Flying in Costa Rica

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Hello All,
I got my p2v+ a few weeks ago, and did many flights around my house/neighborhood, and a few at the beach (Jacksonville, FL). Worked perfectly.

I brought it with me on vacation to Pavones, Costa Rica for surf videoing.

I calibrated the compass successfully, and the first 3 flights which were one after another went fine.

After a charge I tried flying again, all green with 11 satellites, and upon takeoff it was drifting and basically out of control. I was able to land safely.

I tried several times to calibrate the compass, and it would not work.

I borrowed a computer and hooked it up to the vision software, and the compass was way out (3000). Per a dji video I saw, I got a strong magnet against the compass and got it back to 1600ish. Also did the dmi advanced calibration.

Took it back outside, did a compass calibration, and it flew normally.

Second flight, it started screwing up in the air, lights turned red after takeoff. Turned it 360 degrees and it went back to green and flew normally.

Tried a third flight, and compass is completely out of whack again. Will not fly.

I brought it down to get some good video and pictures, but can't get beyond a good test flight, and I'm scared to even try it again here.

There's a lot of huge mountains in Costa Rica, some volcanos (300km away I think), I'm close to the equator. Could these things cause compass problems? Or did the compass just be defective? (Although it worked the week before my trip)

I'm being extra careful to keep it away from known magnetic sources, but the compass still won't calibrate anymore.... Keeps getting too far out of whack. I noticed the sand here on the beach is ferris (sticks to a magnet) so I suspect a high natural iron content in the region is causing problems in this geographic location...

Anyone have similar sucess/failures in Central America?
 
The speaker in my van door has messed with my compass before and what I suspect was the xray machine in an airport on another occasion but both resulting in the same problems you are having. The magnet trick is really a last resort. It should only be done if you have tried all other avenues. First is an in the field compass calibration and stay at a 10ft hover. If it acts strange bring it down immediately. Step 2 is to hook it up to the assistant software, check the compass mods, run a basic and then an advanced calibration and try another 10ft hover test. Only after trying all these should you try the magnet trick. You may not have done it properly. Try these steps as I have said and then if you have to do the magnet trick make sure you watch the magnet video a few times to make sure you do it exactly right.
 
Maybe see if you can find any other magnet trick videos in case the one you watched wasnt correct. Hope this helps.
 

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