Hello Everyone,
when i got the phantom 4 the instructions said to only calibrate the compass etc when the DJI GO app tells you to,
so from day 1 i have only ever updated firmware and never calibrated the compass or performed any other calibration.
i traveled about 200 miles from my usual flight destination and it didnt promt me to clibrate then, i am reluctent to calibrate the compass because it flys perfectly every time.
what would you do?

I'm new to this... but I think it best to calibrate before flying in a new location as to ensure that the correct RTH point is captured.  I do not think by calibrating you will have a different flying experience.  Regards.

Hi, alex, I'd suggest you do the compass calibration when flying in a new location.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2016-9-9 10:27
Hi, alex, I'd suggest you do the compass calibration when flying in a new location.

even though the manual says only to calibrate when DJI GO asks you to?
what is the purpose of the compass? what does it actually do?
Thanks for your reply Mindy

0B9nthK0hTtj Posted at 2016-9-9 10:09
I'm new to this... but I think it best to calibrate before flying in a new location as to ensure tha ...

thanks for your reply
when i start the drone it says "home point set, check on the map"
and every time it is correct according to the map

alex.wright1992 Posted at 2016-9-9 20:30
even though the manual says only to calibrate when DJI GO asks you to?
what is the purpose of the  ...

Just keep doing what you are doing. I also have had a Phantom for nearly a year now and it has only had the compass calibrated once. And it flies perfectly. BTW, calibrating the compass has absolutely nothing to do with whether the aircraft captures the RTH point or not. The RTH point is a function of the GPS receiver, not rthe compass.

0B9nthK0hTtj Posted at 2016-9-9 19:09
I'm new to this... but I think it best to calibrate before flying in a new location as to ensure tha ...

" I think it best to calibrate before flying in a new location as to ensure that the correct RTH point is captured"

You are both confused.
The GPS handles recording the home point, compass is about direction and flying straight.
They are completely unrelated systems.

To find out what compass calibration does and when it is necessary, read this thread:
http://www.phantompilots.com/thr ... plete-primer.32829/

alex.wright1992 Posted at 2016-9-9 18:30
even though the manual says only to calibrate when DJI GO asks you to?
what is the purpose of the  ...

The compass will let the drone know North from South. And the manual says about when to calibrate the compass.Please refer to the image.

I calibrated my compass 5 months ago when I first got my P4.   It's been fine ever since.   I've taken off and flown as much as 50 Km (30 miles) from where I did the calibration with no problems.

labroides@yahoo Posted at 2016-9-9 05:38
" I think it best to calibrate before flying in a new location as to ensure that the correct RTH p ...

Are you saying that calibration does not set the home point? Then what does?
Thanks

GPS is what sets the home point.

gshanley Posted at 2016-9-10 06:02
Are you saying that calibration does not set the home point? Then what does?
Thanks

GPS is all about latitude and longitude necessary to record a point location.
You can't calibrate GPS - it either works or it doesn't.
A compass is about direction and can't describe a point's location.
A compass detects the earth's normal magnetic field but can be affected by nearby objects with their own magnetic field.

The  post I quoted above explains compass calibration in detail, what it does and when it's necessary.