Mid Air "Compass Error, Exit P-GPS Mode"

Hey I have the same problem with u.
Before the error, everything looks good.
After takeoff 20 secs, the error pop up and my drone just dropped out from sky about 15 meters and I immediately switched to A mode for bringing back my quadcopter stable, meanwhile app said" compass error leave p mode" .

Successfully landing at the end, but I just totally scared because the drone was normal and the app didn't said anything about any error before the drop.

The most strange is that I updated the firmware to 1.08.0080 and I have already cal the IMU and gimbal IMU except compass, also I fly two batteries with normal behavior before this error happened.

This data got from SD card from insider the drone, because the ipad DJI GO app didnt logged the entire flight log completely. So strange.
ITS A HUGE DROP LIKE A ROCK Dropped about 70 meters in 6 secs
 

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Yesterday after a lot of flights had my first Compass error mid-flight. I am running 1.8.80 firmware. I did not switch to ATTI but I brought it home safely . I just had some drifting deviation from my straight line route to home.

The compass error happened when I was returning from a trip at 150m height and 1.2 distance from home. When I have approached at 300m then the error disappeared.

I just upgraded to the latest firmware and I did a cold IMU calibration. Today I will try to fly again.
 
Yesterday after a lot of flights had my first Compass error mid-flight. I am running 1.8.80 firmware. I did not switch to ATTI but I brought it home safely . I just had some drifting deviation from my straight line route to home.

The compass error happened when I was returning from a trip at 150m height and 1.2 distance from home. When I have approached at 300m then the error disappeared.

I just upgraded to the latest firmware and I did a cold IMU calibration. Today I will try to fly again.

U did compass cal after updated firmware??
 
I will do today before the test flight. Yesterday Ι just proceeded to IMU cal and left it because it was too late.
 
Yesterday I performed a test flight. Prior to flight proceeded to a compass calibration but I could not succeed maybe due to some interference. After 3-4 tries finally I received success at the end of the compass calibration.

The flight was ok and I noticed better GPS reception. I experienced some image transmission error that flashed on the screen and also HD signal lag for couple of secs.

Returning to home Compass Error flashed on the screen for 1 sec and that was it.

I will try another flight to another location because in this location I received the Compass Error there are a lot of houses and power lines and it was the second time that performed a flight.


So the latest firmware seems ok and the Compass Error I received (first time with exit mode, second time just a message flashed) maybe has to do with location.
 
The compass can experience an error at any altitude. It's more likely to occur when near potential sources of interference so higher would usually suggest less less often. However, if the calibration is off, the take off point subject to interference or the compass defective or magnetized, then you can get them anywhere. It then has more to do with when the compass becomes oriented such that the anamoly manifests itself.

My Phantom 3 Pro has been grounded for almost 2 months because of compass errors that began mid-flight. Upon landing I was able to complete a compass calibration and worked only for it to begin failing again. It got to the point where I could no longer complete a succesful calibration due to magnetic intereferences no matter where I performed the calibrations. I would attempt to relacabritate days and weeks later with the same results. The bird was no longer able to fly and I was begining to give up on her and getting ready to ship her back to DJI in Carson, CA for the third time.. Today just for the heck of it I attempted to start her up and it worked!!! I didn't do a compass calibration or anything it just worked! The only difference was that I was using a different iPad??!!! Is there a bug in the DJI GO app? Does anyone know of anything? I charged up a battery that had been sititng for 2 months took her out and flew her about 2 miles without any compass calibrations. I even did a RTH and a came back so obviously there are no compass hardware errors. Does anyone have any thoughts?
 
My Phantom 3 Pro has been grounded for almost 2 months because of compass errors that began mid-flight. Upon landing I was able to complete a compass calibration and worked only for it to begin failing again. It got to the point where I could no longer complete a succesful calibration due to magnetic intereferences no matter where I performed the calibrations. I would attempt to relacabritate days and weeks later with the same results. The bird was no longer able to fly and I was begining to give up on her and getting ready to ship her back to DJI in Carson, CA for the third time.. Today just for the heck of it I attempted to start her up and it worked!!! I didn't do a compass calibration or anything it just worked! The only difference was that I was using a different iPad??!!! Is there a bug in the DJI GO app? Does anyone know of anything? I charged up a battery that had been sititng for 2 months took her out and flew her about 2 miles without any compass calibrations. I even did a RTH and a came back so obviously there are no compass hardware errors. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Could you try using your other Ipad (the bad one) one more time to see if it still has issue? We want to make sure the issue is gone with a new Ipad.
I had this compass errors before and at that time, I did the compass calibration within 2-10 meters of a metal fence. Thanks
 
Could you try using your other Ipad (the bad one) one more time to see if it still has issue? We want to make sure the issue is gone with a new Ipad.
I had this compass errors before and at that time, I did the compass calibration within 2-10 meters of a metal fence. Thanks

I was hesitant to do that because what if it stopped working again but I will later this afternoon. I did notice that the DJI GO app had been "auto updated" on both iPads so it's not going to be the same app version but we'll see what happens and I'll keep you posted. It was quite the bummer when it was not working. I had already sent it back to DJI for stress cracks and then a bad camera that failed mid-flight.
 
I was hesitant to do that because what if it stopped working again but I will later this afternoon. I did notice that the DJI GO app had been "auto updated" on both iPads so it's not going to be the same app version but we'll see what happens and I'll keep you posted. It was quite the bummer when it was not working. I had already sent it back to DJI for stress cracks and then a bad camera that failed mid-flight.

I've found this thread on the DJI forum today: a DJI guru has confirmed that "the mobile devices that you use have nothing to do with the drone's compass. Also, it is recommended to re-calibrate the compass in an open area free of steel materials". Maybe you don't need to try the old Ipad anymore...
Compass Error in Mid-Air

I haven't had any compass issue for several weeks now. I will check back my AZ screen recorder mp4 to see if I did a 360 degree rotation before or after the compass error message was flashing as some other people have mentioned doing it in this email chain: maybe the compass got dizzy?
 
I got this error last week while flying over a lake in the middle of the Adirondacks, definitely no Wi-Fi or other sources of interference. I calibrated the compass on a wooded island with basically no civilization around. Error was accompanied by some general listing to the left, I flew back towards me in Atti and flipped back to P-GPS when I was about 100' out and got green with no errors. I went back to flying for another ~10 minutes with no issues, although I did notice some rolling horizon in my video.

Not sure what caused it but it made for some white-knuckle flying since it was my first time over water. I haven't flown since but hoping it doesn't persist.
 
I got this error last week while flying over a lake in the middle of the Adirondacks, definitely no Wi-Fi or other sources of interference. I calibrated the compass on a wooded island with basically no civilization around. Error was accompanied by some general listing to the left, I flew back towards me in Atti and flipped back to P-GPS when I was about 100' out and got green with no errors. I went back to flying for another ~10 minutes with no issues, although I did notice some rolling horizon in my video.

Not sure what caused it but it made for some white-knuckle flying since it was my first time over water. I haven't flown since but hoping it doesn't persist.

It's really strange that it would suddenly start working again. I've read that the P3P compass is another part that is prone to failure and that replacing it is common, hence why the P34 has dual compasses for redundancy. I hope that I don't have to deal with it again but I have a sneaky suspicion that it may come back.
 
Hi all
New member from Sweden.
Regarding the compass error.
I had no problem what so ever until the last update, flying on the same spot but now i lost compass 10 out of 10 times.
It seems to me that the new firmware is out of order.
Happy flying guys and girls.
Over and out from Sweden
Mvh Björn
 
I got this error last week while flying over a lake in the middle of the Adirondacks, definitely no Wi-Fi or other sources of interference. I calibrated the compass on a wooded island with basically no civilization around. Error was accompanied by some general listing to the left, I flew back towards me in Atti and flipped back to P-GPS when I was about 100' out and got green with no errors. I went back to flying for another ~10 minutes with no issues, although I did notice some rolling horizon in my video.

Not sure what caused it but it made for some white-knuckle flying since it was my first time over water. I haven't flown since but hoping it doesn't persist.

That is ballsy in my eyes. Why not just come back land and recalibrate to be on the safe side. I know if this pops up while I am flying it will be put into atti mode until I land. No way I would continue flying after seeing that error without checking things out.
 
I'm new here and this is my first post. Second flight on P3A. Calibrated on open field away from all things metal including the belt buckle. First flight OK. A week later, exact same spot, got this "Compass error:Exit P-GPS" error. Was only flying 10 ft above and 10 ft away from me.
From what I understand from all your posts that there is NO SOLUTION for this. How could that be? What's DJI doing for us? If I take DJI insurance, and If my Drone crashes or flyaway from this glitch, would that be covered?
 
Almost crashed in "beginner mode" when aircraft (phantom 3 pro) started to drift away. Lots of "compass errors" red out in healthy drones web application. Calibrated well, plenty of satellites, "safe to fly" all the way, but near crash anyway. This really spoils all the fun and the trust in the drone. I feel I only can fly it 4m from the ground, dissapointing!

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Ive been having Compass Error issues since my first day of purchase, I did not know this was irregular. I cant even use Intelligent flight modes because after a few seconds they get this error and start to drift off.
 
Almost crashed in "beginner mode" when aircraft (phantom 3 pro) started to drift away. Lots of "compass errors" red out in healthy drones web application. Calibrated well, plenty of satellites, "safe to fly" all the way, but near crash anyway. This really spoils all the fun and the trust in the drone. I feel I only can fly it 4m from the ground, disappointing!
Ive been having Compass Error issues since my first day of purchase, I did not know this was irregular. I cant even use Intelligent flight modes because after a few seconds they get this error and start to drift off.
Compass errors usually aren't a fault in the compass.
It usually is the result of a perfectly functioning compass telling you that there is a problem with the magnetic environment surrounding it.
You need to ensure you get a good compass calibration well away from anything steel or electrical cables.
Don't calibrate anywhere near cars, structural steel, buried pipes or cables and most of all, nowhere near reinforced concrete.
Once you get a good compass calibration, don't mess with it and never launch from steel or reinforced concrete.

The drifting in that video is nothing mysterious.
Look at the trees and you can see there is a significant wind.
Your Phantom has switched to atti mode because it can't make sense of the conflicting info it is getting from the compass and GPS.
In atti mode, it loses the position holding ability that it has in P-GPS mode and will go where the wind pushed it unless you apply control.
But it's like driving on ice and you will have no brakes to slow you down.
 
Compass errors usually aren't a fault in the compass.
It usually is the result of a perfectly functioning compass telling you that there is a problem with the magnetic environment surrounding it.
You need to ensure you get a good compass calibration well away from anything steel or electrical cables.
Don't calibrate anywhere near cars, structural steel, buried pipes or cables and most of all, nowhere near reinforced concrete.
Once you get a good compass calibration, don't mess with it and never launch from steel or reinforced concrete.

The drifting in that video is nothing mysterious.
Look at the trees and you can see there is a significant wind.
Your Phantom has switched to atti mode because it can't make sense of the conflicting info it is getting from the compass and GPS.
In atti mode, it loses the position holding ability that it has in P-GPS mode and will go where the wind pushed it unless you apply control.
But it's like driving on ice and you will have no brakes to slow you down.

No nothing is mysterious in the video, the issue is that aircraft goes in and out of different modes so easy and its hard to predict when it will happen, makes it very unreliable. I flew in another spot yesterday with full gps coverage, allways 15+ satellites. In 13 minutes of flight I got 17 compass errors and warnings :Satellite Positioning Off. Fly with caution

IMU calibrated with success, updated firmware with success, calibration on site with success..
I think aircraft should handle winds under 7-8 m/s
 
ive done it out in a field with nothing near me, pretty sure its not working correctly. I would rather buy another Phantom and test it side by side than send it to DJI and be drone-less for a few weeks.
 
Where are you flying? What are those rocks? Some minerals are magnetic or magnetizable. If thats the case, calibrating on site may not be the best idea. There could be a significant difference in the magnetic field 3 feet from the ground compared to 100 feet. Actually, flying there may not be the best idea, unless you are prepared to fly in attitude mode.
 

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