I'm using a Samsung smartphone with android. The smartphone compass works in Google maps.

However, the smartphone compass doesn't work when in the DJI go app. All it shows is my GPS location, but not where I am facing when holding the controller.

Is there a way to fix this?

I believe the compass in the app is from the drone not the device attached to the controller.(phone)

scarper Posted at 2016-3-26 22:41
I believe the compass in the app is from the drone not the device attached to the controller.(phone)

There are two.

One is on the drone to know its orientation.

The other is with your smart phone so you know where you are looking and the map changes with your direction of view when you uncheck north up on map.

It works on my iOS devices. So i know for a fact that it should work but is not working on my android smartphone. But I also know that compass works on my android smartphone as verified by any number of apps.

There are 2 indeed. I dont need to know where I am looking as long as the drones works I'm happy.
Is your smartphone on the recommended list? if not then I suggest that is the reason why. Not all phones work 100% with the app.

scarper Posted at 2016-3-26 23:33
There are 2 indeed. I dont need to know where I am looking as long as the drones works I'm happy.  ...

I find it incredibly helpful to have the map rotate depending on where you are looking. It provides great situational awareness if you are flying in all directions around yourself.

If you are always at the edge and facing where you fly then you don't need this and you can keep the 'north up' map orientation. But with the working smartphone compass, the map becomes more intuitive. You can guide the bird simply by looking at the map as you can always alight your direct frontal view with the position of the drone.

Ok i am confused here, the map on the right hand side in app uses the drone compass and rotates with the drone by unlocking the pad lock. the other compass heading (left hand side) is the phone and doesn't have a map, unless I'm missing something
I'm out later will have a look at mine when I fly it.

When you expand the map, you can see google maps.

On the top right, if you click on the compass icon, you can unlock the default "North up" map orientation that you are most familiar with.

Doing so, it should transform the map into "front up". Which means if you turn your smart phone to look in another direction, the map should rotate where the 'up' is where you are looking.

Since your phone is rigidly attached to your controller, and also your body when holding it, thus the map should rotate depending on where you look.

This is way more helpful than "north up" map orientation. Basically if I'm on "front up", if the map shows the bird is on the left side, its actually physically on my left side. If it shows the bird behind me, then it is actually behind me. I can turn around and face it, and it will be in front of me and the map will show that.

It totally works on iOS. Just not my Samsung Android.

I use a Samsung Tab S2.  Tapping the map icon unlocks the "north up" orientation, as it should.  However, I have found that this tablet is sensitive to tilting.  If I hold the tablet flat, the map orientation is correct, but it can off by 20 degrees if I hold it in the normal position (inclined towards me).   

Also, make sure you are not standing next to your vehicle or any large metal object or near any magnetic/electromagnetic field.  That will totally mess up the map orientation.   Make sure "Location" is enabled on your tabet, and ocassionally calibrate your tablet's compass.

Compass calibration is a common problem with Samsung devices.
Try Google to  find out how to calibrate the compass in your Samsung.

Its not the calibration. I already looked into it and calibrated it. Did the phone calibration by pulling the secret service menu. Also calibrated via Google Maps. The compass works in Google Maps, as well as a variety of other mapping software I have. It just doesn't' work in the DJI Go app. Its as if I don't have a compass on the device. So I don't have that blue flair thing at my GPS location dot to show where I am looking.