LoonyFlyer Posted at 2018-9-6 18:34
Your story is very similar to what I am experiencing right now during a trip in Peru.
1. Bought the MA in the USA and flew a dozen times or so with no issues.
2. Traveled to Peru and flew twice without issues.

Had the same issue, finally found what was the problem and how to solve it, check my post here: https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... 778&pid=1545158

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.

If that was the problem, my Mavic Air, after been into several airport scanners on the way back from my international trips, from where it failed to calibrate compass 100% of the time, once back home it would not have flown until I used this fixer you are suggesting.  Instead, as soon as I was back home, it worked fine like nothing had happened.  

j0sh112 Posted at 2018-9-13 20:06
I'm also having this issue. It was often failing in the UK, but now cannot fly it at all since brining to Thailand on a 3 month honeymoon trip.

* Phone: One Plus 6

Hi Josh,  I look forward to hearing what you learn from DJI.  I was hopeful, but did not read anything on the 0500 firmware that was designed to address this issue. Have you (or anyone) tried to fly with the new firmware to see if it fixed the compass calibration errors?

While abroad I was able to fly it only twice, and both times without GPS lock.  You have to sneak the flight in atti mode, basically you need to trick it to fly.

Once in flight it will collect the satellites and it will record the RTH position, so you need to hover it where you want it to return to home.  You lose about a minute of flight in this process (the time to acquire the necessary number of satellites), which is less than the time I spent in the 100% many many failed attempts when I tried to calibrate compass.

Please keep us posted, I'm very interested on the results of this, as I have a trip scheduled in about 6 weeks.  I have already decided to take my Mavic Pro (it has never failed when abroad), but would prefer to take the Pavic Air because of its size (the reason I bought the Mavic Air in the first place).

Thanks!

Hello
The problem of the compass, is not it a problem of magnetization? I read many people who magnified the compas, demagnetize and solve. regards

I am having the same issue, has two very good initial flights and then last week moved to a rural location and it wouldn't calibrate at all. It's been very frustrating. Did you get any reply from DJI ? Tks

Having previously flown in the UK without issues, I arrive in Argentina, spent half a day trying in different locations trying to get to fly but was unable to calibrate the compass, constantly failed during the 2nd phase. Very infuriating. Since then I have tried twice more to fly but with the same issue.

Very disappointing. Have tried calibrating the IMU, re-installing the firmware, deleting and re-downloading the app but to no avail.  The whole reason I bought the Mavic Air and I am unable to use it!

Hoping DJI can find a solution rather than having to invest a further $77USD in a device that 'might' solve the issues.

i been recently plagued with compass errors on my mavic air. when it naturally happens, no specific pattern, sometimes no error then suddenly error sometimes boots to error sometimes i get the error on landing back in same spot i took off from.. sensors reading low bias (small amount of green) and once compass error occurs, no escaping it without rebooting or recalibrating.  doesn't matter how far away i move it or how i calibrate it or where i calibrate it.   

however i think i may have figured out part of the issue, i think on startup the drone is reading compass and during startup maybe higher amounts of interference while its running self tests and the issue is 2 fold.. 1 its reading compass way early in boot cycle while probably preforming some self tests, and 2. it locks up on compass error, refusing to clear it out no matter where you move the drone, forced to reboot or recalibrate.      

my theory of it reading compass during self tests when EM field maybe excessive, and locking itself out comes from the fact i tested this using my ipad pro which has magnets in it and upsets my drone easily being close.. when i did was after boot up with no compass errors, i tapped my ipad to the drone while it was on very very quickly only 1/4 second and moved it far away quickly, and boom the compass error and was locking me out, i had to calibrate or reboot even though sensor data in app showing no more red bar was almost empty bar, just sliver of green on compass bias.. i tested this again after a recal of the compass and several clean reboots, during its self test i tapped my ipad to it and tossed it to side quickly before even finished its camera calibration/test and booted into compass error, i was able to replicate this several times using my GF's Apple watch, my iPhone X, iPad puting each near or touching it very briefly during boot stages triggering the issue.

I started having this issue when I started to use iPad with Mavic Air. First I thought it gotta be something iPad related.
Did everything stated here, and anywhere. No matter what I did, every time I turned Air on, it needed compass calibration. And most of the time it failed. Maybe 1/10 times it worked, but as soon as I landed - again...
Read about this CFixer and magnetized things. Makes sense, I thought. I kept my iPad in same case with my drone, just above it. iPad has magnets for those Apple covers. So, I thought, why not - it could be the case.
77USD feels like a lot (CFixer), so I googled how to magnetize and demagnetize things.
You can demagnetize with just normal magnet. Just spin it fast enough so the poles of the magnet change rapidly!
Old toy car - (electric motor with wires), 9v battery, hot clue, round magnet. (I had a small round one from RC car speed sensor)
Clued the magnet to the tip of the motor axle. And testing....
I magnetized paper clip, so it attached to a screwdriver when near.
So, let's see how Demagnetizer work!
Motor spinning, I kept the spinning hot clue thing (magnet) about 0.5cm away from the paper clip, about 5 seconds.
It wasn't anymore magnetized! Didn't stick to screwdriver at all!
Then I took my Air. Put that spinning magnet near the drone (0.5cm away), at the area where I suppose the compass is (back right corner, above grey plastic). Moved it a little, total time was under 10 seconds.
Then I turned Air on. Did IMU calibration (again...), went outside, did the compass calibration. And it haven't asked compass calibration never after that!
This one worked for me, so everyone should try this who suffers these kind of problems. Magnets DO mess something with Air, I believe.
To most of you this method is totally free, 'cause you can find those thing needed in your house!

Test it, and tell here if it worked for you?

arg_tigger Posted at 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.

70 USD for this device? a DJI Support should be able to do it...
Does it conitnue to work for you?

fans4636a706 Posted at 11-24 17:20
70 USD for this device? a DJI Support should be able to do it...
Does it conitnue to work for you?

Yes, after running the CFixer once on my drone I was able to fly it without problems again, every now and then the compass needs calibration but no need to use the CFixer again, I run the explained calibration process no matter how close I am to metal or my Apple Watch and it calibrates perfectly, but you never know when you might need the CFixer again so I think its a good investment to carry with the Drone.

my does it everytime overseas, dji will not give me a solution to fix it

magnetic interference everytime

My friend just bought a Mavic air     He had to return it to Best Buy because it wouldn’t calibrate  ..  his new one works perfect
I just bought mine and same problem won’t calibrate
This is BS. Spending this much money  i’m having these problems
This must be a huge problem with DJI  .   Doesn’t look like they care much but they’re going to be getting a lot of drones back

They don’t care at all.    My friend bought his Mavic air and have to return it to Best Buy !!   They exchanged it no problem the new one works fine   .   I just bought mine the other day and the same problem won’t  calibrate  ...  this is not a coincidence they are putting out garbage ..  recycling the broken defective ones to suckers like us.  

[FOUND A SOLUTION]

Hello,
I bought my Mavic Air in the United States on March 18 and brought it to Brazil later, where I live. ALWAYS I was spending more than 3 minutes trying to calibrate the compass before assuming, often DJI app showed: "Calibration Failed" and I tried again and again. After many tries, I was can fly with my Mavic Air. The compass status aways showed between 800 and 1100 (very poor status). During many months, I searched a solution for this error, I until opened a ticket with DJI support but don't had anwsers.







On this week, searching more about compasses for learn about how it works, I saw many videos about magnetize a compass and too desmagnetize a compass. So, I questioned me: If I desmagnetize my Mavic Air compass with a two magnets? Maybe it works!

Then I got two magnets and put (+ polo vs + polo) or (- polo vs - polo) for desmagnetize the Mavic Air, and I passed the magnets on top of drone's coller with the same powered off, I passed three times.

So, I power on the Mavic Air. The compass status showed me: 8300 (very, very, very poor - OOOOHH NOOOOO I thought, ...!).
"I need to recalibrate de compass and pray".

... I tried just a turn and TA-DA, the compass calibrated and status showed me: 46 (VERY GOOD).




I'm very happy now, on this week I flyed with the Mavic Air how if I had buy now kkkkk.
I made this knowing about the riscs, but works for me. Works for Mavic Air.
I hope with this information, people can fly more with their drones =D

Hola, consulta,no tuviste mas problemas de brujula compass ? Gracias

It's has been a while since I've been around this forum, but sadly had to return with issues.

I had a perfectly working Mavic Air that I crashed chasing motorcycles around a track. I went for the care refresh express and got a replacement drone.

Plugged the thing to assistant, updated firmware, database and calibrated the optical sensors. Took it outside just to have to calibrate the compass like 20 times for the calibration to actually worked. I was used to calibrating the compass every flight, and it just did it fine, but this new one, just won't.

So, about 3 weeks have past, and I can only manage to fly the drone after maybe 15 tries to calibrate the compass. Then I fly it and the drone won't maintain a straight flight, i would yaw and drift without any control inputs. I really don't care about magnetization or demagnetization, something like this should not be an issue and this issue is a risk, and can cause an accident. I'm opening a ticket to get this fixed once and for all.

I have calibrated the IMUs, the compass and resetting factory settings and starting all over again. I think this is a hardware issue not a software issue.

Finally was unlucky enough to be on the disappointed bunch.

LOMELI Posted at 1-2 10:55
It's has been a while since I've been around this forum, but sadly had to return with issues.

I had a perfectly working Mavic Air that I crashed chasing motorcycles around a track. I went for the care refresh express and got a replacement drone.

i think its software and can be fixed with an update, seems to gotten progressively worse with updates.

dji needs to explain the compass inside the mavic air, because it definitely works in a fundamentally different way to other dji drones.. the fact that it knows to fail a compass calibration and knows strong field around it tells me must be a reference device onboard or a sensor on board that's separate.  i think maybe something out of sync.. or communicating poorly.    my mavic air shows nearly no compass bias even so, it forced me to calibrate..walk around my yard endlessly and never drops the error like other drones..   

ajayjack Posted at 2018-3-6 06:27
My DJI Mavic Air has required compass calibration before every single flight.  Quite annoying.  Hoping this is fixed with a software patch.

it will be for safety

if it didn't do this it would crash alot more

TC KABREW Posted at 1-2 11:35
it will be for safety

actually no, because usually requesting calibration at random..  meaning it one day it may ask for a calibration and it will accept a very poor calibration..  

the rule of thumb used to be calibrate as little as possible as to avoid calibrating the compass to an incorrect value and causing a fly away.

arthurstaudt Posted at 2018-12-28 08:33
[FOUND A SOLUTION]

Hello,

I'll give this a try

HereForTheBeer Posted at 1-2 12:21
actually no, because usually requesting calibration at random..  meaning it one day it may ask for a calibration and it will accept a very poor calibration..  

the rule of thumb used to be calibrate as little as possible as to avoid calibrating the compass to an incorrect value and causing a fly away.

if you don't calibrate and you're in different locations there might be a stronger magnetic field where you are

TC KABREW Posted at 1-2 12:42
if you don't calibrate and you're in different locations there might be a stronger magnetic field where you are

if genuinely a high interference then walking around should drop the error when you leave the location with high interference but that's not the case with the mavic air, once compass error occurs its locked in a compass error, proves that not a true compass error.  a true compass error being influenced by high EMI you could pick the drone up and walk it to another location and it will release that error....the mavic air doesn't care once the error hit its locked in and you can aimlessly wonder around an empty meadow until battery dies it wont release the error...

i traveled huge distances with my mavic pro before i sold it, many states between flights in fact, 1000s of miles at a time sometimes and it never complained ever about compass error unless it was near something triggering compass error..like metal or wiring or something.. you could pick it up and walk it a few feet away and it released the error reliably.  the only time my mavic pro compass was calibrated was testing theories out, never had to because it never falsely asked me to.

HereForTheBeer Posted at 1-2 13:02
if genuinely a high interference then walking around should drop the error when you leave the location with high interference but that's not the case with the mavic air, once compass error occurs its locked in a compass error, proves that not a true compass error.  a true compass error being influenced by high EMI you could pick the drone up and walk it to another location and it will release that error....the mavic air doesn't care once the error hit its locked in and you can aimlessly wonder around an empty meadow until battery dies it wont release the error...

i traveled huge distances with my mavic pro before i sold it, many states between flights in fact, 1000s of miles at a time sometimes and it never complained ever about compass error unless it was near something triggering compass error..like metal or wiring or something.. you could pick it up and walk it a few feet away and it released the error reliably.  the only time my mavic pro compass was calibrated was testing theories out, never had to because it never falsely asked me to.

we'll have to agree to disagree

TC KABREW Posted at 1-2 13:29
we'll have to agree to disagree

i guess so, but what i been saying comes from experience

HereForTheBeer Posted at 1-2 13:58
i guess so, but what i been saying comes from experience

i can see you have more experience so thanks for helping me learn

TC KABREW Posted at 1-2 14:03
i can see you have more experience so thanks for helping me learn

i just hope DJi will fix this issue instead of ignoring it.  

two issues i seen get really bad since .500 update:

1. compass error issue really gotten worse.  im assuming something is out of sync likely a reference of some sort or something as proven by huge inconsistancy and the fact this gotten worse since an update.  

2. RTH on signal loss is far less reliable in "some" conditions.  i assume this is down to the remote signal still being picked up by the drone but drone signal not reaching the remote and still thinks its connected way longer than it should be and app is in RTH mode but the drone isnt.. . this seems mostly fail and get less reliable when signal is chopping in and out.

HereForTheBeer Posted at 1-2 14:14
i just hope DJi will fix this issue instead of ignoring it.  

two issues i seen get really bad since .500 update:

yeh i agree

I live in são paulo, Brazil, and have the exact same issue. Was not able to find a solution yet (very frustrating to have a drone with unpredictable availability). Details:

I've bought a mavic air in US a few weeks ago and brought to Brazil, São paulo (which is where I live). Since this day, I am having a really hard time trying to calibrate my mavic air.


This is my second dji drone (i know how to calibrate it, all the precautions that need to be made, etc ...) but it seems that there is something wrong wy mavic air.
I've already tried to calibrate the drone on three different places around São Paulo more than 50Km away from each other (all open spaces with no metals around whatsoever), in each of these places I've tried to calibrate the drone over 20 times on different spots. To make sure I had no metals on me whatsoever, on one of the trials I even removed my shoes and t-shirt, but it still failed to calibrate.
The only 3 times I was able to calibrate, the they were done indoors, when there was no GPS reception. But as soon I had to replace batteries, it was already giving me compass erros again

Drone and remote controller are all up-to-day, and I've already tried to refresh the firmware, but it did not help.

One thing that is really weird is that when I turn on the drone, even in low magnetic noise places (according with DJI GO 4 app), it does not show any compass erros until GPS signal is found. As soon the drone detects GPS, i throughs a compass error in the screen quick video showing this behavior can be found a  photos.app.goo.gl/MWqosP3P4K1MMhnm9

I am travelling with my Mavic Air from Italy to Uruguay (South America) and I cannot fly because the compass calibration always fails. Also moving around the sensor value never goes down 700 and I am not able to complete successfully the compass calibration procedure. Trying in different open spaces with no metal around (Also on the beach....) there is no way to fly it cause of this issue.
I think my Mavic has not any hardware problems because at home in Italy I never had to calibrate the compass and it flyes well.
It's very annoying.....I hope DJI will solve this issue.
I have an open thicket with DJI support about this compass calibration problem.....
Updates will follow.

DJI Paladin Posted at 2018-2-7 03:52
Hi there. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.
May I know if the issue happened again? For more details of the compass calibration, you can view the images below.If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
[view_image]

Im also having a problem with calibration. The manual shows one way Horizontal, then pointing down but when you look at the example of the RC remote it shows it Horizontal camera point at you , then Vertical with the camera pointing at you. So which one is right.

Hola, solucionaron el problema de la brújula ?? Gracias

Aeromac Posted at 1-6 10:36
Im also having a problem with calibration. The manual shows one way Horizontal, then pointing down but when you look at the example of the RC remote it shows it Horizontal camera point at you , then Vertical with the camera pointing at you. So which one is right.

ya your right, just dug my manual out of the box i put on the shelf in the closet, and shows something completely different from the way the app tells me to calibrate.     im going to go try this out!

fansc33328a7 Posted at 1-6 01:46
I am travelling with my Mavic Air from Italy to Uruguay (South America) and I cannot fly because the compass calibration always fails. Also moving around the sensor value never goes down 700 and I am not able to complete successfully the compass calibration procedure. Trying in different open spaces with no metal around (Also on the beach....) there is no way to fly it cause of this issue.
I think my Mavic has not any hardware problems because at home in Italy I never had to calibrate the compass and it flyes well.
It's very annoying.....I hope DJI will solve this issue.

I am travelling with my Mavic Air from Italy to Uruguay (South America) and I cannot fly because the compass calibration always fails.

Most of time I see these stories, it is a case of someone having no compass problems North of Equator.  Then they travel to near or South of Equator and they start having compass problems.  Keep wondering if DJI's software does not properly handle large change in distance that results in near Equator or crossing Equator.  


Some of problems appear to be tied in with SmartDevice getting incorrect location information via Cellular and passing it onto GO-4, during power-up of drone.  

Other times it appears to be tied to drone detecting its location via GPS, then getting a conflict with compass.  


You might try -

Disabling SmartDevice's cellphone transceiver (Airplane mode On) and intneral GPS.

Initially shielding drone's GPS antennas with tinfoil during initial power up.  Removing tinfoil once drone is powered up.
Then powering up R.C.
Then starting GO-4 on SmartDevice.

i recalibrated my compass in my mavic air.. followed first step in the app.. basically rotate the drone flat out.. but i ignored 2nd step and turned the drone so the camera facing the sky and spun it around a few times.... it passed calibration.  the compass info seems normal and accurate and it handled 1 flight normally.  
tomorrow im on the road so ill test it out .. gotta give it a few days since the compass nagging can come in at complete random.  but if this fixes it for me, then DJi may need to correct the in app calibration instructions or something.. we'll see

I also get compass calibration error, I'm in argetina. Traveled more than 600km and tried to fly the drone along the trip, with out success. Always compass error.

Anilida Posted at 2-1 18:34
I also get compass calibration error, I'm in argetina. Traveled more than 600km and tried to fly the drone along the trip, with out success. Always compass error.

dont worry, dji wont fix it...but make you pay for repairs. i reported this issue 5x in last several months, and a month ago i even gave them instructions how to fix the compass issue, because instructions in the app are incorrect.

but alas, ill give you some help:

when calibrating the compass out in the field..follow step one in the instructions on the app exactly for recalibrating, then for step 2, ignore what it tells you DO NOT rotate the drone on its side and spin it... instead aim the drone so camera faces the sky, then spin it around itself should fix the compass error...

HereForTheBeer Posted at 2-1 18:43
dont worry, dji wont fix it...but make you pay for repairs. i reported this issue 5x in last several months, and a month ago i even gave them instructions how to fix the compass issue, because instructions in the app are incorrect.

but alas, ill give you some help:

I do step 1 and then point the camera up but it doesn't calibrate. I always get an error. Also on sensor status no matter if i'm in the low 100 value, i try to rotate to see if there is some interference, but its always green. Then i try to calibrate and when i do the first part it works, when i do the vertical part it fails.
Tried to calibrate in all positions, facing downward, upward, side, the other side. It's really annoying.

Anilida Posted at 2-2 04:02
I do step 1 and then point the camera up but it doesn't calibrate. I always get an error. Also on sensor status no matter if i'm in the low 100 value, i try to rotate to see if there is some interference, but its always green. Then i try to calibrate and when i do the first part it works, when i do the vertical part it fails.
Tried to calibrate in all positions, facing downward, upward, side, the other side. It's really annoying.

Interesting... must be something much deeper in firmware and software.