You watch drones fly on the big screen or online, and you think to yourself, “I want to own one of those.” Thanks to the developments in the manufacture of these airborne wonders, you can make that thought a reality, but you would enjoy drone flight if your drone weren’t well-calibrated.
To calibrate a drone and finally enjoy a satisfying flight, the knowledge of how to calibrate a drone is important. The knowledge will also come in handy if you find that your drone isn’t flying as well as it normally does, and we are here to provide this information for no charge at all.
The calibration of a drone is important, but there might be a few downsides to doing this too much as some experts have indicated that it could cause damage. The only way to prevent any damage (if the experts are right) is to get your calibration right when you do it.
We have indicated that drone calibration is an important factor in how your drone performs during a flight. As such, all drones require calibration, even drones considered to be relatively cheap. The following instances are when you need to calibrate your drone:
The calibration process itself isn’t very complicated. Still, if you want the results to be long lasting and as close to perfect as possible, the following tools and conditions are recommended:
When it comes to drone calibration, there are two types; compass calibration and IMU calibration. Trusted SourceHow to choose the right IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) for an UAV | Embention An IMU with good performance, vibration robustness and temperature stability will improve the flight operation with the drone. www.embention.com The following is a guide to implementing both types of calibrations when you need them:
When well-calibrated, it helps the drone stay level and flat, making it easier to control and predict. It can be done indoors because of the lack of wind or any such interference. The method of calibration might also differ by brand, but the following steps should help:
It should be noted that there might be slight variations in accessing the settings depending on the brand of the drone. Still, drones from the same manufacturer, such as the DJI Air 2S drone and the DJI Mini drone (both quadcopters with high-quality video transmission), are likely to be calibrated the same way.
Where the IMU calibration helps with stability and control, the compass calibration helps with direction. This would be critical in helping a drone find true north and preventing embarrassing flyaways, like one reported by CNN and involving the White House Trusted SourceDrone maker 'highly unlikely' | CNN Politics The owner of a small drone that crashed at the White House earlier this week is blaming technical problems with the DJI Phantom quadcopter for the apparent mishap, though the creator of the device says it’s “highly unlikely” the device malfunctioned. www.cnn.com .
In addition, you have to make sure that there are no metal or concrete structures capable of interfering with the calibration around (hence, the recommendation of open space). The following steps should help get the process over with:
As you might have noticed, many drones have mobile applications to facilitate their calibrations. These apps would need to be downloaded on mobile stores and installed. Once connected to the drone, they would allow the user remote access to certain features and, in some cases, control over the drone without the controller.
Without calibration, drone flight would be problematic, and if done wrongly, it would still be problematic. That’s why we have put together this rough guide to help users navigate their drones for safer flights.
In addition, the calibration of the IMU and compass would also indirectly help reduce crashes, and the incidence of lost drones. When dealing with cheap drones, cases of flyaways might not be as serious, but higher-end drones are costly and represent a massive financial investment.
Hence, to protect such an investment, you should know how to calibrate a drone. If the problem with the drone is not calibration, though, but an inability to fly, these solutions might be worth a try. Good luck and enjoy a safer flight.