Can you get the arrow on the map to represent the way the drone is facing? OR what is the way the arrow is pointing relative to the way the drone is facing? I noticed that the way the arrow was pointing was significantly to the right, when facing forward from my and the drone's pov, of the way the drone was facing. Is there a way to get it to point in the same direction that the drone is facing? Or will it always point to the right or maybe left?

Thanks for any help with this!
David

Aloha David,

     Have you calibrated your compass?  Have you calibrated the compass in your device?

Aloha and Drone On!

Cetacean Posted at 2017-8-26 02:20
Aloha David,

     Have you calibrated your compass?  Have you calibrated the compass in your device?

I calibrate it each time I fly it...at least I do what the controller says to do rotating it horizontally and then nose down. Is there more that I'm missing?

I do not think it is recommended to calibrate your compass each time you fly. Calibrate it once, and then ONLY calibrate it again if the App asks you to, or you are having problems. Calibrating it each time is a recipe for disaster from reading the posts on this forum.

1. STOP calibrating the compass every flight !!

Once you have a good calibration - that's it .... unless you move hundreds of miles to new location ...

2. If you are talking about the arrow BEFORE flight - then it is waiting for information from GPS and compass to know direction ... once you take off and move in a direction - the arrow will orientate to the models heading. It is same as your Car navigation ... until you start moving - the icon doesn't know which way to point.

Nigel

nopedafu Posted at 2017-8-26 07:46
I calibrate it each time I fly it...at least I do what the controller says to do rotating it horizontally and then nose down. Is there more that I'm missing?

Aloha David,

     Actually, calibrating the compass on the Phantom should be done rarely and only when you have traveled more than 120-150 miles from the last calibration location.  Also, the compass is very sensitive to ferrous and other magnetic types of interference.  A bad calibration on your driveway can have very negative impact from the steel rebar in the concrete of the driveway.  Standing near a car, or near power lines, is also problematic.

     You need to find a real good spot that you are sure has no steel or electrical interference and do a compass calibration there.  Then do not calibrate again until the sensor report recommends a calibration.  DJI GO and DJI GO 4 each have different compass reports.  Usually they are in  the advanced sensor settings with the IMU sensor report and calibration option.

     Then there is your device.  Most devices offer navigation aid with GPS, compass, etc.  The compass in your device needs to be calibrated and protected from iron and magnetic interference.  Your problem could be in the compass of your device.  Look to see if there is a compass on your device.  If there is a navigation option or a Google Maps type option, there will usually be an indication there is a compass or not.  Look on the web site for your device and go to their help option.  If you have to, go to their forum and ask if your device has a compass and how to calibrate the device compass if it has one.

     Hope this helps!

Aloha and Drone On!

I would recommend you to calibrate the compass of your mobile device and confirm.

Cetacean Posted at 2017-8-26 12:44
Aloha David,

     Actually, calibrating the compass on the Phantom should be done rarely and only when you have traveled more than 120-150 miles from the last calibration location.  Also, the compass is very sensitive to ferrous and other magnetic types of interference.  A bad calibration on your driveway can have very negative impact from the steel rebar in the concrete of the driveway.  Standing near a car, or near power lines, is also problematic.

Yes thank you! That does help a lot!!! It acts like it wants me to calibrate every time, so I've been doing it.  I did read that you don't need to re-calibrate if you fly from pretty much the same spot but I thought that was within 100 yards or so, not over 100 miles. And until now never saw or read anything that suggests it can be harmful to do it every time. Usually I've been doing it in a marina parking lot with vehicles parked about 20 feet behind me, and since it returned home to within a few feet thought that was good enough. Also the possibility of calibrating the phone I've been using is something I never saw mentioned in the manual or any other threads or Youtube videos.

solentlife Posted at 2017-8-26 10:07
1. STOP calibrating the compass every flight !!

Once you have a good calibration - that's it .... unless you move hundreds of miles to new location ...

Thank you for the explanation! If I want it to face relative to the drone should I be sure to make the first move straight forward instead of to the left or right? Or maybe have it face me to begin with and fly back overhead of the home position to line it up?

The arrow will point in the direction of movement - not the direction front of drone is facing ....

So your first movement makes no odds at all ...

I have a video up on YT that has my P3S facing 180 from home point .... but flying RTH .... the arrow is facing to home point.

As to where you are calibrating .... a Marina is full of gear that can upset your calibration ... a car park has re-inforcement under it .. cables ... piping .... all sorts ..... Doing it there will probably lead to warning to do Compass calibration when you get to a clear error free area !
I suggest you find a nice open clear farm field and do your calibration there and then leave it alone .... You may then find going back to your Marina then gives error .... all you can do then is power off ... move a bit ... power up and check ... keep moving till no error. Worst thing you can do is calibrate to a problem area. Once you get altitude / distance - the compass will then show error ... because the bad influence has reduced.

As I see it - you do not have a problem with the arrow ... but you need to appreciate where and when to do compass calibration.