I get an error when I'm trying to calibrate "Check that the compass is installed in the correct direction or if there is electro-magnetic intererence.
It doesn't let me take off. I managed to fly yesterday when i don't let it get gps lock, and then it doesnt make the error. It drifts when static, starts to spin slowly. As soon as i land i get the calibration error.  

Abu Abú Posted at 2018-8-20 13:16
hi,  

Let me add my two cents worth:

So although this post is last year it’s caught my eye. Any further findings? I’ve been flying mine consistently fine for 3 months (russia, Mongolia, China, South Korea, japan, New Zealand) and only just started having real problems with the compass in Chile. It is bizarre.

I walked along a beach for like 25 minutes and every so often the compass message would disappear and I could launch it. Land, move 6 inches from a spot and compass calibration error again yet cannot calibrate!

Really frustrating.

I also have the prolem with the compass who likes to be calibrated almost before every flight. Can someone who solved the problem with the magnets post a video? Will it work with small magnets that you put on a fridge??

Thanx

arg_tigger Posted at 2018-8-5 20:08
Guys, its me again, this is what I know so far, my MA will take off only if I turn it on under a roof (or as soon as I turn it on and pairs with my remote I take off) so it will fly on vision mode only once flying I can fly it outdoors and wait for it to get GPS signal and I will be able to then yes fly it wihtout restrictions, this is so far the only way I'm able to fly my MA since I traveled to Argentina from NY.

As I posted https://forum.dji.com/forum.php?mod=redirect&goto=findpost&ptid=133778&pid=1397212 even with my compass signal in green the calibration fails, doesn't matter if I have my Apple watch far away or any other electronics, event he remote control with my iphone its far away and still the calibration fails. From what I've seen so far this doesn't look like a man error, why I say this, cause before coming to Argentina (South America), I was living in NY and flew my MA there multiple times, most of those times in the city where for sure there are more cel and WIFI antennas that could cause interference and it even never asked me to calibrate the compass like it happens here in Argentina.

I have the same problem. I´ve traveled from Germany to Argentina (North.Salta) and I couldn´t do a single fly because I couldn´t calibrate the drone.  

Wow, 5 pages of the same problem. I received my Mavic Air as a gift Monday 4/15/19 and every time I try to fly it gives me the same "need to calibrate"  warning, but when I try to calibrate the drone, nothing happen when I do the first rotation. I have a Tello and the calibration works flawlessly for me. The funny part is that when I get the message to calibrate and I try to calibrate and the calibration don't work, I just turn the Mair off and on and the "need to calibrate" message goes away and I'm able to fly.

Hi all.

Just wanted to post my experience here that might help some of the users having issues with the constant Compass calibration failure using the MA in the southern hemisphere.
I bought a Mavic Air (Artic White) in december 2018 in Florida and brought it back home to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and flew it here with no issues at all. I've had only tested this White MA in Florida inside my hotel, so it never got GPS lock.

I was in Las Vegas in the beginning of April 2019 (a few weeks ago) and I bought another brand new Mavic Air Fly more Combo (Onyx Black, for my father) and tested it a few times to shoot the Valley of Fire without any issues at all. I did have GPS lock during these flights.
Flew back home to Buenos Aires in mid April and when I tried to fly it down here, I got the Compass calibration error. Tried to calibrate it dozens of times without any success. Always the first step (horizontal rotation) works fine but the second step (rotated MA) was always failing.
I read most of the threads talking about this issue and tried all the different "solutions" that people posted with no success.

So I started comparing the White MA to the Black MA. White MA works fine and Black MA always gives Compass error and impossible to calibrate it.
I noticed that the Compass reading in the Sensors menu was very different on the White MA and the Black MA.
The White MA was reading very high values and having a red bar when moving it close to metal objects, Apple Watch, cell phone, etc, which makes sense, but the Black MA was actually showing green bar (or sometimes yellow bar) and lower values when moving it close to metal objects, which seemed very weird.
So it was clear that there was indeed an issue with the compass readings, and those readings seemed to be inverted.
So I decided to get a magnet and try the demagnetize solution. I got a magnet from my kids toys, the one that looks like a horse shoe and has both poles, one on each end.
I moved it in circles around the right back part of the Black MA for 30 to 60 seconds at around one inch distance.
After this, I turned it on and I saw that the values of the Compass reading were very high (around 4000 to 5000) and it was asking for calibration. I did the calibration the usual way and "voila"!!!!!!! It calibrated in the first try with no issues. After the calibration, the values went back to normal (usually below 100) and with a green bar most of the time.
If I move the Black MA close to a metal object, then the value goes up like the White MA was doing.

So, not sure if the location is really an issue (southern hemisphere) but there is clearly an issue with magnetization of the compass. Maybe the combination of this magnetization and also being near the Equator or south of the Equator is causing a specific problem with the readings of the compass.

For all the users that are still having issues with failed calibration, especially when travelling south, I would first suggest checking the readings of the Compass sensor and checking if the values go down when moving the MA closer to metal objects (opposite of what the values should actually read), and if that is the case, I would try the magnet "massage" and see if that solves the issue.

Hope this helps....

Santiago

ssantocono Posted at 4-21 18:56
Hi all.

Just wanted to post my experience here that might help some of the users having issues with the constant Compass calibration failure using the MA in the southern hemisphere.

I just opened a ticket for the very same issue most of you have described here.
Long story short... after having flown several times without any problem in the USA, I traveled to Brazil on vacation,  and there the compass calibration error occurred. I've never been able to calibrate it. For 2 weeks I tried unsuccessfully to calibrate my Mavic Air Onyx Black. I came back to the US, the message about WiFi switching appeared to me as well, but I could not calibrate the compass since then.

fansb15a3a58 Posted at 5-1 18:15
I just opened a ticket for the very same issue most of you have described here.
Long story short... after having flown several times without any problem in the USA, I traveled to Brazil on vacation,  and there the compass calibration error occurred. I've never been able to calibrate it. For 2 weeks I tried unsuccessfully to calibrate my Mavic Air Onyx Black. I came back to the US, the message about WiFi switching appeared to me as well, but I could not calibrate the compass since then.

Please let us know what DJI has to say about Why and What needed to be done.
Also let us know if DJI does not respond after several days.

ssantocono Posted at 4-21 18:56
Hi all.

Just wanted to post my experience here that might help some of the users having issues with the constant Compass calibration failure using the MA in the southern hemisphere.

Great post Santiago, I have the same issue... horizontal calibration ok, vertically NO. I travelled to Costa Rica and back to the Netherlands. Had a few good flights back in NL. But now the constant calibration error is there.... will try and find some magnets... but stil think DJI should implement or present a solution hete.

Ok, just performed the massage... that is not working... still recalibration error. cannot fly the mavic.

pushed the firmware again via the assistant, same issue.... did a full system reset via assistant, no luck either... now what?

NOT happy.... cannot fly, wedding upcoming tomorrow...

will log a ticket.

fans00bd3594 Posted at 2018-3-13 10:01
I have the Mavic Pro, Phantom 3 Advanced...no compass calibrations unless I leave it packed up for more than a month and it has a firmware update etc. The Mavic Air has not been out long enough to experience long-term retirement, lol. I get the recalibrate compass warning every freaking time I wait 24 hours to fly it. There is no good reason for it in my opinion but the DJI software/firmware folks can probably shed some light on it when they get around to doctoring the firmware again.

My guess is that it's something to do with the cooler temperatures. They released this in the dead of winter. It is an EXCELLENT cold weather flyer but some of the sensor issues have been brought on by the cold weather. Perhaps next time, DJI will do some Cold Weather Tunnel Testing, lol. By summer, all of the sensor/compass issues are going to clear up.

Tenho esse drone à quase 2 anos e tenho sempre que calibrar o compass todas as vezes que ligo o Mavic Air. Na ultima vez tive que esperar a camera desembaçar. Tinha umidade dentro da camera e embaçou. Virei ela para o sol e depois de alguns minutos liguei o drone e o mesmo levantou vôo sem pedir calibração de compass (bussola). Esse drone esta me decepcionando a cada dia que uso.

arg_tigger Posted at 2018-9-1 06:38
Guys, after looking all over the place finally found a fix, its the CFixer, find links below. Basically I bought it, ran it twice on the back right corner as this image shows:[view_image]
And right after I went to calibrate the compass (the screen sensor for the compass went to crazy values after running the CFixer) and done, calibrated on my first try.

Disclaimer:  I have no fiduciary involvement with Vanavara Digital, Inc, or its resellers.

Hello, and thank you arg_tigger for the CFixer information.

Situation: I drove 90 miles to friend's house to perform aerial video various of things on his property.  Test flight was successful.  Landed, shut down, time to do serious videography.  Calibration failed, and for almost 2 hours I tried every remedy (previously cited within these 5 pages, except demagnetize) with failure after failure.  The gentleman I visited, plans to buy a drone, but is reluctant to purchase a DJI product after observing all these calibration failures.

Basis: My own experience of calibration failures, plus others cited within these 5 pages are:   That re-calibration is necessary before every single flight, and after every battery changee This implied requirement is not documented to prospective buyers and not present in the owner's manual. That no DJI employee has provided a definitive solution [to complaints raised within these 5 pages] is noteworthy.  

The most likely solution, for which I will have to await overseas shipment, is the Vanavara CFixer.  I'll bring the results (of my use of CFixer) to this website.

Recommendations for the DJI staff:

1. That the DJI staff acknowledge compass calibration failures, as promulgated by an engineering defect.

2. Notify all Mavic drone owners that calibration is failure-prone and that, if a calibration failure occurs while drone is airborne, that the drone could stray into inappropriate airspace.

3.  Require all resellers to warn prospective buyers that calibration failure is likely, and that re-calibration must be performed prior to every flight.

4.  Issue a recall of all Mavic drones, and repair/change/modify same to the point that calibration failures become unlikely, AND, repair to the point that re-calibration for every subsequent flight will no longer be required.

5.  and/or require resellers to bundle the CFixer (and its documentation) with all Mavic products.

6. Provide the CFixer, at no charge to existing Mavic drone users, or, reimburse the cost of the CFixer for users who order directly from Vanavara or its resellers.

7. Full Refund (of the drone and all an associated parts) for both in and out of warranty drones purchased by users who experienced inappropriate calibration failures.

Remedy:  If the DJI staff non-concurs with, or declines to address any of the above recommendations, then it's up to the customer to seek a remedy (whatever that may be).   I personally look forward to the arrival of the CFixer, for which I will eat the USD 77.00 that I paid to solve (what amounts to) a serious DJI engineering defect.  If the CFixer works,  I'll send a copy of the Vanavara invoice to DJI with a request for reimbursement.

Last (and least desirable) remedial alternative:  Legal.


               

Hola, estoy atento al funcionamiento del cfixer, muy interesado, no olvide contarnos como te fue.


Gracias

Just bought a MA. Did the FW updates and all, but still can't fly my drone.
It keeps giving me the same compass calibration error. Already tried over 50 times, close to metal, far from metal, indoors, outdoors, 20mts away from anything (grass field) and still can't calibrate the compass.
Will run the assistant tomorrow but, as i already have read some past comments, even that couldn't fix the problem.

C'mon DJI... What's happening?

Hi, +1 here.

I needto calibrate most of the time.
But no huge calibration issue so far.

My main concern is that I would like to be able to fly my drone without the application ( just by hand recognition) and I don't know how to calibrate the compas without the app.
Without the app the drone is unusable because of compas calibration error.....
You can only take a picture..... from the ground.....

Any clue for me ?

Thanks

I still have to calibrate every time I start up the Air, and about 50% of the time after I swap batteries.

ssantocono Posted at 4-21 18:56
Hi all.

Just wanted to post my experience here that might help some of the users having issues with the constant Compass calibration failure using the MA in the southern hemisphere.

Santiago, please make a video for this solution...

I'm here, because the "need calibration" issue is turning me crazy!!!!
Come on, DJI my old Phantom 2 was calibrate ONLY ONCE... no matter where I am, time of the day, city or country, that drone fly SO MUCH FASTER than the Mavic Air... just turned on, and go!

I bought Mavic Air because the size... I usually make trips on my adventure motorcycle, and a Phantom uses too much space. Mavic air is small and have many amazing features... when its fly...

I have 4 batteries, and ussually I need a full one to pass the calibration (around 50 tries)... Is very annoying.

I'm wondering why DJI have done nothing about this issue. No client support? don't care?

I had to try 20 to 30 times. Horizontal seems to fine. 1 times rotate and it goes to vertical. Vertical gives te error.
I missed some really beautiful shots because of it. Now if never get passed calibration anymore. In the middle of the desert:magnetic interference.
Really frustrating and unworkable.

The same problem here it is really frustrating to have to calibrate the compass every single time I have to fly after moving to a new location or traveling or just anything ! I am thinking of selling my Mavic air and just going back to Spark cause it worked flawlessly...

SOLUTION FOUND!!!
Guys my MA would never fly before 15 mins of unsuccessful compass calibrations. I then demagnetized the drone with a homemade demagnetizer. I now switch it on and it's ready to fly!
I took apart a cheap fish tank air pump and used the electromagnet in it the same manner as demonstrated in the Electrofixer video.
A new air pump costs around three dollars,!
Try it!

Thanks to all your feedback and ideas with demagnetizing I managed to revive my air. After thinking about buying a watch demagnetizer on amazon I took a look how those screwdriver magnetizer/demagnetizers work. Two magnets with opposing/repelling fields so N/N or S/S. I had some small neodymium magnets lying around and gave it a shot. Checked the orientation, removed the mavic battery and began running the magnets along the surface of the rear of the drone from both sides (one magnet above the drone and one under it, but still with the same poles facing each other). The trick seems to be back and forth movement along one direction (like with the screwdrivers).

Calibrated on the first try afterwards (after failing for about 50 times i tried in different locations), I had my smartwatch on and was standing on my balcony, so normally it would not have worked in this conditions.