Compass Calibration Every location Move

[Joe Polillio]

Has anyone experienced having to calibrate the compass every time you move a Phantom 4 Pro v2 to a new location?
Every time I move locations it can be 5, 10, 30 miles, I get a compass error and have to calibrate.

I've owned 3 Inspires and 3 P4P v1's and have never seen this. I my first bought a P4P v2 in May. It started after about a month or two, then got progressively worse.
I sent it back to DJI and they replaced it for no charge. The replacement drone's compass needed to be calibrated at every location change. After 2 weeks, I sent it back to DJI .
They said the compass was fine, but they want to charge me $130.00 to replace exterior parts that have some minor nicks or scratches. I've been back and forth with their HORRIBLE customer service.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Oso]

Has anyone experienced having to calibrate the compass every time you move a Phantom 4 Pro v2 to a new location?
Every time I move locations it can be 5, 10, 30 miles, I get a compass error and have to calibrate.

I've owned 3 Inspires and 3 P4P v1's and have never seen this. I my first bought a P4P v2 in May. It started after about a month or two, then got progressively worse.
I sent it back to DJI and they replaced it for no charge. The replacement drone's compass needed to be calibrated at every location change. After 2 weeks, I sent it back to DJI .
They said the compass was fine, but they want to charge me $130.00 to replace exterior parts that have some minor nicks or scratches. I've been back and forth with their HORRIBLE customer service.

Any advice is appreciated.

What makes you think it is requiring you to calibrate the compass every time? We’ve seen many others think the same only to realize later that it wasn’t so. Most often they think that the outline around the word “Calibrate” in the app means that they must calibrate.

 

[Joe Polillio]

Because I get a Compass Error Message that says I need to Calibrate the Compass.
Serious replies only please.

 

[WV. Rootman]

Two different drones and the same problem? Most likely, It's not the drones.

 

[Deleted member 62848]

Because I get a Compass Error Message that says I need to Calibrate the Compass.
Serious replies only please.

The above post was serious,,but since you do have a issue it was just a honest reply,,,you know yourself how it looks in app and many do calibrate because its highlighted,,,no one mention not being serious,,also this is a serious reply aswell,,click on your sensors in you compass and see what the numbers are doing,, if all goes outside there threshold imu calibration might corect it or your compass needs that de magnitise treatment, I cant remember the name,,,,,you dont have a pacemaker or something like that do you,,steel plates ,,yes strange for 2 drones to do this,,try have someone else power it up see if it changes,,yes I'm serious

 

[kndll]

Large magnetic source such as high power speakers in your car where you transport your phantom ??

 

[Starz]

Because I get a Compass Error Message that says I need to Calibrate the Compass.
Serious replies only please.

Screen shot of the message?

 

[Joe Polillio]

None of the suggested issues above have occurred, but thanks for the trouble shooting. There is always a possibility of Pilot error, especially with all of the menus and settings, no doubt. But I've calibrate the IMU, the motion sensors and refreshed the software. Several times.

Also, importantly, I currently fly a P4P v1 in the same locations with no issues. This is my second v1. The first lasted a year and then I had to refresh it w DJI bc the gimbal failed one day. The v1's have been rock solid except for rare collision warnings when I'm 300' in the air with nothing around for hundreds of feet.

Maybe this is old advice, but I typically only calibrate my compass when I travel beyond 200 miles. Clients have sent me to states as far away from NJ as FL,TX,TN,MS and the v1's never asked to Calibrate compass, although I did anyway. My 3 Inspire 1's never had this issue, but some had horrible video transmission issues.

I thought since the P4P v1's I've flown have been so stable, that perhaps this forum would enlighten me to a problem with the v2 that DJI is not speaking about. After the responses, I see that there is something that I'm still missing or I got snake bit twice.

I've decided to stop fighting DJI and just Refresh and see what happens.

 

[Starz]

rare collision warnings when I'm 300' in the air with nothing around for hundreds of feet.

More than likely a pointed at the sun issue. Change to sport mode is a solution.

 

[MapMaker53]

I understand that you are getting a compass error at every new location and have to calibrate. I'm just curious if, after you calibrate at a location, are you able to then make as many additional flights as you need at that location on that same day without calibrating again for each flight?

If you can shut down the P4P, change out the battery, and relaunch again without having to calibrate again, you may wish to try this experiment. After you have flown your calibrated flight and before you launch a second flight, shut down your DJI GO or whatever app you use to fly. (I don't think operators typically shut down the app after each flight if just changing out a battery.) Then restart the app and proceed with the second flight and new battery. If you get the compass error, it might just be that the app is reading the information incorrectly and you need to uninstall and download a new copy or latest version of the app. It may have somehow become corrupt. Or maybe a new version of the app was issued that is compatible with the v2 and you are using a much older version that was designed just for the v1. But I'm not an app expert. Just something to try.

 

[WV. Rootman]

More than likely a pointed at the sun issue. Change to sport mode is a solution.

What Starz post is a common problem, not rare. I have never needed to calibrate my compass, which most agree is not necessary when traveling. I travel all over the eastern US. As for your other problems we are trying to help. Sorry that you get frustrated with us. We aren't there beside you to a have a clear idea of what is going on.

 

[Joe Polillio]

I understand that you are getting a compass error at every new location and have to calibrate. I'm just curious if, after you calibrate at a location, are you able to then make as many additional flights as you need at that location on that same day without calibrating again for each flight?

If you can shut down the P4P, change out the battery, and relaunch again without having to calibrate again, you may wish to try this experiment. After you have flown your calibrated flight and before you launch a second flight, shut down your DJI GO or whatever app you use to fly. (I don't think operators typically shut down the app after each flight if just changing out a battery.) Then restart the app and proceed with the second flight and new battery. If you get the compass error, it might just be that the app is reading the information incorrectly and you need to uninstall and download a new copy or latest version of the app. It may have somehow become corrupt. Or maybe a new version of the app was issued that is compatible with the v2 and you are using a much older version that was designed just for the v1. But I'm not an app expert. Just something to try.

Once I calibrate the compass, it's fine at that location even if it's a large 1000 acre construction site. I can fly there all day with out an error message. Shutting down everything or not. About half my jobs I shut everything down at battery change for 2 reasons, 1: to conserve transmitter power, 2: the Crystal Sky software is so buggy that it freaks out over simple changes, so it works out better if I shut down Crystal Sky, quit the App, the Transmitter, everything. Half the jobs I do not do this. Yet I constantly get a compass error message if I travel 5 or more miles away from the calibration. This problem occurs whether I'm using the DJI Go App or Litchi. At a familiar location, I used to be able to just launch Litchi and go, but now with the v2, I have to launch the Go App, make sure everything is good, then reboot Crystal Sky so I can launch Litchi. As I said, it's a problem with both Apps and 2 different Crystal Sky monitors that I own. No problems at all with the v1. I've also tried reinstalling the Crystal Sky software and that hasn't helped anything.

When I get the new v2, I will certainly check to make sure that my Crystal Sky is running the current version, although I'm pretty certain it currently is. Thanks for your impute.

 

[MapMaker53]

At least it isn't preventing you from flying. Certainly a pain, though.

 

[Capt KO]

Does this happen only after returning the v2 to it's case? Anything in it or nearby that could be even mildly magnetic? I would mention your vehicle but that would effect the other drones too. Just throwing darts here hoping something sticks. Good luck.

 

[Joe Polillio]

Does this happen only after returning the v2 to it's case? Anything in it or nearby that could be even mildly magnetic? I would mention your vehicle but that would effect the other drones too. Just throwing darts here hoping something sticks. Good luck.

Good thought, but everything is the same across the board with procedures for the v1 and v2

 

[MapMaker53]

Could it be the location where you store that case when you get home? Just for kicks, calibrate the drone and store the drone in a different location in your house until you fly again. See if you get the compass error.

 

[Joe Polillio]

V1 goes in the case when the V2 is not in it, so no difference there

 

[Deleted member 62848]

Ok you seem very on to it but dumb question are you calibrating above a metre high and slow turns,,I just trying to think why it's not saving once calibration is complete ?
Have you done a factory reset of crystal sky monitor? When the app is open with drone on is it turning in the triangle when to turn the drone,,that's good indicator compass is working ,,,take a screen shot when it happens
Give top shell a tap with screwdriver , wake the compass up

 

[GFields]

None of the suggested issues above have occurred, but thanks for the trouble shooting. There is always a possibility of Pilot error, especially with all of the menus and settings, no doubt. But I've calibrate the IMU, the motion sensors and refreshed the software. Several times.

Also, importantly, I currently fly a P4P v1 in the same locations with no issues. This is my second v1. The first lasted a year and then I had to refresh it w DJI bc the gimbal failed one day. The v1's have been rock solid except for rare collision warnings when I'm 300' in the air with nothing around for hundreds of feet.

Maybe this is old advice, but I typically only calibrate my compass when I travel beyond 200 miles. Clients have sent me to states as far away from NJ as FL,TX,TN,MS and the v1's never asked to Calibrate compass, although I did anyway. My 3 Inspire 1's never had this issue, but some had horrible video transmission issues.

I thought since the P4P v1's I've flown have been so stable, that perhaps this forum would enlighten me to a problem with the v2 that DJI is not speaking about. After the responses, I see that there is something that I'm still missing or I got snake bit twice.

I've decided to stop fighting DJI and just Refresh and see what happens.

I have the same issues when changing locations of more than 50 miles. I just bite the bullet and recalibrate.

 

[Joe Polillio]

Ok you seem very on to it but dumb question are you calibrating above a metre high and slow turns,,I just trying to think why it's not saving once calibration is complete ?
Have you done a factory reset of crystal sky monitor? When the app is open with drone on is it turning in the triangle when to turn the drone,,that's good indicator compass is working ,,,take a screen shot when it happens
Give top shell a tap with screwdriver , wake the compass up

I'll double check, but I just did a job with my v1 today. Same set up and circumstances. The job was 100 miles away from were I flew yesterday and no calibration required.
I'm going to reset all software when the new v2 comes and hope for the best. I can just resign myself to calibrating every time, but past experience has shown that if something isn't working right, it leads to more problems.