To Calibrate or not Calibrate, that is the question

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After spend probably way more time studying videos and documentation, it looks like tomorrow we will be getting a little break in the weather. Still haven't flown my P3. 6:30am, here I come.

I plan on just hovering in my backyard and getting familiar with the camera and sticks. Right behind my backyard fence are power lines (not high voltage, but normal power lines). Since this is my 1st flight and I just updated the firmware, everything I read says to calibrate. But, with the powerlines right behind the house, should I hold off until I am at a different location?
 
After spend probably way more time studying videos and documentation, it looks like tomorrow we will be getting a little break in the weather. Still haven't flown my P3. 6:30am, here I come.

I plan on just hovering in my backyard and getting familiar with the camera and sticks. Right behind my backyard fence are power lines (not high voltage, but normal power lines). Since this is my 1st flight and I just updated the firmware, everything I read says to calibrate. But, with the powerlines right behind the house, should I hold off until I am at a different location?

Normal, and even High Voltage power lines are not an issue unless they are underground where you are trying to calibrate. What is going to screw you up, if anything does, will be whatever is buried in your backyard. Got any Gold Bars or old cars back there?

Honestly, if I were you, I would go find some open space. It may seem like a difficult task now, but compared to fixing an error which took you 20 feet in the wrong direction, it's time well spent. And you can say you're just going to do this... it ain't gonna happen. Once you start flying it, you're hooked and will always want to do more... I could be wrong, but doubt it. :D Whatever you do, I hope it's hella fun.

Welcome to the party Robert.
 
You definitely want to calibrate your compass for your first flight.
I'm not sure how large and open your backyard is but flying close to trees and buildings is the number one killer of Phantoms.
Backyards are usually not ideal places to be learning.
You need to do your early flying in a large open area well away from obstacles.
 
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What is going to screw you up, if anything does, will be whatever is buried in your backyard. Got any Gold Bars or old cars back there?
Gold bars are no problem - it's just ferrous metals you need to worry about - iron and steel because it's all about the magnetic field..
 
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Gold bars are no problem - it's just ferrous metals you need to worry about - iron and steel because it's all about the magnetic field..
Awe Crap Meta,
I was hoping no one would notice that.
 
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If you know your backyard doesn't have stuff buried under the ground, then doing a calibration with power lines there is fine. I would actually encourage you to perform a calibration so close to the power lines. The IMU will take any interference from such into account and give you a more stable platform.
 
If you know your backyard doesn't have stuff buried under the ground, then doing a calibration with power lines there is fine. I would actually encourage you to perform a calibration so close to the power lines. The IMU will take any interference from such into account and give you a more stable platform.

I don't think so...
 
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You definitely want to calibrate your compass for your first flight.
I'm not sure how large and open your backyard is but flying close to trees and buildings is the number one killer of Phantoms.
Backyards are usually not ideal places to be learning.
You need to do your early flying in a large open area well away from obstacles.
Top post, I bet almost half of serious crashes happen in first one or two flights from a backyard.
You need a LARGE open area away from anything you might back into.
Get up above trees and get a feel for controls and how things change when it's rotated and everything works in reverse.
 
Before you first flight do and IMU calibration and also a RC stick calibration first. The IMU calibration and the compass calibration are your lifeline of the copter. Doing those properly will be the first line of defense to prevent fly a ways. Anytime after shipping the unit this should be done. Anytime after a hard crash it should be re-done. Anytime the bird gets a little quirky or drifts it should be done.
The IMU is the key to sending sensor info to the processor for location, altitude, direction and gyro functions. Do yourself a favor and do it.
 
Alright. Thanks guys. You all convinced me. Last night I spent time looking for a good quite place that I could fly anytime. I found a undeveloped subdivision. Streets are in but no homes.. no tree's. But nice treed areas all around the subdivision. I won't fly from the backyard (yet).
 

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