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Compass interference

Joined
Oct 9, 2018
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Greetings,

I changed out my landing gear a couple of days ago, took it outside, powered it and the controller up, started the motors, no problem. I then took it out into the yard, where I have flown from before and promptly got a "compass interference, move to new location, or recalibrate compass". I moved back to the original position; no joy. I then tried to recalibrate the compass and after "Step 1 Complete", straight to "Calibration Failed". I have tried in different locations, even in the middle of a soccer field, with no success.

Suggestions?
 
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Hi Karma's a b@#%^

I sometimes have calibration failure but never that extreme. I am hoping that by now you have figured a solution?

Something that I recently learned that may have caused your inability to calibrate - do you know about the Kp level (magnetology) effect?

I have an article on my website with details and links to obtain the app for your phone: How Long Before My Karma, DJI, etc… Drone Fly’s Away & Crashes? – Adventure Gadgetry

Happy flyin!
 
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Hi AdventureG, thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have figured out the solution. I first calibrated the Accelometer. That failed the first on the first attempt; probably me, but calibrated successfully on the second attempt. After that, the compass calibrated on the first attempt. I have not had any issues since; I have flown it a couple of times in various locations. "Acquiring GPS, KARMA ready to fly". All of this was caused by damaged landing gear, so maybe take a close look at yours.

I am aware of Kp level. I use an app, UAV, and amongst the many indicators it tracks, Kp is one of them. Less than 4.
 
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Thanks Shon.
Hi AdventureG, thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have figured out the solution. I first calibrated the Accelometer. That failed the first on the first attempt; probably me, but calibrated successfully on the second attempt. After that, the compass calibrated on the first attempt. I have not had any issues since; I have flown it a couple of times in various locations. "Acquiring GPS, KARMA ready to fly". All of this was caused by damaged landing gear, so maybe take a close look at yours.

I am aware of Kp level. I use an app, UAV, and amongst the many indicators it tracks, Kp is one of them. Less than 4.


Did you have to replace the landing gear? I tried doing the accelometer first but am still getting the same error on the compass.
 
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Why replace landing gear? The leads associated with landing gear are part of circuit verifying landing gear locked in place.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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Why replace landing gear? The leads associated with landing gear are part of circuit verifying landing gear locked in place.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
He mentioned all of this was caused by damaged landing gear so I wasn't sure if he replaced that or was able to recablibrate without replacing. My drone auto-landed/crashed after losing connection and now it won't calibrate.
 
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Need landing gear to be opened all the way and clicked in place or cannot start up to fly. That error may keep karma from calibrating, I don’t know, but you can’t fly in any case if landing gear not locked open and circuit says so.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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Man this karma is beggining to be too much a diva.

locked or not locked landing gear thats another part to fail, the switch.

It should let you be able to fly without landing gears if you so wish.
even without gimbal it should. Im stil concerned why gopro would design such device with lots and lots of securities to be able to fly.
it bugs me.

its no top secret, bank vault you need to activate/deactivate.
its just a drone.
 
Tell you a simple fact and it becomes an issue. I have heard nothing about any landing gear switch issues except people seeing the wires think it is part of an antenna which it is not. It would be very easy to correct an issue with a broken switch, but to break on I think a whole lot more stuff would be broken.

The Karma was built as a platform for GoPro cameras as the cameras were being incorporated into most of the quads being built at the time like in my QAV-540G. The system checks at startup, with various changes, are typical of all flight controllers, Vector, DJI, and Karma. Karma was aimed at a specific audience and built in protection as thought appropriate. Is not even made anymore so not sure what all the b______g about.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Jcl.
Im not saying that im making an issue whenever facts are given. Dont get me wrong.

Its just that a switch WILL eventually fail at some point given that the switch will be used always all the time from the closing/opening/closing the landing gear.

what im saying that it shouldnt tell the karma system to not fly at all versus that it will fail to sense if the drone has landed given that there is a wire that connects from inside the boof the drone to the landing gear, telling that it is some sort of a sensor even though its no compass as i thought i was based on what i have read somewhere previously.

Im just saying. Karma drone has too many securities for it to be able to fly.
 
Jcl.
Im not saying that im making an issue whenever facts are given. Dont get me wrong.

Its just that a switch WILL eventually fail at some point given that the switch will be used always all the time from the closing/opening/closing the landing gear.

what im saying that it shouldnt tell the karma system to not fly at all versus that it will fail to sense if the drone has landed given that there is a wire that connects from inside the boof the drone to the landing gear, telling that it is some sort of a sensor even though its no compass as i thought i was based on what i have read somewhere previously.

Im just saying. Karma drone has too many securities for it to be able to fly.

It is an instrument to get the GoPro camera into the air.

With the landing gear being needed to be extended to fly..... one word. Warranty.

The landing gear is needed for safe landing on uneven surfaces etc.

I suggest that if you want to practice flying without the camera attached then maybe try the simulator built into the controller.

Flying without the gimbal and camera would severely effect the balance of the quad. It would probably just flip.

Good luck mate.
 
I am an EE and believe in logic. None of that here.


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I've chipped a blade or two on uneven surfaces...even with the landing gear fully extended. Never had to worry about a fault chip claiming that the gear wasn't fully extended when it was. I have heard of such issues after a crash, but it often had to do with a cable being loose, and it is a fairly easy fix as the Karma was built to easily repair minor damage.
 
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Connect the wires together and fly without landing gear if one wants to do that so badly.


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