Document the Alignment Tool wizard and automatic compass orientation detection

[sensei-hacker]

Summary

• Documents the new mag-calibration-spin feature (inav#11708): INAV can automatically detect and set the compass's mounting orientation relative to the FC during the normal calibration spin.
• Adds a decision-first guide to the Alignment Tool tab's Auto Alignment Wizard (docs/04-inav-configurator/alignment-tool-tab.mdx), covering all four hardware-dependent paths: RAM-capable vs. RAM-constrained boards, each with and without a magnetometer fitted. States up front which order to do board alignment vs. compass calibration in, since doing it backwards wastes a calibration spin.
• Cross-links compass.mdx, calibration-tab.mdx, and 04-accel-calibration.mdx to the new wizard page instead of leaving them as manual-only instructions.
• Simplifies the RAM-gating explanation (F405/F411/F722, 256KB RAM) to name the affected boards plainly instead of implementation details.
• Companion wiki update: iNavFlight/inav.wiki.git — Alignment-Tool-Tab.md, Calibration-Tab.md, GPS-and-Compass-setup.md now point at this page instead of duplicating the walkthrough.

Test plan

• Docs-only change; verified against the firmware source (compass_orientation.c, common_post.h) and the inav-configurator wizard implementation (magnetometer.js/.html, calibration.js, locale/en/messages.json) on the linked branches.
• Screenshots of the wizard UI are not yet included (tracked separately).

https://claude.ai/code/session_01BUNPAbSF46z9QMPqTVWjv4

[qodo-free-for-open-source-projects]

PR Summary by Qodo

Document automatic compass orientation detection

📝 Documentation 🕐 Less than 10 minutes

AI Description

• Documents automatic compass orientation detection during standard magnetometer calibration spins.
• Clarifies supported mountings, confidence fallback, and flight-controller alignment prerequisites.
• Explains RAM-based availability limits and manual alignment fallback.

Diagram

graph TD
  Spin["Calibration spin"] --> Ram{"RAM over 256KB?"}
  Ram -- Yes --> Sample["Collect paired samples"] --> Match{"Confident standard match?"}
  Ram -- No --> Manual["Manual alignment"]
  Match -- Yes --> Set["Set mag alignment"]
  Match -- No --> Keep["Keep current alignment"]

Loading

High-Level Assessment

Adding the explanation directly beside the existing Configurator calibration procedure is the clearest approach because orientation detection occurs during that same spin. A standalone page would fragment the workflow and duplicate alignment context, while the current section links readers to manual alternatives and prerequisite FC alignment guidance.

Files changed (1) +14 / -0

Documentation (1) +14 / -0

compass.mdxDocument automatic orientation detection during compass calibration +14/-0

Document automatic orientation detection during compass calibration

• Adds guidance explaining how INAV derives compass-to-flight-controller alignment from calibration samples and applies it only for confident standard-orientation matches. Documents FC alignment prerequisites, supported mounting angles, RAM-based availability limits, and manual or existing-alignment fallbacks.

docs/05-core-features/compass.mdx

[qodo-free-for-open-source-projects]

Code Review by Qodo

🐞 Bugs (0) 📘 Rule violations (0) 📎 Requirement gaps (0)

Great, no issues found!

Qodo reviewed your code and found no material issues that require review

Tip of the day

💡 Did you know, you can turn on the rule miner and Qodo learns your standards from review history

More tips ↗ | Customize Qodo ↗ | Qodo docs ↗

[robotgoat]

I hope that this isn't too much of an ask, but would it be possible to make sure that each new sentence belongs on its own line?

[sensei-hacker]

I hope that this isn't too much of an ask, but would it be possible to make sure that each new sentence belongs on its own line?

sure. Is that a Docusaurus thing, or ... ?