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

Kamloops · Aug 11, 2016

zgembit said:
Yeah I feel the same, seeing people on youtube sending their birds on all kind of long trips in different places and we are flying in open fields shitting pants for sending it 25m in the air.
Positive side is that you got to search for and walk to (recreation) open spaces and good spots in your own surroundings, makes you **** good at geographics (know your open spaces )

Funny that both of us may get phantom 4 in few days for side by side test. I will wait for your results you BET on that one ))

Add me to the list. I am picking up a Phantom 4 on Saturday and I will also be able to give some comparison data.

zgembit · Aug 11, 2016

Kamloops said:
Add me to the list. I am picking up a Phantom 4 on Saturday and I will also be able to give some comparison data.

Alright! Then you will probably be the first to compare!
I think there would be a good point to compare flying with both original and updated firmware.

Northern Observer · Aug 11, 2016

Email DJI support regarding compass errors. Mine is shipping back now DJI for the very same matter. Do it before your warranty expires.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

zgembit · Aug 11, 2016

Northern Observer said:
Email DJI support regarding compass errors. Mine is shipping back now DJI for the very same matter. Do it before your warranty expires.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Can you tell a little bit more about your contact and what they said? How did your aircraft behave?

Meta4 · Aug 11, 2016

zgembit said:
How to know if compass calibration is good?

The simple answer is that you have a good compass calibration if your Phantom flies straight rather than spiraling curves and hovers in place without rotating.

zgembit said:
I still get a lot of "satellite positioning off" warnings and gps cut outs.
Last calibration today in very big nature reserve field. It was little windy but under 7 m/s. Maybe small wind cuts out the GPS, how sensitive is this machine.
Irritates me that I only will be able to fly it without fear when there is no wind.

Satellite Positioning Off is unrelated to the compass.
If you see this a lot, your problem is in the GPS unit and you should discuss this with DJI.
Wind has no effect on compass or GPS

zgembit · Aug 11, 2016

Meta4 said:
The simple answer is that you have a good compass calibration if your Phantom flies straight rather than spiraling curves and hovers in place without rotating.

Satellite Positioning Off is unrelated to the compass.
If you see this a lot, your problem is in the GPS unit and you should discuss this with DJI.
Wind has no effect on compass or GPS

I think it is related in some way because when I read out flight recordings on healthydrones page, that is only notification that is constantly repeating, in same frequent way that compass error messages also occur.
Example:

BudWalker · Aug 11, 2016

zgembit said:
I think it is related in some way because when I read out flight recordings on healthydrones page, that is only notification that is constantly repeating, in same frequent way that compass error messages also occur.
Example:

I'm not sure why Healthy Drones labels these notifications as "Warning:Satellite Positioning Off. Fly with caution". But, they occur when the field nonGPSCause has one of the values SPEED_ERROR_LARGE, COMPASS_ERROR_LARGE, or YAW_ERROR_LARGE. These values are "compass errors" and have nothing to do with the GPS

Northern Observer · Aug 11, 2016

zgembit said:
Can you tell a little bit more about your contact and what they said? How did your aircraft behave?

Here is the post, my last flight before shipping it back for repair is within this link:

Why does the DJI Phantom 3 Compass Hardware Fail?

Tom O'Brien · Aug 11, 2016

Its interesting that so many of us have this problem and DJI has not tuned into coming up with a resolve. I have contracted them via Email and have so far been disappointed with there response. 4 weeks and I have not had a good flight without a Compass Error. I have really liked flying and do not want to give up on the P3A I just wish DJI would be more responsive

m0j0 · Aug 11, 2016

Tom O'Brien said:
Its interesting that so many of us have this problem and DJI has not tuned into coming up with a resolve. I have contracted them via Email and have so far been disappointed with there response. 4 weeks and I have not had a good flight without a Compass Error. I have really liked flying and do not want to give up on the P3A I just wish DJI would be more responsive

So many? Really how many people are having this problem?

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Surrealplaces · Aug 12, 2016

When it goes into Atti mode does it go intermittently? or does it go into the mode and stay in that mode? For me, so far it's intermittent and usually for short periods, so for the most part hasn't hampered flight too much, but yeah it would be nice not to have to worry about it.

Surrealplaces · Aug 12, 2016

Northern Observer said:
Here is the post, my last flight before shipping it back for repair is within this link:

Why does the DJI Phantom 3 Compass Hardware Fail?

Where do you have to ship it back to? I'm wondering if I should do the same.

Northern Observer · Aug 12, 2016

You need an RMA number from DJI support, they take care of shipping to Los Angeles repair centre.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Surrealplaces · Aug 12, 2016

Thanks! I might just do that. Did they say how long it would take?

zgembit · Aug 12, 2016

Man, getting tired of those "satellite positioning off" and "compass error" messages. I calibrated today in the middle of big field, naked. No metal on me. 19-20 satellites, sunny day, little bit vind. Big big beautifle field surrounded by woods.
I think compass is too sensitive, at one point I could myself produce going to "atti mode" by making 180 degrees right turn.

Take a look:
HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

zgembit · Aug 12, 2016

Brand new phantom 4 is in my hands but its night here and it will probably be rainy tomorrow...

Northern Observer · Aug 12, 2016

m0j0 said:
So many? Really how many people are having this problem?

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Is your machine under the warranty period still?. Via email, it took about 2 hrs and 4 emails back and forth. The only file I sent them was the hidden txt file generated on your micro card (there is an entire hidden directory on this card btw). This file reports on the units versions of firmware installed. I have been syncing my flight logs via the ipad AP

Surrealplaces said:
Thanks! I might just do that. Did they say how long it would take?

If you are in the USA, about 10 days total time.

Lifted Chevy · Aug 12, 2016

I'm getting more errors from the compass but healthy drones show no issues ?

Meta4 · Aug 12, 2016

Lifted Chevy said:
I'm getting more errors from the compass but healthy drones show no issues ?

Healthy Drones never shows compass errors, they just give a basic summary.
You want to see actual data to be able to tell anything.
Go to https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/Upload/
Follow the instructions to upload your flight record.