, we should be able to help you.

Fink
i-LgFpTrs-M.gif
 
Fink,

Thank you for the reply. Here are the instructions I am trying to follow:

http://wiki.dji.com/en/index.php/Phanto ... he_Compass

I was under the impression every time I change locations that I need to do this procedure, so the unit knows where to return to if I loose control. Is this true?

At the end of the vertical calibration chart above it says "Normal LED" succeed". But the chart doesnt tell you what color, sequence, etc. that defines 'Normal LED". The question is, what is normal LED? I believe its solid yellow followed by flashing green. At least thats what I get at the tail of the vertical calibration process.

I know nothing about Naza mode. Both "switches" at the top of the controller are both up. I am a newbie so I was told to just keep them up.

To answer your question, everything in the chart above is exactly as it should be when I do the process. I have done this every time I change locations. I wait until GPS lights are flashing green and it is showing proper GPS lock before doing the compass calibration.

Thanks Fink for your help.
 
NAZA mode refers to the mode you have set in your Phantom 2 Assistant software. In the upper-right corner, there is a grey box that will either say "Phantom 2" or "NAZAM".

In NAZA mode, the "normal LED" sequence is a steady green flash - this happens after it goes through its GPS lock (Green-Red-Red-Red, Green-Red-Red, Green-Red, two rapid green flashes).

As for when to calibrate your compass, DJI does recommend doing it anytime you change locations, but the consensus on here is that as long as you have calibrated the compass in a good area at least once, you will be fine. This has proven to be true for me. I haven't calibrated in my last six flights, which I've done at three different locations, and I have been just fine. I would recommend flying without calibrating the compass and just see how it does - get up to about 20ft or so and fly it around to see if there's any major drifting or the like.

As for the compass letting the Phantom know where home is, that is not the case. The Phantom will lock in to its home point during the initial power-on. The second rapid green flash of LEDs indicates home lock. While the compass does help keep the Phantom on course, it is not solely responsible for ensuring the Phantom can find home.

Let us know how it goes without calibrating the compass next time! By all means, if it starts to fly erratically and/or drifts a considerable amount, land it and calibrate the compass.

Cheers!

Fink
i-LgFpTrs-M.gif
 

Recent Posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,352
Members
104,933
Latest member
mactechnic