How often I need to calibrate ?

[Marcius1979]

Hi guys,

I have my drone for less than 2 months but I used around 40 times. I have 4 batteries LOL! I just calibrated the drone before flying the first time. I never had any problem with the drone, so far perfect.

Thanks

 

[DoomMeister]

If you are flying in the same area without traveling very far you will be fine. If you get a compass warning or you start noticing drift while hovering, then do another calibration.

I believe you are in the Miami, FL area from your shared video posting. You will find that you will be able to travel all around Florida without having to recalibrate. The magnetic deviation there is only a few degrees difference over the entire state.

The worst thing for the compass on any sUAS is being near to large metal objects, concrete full of rebar, and high voltage power lines. It can cause the compass to give bad data to the Flight Control electronics and end up with a TBE or flyaway.

 

[PSUTEX]

If you are flying in the same area without traveling very far you will be fine. If you get a compass warning or you start noticing drift while hovering, then do another calibration.

I believe you are in the Miami, FL area from your shared video posting. You will find that you will be able to travel all around Florida without having to recalibrate. The magnetic deviation there is only a few degrees difference over the entire state.

The worst thing for the compass on any sUAS is being near to large metal objects, concrete full of rebar, and high voltage power lines. It can cause the compass to give bad data to the Flight Control electronics and end up with a TBE or flyaway.

I have read many places to avoid high power lines. I live near high power lines, what is too close, conservatively?. 100 feet, 300 feet 1/4 mile? I would like to be able to fly in my yard or atleast calibrate and test out flights.
Thanks.
Rick

 

[AH-1G]

I have read many places to avoid high power lines. I live near high power lines, what is too close, conservatively?. 100 feet, 300 feet 1/4 mile? I would like to be able to fly in my yard or at least calibrate and test out flights.
Thanks.
Rick

I don't have problems being this close.

 

[DoomMeister]

It depends on the voltage on the lines. Your power company can tell you the voltage on them and the safe distance to be from them. As a rule of thumb you should be no closer than the distance the lines are above the ground.

It is still best to at least calibrate the compass in an open field away from power lines and metal objects. Once you get a good calibration you should be set if you fly within 50 miles of that site.

 

[AH-1G]

It's a breeze for my H to fly this close. So far.?

 

[AH-1G]

It depends on the voltage on the lines. Your power company can tell you the voltage on them and the safe distance to be from them. As a rule of thumb you should be no closer than the distance the lines are above the ground.

It is still best to at least calibrate the compass in an open field away from power lines and metal objects. Once you get a good calibration you should be set if you fly within 50 miles of that site.

i guess the rules have been in my favor so far.

 

[DoomMeister]

I’m being conservative. You can get fairly close to the 4800 V lines that feed most transformers for household 240 V feeds without arcing to the aircraft. The magnetic effects stretch out much farther and can cause unpredictable drift. Experienced pilots can spot that and correct for it ( like you ? ) without much trouble. I do not want someone blaming me for their aircraft taking off on them due to magnetic interference.