I crashed my Phantom 3 Advanced (as noted in a previous post) and just got finished with repairs. I bought new housing, a new circuit board tray, and 1 new motor that was damaged. I took everything apart, soldered in a new motor, put it all back together, and it works great in a couple of test flights that I have done. I also calibrated the IMU. But there is one little issue I was having, and that is with the compass.
When I set the drone down on the ground and turn it on, it boots up just fine. But then on the controller it says there is an error with the compass. Calibration will fail when you try to spin it around and follow the compass calibration steps. However, what I noticed is if I turn the drone on while it is sitting on the ground it will turn on to a compass calibration error. But if I move the unit a few feet in any direction, the error goes away. I can calibrate and fly the drone with no issue at all.

Does anyone have experience with this issue? I have seen some folks comment on magnetic screwdrivers causing issues and they ended up replacing it, but usually their compass is blown all together and they don't have the experience I do where the thing works fine in flight and the error goes away after moving it. I suppose I could buy a new compass, they are very cheap, but I guess if I could avoid having to take the whole thing apart again that would be kind of nice.

Thanks.

Hello ghawsjr, does the calibration issue happen no matter where you calibrate the compass?

DJI-Paladin Posted at 2016-6-13 04:58
Hello ghawsjr, does the calibration issue happen no matter where you calibrate the compass?

Hi...
I have a P3A,recently updated to the latest FW 1.8 adnd the the DJI APP up-to date.
Me too i 'm experiencing the same issue,yesterday i flew,i'm used to fly in the same area,a crop of mais,big enough to let fly in safety.
In the previous version of the firmware i had not experience in compass problem,now it's becoming a serious issue.
So i set aside the ipothesis of buried pipeline,magnetic interference and there are not electrical aerial wireline all around,because in case i should have experienced also in the previous version of the FW.
I dont wear metal watch,i switch my phone off,and so i exclude any interference provided by "myself"
Yesterday it took me uncountable re-calibration attempt to let the compass work,i'm not used to calibrate it every time,because flying in the same spot i guess no need alwys frequent re calibration...
I guess it's an issue introduced by latest FW...hope it will soon solved.

starfighters Posted at 2016-6-13 14:52
Hi...
I have a P3A,recently updated to the latest FW 1.8 adnd the the DJI APP up-to date.
Me too i ...

Could you show me a video of this issue? Thanks.

DJI-Paladin Posted at 2016-6-13 11:58
Hello ghawsjr, does the calibration issue happen no matter where you calibrate the compass?

It does. It has never happened before. But I have tried it in multiple locations far away from eachother and it is the same in each. The only reason I am hesitant to go ahead and switch it out is after I fly around for a second the error goes away and it flies fine. IMU calibration shows no issues as well.

alphadrone Posted at 2016-6-14 14:42
It does. It has never happened before. But I have tried it in multiple locations far away from eac ...

When you switch on the aircraft each time, it is comparing the compass readings with those stored from your last calibration. If you get an error each time, then either the ground it is sitting on has some ferrous metal in it, or the calibration was done in a bad environment.

My suggestion would be to go out into a field where there are no pipes, concrete or metal of any kind and do a fresh compass calibration. if you are still getting the problem,. then it is likely the ground you are taking off from has something in it.

Geebax Posted at 2016-6-14 05:48
When you switch on the aircraft each time, it is comparing the compass readings with those stored f ...

Ok...but to check metallic sediment or pipe under the ground we should have a metal detector too.....
But for me wich i'm used to flight in the same area were in the previous tenth of flight before upgrading to 1.8.80 no compass error was reported,for me doesn't depend on the ground,but it's a FW problem...
Sunday i had three flight in three different place located several hundred meters each other,and in the three spot i had compass issue.....

starfighters Posted at 2016-6-14 16:30
Ok...but to check metallic sediment or pipe under the ground we should have a metal detector too... ...

Yes, but that does not necessarily mean a FW issue, if you got a compass error in three different times in different locations it can also mean the last compass calibration you did was bad. People tend to calibrate their compass too often, causing issues like that.

Geebax Posted at 2016-6-14 07:47
Yes, but that does not necessarily mean a FW issue, if you got a compass error in three different  ...

Hi...
Me i'm not used to re-calibrate compass every time,unless i flow several km away from were i'm used to fly.
Due to heavy rain and bad wheater in my area i didn't fly for several weeks.
So i 've re-calibrated in the same spot of the previous flight i did,and that's began issue..and last flight i did i had no compass problem at all..
I guess also if the last calibration were unsuccesfull,when you try a new one ,previous record should be overrided.let's see...

Thank you for your answer

Geebax Posted at 2016-6-14 12:48
When you switch on the aircraft each time, it is comparing the compass readings with those stored f ...

Got it. I actually re-calibrate every single time I fly. I know we don't always need to but I do it anyways just to be certain. I might try to do the IMU calibration again and test it out in a few scenarios. I guess I am hyper sensitive because I just did all the repairs myself. I never experienced a compass calibration issue before.

alphadrone Posted at 2016-6-15 21:05
Got it. I actually re-calibrate every single time I fly. I know we don't always need to but I do it anyways just to be certain. I might try to do the IMU calibration again and test it out in a few scenarios. I guess I am hyper sensitive because I just did all the repairs myself. I never experienced a compass calibration issue before.

I'm finding the same thing (more or less). I shall clarify it by moving it a few metres to see if it accepts that too.
Progress so far:-
I fixed broken gimbal.
Updated software.
Updated IMU
Checked IMU OK
Tried to fly but DJI Go stopped me for compass calibration.
Tried to calibrate several times but software say no.
Contact DJI and they say "send overseas to NetherLands" (where i'll get charged a fortune to be told the compass is broken presumably).
Search YouTube...  Not much help this time.
Try this forum....
IMU calibrated after I u

I just purchased a used DJI Phantom 3 Advanced and found that the remote control had damage and would not connect using my iPhone. So, I purchased a used controller which arrived, and I started all over setting it up all again it did updates on the firmware for the Phantom 3 Advanced and for the remote control and have never been able to get the compas error to go away. I can start the calibration and in the horizontal slowly rotate and it then says to stand it up vertically and I rotate it just as directed and every time it pops up that the calibration has failed. I didn't have this problem until the DJI GO popped up telling me that my Phantom 3 Advanced needed to be updated and when that finished it told me to restart then it popped up that I needed to update the controller and then the problems started it also gives me some kind of audible announcement which I can't understand because it says it so fast in that digital voice. I think it is something that starts with an "A" and it repeats it randomly. Anyone figure this out please let me know I'd be very grateful I am disabled and have cancer and just wanted something to pass time and maybe get my grandson into drones to spend time with me before the Good Lord takes me home since that time is uncertain. Thanks!     

Are you doing the compass calibration outside away from ferrous metals (e.g. a wheelchair)?  

For the record, it's usually best not to do a FW update unless you have a solid reason to do so.  When you see the message "Firmware update required" it's actually not required - or even necessary in most cases.

For the record, I've owned 3 P3Ps and 3 GL300 A controllers and a GL300 B controller and have never updated anything ever and everything has always worked great.  
My understanding is it's a good idea to put a fan on the gimbal when doing a FW update.  

I don't think a DJI FW update would cause a compass to not calibrate but I guess it's possible?  

It sounds to me like it's possible your compass is so out of whack that a calibration won't fix it.  This was more common in the earlier phantoms.  

Assuming your problem is the compass, maybe you could degauss it.



Otherwise just buy another compass on eBay.  Might be easier just to buy the legs with the compass.  

Good luck