Solo Compass Calibration how too?

Onezoso · Jul 17, 2015

Just got my Solo, everything's ready to go for 1st test flight.

I wanted to calibrate the compass but dont understand something.

When I go to the advanced settings section and choose compass calibration,

It says face north and rotate Solo until both bars are green! My questions are two fold:

1) Rotate the Solo in what manner? Circular clockwise left in a spiral keeping Solo facing north? What? 3DR leave this totally vague!

2) What green bars are they talking about?

I tried to do the calibration but never saw the green bars and now im afraid to fly as I probably knocked any factory calibration settings out of wack as my attempt was incomplete.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Solo4Me · Jul 17, 2015

I think the directions are a bit vague. I faced the same issue. You face North and keep facing North. Point the Solo North too. Tumble the Solo end over end. Keep tumbling. If you are using the Solo app it shows the Solo tumbling/rolling over - but this is not actually your solo, it is just a demonstration of what to do. I assume the green bars is referring to Solo's arms, but mine never turned green.

If the compass didn't calibrate - the app will tell you that it failed.

Do it again. It took me 4 tries until mine calibrated.

You will know that you are successful when:

1) it quits telling you that it failed
2) you can get a GPS lock.

If you screwed it up, you cannot get a GPS lock.

Perhaps I'll do a video on this too...

Onezoso · Jul 17, 2015

Solo4Me said:
I think the directions are a bit vague. I faced the same issue. You face North and keep facing North. Point the Solo North too. Tumble the Solo end over end. Keep tumbling. If you are using the Solo app it shows the Solo tumbling/rolling over - but this is not actually your solo, it is just a demonstration of what to do. I assume the green bars is referring to Solo's arms, but mine never turned green.

If the compass didn't calibrate - the app will tell you that it failed.

Do it again. It took me 4 tries until mine calibrated.

You will know that you are successful when:

1) it quits telling you that it failed
2) you can get a GPS lock.

If you screwed it up, you cannot get a GPS lock.

Perhaps I'll do a video on this too...

A video would be great, although your explanation is very descriptive on it's own, thanks.

Interestingly, I never get the graphic of the Solo tumbling! All I get is text saying "Calibrating Compass" and then ot goes to Calibrating sensors".It goes back and forth in 3 -4 minute intervals each, the Solo chirps a code sequence repeatedly and that's it.

I never get a "Failed" message as perhaps I give up too soon. But I was not tumbling Solo, only banking it hard left/right and full 360 clockwise (football spiraling direction) rotations whilst keeping the nose of Solo pointing due north.

I'm also doing this in my living room! Should I be outside in an open field?

Lastly, when I abort the incomplete calibration, I page back on the solo app to the home section. Upon doing so, Solo gives a beep sequence, LEDs flash then go ALL green and stay all green for approx 10 seconds, then they go to Red rear, blue front, I get GPS lock and it says its ready to "Fly".

So I'm still apprehensive to fly it until I get a reply on the boards from someone who has the fix.

I'm gonna try it the way you describe and see if I get the tumbling Solo graphic and get it to complete.

Did you go ahead and fly?

Solo4Me · Jul 17, 2015

Onezoso said:
A video would be great, although your explanation is very descriptive on it's own, thanks.

Interestingly, I never get the graphic of the Solo tumbling! All I get is text saying "Calibrating Compass" and then ot goes to Calibrating sensors".It goes back and forth in 3 -4 minute intervals each, the Solo chirps a code sequence repeatedly and that's it.

I never get a "Failed" message as perhaps I give up too soon. But I was not tumbling Solo, only banking it hard left/right and full 360 clockwise (football spiraling direction) rotations whilst keeping the nose of Solo pointing due north.

I'm also doing this in my living room! Should I be outside in an open field?

Lastly, when I abort the incomplete calibration, I page back on the solo app to the home section. Upon doing so, Solo gives a beep sequence, LEDs flash then go ALL green and stay all green for approx 10 seconds, then they go to Red rear, blue front, I get GPS lock and it says its ready to "Fly".

So I'm still apprehensive to fly it until I get a reply on the boards from someone who has the fix.

I'm gonna try it the way you describe and see if I get the tumbling Solo graphic and get it to complete.

Did you go ahead and fly?

yes. Once I got a good GPS lock I have flown it multiple times.

Let me work your problem a bit more in case no one else responds with a better answer - I'll get back to you.

Onezoso · Jul 18, 2015

Ok, thank you for your attention to this. I and I'm sure others do/will appreciate it. I'm gonna do another living room indoor attempt tonight and will give any meaningful feedback here.

I will also take it out to the Van Nuys, CA Apollo RC field tomorrow and try the calibration in open air if no success tonight and or I haven't heard any new info from you or anyone else.

Solo4Me · Jul 18, 2015

Onezoso said:
Ok, thank you for your attention to this. I and I'm sure others do/will appreciate it. I'm gonna do another living room indoor attempt tonight and will give any meaningful feedback here.

I will also take it out to the Van Nuys, CA Apollo RC field tomorrow and try the calibration in open air if no success tonight and or I haven't heard any new info from you or anyone else.

Well, there is a green line at the top of the app...it is just so thin and only kinda' green that I never noticed it until I tried filming it. It is located between the gray area showing the tumble animation and the black header that says "Calibrate Compass"

Short video of the app and the progress bar in a few...my wife is calling me.

Onezoso · Jul 18, 2015

Solo4Me said:
Well, there is a green line at the top of the app...it is just so thin and only kinda' green that I never noticed it until I tried filming it. It is located between the gray area showing the tumble animation and the black header that says "Calibrate Compass"

Short video of the app and the progress bar in a few...my wife is calling me.

Awesome, looking forward.

Solo4Me · Jul 18, 2015

Solo4Me said:
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just in case you didn't realize it, you see the animation and progress bar on the app on your device, not the controller.

just in case you didn't realize it, you see the animation and progress bar on the app on your device, not the controller.

Onezoso · Jul 18, 2015

Solo4Me said:
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just in case you didn't realize it, you see the animation and progress bar on the app on your device, not the controller.

Thank you again for your attention to my issue! I got it working last night.

The 1st three attempts we're unsuccessful as I never got the animation showing me how to tumble the craft. I'm not sure WHY the animation didn't appear those 1st few times.

Anyway, the animation did finally show up and I was able to successfully calibrate the ship. And the Solo app WILL tell you when it has been a success.

BTW, for those who have NOT flown their new Solo's yet, it is highly advisable that you do BOTH the "Level & Compass" calibrations PRIOR to your 1st flight! Primarily because these things were calibrated at the factory "in China!" and as a result were calibrated at at vastly different geological location, have traveled great distances and therefore have been bounced around in transit etc, etc. So it's never a bad idea to re-calibrate the "Level & Compass" calibrations (IMU) prior to maiden flights and if you fly at vastly different locations etc, etc.

I saw an "expert" speak on this online a week ago and thought I'd forward the advice!

Thank you again for your time and attention to this.
Lo

Solo4Me · Jul 18, 2015

you are welcome. A thumbs up would be appreciated.

Han Solo · Jul 19, 2015

For my first fight, I had difficulty with compass calibration. I agree that China's calibration would be wrong. I kept trying but never succeeded. I called my reseller support line, DSLR PROS. The rep the seemed to think it was not really needed. So, anxious to fly, I had my first flights that day with no issues.

Onezoso · Jul 20, 2015

Han Solo said:
For my first fight, I had difficulty with compass calibration. I agree that China's calibration would be wrong. I kept trying but never succeeded. I called my reseller support line, DSLR PROS. The rep the seemed to think it was not really needed. So, anxious to fly, I had my first flights that day with no issues.

I think the reason why I didn't get the calibration animation was because I was not tumbling the Solo end over end whilst facing north. Make sure there are NO metal objects in close proximity particularly in front of your due north orientation. Once I started rotating the Solo in a end over end tumble motion the animation appeared on the app. Give that a try.

And it is ALWAYS a good idea to occasionally calibrate the IMU which is sensitive to weather/humidity, movement, magnetics etc. It can't hurt you in any way that much is for sure.And it will ensure the best accuracy of the autopilot.

AirWhelp · Jul 22, 2015

Is IMU calibration the same as Level calibration?

Onezoso · Jul 23, 2015

AirWhelp said:
Is IMU calibration the same as Level calibration?

I meant to say it's always a good idea to occasionally calibrate both "Level & Compass". When you do that it is the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that is actually being calibrated.

mcneely19 · Aug 23, 2015

In the calibration instructions (at least on the ipad) it doesn't say anything about facing north. This still the case?

Gef7 · Aug 24, 2015

I had a little trouble figuring out the compass calibration when I first got my Solo. I never saw anything about facing north. But since you will be turning, spinning and rotating Solo in every direction it would be irrelevant which direction you face. A few seconds after you start rotating Solo, it will start chirping and a green bar at the top of the app showing on your iPhone, iPad, etc. will start to move to the right. Just keep it moving until it finishes. Now that I know how to do it, it works perfectly every time. The online manual really needs some improvement. There's a lot of instances in the manual where they tell you what to do, but not how to do it. After having my solo for a month, I have found out there's a lot of stuff to learn. This form is been a tremendous help to me.

mcneely19 · Aug 24, 2015

I am able to calibrate the compass sucessfully but randomly solo will veer right when full forward pitch is applied. A compass calibration usually takes care of it. Anyone ever have this veering issue?

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Rich · Aug 25, 2015

I will advise people to calibrate the compass outdoors, away from things that can affect the magnetic field, such as your car, power lines, metal rebar in concrete, buildings, etc.

If possible be out in the middle of a field with nothing around you.