Ok I received my Mavic yesterday. Completed the firmware update after charging both the battery and controller.  The update was successful and before I go airborne, I want to make sure everything is in order.

Besides calibrating the compass, is there anything else I should calibrate or set due to the bird being brand new, before she goes into the air?

IMU, controller, etc.?  Start in beginner mode? Etc.

This is my first expensive aircraft so I want to make sure she's set up properly.

Thank you in advance to anyone chipping in.

My advice is not to calibrate anything else unless the app prompts you to do it. Besides that, my suggestions are:

• Read and understand the manual, asking questions here (or somewhere else) if you don't understand or are unsure about something in it.
• Buy Care Refresh.
• Fly carefully during your early flights, keeping it at a low altitude and in areas where it won't be lost in case of a problem; for example, no flying over water.
  

Enjoy your new Mavic and good luck.

The only thing you need to calibrate is the compass. Watch the tutorial videos, read the manual and then, for the first few flights, start in beginner mode to get comfortable with the bird. Enjoy your Mavic!

Just a quick one: for sure calibrate everything first. Start in Beginner Mode is good for peace of mind and ensure you set your max altitude to something reasonable; like 20m. As long as it will clear all the trees nearby.  Experiment with the RTH function a few times...it will keep you calm if/when it ever happens on it's own (due to low bat etc..).  Enjoy!

You can ignore post 3&4 , as you manual tells you don't calibrate unless prompted, so there is no need to calibrate IMU or compass,
As droneflying, has told you read the manual on p52 you will see where it tells you NOT to calibrate.

-Calibrate only the items the software and the AC asks you to, as Hallmark007 mentioned.

-Start on beginner mode.
-At the beginning, do not fly for extended periods, let the brain process and soak in all the information.

-Use the gimbal cover without the clamp of course, for early flights better safe than sorry.

-Focus on understanding the controls and in-flight behaviour, then focus on the pictures and videos.

-Build muscle memory, this is what will get you out of trouble when s#@t hits the propellers.

-In case of emergency focus on flying and the main tasks to keep the AC a loft, and have secondary landing areas. Know your surroundings.

-Read the manual and ask.

-Last but not least, Enjoy!

Good advice from everyone!  There are different opinions regarding calibration.  I've done nearly 80 flights with my Mavic in several locations in California and a few locations in Arkansas, but I've never been prompted to (re-)calibrate anything... and everything has gone well.

Oh, be sure to read the most-recent version of the manual, which can be downloaded here:  https://www.dji.com/mavic/info

A lot of people recommend calibrating the drones compass each time it’s flown at a different location. While this seems to work for some I think it introduces unnecessary risk. Let me explain why…
When you perform a compass calibration you’re letting your drone test its surroundings for magnetic force and once the calibration is complete it stores that data and assumes that those forces are normal for the current location and will be consistent throughout the flight. But what if there’s a large electrical cable or metal pipework buried below the paving you’re standing on? If that were the case then the calibration you’ve just performed will have taken those effects into account and the moment the drone takes off it will be flying with incorrect compass data.
Unless you’ve travelled a long way (hundreds of miles) since your last flight there’s no real need to re-calibrate the compass if you already have a good calibration locked in.

I agree with above statements: do not calibrate anything unless you're asked to. As per the manual.

manual is your bestfriend- update the firmware- calibrate the compass (first use) dn't crash it and enjoy

Thank you everyone for the quick replies. I calibrated the compass and that is all I will do.  I just flew it for the first time and what a feeling!!!

hallmark007 Posted at 2017-5-3 11:19
A lot of people recommend calibrating the drones compass each time it’s flown at a different location. While this seems to work for some I think it introduces unnecessary risk. Let me explain why…
When you perform a compass calibration you’re letting your drone test its surroundings for magnetic force and once the calibration is complete it stores that data and assumes that those forces are normal for the current location and will be consistent throughout the flight. But what if there’s a large electrical cable or metal pipework buried below the paving you’re standing on? If that were the case then the calibration you’ve just performed will have taken those effects into account and the moment the drone takes off it will be flying with incorrect compass data.
Unless you’ve travelled a long way (hundreds of miles) since your last flight there’s no real need to re-calibrate the compass if you already have a good calibration locked in.

When you calibrate anything, it's ok to hold the controller and cell phone correct?  I see somewhere it says to not have a cellphone near by, but you have to follow instructions on how to calibrate it and they show up on the cell phone.

Airobotix Posted at 2017-5-3 09:09
The only thing you need to calibrate is the compass. Watch the tutorial videos, read the manual and then, for the first few flights, start in beginner mode to get comfortable with the bird. Enjoy your Mavic!

The beginner mode is so easy to fly the bird in.  It doesn't respond quickly to the inputs.  I am used to flying drones around the $500 price mark, so flyin this is completely different.  Feels amazing.

PM160Mavic Posted at 2017-5-3 13:22
When you calibrate anything, it's ok to hold the controller and cell phone correct?  I see somewhere it says to not have a cellphone near by, but you have to follow instructions on how to calibrate it and they show up on the cell phone.

Use this as a guide when calibrating compass, but as I said no need unless you are prompted

Many things can distort the earth’s magnetic field in the area you are flying:

Steel framed or reinforced concrete buildings, bridges and roadways, iron pipes and culverts, high power electric lines, heavy equipment, trucks and automobiles, steel tanks, electric motors and even computers.
Flying between steel framed or reinforced high rise buildings will distort the magnetic field in addition to causing GPS multi-pathing.
Safe distances for compass calibration

6” (15 cm) minimum: Metal rim glasses, pen/pencil, metal watch band, pocket knife, metal zipper/buttons, belt buckle, batteries, binoculars, cell phone, keys, camera, camcorder, survey nails, metal tape measure.
18” (50 cm) minimum: Clipboard, data collector, computer, GPS antenna, 2-way radio, hand gun, hatchet, cell phone case with magnetic closure.
6 ft (2 m) minimum: Bicycle, fire hydrant, road signs, sewer cap or drain, steel pole, ATV, guy wire, magnets, chain-link fence, bar-wire fence, data collectors

that use a magnet to hold the stylus.
15 ft (5 m) minimum: Electrical box, small car/truck, powerline, building with concrete & steel.
30 ft (10 m) minimum: Large truck, metal building, heavy machinery.

PM160Mavic Posted at 2017-5-3 13:22
When you calibrate anything, it's ok to hold the controller and cell phone correct?  I see somewhere it says to not have a cellphone near by, but you have to follow instructions on how to calibrate it and they show up on the cell phone.

This might give you a better understanding of IMU

IMU "Inertial measurement unit" .

As far as I see it, IMU calibration on a level surface updates a table of values the flight controller software uses as a reference for a level stationary hover. From there the craft responds predictably to flight commands.  It also likely measures any sensor noise and thermal drift so that these technical imperfections are accounted for when using IMU sensor data in flight. - this is likely why there must be no vibrations during the calibration process.


Bad IMU calibration could cause drift and attitude issues as the flight controller fights to hold the craft in what it thinks is the correct attitude as opposed to the correct physical attitude.


The IMU usually has 2 types of sensors – angle and acceleration and in turn 3 sensors of each type measuring in the X,Y and Z axis. These sensors can, through vibration, aging, impact etc, drift in their response over time and thus an IMU calibration will establish a new reference for the IMU’s level/stationary state that the flight controller can work with to restore stable flight.


Think of calibration as the bringing back into line the measured craft attitude with the true physical craft attitude.


As to how often an IMU calibration is needed, Refer to your manual ; certainly after any impact or if there are suspicions the craft can’t hover in a level attitude in a windless environment.

hallmark007 Posted at 2017-5-3 13:46
This might give you a better understanding of IMU

IMU "Inertial measurement unit" .

Thanks so much for both posts.  I have a better understanding now.  So far the Mavic is flying perfectly.  No problems at all.