Potential Compass problem?

[rlphoto69]

Don't remember seeing this before. Have not flown for about a week and turned on my Phantom 4 Pro this morning and saw that it required an update so I did that and everything seemed to go fine. I posted something about a few weeks ago where I can no longer calibrate the compass here anywhere close to my home and I get the big red message in the upper left-hand corner of the DJI Go app that says compass calibration error . There is a couple of big satellite dishes behind my house and someone told me that one of them had change directions recently and wonder if that caused this problem. If I take things about a half a mile away from here everything seems to work fine but this morning I noticed this. I was just going through all the settings after the update and notice that Compass number one showed disconnected and I don't know if it actually is disconnected or if it is just because of the compass problem here at my house. Has anyone seen this before?

 

[DonJuanEstevan]

That's almost exactly what happened to me today too. I hadn't flown in about a week and saw there was an update. I updated then ran the IMU calibration and sensor calibration but decided to calibrate my compass at the field I was going to 30 miles away. I couldn't calibrate there or back at my house. DJI support was useless. Here's what mine is showing:

 

[rlphoto69]

That's almost exactly what happened to me today too. I hadn't flown in about a week and saw there was an update. I updated then ran the IMU calibration and sensor calibration but decided to calibrate my compass at the field I was going to 30 miles away. I couldn't calibrate there or back at my house. DJI support was useless. Here's what mine is showing:

I went about 2 miles away and everything was the same and then went another mile out of town and away from everything potentially metal and all went back to normal. What was your final outcome?

 

[DonJuanEstevan]

I got the same results no matter where I tried. I even did a firmware downgrade, a factory reset and reinstalled the new firmware but none of that helped either. I'm gonna run it down to Atlanta Hobby today and see what they say and will report back. I really don't wanna send this off to DJI for 3 weeks especially since I'm taking my Part 107 test today.

 

[rlphoto69]

I got the same results no matter where I tried. I even did a firmware downgrade, a factory reset and reinstalled the new firmware but none of that helped either. I'm gonna run it down to Atlanta Hobby today and see what they say and will report back. I really don't wanna send this off to DJI for 3 weeks especially since I'm taking my Part 107 test today.

Completely understand that I have not heard good things about DJI and their repair service. I would be anxious to hear what your final results are

 

[DonJuanEstevan]

My experience with their repair service wasn't too bad, it's just a very slow process. It took 1 week from opening my case to arriving with them, 1 week to get it back onto a UPS truck and then another week in transit to me. They actually just sent me a whole new bird with a new set of blades and a gimbal lock instead of repairing the gimbal that I sheared off in a crash. I did pay $278 for the "repairs".

 

[DonJuanEstevan]

Well I have to ship my P4P off to DJI... Warranty should take care of it (fingers crossed). I learned that both of the compasses are in the landing gears. I was hoping I could find a solution for both of us. The only good news from today was that I passed the Knowledge Test for Part 107 lol

 

[rlphoto69]

Well I have to ship my P4P off to DJI... Warranty should take care of it (fingers crossed). I learned that both of the compasses are in the landing gears. I was hoping I could find a solution for both of us. The only good news from today was that I passed the Knowledge Test for Part 107 lol

Oh that stinks. Wonder what went wrong. Congrats on passing the 107 test. I have a friend with a real estate company that I'm going to do a presentation with soon and if I get some work with them I'm going to take my 107 test very soon congrats again. Stay in touch and let me know how the repair goes

 

[Meta4]

Why are you guys recalibrating after a firmware update?
There's no need to do that.

 

[rlphoto69]

Why are you guys recalibrating after a firmware update?
There's no need to do that.

We both are getting a compass disconnect issue. Not sure what is causing it. Don't know if it was the firmware update or what. Mine is intermittent, but his seems to be constant. Started a few weeks ago for me. Tried compass calibrate and IMU calibration as well. Took mine way out in the woods with no possible interference and everything seemed fine and now it's doing it again. Will you get a compass disconnect if you are near to much interference?

 

[Meta4]

Will you get a compass disconnect if you are near to much interference?

Radio interference won't affect your compass. Magnetic influences may affect your compass data but won't disconnect it.

 

[DonJuanEstevan]

Why are you guys recalibrating after a firmware update?
There's no need to do that.

Both DJI and my local shop say to recalibrate IMU, collision sensors and gimbal after a firmware update. After the firmware update and before I calibrated my collision sensors the aircraft was showing random distances at a very fast rate while I was pointing it at a wall 2' up to 10' away. For example, one second it would say 43' then 56' then 30'. I think the firmware install dumped the calibration data. I'm not sure if the IMU was affected too because I didn't test that before calibration.

 

[Meta4]

Both DJI and my local shop say to recalibrate IMU, collision sensors and gimbal after a firmware update. After the firmware update and before I calibrated my collision sensors the aircraft was showing random distances at a very fast rate while I was pointing it at a wall 2' up to 10' away. For example, one second it would say 43' then 56' then 30'. I think the firmware install dumped the calibration data. I'm not sure if the IMU was affected too because I didn't test that before calibration.

DJI don't make any recommendation in the manual.
If you've heard it from a DJI phone chat person, that doesn't count.
They are just as likely to tell you anything.
I've done many firmware updates on several Phantoms and never performed a recalibration after with no issues.
It seems to be a myth that has been repeated so often that people believe it because they feel good doing something they feel is positive.

 

[rlphoto69]

Radio interference won't affect your compass. Magnetic influences may affect your compass data but won't disconnect it.

Hi Meta4, You and a few others seemed to be very knowledged on the phantoms. I have a P4P 2 months old. Not much flying yet because of weather. No crashes or incidents. Over past 2 weeks been getting issues where I can't fly at home anymore and getting red compass error in upper left corner of DJI app. Can't calibrate at home anymore either. If I go to wilderness area where I frequently go, all is fine. What I'm also seeing at home is constant compass 1 disconnect. Have you heard of this problem? Wondering if compass is bad / loose wiring ? Any suggestions? Appreciate any help from you

 

[DonJuanEstevan]

DJI don't make any recommendation in the manual.
If you've heard it from a DJI phone chat person, that doesn't count.
They are just as likely to tell you anything.
I've done many firmware updates on several Phantoms and never performed a recalibration after with no issues.
It seems to be a myth that has been repeated so often that people believe it because they feel good doing something they feel is positive.

Yeah it was from 2 different DJI employees and you're correct that it doesn't say it in the manual. Do you by chance know where I can find any official documentation from DJI about when IMU calibrations are needed? Working in two different fields where calibrating equipment or checking if something is in spec is a requirement has made it hard for me to shake it off. Lol

 

[Meta4]

Yeah it was from 2 different DJI employees and you're correct that it doesn't say it in the manual. Do you by chance know where I can find any official documentation from DJI about when IMU calibrations are needed? Working in two different fields where calibrating equipment or checking if something is in spec is a requirement has made it hard for me to shake it off. Lol

Most Phantoms never need to have the IMU recalibrated but it's a good idea after a hard crash.
If you do it, make sure it's on a perfectly level surface.

 

[Meta4]

Hi Meta4, You and a few others seemed to be very knowledged on the phantoms. I have a P4P 2 months old. Not much flying yet because of weather. No crashes or incidents. Over past 2 weeks been getting issues where I can't fly at home anymore and getting red compass error in upper left corner of DJI app. Can't calibrate at home anymore either. If I go to wilderness area where I frequently go, all is fine. What I'm also seeing at home is constant compass 1 disconnect. Have you heard of this problem? Wondering if compass is bad / loose wiring ? Any suggestions? Appreciate any help from you

Sorry ... I haven't had issues with the dual compass system to have learned the hard way.
But if it's consistently good in some areas but not in others, the obvious thing to check is what's around where it doesn't want to work.
Are you on reinforced concrete, close to structural steel or electric cables?

 

[bkushner]

DJI don't make any recommendation in the manual.
If you've heard it from a DJI phone chat person, that doesn't count.
They are just as likely to tell you anything.
I've done many firmware updates on several Phantoms and never performed a recalibration after with no issues.
It seems to be a myth that has been repeated so often that people believe it because they feel good doing something they feel is positive.

I updated and was flying 3 minutes later. I do not calibrate anything until called for..

 

[rlphoto69]

Sorry ... I haven't had issues with the dual compass system to have learned the hard way.
But if it's consistently good in some areas but not in others, the obvious thing to check is what's around where it doesn't want to work.
Are you on reinforced concrete, close to structural steel or electric cables?

That's a strong possibility, but I was just worried that it states that the compass is disconnected. Didn't know if you just get a compass error from being around those type of interferences or why the app says that the compass is actually disconnected. One other member here is sending his in to DJI because his one compasses is constantly saying disconnected.