How does one calibrate the IMU?

Joined
Dec 18, 2015
Messages
327
Reaction score
60
Location
LONDON, UK
I've just checked the latest version of the P-4 users manual (1.2) and unless I've missed it I didn't see anything about IMU calibration, though being 65 pages long it is possible I did miss it! Anyone?
 
You just go through the DJI Go app, go into MC settings, then advanced settings, then sensors and then tap IMU calibration, do it on a level surface away from metal or electronic interference. Also do it cold, battery cold and aircraft cold so the warm up time will be reduced.

BTW I didn't see it either but it seems to be the same as the previous P3 IMU Calibration procedure.
 
Last edited:
You just go through the DJI Go app, go into MC settings, then advanced settings, then sensors and then tap IMU calibration, do it on a level surface away from metal or electronic interference. Also do it cold, battery cold and aircraft cold so the warm up time will be reduced.

BTW I didn't see it either but it seems to be the same as the previous P3 IMU Calibration procedure.
I keep hearing about 'warm up'?? when I flew my P4 for the first time yesterday, I just switched on, waited for the green good to go on the Go app and took off. All seemed fine?!! What am I missing?
 
"Aircraft warming up" appears in orange in place of the "Safe to fly" message, while it is presumably warming up. I haven't figured out whether compass or IMU calibration should be done before or after the warm up, or whether it matters either way.
 
"Aircraft warming up" appears in orange in place of the "Safe to fly" message, while it is presumably warming up. I haven't figured out whether compass or IMU calibration should be done before or after the warm up, or whether it matters either way.
Thank you sar/jbundy
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jbundy63
"Aircraft warming up" appears in orange in place of the "Safe to fly" message, while it is presumably warming up. I haven't figured out whether compass or IMU calibration should be done before or after the warm up, or whether it matters either way.
On the IMU Calibration I get the aircraft and battery cool, the cooler they are the shorter the warm up time, so if your warm up time starts getting long like a couple of minutes than you will need to do a cold / cold IMU Calibration.

Sar104, I don't believe it really matters but this is how I've done it with excellent results.

On the Compass Calibration, I do right after I turn everything on ( I don't wait for warm up)and your MC screen pops up on the GO app. A few lines down say Compass normal/ Calibrate. Press Calibrate and do the song and dance LOL Be very sure to do it away from any metal or electronic interference, even metal in concrete will disrupt it. I hardly redo my compass, I redo if my reading are off or I am flying in another location such as 50 or so miles away from my last flight location. After I Calibrate the compass I recycle the aircraft and Go app so to to confirm my that my Home point sets and have good GPS lock. Hope that all makes sense!

Safe Flying
 
On the IMU Calibration I get the aircraft and battery cool, the cooler they are the shorter the warm up time, so if your warm up time starts getting long like a couple of minutes than you will need to do a cold / cold IMU Calibration.

Sar104, I don't believe it really matters but this is how I've done it with excellent results.

On the Compass Calibration, I do right after I turn everything on ( I don't wait for warm up)and your MC screen pops up on the GO app. A few lines down say Compass normal/ Calibrate. Press Calibrate and do the song and dance LOL Be very sure to do it away from any metal or electronic interference, even metal in concrete will disrupt it. I hardly redo my compass, I redo if my reading are off or I am flying in another location such as 50 or so miles away from my last flight location. After I Calibrate the compass I recycle the aircraft and Go app so to to confirm my that my Home point sets and have good GPS lock. Hope that all makes sense!

Safe Flying

Thanks. I understand the procedures that you use, but not why you use them. Is it just an empirical observation that the cooler the unit the shorter the warm up time? And why does the IMU calibration need to be done cold - is that stated somewhere or has it been observed to give better results?

The P2 often gives a "temperature too high" error on IMU calibration that I have always just ignored - that was the advice back then. Is this related?
 
I keep hearing about 'warm up'?? when I flew my P4 for the first time yesterday, I just switched on, waited for the green good to go on the Go app and took off. All seemed fine?!! What am I missing?
Yours may be warming up fast and maybe your not seeing it. When you turn on your controller, aircraft and than Go app on your device and hit camera the app opens up with a pop up window on top of the view screen which tells you the status of your aircraft such as firmware, etc Right under that it will say warming up (also the lady will say it if your volume is turned up) usually than while its warming up it will Set Home Point and its possible to still be warming even after that, then sets GPS lock. Like sar104 said at the top center screen will be orange/yellow while warming up and turn green when ready to fly.
 
Thanks. I understand the procedures that you use, but not why you use them. Is it just an empirical observation that the cooler the unit the shorter the warm up time? And why does the IMU calibration need to be done cold - is that stated somewhere or has it been observed to give better results?

The P2 often gives a "temperature too high" error on IMU calibration that I have always just ignored - that was the advice back then. Is this related?
On my P3P the warm up time would start getting longer 2 to 3 minutes. There's been discussion here and You Tube videos on it that doing a
IMU Calibration while the aircraft/battery is warm/hot will cause the warm up time to be really long. So some people put them in the refrigerator to cool down ( I don't) possible moisture/ condensation buildup. I place it in front of an A/C vent or something to cool it down and do the the IMU Calibration as soon as you turn everything on will give you faster warm up times. I will try to find a video to post.
 
After I Calibrate the compass I recycle the aircraft and Go app so to to confirm my that my Home point sets and have good GPS lock. Hope that all makes sense!

Safe Flying
I'm not sure what you mean by recycle.. you mean you just power off everything and close the Go app and restart ?
 
You just go through the DJI Go app, go into MC settings, then advanced settings, then sensors and then tap IMU calibration, do it on a level surface away from metal or electronic interference. Also do it cold, battery cold and aircraft cold so the warm up time will be reduced.

BTW I didn't see it either but it seems to be the same as the previous P3 IMU Calibration procedure.
I presume IMU calibration doesn't necessarily have to be done at the flying location? e.g I could do this before leaving home?
 
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
The first couple of times I flew my P4, the warm up time was about 2 minutes. I put the bird our in the garage in 30 degree air for about 30 minutes and then immediately did the IMU calibration on a level surface.
Since that time I do not see the error when starting up and I can take off and fly in seconds after the RC tells me "Home Point Is Set."
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jbundy63
The first couple of times I flew my P4, the warm up time was about 2 minutes. I put the bird our in the garage in 30 degree air for about 30 minutes and then immediately did the IMU calibration on a level surface.
Since that time I do not see the error when starting up and I can take off and fly in seconds after the RC tells me "Home Point Is Set."

I did my first flight with my P4 yesterday. I didn't know anything about IMU calibration as this is the first time I've flown a Phantom. I seem to remember that I was good to go (green) almost immediately after connecting my controller to my aircraft.

The horizon looked practically straight through the camera and I didn't see any issues. I'm inclined not to calibrate unless I see a reason to.

ImageUploadedByPhantomPilots1458488236.430751.jpg
 
Put your phantom in the refrigerator and then do your IMU calibration while it's still cold. No joke, I know it sounds weird, but it works. The IMU waits until it gets to the same temperature it was at when calibrated. If you did it while warm it can take quite a while. Mine literally takes two seconds to "warm up" because it's always warmer than when I calibrated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bocephus-73

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,355
Members
104,934
Latest member
jody.paugh@fullerandsons.