Aloha,

     My Mavic Mini is a very durable little nipper.  When we fly the larger bretherin, we kind of let compass warnings lag until we have down time to calibrate or something else (at least I have).  I have learned, that is a big mistake with the Mini.  Calibrate immediately!  And always look for a compass warning before take-off!

     Compass calibration for the Mini is even easier than the P3 series, easy and fast (the same, but the Mini is, well, mini!).  If you get any indication of any sort to address a compass calibration, or other issue, with the Mini compass, do what you are instructed to do right away or risk losing your Mini.  Control of the Mini is tied very closely with the compass and that compass is very sensitive.

     I have metal hidden in tables and stools that I can sit any Phantom on without a problem.  Put the Mini on that padded stool with a metal frame and I will have to calibrate my Mini's compass or risk losing my Mini.  During a panic flight, because I did not claibrate my Mini's compass, and I will have to baby that Mini in and land it.  Launch that little nipper again, after compass calibration, and then I can have a fun flight.  It really is that easy.


     I wonder if very many of these runaways and other crash issues are because someone rested their Mini on the metal body of their car, or the rebar laden sidewalk, etc., for just a second before they took-off, and off, and off ~ ~ ~ ~ ~    I have confirmed that my only problem like that is the compass and metal - and very little metal at that.

     Take care and be safe!

Aloha and Drone On!

Hello there Cetacean. Thank you for reaching out and for sharing these informative information based on your experience. This thread will help out a lot of our DJI Mavic Mini Pilots. In addition I will post some information on how to calibrate the compass of the DJI Mavic Mini. Again, thank you for your valued support and please stay safe always.

DJI Stephen Posted at 6-4 01:56
Hello there Cetacean. Thank you for reaching out and for sharing these informative information based on your experience. This thread will help out a lot of our DJI Mavic Mini Pilots. In addition I will post some information on how to calibrate the compass of the DJI Mavic Mini. Again, thank you for your valued support and please stay safe always.

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Aloha Stephen,

     Mahalo!  I just found the calibration page in the recent manual.  You saved me a post!  I also checked the Mavic Air compass calibration page.  Once I realized the Mavic Mini compass was so sensitive, I began recalling some occasional problems I had in the past with my Mavic Air.  The Phantoms really spoiled me about the compass!

     The Phantoms sit quite a bit higher than the Mavics and so are less sensitive to minor metal interference like the metal under the cushion in my stool.  I also have an empty cardboard box, about 1.5 inches thick, to make a larger rectangle to hold both the RC and AC.  No compass problem for the Phantoms.

     As I recall now thinking about it, when my Mavic Mini was giving me so much compass problems, I had the stool with the box on it in another room and using it for another job.  The Mini was right down on the seat of my other stool with only the thin cushion as separation.  Well, that explains it!  

     Now I wonder how this may relate to my Mavic Air?  The flight compass disruption is similar between the Mavic Air and the Mavic Mini.  Everything flies like normal and then, boom, signal disruption.  Fortunately, I still had enough control to come back for a landing in each case.  Lucky I was not a mile up in the mountains!

     Mahalo again!  Take care and be safe!

Aloha and Drone On!

I think it is the cause of many crashes and similar in other mavics particularly M1, dji have also introduced look up tables in to their new drones , it’s basically a form of spread sheet obviously a chip but it can tell when craft moves to different locations and pushes calibration for compass, whether it needs it or not, and although I’m not certain I believe some of these are so finely tuned that they require users to calibrate almost every time they fly.
Also how well the compass is sealed can be the cause of picking up interference ie like your table or decking nails etc. but yes the compass calibration experience has much improved.

hallmark007 Posted at 6-4 03:59
I think it is the cause of many crashes and similar in other mavics particularly M1, dji have also introduced look up tables in to their new drones , it’s basically a form of spread sheet obviously a chip but it can tell when craft moves to different locations and pushes calibration for compass, whether it needs it or not, and although I’m not certain I believe some of these are so finely tuned that they require users to calibrate almost every time they fly.
Also how well the compass is sealed can be the cause of picking up interference ie like your table or decking nails etc. but yes the compass calibration experience has much improved.

Aloha 007,

     Yes, on all counts.  The DJI recommendations regarding the need to calibrate has increased in the frequency and conditions suggested.  It is frequent enough now that some will complain that it is almost every time you fly!  But, in my case, what is recommended is what I need to keep full control of my Mavics.  Not a problem!

     What I like is how easy it is to calibrate the compass.  When I first got my P2 and my P3, I calibrated almost every time, I even made a string harness so they would spin on the two axis'.  I wanted to be as precise as possible - then I got lax with experience as noted earlier (spoiled really).

     But the Mavics are so easy to calibrate, there really is no excuse to put it off.  

     Take care and be safe!

Aloha and Drone On!

Cetacean Posted at 6-4 03:55
Aloha Stephen,

     Mahalo!  I just found the calibration page in the recent manual.  You saved me a post!  I also checked the Mavic Air compass calibration page.  Once I realized the Mavic Mini compass was so sensitive, I began recalling some occasional problems I had in the past with my Mavic Air.  The Phantoms really spoiled me about the compass!

Hi there Cetacean. You are very much welcome and thank you for sharing these additional information with us. Have a safe and a happy flying always.

DJI Stephen Posted at 6-5 00:30
Hi there Cetacean. You are very much welcome and thank you for sharing these additional information with us. Have a safe and a happy flying always.

Aloha Stephen,

     Mahalo!

     Take care and be safe!

Aloha and Drone On!

There's a simple step to confirm that compass is OK. Check compass heading in map before take-off. If it shows wrong direction there was interference during powering on AC very likely.

actually the compass was not that sensitive, i think they changed that in firmware. first flights i didn't even touched it until the latest firmware i think. Now i have to re-calibrate on every single one. sometimes on 2 consecutive flights. And the only way to notice it if checking the map for your bearings.

sbonev Posted at 6-6 03:46
actually the compass was not that sensitive, i think they changed that in firmware. first flights i didn't even touched it until the latest firmware i think. Now i have to re-calibrate on every single one. sometimes on 2 consecutive flights. And the only way to notice it if checking the map for your bearings.

Aloha sbonev,

     That is interesting.  But as noted, calibrating the compass is fast and easy.  If you get peace of mind and a nice flight out of the deal, it is well worth it.  Personally, I like the peace of mind part, especially in this world!

     Take care and be safe!

Aloha and Drone On!

sbonev Posted at 6-6 03:46
actually the compass was not that sensitive, i think they changed that in firmware. first flights i didn't even touched it until the latest firmware i think. Now i have to re-calibrate on every single one. sometimes on 2 consecutive flights. And the only way to notice it if checking the map for your bearings.

I agree, it's more sensitive with latest fw. but calibration is requested with new take-off spot in my case. If I fly all 3 batteries on one place no calibration requested by app.

virtual Posted at 6-6 23:42
I agree, it's more sensitive with latest fw. but calibration is requested with new take-off spot in my case. If I fly all 3 batteries on one place no calibration requested by app.

well strange enough i have seen the request for calibration only once - the first time i flew with the new firmware, after that nothing...different spots, same spot several days no difference...and even though it was same spot 2 days in a row, there was difference of at least 40 degrees in heading, so it is quite noticeable and still no warning. Which is strange because somebody that doesn't pay attention to this might get in trouble like that....

sbonev Posted at 6-7 01:24
well strange enough i have seen the request for calibration only once - the first time i flew with the new firmware, after that nothing...different spots, same spot several days no difference...and even though it was same spot 2 days in a row, there was difference of at least 40 degrees in heading, so it is quite noticeable and still no warning. Which is strange because somebody that doesn't pay attention to this might get in trouble like that....

Actually I did calibration only once without app request (heading in map was 30deg of) the rest was done on app request only. Today again the app requested compass calibration for the first flight no request for other 2 batteries, heading in map was correct.
But I have app request quite often...