Do NOT calibrate your compass !!!

[PatR]

Compass calibration is essential to accurate and stable flight with any system that uses a compass. This becomes even more critical during periods where GPS is not available. The system maintains orientation not via GPS, but from compass alignment and offsets from due north. GPS is more concerned with a ground reference position, not aircraft orientation. Our camera drone systems use three basic references for position and orientation, a pressure barometer, a compass, and GPS. Take any one of the three out of the mix, or fail to calibrate them correctly, and positional accuracy is tossed out the window. You'll get what you get and hope for the best, which won't be as much as it could have been.

Don't be scared, calibrating the compass is not difficult. Yes, it has to be done fairly quickly but look at the bright side; you're not calibration an octo or dodecacopter, or a system that also needs to be rotated in the vertical plane. You are also calibrating a pretty small aircraft so it's easy to handle. Yuneec uses the same calibration method on the rest of their stuff. Just an FYI, another system experienced quite a few fly away's awhile back due to conflicts between the compass and GPS systems. Nobody wants a fly away so what's the problem with performing the task that helps eliminate them? People manage to come up with a great many reasons not to do something but when things go wrong they are quick to blame a product where the users failed to perform system alignment accuracy tasks that are their responsibility to execute before the first flight.

 

[Intelien]

Maybe I got lucky. I have not done a calibration since I got mine.

 

[DroneClone]

More like a EverReady Battery, "It Keeps Going and Going and Going" !

 

[Air Pauly]

given that the aircraft has travelled half way around the world before most people get them, it would be wise to calibrate the compass !

 

[Vegasrobbi]

I don't think we will have a proper answer for this until Yuneec decides to make a stand. I tried to do a search on compass calibrations and there is so much stuff out there. Cell phone technology is driving the bar up on GPS, there is dynamic compass calibrations using GPS data and more.

The H is the first MR I did not calibrate out of the box, I read of guys having issues calibrating or after calibrating. I maidened my H during the doomsday GPS blockage when the military was testing on the West coast, in addition I did not do a compass calibration. My H flew perfect, I ran every smart mode from Journey to Follow, I even did an RTH.

So for now I will not do a compass calibration since I see no odd behavior like I did with my APM's; but that could change if Yuneec instructs(in the manual) otherwise.

 

[Hoss]

Maybe I got lucky. I have not done a calibration since I got mine.

Me neither. ..haven't calibrated my last 3 and have taken them to 4 different States.

 

[Hoss]

If its

Not when it is out of the box! read the facts!, after the the one time out of the box calibration, then after that, if it flashes yellow! Don't give half the facts if you want to argue a statement!

Not when it is out of the box! read the facts!, after the the one time out of the box calibration, then after that, if it flashes yellow! Don't give half the facts if you want to argue a statement!

If it's not flashing yellow out of the box...leave it alone. Your confused.

 

[Hoss]

Correct. Suggested versus required. Very simple, plain English. The H knows when it needs calibration.

Yup

 

[m0j0]

?.. as I did with DJI products. I think by calibrating you eliminate one more variable in the potential for a mishap...

Possibly or... You potentially introduce a problem by calibrating

?.. Someone stated that if you do it wrong it will cause more problems. Well the H indicates when it's not been properly calibrated so just do it until it indicates you've performed the procedure properly...

Again this is bad information. You can complete the calibration process properly and create a problem.. The calibration process has to be done in an area where there is no magnetic interference. You could for instance complete a calibration on a pier that your bird accepts. If the pier has metal in which is likely the metal will improperly calibrate the compass because the metal causes interference. As soon as you takeoff and fly away from the interference you will get a compass error which could result in a catastrophic problem.

I know this is from the evil empire but the problem is 100% from calibrating in a bad area.

I have been flying my P3 for a while. Over 1.5 million feet flown. The only time I had a problem was from a bad calibration. Wasn't nearly as bad as that but it was a from calibrating too often. Find a good place to calibrate it do it once... Check the flight for drifting don't do it again unless you go a fair distance from the calibration point.

 

[DroneClone]

So don't do a calibration ever, simple ! It's your choice to calibrate on a pier , knowing darn well that it is steel reinforced in some way, just like people who calibrate on their steel reinforced driveways . Do it right and or don't do it at all ! Most experienced pilots who started on platforms from day one of compass controls have done it with no issues ! Once done , unless you change location drastically you are good to go ! My H out of the box, hovered erratically, did a CC and been rock steady since! It's your choice!

 

[m0j0]

Why wouldnt you callibrate before every flight ??? This is how the drone knows where to land if the return to home feature is used?

No, the drone knows where to land based on the GPS.

 

[Vegasrobbi]

From what I gather there are several areas of magnetic interference both internal and external. The internal interference inside the bird(or cell phone) comes from necessary ferrous items like screws, shields, traces, etc. inside the craft.

Magnetic declination obviously changes the relationship to true North. Compasses which are used for navigation sometimes include internal magnets that can be adjusted to correct heading. So you point the craft in a known heading then adjust the compass heading to match, like small aircraft compasses.

I believe if Yuneec does a calibration at the factory this should take care of most of the internal interference. The external interference is what it is and if you calibrate adjacent to an iron bridge you are probably worse for the effort.

We are guessing what triggers the H to determine when it is in compass error but it obviously has some detection system that tells it it is out of range. Does the H use GPS data to determine compass error?

 

[m0j0]

So don't do a calibration ever, simple ! It's your choice to calibrate on a pier , knowing darn well that it is steel reinforced in some way, just like people who calibrate on their steel reinforced driveways . Do it right and or don't do it at all ! Most experienced pilots who started on platforms from day one of compass controls have done it with no issues ! Once done , unless you change location drastically you are good to go ! My H out of the box, hovered erratically, did a CC and been rock steady since! It's your choice!

No. Get a good calibration once. Near the area you are going to fly. Then don't calibrate again unless you travel a significant distance from the place you calibrated (100 miles +); change in terrain e.g. Mountainous, rocky; make changes to your setup e.g. add a GPS tracker, light; update the firmware on your bird or if you are prompted to calibrate. Even when prompted by the app, before I calibrate I move the bird to another area to ensure that I'm not in a strange magnetic area that is causing the prompt. That's my experience with the P3. If you really want to see how much metal changes your reading take your bird, without the props turning, and place it on the hood of your car. The compass will go wonky.

As far as the never calibrate statement. I would say that is bad advice. Go somewhere you are certain is clear of magnetic interference and calibrate it before you fly. Check the read outs.. (Not certain the Typhoon has sensor read outs) The P3 has sensor read outs that you can check on every flight once you power up..if they are in the acceptable range fly it. Then check for drift and toilet bowl. If your bird is fling offline, or you see the toilet bowl effect calibrate.

Again, full disclosure, I don't have a typhoon.. But the basic principles still apply. Once you have your bird locked in leave it alone unless (read the primer thread). Calibrate before every flight and risk introducing a bad calibration. That has been my experience.

 

[DroneClone]

No. Get a good calibration once. Near the area you are going to fly. Then don't calibrate again unless you travel a significant distance from the place you calibrated (100 miles +); change in terrain e.g. Mountainous, rocky; make changes to your setup e.g. add a GPS tracker, light or update the firmware on your bird or if you are prompted to calibrate. Even then before I calibrate I move the bird to another area to ensure that I'm not in a strange magnetic area that is causing the prompt. That's my experience with the P3.

As far as the never calibrate statement. I would say that is bad advice. Go somewhere you are certain is clear of magnetic interference and calibrate it before you fly. Check the read outs.. The P3 has sensor read outs that you can check on every flight once you power up.. Then check for drift and toilet bowl. If your bird is toilet bowling calibrate..

Again, full disclosure, I don't have a typhoon.. But the basic principle still apply. Once you have your bird locked in leave it alone unless (read the primer thread). Calibrate before every flight and risk introducing a bad calibration.

The never calibrate was in response to others who argue to never calibrate!, not advise, I have from day one supported those who recommend first time calibration of compass, and then like you stated and I have many times, "If you move to new location" +100 miles !

 

[m0j0]

I am in Costa rica on vacation and the first thing I did was calibrate. Now I went from the beach to the mountains and I am going to do it again.

Yes, that's a good call.

 

[m0j0]

I believe you are confusing DJI drones with Yuneec drones.

DJI uses home point and dynamic home point. So you have the option of the drone returning to where you took off or to the location of the controller. Which is what you are talking about.

Yuneec uses Dynamic home point which means the drone returns to the location of the controller.

Calibration of the compass has nothing to do with where DJI birds return. When you fire it up it sets the home point. You can then leave it where it launches or switch to the controller location.

 

[m0j0]

The never calibrate was in response to others who argue to never calibrate!, not advise, I have from day one supported those who recommend first time calibration of compass, and then like you stated and I have many times, "If you move to new location" +100 miles !

I misunderstood.. And completely agree with you.

I am curious.. Does the typhoon have a screen that lets you see the sensors. If they don't they should add it to GUI.

 

[DroneClone]

I misunderstood.. And completely agree with you.

I am curious.. Does the typhoon have a screen that lets you see the sensors. If they don't they should add it to GUI.

Yes they do, in Channel settings on the ST16 and yes, also the GUI !

 

[KR200]

Calibrated mine today before my first ever H flight. Flew with no problems.

 

[PatR]

One thing, and one that many miss, start your compass calibration with the H facing north. It doesn't have to be a perfect north, but north it should be.