Issue with P4P compass

[omniscian]

Hey all,

My P4P had an accident before. I took off with it and it instantly turned right straight into a wall before I had chance to rectify it (it was about 15 foot away). There was a light breeze but nothing dramatic. After the wall, it hit the ground and 2 propellers were broken but the rest all seemed ok. I got the drone home and the compass needed recalibrating. I did this, and took off again in a safer environment. The drone was still moving by itself when in hover mode after take off. I was surrounded by apartment blocks so there's no breeze. It seemed to go forward and right. I'm not sure what could be causing this, it was fine this morning when in use. Any suggestions or ideas?

 

[Erised]

Could be your RC is not calibrated right. Recalibrate, also do not take off in atti (outside) as the wind may blow you sideways.

 

[rockydog]

Probably a good idea to do an IMU calibration after a crash. Also, where did you calibrate the compass?.. Were you in an open area away from any possible interference?

 

[Snowwolf]

I doubt very much if you can do a IMU as it seems no one can't, did you have the props on the correct way ?

 

[Snowwolf]

Make sure the toggle switch is on P

 

[omniscian]

I've recalibrated the compass since the crash but not IMU or RC. How do I do the RC? It's definitely in P mode. It was calibrated in an open park near no one. As I said I used it fine this morning, took it somewhere else at a slightly higher altitude and it just went wherever it wanted.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[GMack]

I had one indoors today while checking the camera settings. I picked it up and turned it 180 degrees and the red "Compass Error" popped up along with a "Calibrate Compass or Turn the Aircraft" warning. I turned it back 180 for the "Turn the Aircraft" part, but it still had "Compass Warning" in red in the starting position. Plus, the RC/iPad began screaming "ATTI mode" too (It was in P mode.).

Did a Compass cal. and all seems well .... for now.

These things are very weird at times!

 

[Snowwolf]

It could easily come up with that problem if there is a lot of metal or interference around,

 

[John Locke]

I had one indoors today while checking the camera settings. I picked it up and turned it 180 degrees and the red "Compass Error" popped up along with a "Calibrate Compass or Turn the Aircraft" warning. I turned it back 180 for the "Turn the Aircraft" part, but it still had "Compass Warning" in red in the starting position. Plus, the RC/iPad began screaming "ATTI mode" too (It was in P mode.).

Did a Compass cal. and all seems well .... for now.

These things are very weird at times!

It's normal for the craft to go into ATTI mode when the compass has errors. Compass error can be cause by magnetic anomalies where your flying. Flying indoors is a risk for compass error if the structure has metal, or there other magnetic disturbances generate by things in the building. However the VPS, if enabled, should make up for compass loss if it's less than 25' off the ground. Did the craft fly ok otherwise, was it stable and easy to maneuver?

 

[GMack]

It's normal for the craft to go into ATTI mode when the compass has errors. Compass error can be cause by magnetic anomalies where your flying. Flying indoors is a risk for compass error if the structure has metal, or there other magnetic disturbances generate by things in the building. However the VPS, if enabled, should make up for compass loss if it's less than 25' off the ground. Did the craft fly ok otherwise, was it stable and easy to maneuver?

I didn't fly it indoors. Just checking camera settings and the light was too low where I pointed it, so I spun it around to the sunlit window and it went nuts. I've seen VPS matters during sunrise outdoors, but not compass. I doubt if I'd ever fly it indoors. I don't have that much faith in the unit, even for it reporting incorrect altitudes out in wide open fields by 50 feet. It's just weird at times - or maybe possessed.

 

[omniscian]

Thanks for all the replies. I've lost confidence a bit in it and not flown it since the crash. I live in a city so open areas free from interference are low and I haven't bought a bag yet for the drone to carry it around easily so not been recalibrated. I'll try and get to a park tonight and give it a go, just so scared of it taking off and shooting off wherever it likes again.