Phantom 4 Compass Calibration

[Hendricks]

Hi, this issue continues to be a debated item on this site and others.
As every experienced Phantom pilot knows, compass calibration is very important before taking off.
As a pilot of Phantom 2 and Phantom 3 aircraft, I always made sure my aircraft compass was calibrated before taking off.
Just before I purchased my Phantom 4, I was aware of 2 recommendations concerning Phantom 4 compass calibration from DJI.
One recommendation(direct from a DJI site), stated that compass calibration was not necessary unless you were prompted to do so via the Aircraft Status page.

Another recommendation (also direct from DJI) said it was always advised to do a compass calibration before every flight.

I will say that I would always perform a full compass calibration prior to every flight;however, my Phantom 4 has never asked me to do so on the Aircraft Status Page. It tells me the Home Point has been updated and I'm all set for flight.
Even when I attempt to calibrate the compass, it won't let me do so.
Essentially telling me that it isn't necessary.
I have flown from various locations-some miles apart- and, still, I am not asked to perform a compass calibration......however, every time, the Home Point is updated.

I have performed 'Return to Home' functions and my Phantom 4 returns to its take off spot every time.

I'd be interested in hearing from other Phantom 4 pilots out there who have similar experiences.
Thanks.

 

[msinger]

DJI GO has only ever prompted me with the message below. In most cases, that doesn't mean the compass needs to be calibrated. It means it's too close to a magnetic metal object and should be moved away from it.

 

[Meta4]

As every experienced Phantom pilot knows, compass calibration is very important before taking off.
As a pilot of Phantom 2 and Phantom 3 aircraft, I always made sure my aircraft compass was calibrated before taking off.
Just before I purchased my Phantom 4, I was aware of 2 recommendations concerning Phantom 4 compass calibration from DJI.
One recommendation(direct from a DJI site), stated that compass calibration was not necessary unless you were prompted to do so via the Aircraft Status page.

Another recommendation (also direct from DJI) said it was always advised to do a compass calibration before every flight.

Frequent compass calibration was never needed but badly worded DJI manuals caused people to believe it was.
DJI has fixed the wording in most up-to-date manuals now to give more accurate information.
(Unfortunately the P4 manual now has the new wording but still has some of the old confusing text, but all others have been fixed)

Under normal circumstances it should never be necessary to recalibrate the compass - including for a brand new Phantom straight out of the box.

Another recommendation (also direct from DJI) said it was always advised to do a compass calibration before every flight.

Unfortunately some DJI people are very poor sources for accurate information.

Even when I attempt to calibrate the compass, it won't let me do so.

Although it's not necessary to recalibrate, if you went to the correct section of the app settings, you could recalibrate the compass.

I have performed 'Return to Home' functions and my Phantom 4 returns to its take off spot every time.

That's actually showing that your GPS is working rather than the compass.
If your Phantom hovers in place without slowly spiralling and it flies straight, that shows that your compass is just fine.

 

[Hendricks]

I'm wondering if the Phantom 4 does not require a compass calibration(often) because the aircraft knows where it is because the controller is now attached by cable to a mobile device.
And your mobile device(phone) has its own GPS position locked?

Whatever the case, my Phantom 4 has not asked me to do a compass calibration.....and it will not allow me to perform one anyway.

 

[Hendricks]

Frequent compass calibration was never needed but badly worded DJI manuals caused people to believe it was.
DJI has fixed the wording in most up-to-date manuals now to give more accurate information.
(Unfortunately the P4 manual now has the new wording but still has some of the old confusing text, but all others have been fixed)

Under normal circumstances it should never be necessary to recalibrate the compass - including for a brand new Phantom straight out of the box.

Unfortunately some DJI people are very poor sources for accurate information.

Although it's not necessary to recalibrate, if you went to the correct section of the app settings, you could recalibrate the compass.

That's actually showing that your GPS is working rather than the compass.
If your Phantom hovers in place without slowly spiralling and it flies straight, that shows that your compass is just fine.

Hey thanks for that great reply.......I've been flying Phantoms (2, 3, and 4s) now for about 4 years and you are correct DJI's instructions are poorly worded and that leads to confusion.
Hovering in place and flying in a straight line is the ultimate test of a calibrated compass.

 

[Meta4]

I'm wondering if the Phantom 4 does not require a compass calibration(often) because the aircraft knows where it is because the controller is now attached by cable to a mobile device.
And your mobile device(phone) has its own GPS position locked?

Compass is for direction. GPS is for location.
There are unrelated systems.
Having a GPS in your phone or tablet has no effect on the compass (or the GPS) in the Phantom

 

[Pete Leare]

The last compass calibration I did was over a year ago in NH. I drove to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving and took my P3 with me (900 miles away). I did not do a calibration and had absolutely no problems with all aspects of flight.

 

[go fast]

Only time in over a year i've calibrated the compass was in California coming from Miami and I still could've flown bars were yellow but after calibration compass values were 17 & 24 and I was back green . The systems are awsome in these newer ( P4 ) drones and very user friendly , basically if all is green your safe to fly.

 

[Hendricks]

Only time in over a year i've calibrated the compass was in California coming from Miami and I still could've flown bars were yellow but after calibration compass values were 17 & 24 and I was back green . The systems are awsome in these newer ( P4 ) drones and very user friendly , basically if all is green your safe to fly.

Yes, that sure seems to be the case in the newer(P4) aircraft;however, my experience with the P2 and P3 aircraft was different.......you sure had to calibrate your compass before every flight with those drones, otherwise a fly away(remember those?) could happen.

I agree with your statement: ' Basically, if the Status bar is green, you are safe to fly.'

 

[Hendricks]

The last compass calibration I did was over a year ago in NH. I drove to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving and took my P3 with me (900 miles away). I did not do a calibration and had absolutely no problems with all aspects of flight.

Do you have a P4 aircraft? It seems the newer drones do not require the compass calibrations that were pretty much mandatory with the earlier P2 and P3 aircraft.

 

[Hendricks]

I wonder if anyone out there(who flies a P4 aircraft) has flown their drone in one location and then taken it many miles away to a second location without having to do a compass calibration?
Or, did you perform a compass calibration?

Large distance changes between locations where the P4 is being flown may trigger a compass calibration?

Thoughts?

 

[msinger]

Large distance changes between locations where the P4 is being flown may trigger a compass calibration?

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has ever seen DJI GO prompt them to calibrate the compass (for any reason). Other than the screenshot I posted above, I don't think such a prompt exists in DJI GO (even though the manual is worded like it does).

 

[Meta4]

my experience with the P2 and P3 aircraft was different.......you sure had to calibrate your compass before every flight with those drones, otherwise a fly away(remember those?) could happen.

Two things ... The compass of the P2 and P3 series worked exactly as the P4 series.
Recalibrating their compass was completely unnecessary.

Not calibrating the compass doesn't cause "flyaways".
Not understanding how your Phantom works causes flyaways.

 

[Meta4]

Large distance changes between locations where the P4 is being flown may trigger a compass calibration?

It doesn't matter how far away from your last flying site you are.
You still don't need to recalibrate the compass.
If things are working properly, just leave it alone.

 

[Hendricks]

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has ever seen DJI GO prompt them to calibrate the compass (for any reason). Other than the screenshot I posted above, I don't think such a prompt exists in DJI GO (even though the manual is worded like it does).

About a year ago, there was an official DJI video on YouTube where a representative from DJI specifically says: " A compass calibration is not necessary unless the DJI Go App prompts you to do so."
I have seen this video myself.

Judging from the comments to my earlier post, I believe the newer P4 aircraft have far better built in compasses than the earlier P2 and P3 aircraft.
Compass calibration was part of every pre-flight for P2 and P3 aircraft.
But, with better compasses inside the P4 drones, calibration isn't required.
If the ' Aircraft Status ' bar is green in the DJI Go App, then everything is fine and you are safe to fly.

The other thing is that if your P4 lifts off and remains stationary in flight, with no drifting, then its compass is fine and it is safe to go flying.

 

[msinger]

About a year ago, there was an official DJI video on YouTube where a representative from DJI specifically says: " A compass calibration is not necessary unless the DJI Go App prompts you to do so."
I have seen this video myself.

So, where are these prompts that DJI speaks of?

 

[Hendricks]

Two things ... The compass of the P2 and P3 series worked exactly as the P4 series.
Recalibrating their compass was completely unnecessary.

Not calibrating the compass doesn't cause "flyaways".
Not understanding how your Phantom works causes flyaways.

I actually never had a fly away.....

I understand how my Phantom 4 works.

 

[Hendricks]

So, where are these prompts that DJI speaks of?

Not sure.......In the video, the guy with the DJI shirt on says: "A compass calibration in not necessary unless you are prompted to do so."
I take that to mean the app will tell you to perform a compass calibration.

 

[msinger]

Compass calibration was part of every pre-flight for P2 and P3 aircraft.
But, with better compasses inside the P4 drones, calibration isn't required.
If the ' Aircraft Status ' bar is green in the DJI Go App, then everything is fine and you are safe to fly.

Even today, DJI is still sending out conflicting information. In this this article from November 19th, they say it's essential to calibrate the compass before every flight.

FWIW, I think calibrating the compass before every flight is a waste of time in most cases. I don't think doing so will cause any problems though. If you want to do it, then have at it.

 

[msinger]

I take that to mean the app will tell you to perform a compass calibration.

Right. But, if you (and everyone else?) have never seen such a prompt, why even promote this information?

Perhaps this recommendation came about by a badly translated DJI Phantom manual. And, then other DJI employees (and drone owners) read the badly translated manual and started making the same recommendations.