red orientation indicator is offsett

captain kush · Jul 6, 2016

Howdy,
This is my first post, I have a p4 I am very new to the quad copter scene. I have been flying in my yard in beginner mode and am getting ready to move to a bigger space so I can get some confidence in the various modes and things this bird is capable of and how to operate them correctly. One thing I cant seem to get straight is the red paper airplane orientation indicator in the lower left screen on the DJI go app. If i line the controller directly behind the bird with the front of the p4 facing away the red indicator should be in line with the center of the top of the circle that the indicator is in , instead on my screen the center line of the circle is straight in line and the control is in line with the bird but the red indicator on the screen points about 40 degrees to the left. I am sure i am doing something wrong but am not sure how to correct it.I tried gimbal calibration, also did imu calibration. Tried controller calibration but it wont finish just keeps wanting me to move the sticks 100 percent in each direction. I am at a loss and open to suggestions.
Thanks
edit to add i also calibrated the compass

captain kush · Jul 7, 2016

Howdy,
I must have worded this as confusing as i could make it.
Essentially I am wondering how to tell what direction the front of the bird is facing when it is way out there . Even if still in line of sight I need to be able see the direction the bird is facing easily and reliably so I can move the sticks in the correct direction . I hope that clears up my first post a little. Thanks for looking.
captain kush

So i am looking back at the phantom 4 user manual which isnt much help without a way to access a hard copy. I see that the red airplane indicator is called flight telemetry and that it is supposed to show the direction the aircraft is facing. Can someone possibly explain to me how this is supposed to work.
I just fired up the bird and controller and in the DJI GO app with camera view on, the flight telemetry is in bottom left of screen, with the actual bird facing straight away from me and i turn the controller slightly to my right to line up the center line of the circle and the red icon/indicator pointing to the top of the circle the bird is pointed aproximately pointed 30 to 40 degrees to my left. Shouldnt the front of the bird then be pointing the same direction that I am pointing with the contrller? Is this correct, if it is I am missing something or something is not set right.
Thanks for looking and for any advice help if you have any.

Meta4 · Jul 8, 2016

First thing to check is to calibrate the compass in your phone or tablet. Google to find out how

Sent from my SM-G900I using PhantomPilots mobile app

captain kush · Jul 8, 2016

Meta4 said:
First thing to check is to calibrate the compass in your phone or tablet. Google to find out how

Sent from my SM-G900I using PhantomPilots mobile app

Howdy,
Just got a chance to try ipad calibration and fly THE BIRD. It seems to have cured the problem.
I can not thank you enough for your sensible logic. You and this forum are THE MAN.
Thank You
captain kush

captain kush · Jul 10, 2016

Howdy,
Today is the first chance to fly my bird since I calibrated the ipad mini 4 compass on friday, basically to calibrate all I could see online was to go to privacy setting and then location and turn on and off a couple times the location services button and turn the device around on its axis. Friday I did that and the problem went away, I only flew around my yard for about 15 minutes. I fired up the bird up a minute ago and the original problem of the aircraft directional indicator is offset about 30 degrees showed back up.
I powered down the bird and the controller and tried the ipad compass calibration and fired everything up and flew around the yard for the rest of the battery and the original problem is still there. Anyone with any other suggestions, I am wide open to them.
captain kush

Editing, I could not get the google maps app to work correctly when I went to do the figure 8 calubration moves, I reloaded the app and it started behaving the way it should , Went back out powered everything on and everything looks correct again. I started to fly in the yard a little and of course it started to sprinkle, so I am inside waiting for it to clear a bit and will get back out again.
Thanks for looking. I will update if I need to do anything different

captain kush · Jul 10, 2016

Got out a bit to fly in the yard, once again the telemetry indicator is off. It wanted me to upgrade firmware so I did ,then I recalibrated the IMUs using a sheet of glass on top of the motors to get things leveled. Went out and indicator was off kilter, moved to other side of house power down, power up recalibrate the ipad compass, same problem.
Move theTHE BIRD out front of the garage, turn off and on again the compass calibrate button and rotate the ipad on all axis letting it sit still for 5 seconds on each edge, go out fire everything up,indicator working right ,fly around a couple minutes, move everything back inside the yard and the indicator is off kilter. I am guessing the strand of 5 power lines about 30 yards behind my house along beach drive are the culprit, which sucks because that is the direction I was hoping to fly out of my yard from

Took THE BIRD out front of my garage and flying it , the indicator is working correctly, so I flew the bird along the little opening along the garage into the yard and the indicator is offset, definately caused by interference. When I get the chance I will go across the road and under the power lines and set up on the beach and see if that is going to interfere with things.
captain kush

Tommy J 111 · Jul 7, 2017

captain kush said:
Got out a bit to fly in the yard, once again the telemetry indicator is off. It wanted me to upgrade firmware so I did ,then I recalibrated the IMUs using a sheet of glass on top of the motors to get things leveled. Went out and indicator was off kilter, moved to other side of house power down, power up recalibrate the ipad compass, same problem.
Move theTHE BIRD out front of the garage, turn off and on again the compass calibrate button and rotate the ipad on all axis letting it sit still for 5 seconds on each edge, go out fire everything up,indicator working right ,fly around a couple minutes, move everything back inside the yard and the indicator is off kilter. I am guessing the strand of 5 power lines about 30 yards behind my house along beach drive are the culprit, which sucks because that is the direction I was hoping to fly out of my yard from

Took THE BIRD out front of my garage and flying it , the indicator is working correctly, so I flew the bird along the little opening along the garage into the yard and the indicator is offset, definately caused by interference. When I get the chance I will go across the road and under the power lines and set up on the beach and see if that is going to interfere with things.
captain kush

If this helps any, im haveing same problem. Did you get your red arrow fixed? if you did, how?? if not i just asked ssme question on p4p help.

Fred in Utah · Jul 8, 2017

I am also learning but had a similar issue that was causing me anxiety.

I am flying a Phantom 3 Std on a Samsung tablet & after much reading & experimentation, finally got it correct.

I calibrated both the drone & the tablet compass several times & then took the case off the tablet. I believe finally, it was the magnetic closure on the tablet case that was throwing everything off. Also be aware of any large metal or magnetic items that may be nearby. I still experience some deviations but only in predictable places so there must be a source of magnetic interference at those places.