Disabling Compass ("Compass Error") - Fly only with GPS

[Kristina Fowler]

I fly in an area with **extremely** large areas of iron (construction facility). I often get a "Compass Error" message. I can take off, but it puts a 30 ft ceiling on me - effectively grounding me. My intended mission takes me from take-off position to one GPS Point and back. How can I disable the compass so that I can fly in GPS-mode only?

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

You cannot disable the compass . Switching to ATTI mode will disable the GPS, but you'll need to pay careful attention to flying it as there will be no stabilization. I notice DJI go app cries alot about everything. I use Litchi and that app has a much better attitude.

 

[Texas Gonzo]

Yup, even if you could, disabling the compass would render return to home useless if the drone doesn't know which way it's pointed (or so i understand from documentation, forum posts, etc. Supposedly, its compass errors that CAUSE a majority of fly-aways.

As others have done, I'm about to pull the trigger on Litchi, as it appears to be a lot more stable, and less in need of a giant Pamprin (so to speak). $25 would be well worth it, as I've spent far more than that on aspirin alone trying to cure dji-inflicted headaches.

 

[F3honda4me]

Litchi will not help here guys. He will still be constantly going into ATTI because of the area he is flying in interfering with the compass. Everything the OP is experiencing is being done by the aircraft NOT the app.

 

[Kristina Fowler]

What about flying in ATTI mode for a distance, and then switching to the app once it gets a reasonable distance from the iron rich area? For return to home, I could set my home point as simply another way point. Or am I just dreaming?

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

Where did you calibrate the compass? Near the problem area? It needs to be calibrated (no kidding) pretty much on the moon to be accurate. Any prolonged error will result in a crying session if not flown with miracles.

 

[sar104]

I fly in an area with **extremely** large areas of iron (construction facility). I often get a "Compass Error" message. I can take off, but it puts a 30 ft ceiling on me - effectively grounding me. My intended mission takes me from take-off position to one GPS Point and back. How can I disable the compass so that I can fly in GPS-mode only?

Compass errors and/or ATTI mode do not restrict distance or height - are you sure that message is not unrelated to the mode?

As mentioned already, there is no GPS-only mode. Phantoms have been demonstrated to be capable of limited attitude control with the compasses disconnected (presumably just using the accelerometer and rate gyro data), but flying in that mode would be very challenging.

Can you not takeoff a bit further away from the iron materials?

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

Try flying FROM a point not near the problem area. Fly towards it (Your desire of area). See if the starting away from it helps a bit.

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

And don't linger over iron/steel objects. Fly past them to get the shot.

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

When I fly over railroad rails (2-4 ft above, I get the error... I just climb a few feet 'till it goes away.

 

[Meta4]

I fly in an area with **extremely** large areas of iron (construction facility). I often get a "Compass Error" message. I can take off, but it puts a 30 ft ceiling on me - effectively grounding me. My intended mission takes me from take-off position to one GPS Point and back. How can I disable the compass so that I can fly in GPS-mode only?

I've flown from a construction site littered with piles of reinforcing steel.
You cannot fly or control your Phantom without the compass but you can avoid situations that cause a compass error.
Launch from an area well away from steel and then fly into your site.
If you get too close to a lot of steel you will see issues with the Phantom starting to slowly swirl around as it enters the magnetic field of the steel.
Climb a few metres to get out of the field and your Phantom goes back to normal.

Here's the explanation for the 30 foot ceiling issue. It comes from p55 in the manual.

Maximum Flight Altitude Height is restricted to 26 feet (8 meters) when the GPS signal is weak (this means you will be in atti mode) and Vision Positioning is activated.
Height is restricted to 98 feet (30 meters) when the GPS signal is weak and Vision Positioning is inactivated.​

So, switch off the VPS and you can fly higher in atti mode.
But you should be able to to stay in P-GPS mode and have no restrictions if you can avoid getting too close to large steel objects.
There's more than 50000 tons of steel here but I could have been even closer before magnetic effects would have appeared.
If you find you are too close, just back off or climb a little.

 

[Kristina Fowler]

I've flown from a construction site littered with piles of reinforcing steel.
You cannot fly or control your Phantom without the compass but you can avoid situations that cause a compass error.
Launch from an area well away from steel and then fly into your site.
If you get too close to a lot of steel you will see issues with the Phantom starting to slowly swirl around as it enters the magnetic field of the steel.
Climb a few metres to get out of the field and your Phantom goes back to normal.

Here's the explanation for the 30 foot ceiling issue. It comes from p55 in the manual.

Maximum Flight Altitude Height is restricted to 26 feet (8 meters) when the GPS signal is weak (this means you will be in atti mode) and Vision Positioning is activated.
Height is restricted to 98 feet (30 meters) when the GPS signal is weak and Vision Positioning is inactivated.​

So, switch off the VPS and you can fly higher in atti mode.
But you should be able to to stay in P-GPS mode and have no restrictions if you can avoid getting too close to large steel objects.
There's more than 50000 tons of steel here but I could have been even closer before magnetic effects would have appeared.
If you find you are too close, just back off or climb a little.

I did not think to try this. I'll try to get airborne using ATTI , then switch back to P-GPS. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Chris w1987]

I fly with both apps and my Phantom DOES not fly as crisp as the go app and remember warning from the app are there for a reason !

 

[Meta4]

I did not think to try this. I'll try to get airborne using ATTI , then switch back to P-GPS. Thanks for the tip.

Just launch from somewhere clear of magnetic disturbance.

 

[F3honda4me]

I've flown from a construction site littered with piles of reinforcing steel.
You cannot fly or control your Phantom without the compass but you can avoid situations that cause a compass error.
Launch from an area well away from steel and then fly into your site.
If you get too close to a lot of steel you will see issues with the Phantom starting to slowly swirl around as it enters the magnetic field of the steel.
Climb a few metres to get out of the field and your Phantom goes back to normal.

Here's the explanation for the 30 foot ceiling issue. It comes from p55 in the manual.

Maximum Flight Altitude Height is restricted to 26 feet (8 meters) when the GPS signal is weak (this means you will be in atti mode) and Vision Positioning is activated.
Height is restricted to 98 feet (30 meters) when the GPS signal is weak and Vision Positioning is inactivated.​

So, switch off the VPS and you can fly higher in atti mode.
But you should be able to to stay in P-GPS mode and have no restrictions if you can avoid getting too close to large steel objects.
There's more than 50000 tons of steel here but I could have been even closer before magnetic effects would have appeared.
If you find you are too close, just back off or climb a little.

I love your drone pictures