My compass won't calibrate

[imadago]

Upon starting up my system to fly, I get a message to calibrate my compass. So after I have tried to calibrate several times in different spots, I keep getting a message that there is too much magnetic interference. Anyone know what's wrong?

 

[rockydog]

Any big bunches of keys in your pockets, or any metal plates in your body?

 

[imadago]

Any big bunches of keys in your pockets, or any metal plates in your body?

Yes to both. But.......this has never been a problem with my compass calibration before. I have successfully calibrated at least 10 times before. Is the P3 compass really that sensitive to metal as keys in pocket or metal body implants? I can't get a "Safe to fly" message anymore nor will my engines start. I don't want to try anything else, such as other calibrations until I can get this issue figured out.

 

[msinger]

Is the P3 compass really that sensitive to metal as keys in pocket or metal body implants?

Yes. You should not have any metal on your person and/or be near metal. That includes things like trying to calibrate while standing on a sidewalk.

metal body implants

Since this is not something you can prevent, I'd at least recommend you hold your Phantom as far away from your implant as possible. Or, better yet, have someone else do the calibration for you.

 

[barefootbeachcombing]

If the "metal body implant" is non-ferrous (ie titanium), then it should not interfere with the compass calibration, right?

 

[Meta4]

One cause of that is a broken compass sensor wire.
Have a look at the sensors information in the app.
What does it indicate for the compass?

 

[imadago]

Why have these things not been a problem before when I calibrated? I have always had my implants and keys in my pocket before and got a "Safe to fly" before when I calibrated. This issue just started up out of the clear blue to my P3. I'm trying to understand why this popped up all of a sudden and trying to figure out what I should do to remedy my problem wit my P3. Oh, I failed to mention, I get an audible "P ATTI"

If the "metal body implant" is non-ferrous (ie titanium), then it should not interfere with the compass calibration, right?

They are titanium, most are. Not that I know for sure but, I wouldn't think keys in a pocket would cause interference with a compass either. As far as sidewalks, most don't have steel in them. That is not to say they all don't, but some have wire mesh in them. Reinforcing steel and wire mesh as a rule don't eminate magnetic fields. I would think it is impossible to fly only where there is no metal at all. Its everywhere. Even in the desert.

 

[JC507]

I just got my P3P and first flight, it did this exact same thing, concrete driveway - as soon as I set it on the pavement, compass error. Had to launch off box next to driveway. Once everything was ready, I flew across the street and it dropped gps and went to atti mode. I'm open to suggestions

 

[RodPad]

You did do a compass calibration before you flew. How many satellites did you have before you flew?

 

[JC507]

I had 16 satellites, I calibrated the compass multiple times and horizontal would be fine but vertical would get a compass error, after few tries it would finally calibrate. Then as soon as it touched the pavement, compass error.

 

[JC507]

Didn't mean to hijack the thread but just wanted to let Imadago know he is not alone.

 

[RodPad]

Humm, I do mine arms link looking at battery about 2 second spin, tell it blinks green goes solid (I think, its been a couple of weeks). Then battery up camera down same spin same direction (clockwise) and usually takes a turn and a quarter. I never have the remote / mobile on me. I start the procedure usually flipping right hand switches up and down until it lights flash yellow. Set remote down or hand it to a friend and I go with the lights.
Pavement? Water, Sewer, Phone, Cable, Abandon lines buried below?
Lost GPS, Wow I have never had more than 8.
Note this is a P3S.
Location, location? Give an update.

 

[JC507]

I'm located in southern Minnesota, this is the first time firing up my P3P, have a Phantom Vision and calibrated it in same spot with no problems. This one may be that much more sensitive. Only dropped gps once and went to atti during flight, otherwise it's been flying great when the compass is calibrated. I launched off a box top on the lawn and didn't lose gps so maybe the iron in the concrete driveway causes the error, also water shutoff is near launch area too. I read on another site to do the IMU calibration, may help. When I did the IMU the first time, I may have exited out early, said 100% but didn't say finished. I redid the IMU letting it complete to finished state, I'll test it again tomorrow outside.

 

[RodPad]

have a Phantom Vision and calibrated it in same spot with no problems.

Oh, I assumed this was your first Phantom. I guess I won't get that time back.

Actually I am work so it doesn't matter.

 

[RodPad]

Location, I meant try different location, that was before I new you had used one before.

 

[Mako79]

I had 16 satellites, I calibrated the compass multiple times and horizontal would be fine but vertical would get a compass error, after few tries it would finally calibrate. Then as soon as it touched the pavement, compass error.

You guys clearly have no idea how the compass works...
The manual suggest you do a compass calibration before every flight.. I find this very wrong.
Best is to google map an open field. Do the compass dance and It should give you a nice 1500 compass mod value. The open field will be the reflection of sky when the phantom is 100-400ft up.
Now go back to the site you are flying and DO NOT do the compass dance. If you get magnetic influences that does not let you take off, place the phantom on a cardboard box or move to another patch of grass.

Have you noticed why there is a 150cm minimum height on compass calibrations?
Try not to take off on roads/walkways/driveways/balconies/rooftops.

I logically do my compass dance. If I suspect I require one, I google map the closest open field.
And always keep an eye on the compass mod value. I wish DJI made appear at the top of the screen.

 

[RodPad]

CCC (Compass Calibration Comments), It will never end.

I will always CCDance when I change flight locations, not every flight.
I will not keep trying to get a calibration if fails 3 times or more. I will look for a different place to try to calibrate. I don't think I would return and fly in an area after a success full calibration in an other area.
I will start noting the compass value before each take off.

Please note that JC507 had used a Phantom Vision in the same location with no problems. My questions about satellites was based on why did he loose satellite lock when said 16 I never followed up on that.

 

[Meta4]

As far as sidewalks, most don't have steel in them. That is not to say they all don't, but some have wire mesh in them. Reinforcing steel and wire mesh as a rule don't generate magnetic fields. I would think it is impossible to fly only where there is no metal at all. Its everywhere. Even in the desert.

Not sure where you live but reinforcing steel is very common in concrete structures including sidewalks and all steel has its own magnetic field - the bigger the steel object, the stronger the field.
You can test that easily yourself with a compass and a piece of steel.
Bring the steel closer to the compass and see how it deflects the needle.

I had 16 satellites, I calibrated the compass multiple times and horizontal would be fine but vertical would get a compass error, after few tries it would finally calibrate. Then as soon as it touched the pavement, compass error.

Bingo !!
You want to calibrate your Phantom's compass so that it understands the earth's magnetic field and can ignore any extra generated by the Phantom itself.
If you put the Phantom's compass close to any large iron or steel objects, the Phantom will tell you it has a compass error.
This isn't to say there is a problem with the compass.
It's telling you that the compass has detected a significant distortion in the magnetic field it is measuring and you should move the Phantom away from there.
Try it yourself by putting the Phantom on a manhole cover or your car's roof and you'll see.

Don't try to calibrate anywhere that there that iron or steel is distorting the local magnetic field of the earth and don't take off from iron or steel objects.

ps the GPS and IMU are completely separate systems and are quite unrelated to the compass.

 

[Mako79]

CCC (Compass Calibration Comments), It will never end.

I will always CCDance when I change flight locations, not every flight.
I will not keep trying to get a calibration if fails 3 times or more. I will look for a different place to try to calibrate. I don't think I would return and fly in an area after a success full calibration in an other area.
I will start noting the compass value before each take off.

Please note that JC507 had used a Phantom Vision in the same location with no problems. My questions about satellites was based on why did he loose satellite lock when said 16 I never followed up on that.

In the 2 years of flying, I have never once got a compass calibration failure. If you are trying 3 times or more, then I suggest you avoid that area on the first calibration failure.

And in regards to @JC507, I don't think he lost 16 sats. There was no mention of losing the sats. I think he was advising the status of his P3.

 

[RodPad]

In the 2 years of flying, I have never once got a compass calibration failure. If you are trying 3 times or more, then I suggest you avoid that area on the first calibration failure.


And in regards to @JC507, I don't think he lost 16 sats. There was no mention of losing the sats. I think he was advising the status of his P3.

I have never had a failure either, that was my recommendation.

Look at post # 8.