Smallest drone that features all of DJI’s signature technologies, a very good thing that DJI stuffing a ton of features and functionality into small drones — one of the coolest creations in the recent past of DJI’s production line which empowers you to push your creative boundaries. It is the DJI Spark drone. It is the ideal starter beginner drone because of being user-friendly, compact enough, allowing you to seize the moment whenever you feel inspired. Spark camera can film 1080p videos at 30 frames per second, capture 12-megapixels photos, it’s mounted on mechanical two-axis gimbal which stabilizes the camera and cancels out any jarring, shaky movements. It features also a Gesture control, and an intelligent flight control options. Spark comes equipped with a vision system and 3D sensing system, while the ability to sense and avoid objects is usually a feature reserved for larger drones. It’s not quite as robust as what you’ll find on the Phantom 4 pro, or even the Mavic Pro, but it still serves its purpose, and helps you avoid crashes. Like all drones from DJI, the Spark comes ready to fly straight out of the box. Let’s explore more in this in-depth DJI Spark review.

DJI Spark– Design & Durability

The first thing you see about Spark drone is its overall design and impressive small considering the tech it carries, it is quite beautiful with the thick motor mounts giving it a robust appearance. Due to its small size, the Spark might be confused for a toy (which is not equipped with advanced sensors). The front side dominated with a powerful 3D infrared system, a section of the DJI Spark’s 3D Sensor System that checks for obstacles 1 to 16 feet away as well as scans your face the moment launching Spark out of your palm. Bright red and green LEDs located on the underside of each motor mount give the drone’s directional orientation and enhances visibility as well. The Spark is available in several colors including red, green, blue, yellow and white options, but all of them have a dark gray underside which makes it more visible in flight against a bright sunny background, the colorful options add a bit of personality and fun. It’s solidly built, made from tough plastic, and incredibly light, though, at about half the weight of the Mavic Pro. A quick video on Flight Basics and RC Piloting of Spark Drone from DJI videos:

DJI Spark- Camera– Photos and Videos

The drone’s shooter boasts a 1/2.3” CMOS sensor that can shoot 12 megapixel stills and capture video in 1080p at 30 frames per second. The Spark camera uses its 1/2.3 inch CMOS sensor to capture video up to 1080p at 30 fps and shoot 12 megapixel stills. His settings consist of manual controls to change the speed of shutter, white balance, ISO, and exposure. While you can use manual controls when you want them, the auto setting of the camera does just okay in the proper lighting. With the correct settings, the DJI Spark’s 12 MP camera takes photos that rival a few of the top camera drones you will find. They are well exposed, detailed, and sharp, with natural-looking colors. They are also a bit low in contrast, but excellent overall. Videos look well exposed and sharp with natural shades. They are suitable to live stream that you may also perform using the Spark through Facebook, YouTube, and other networks. Spark drone support different shooting modes, it includes Single Shots, Burst, Interval, Panorama, and ShallowFocus which adds a blurry background to images which you can revise to your taste With 2-axis gimbal mounted the quality is not exactly professional standard. While still images are of good quality, shooting complex videos is a bit difficult and quality is compromised by the 2-axis gimbal. It needs some adjustment to get things perfectly level before takeoff, but it does a solid job of keeping things steady once you’re up and running. Changing the angle of the camera, however, is a little jerky, especially if you’re using the app, so it’s best to set that before you start filming rather than adjusting on the fly. With Spark drone camera you don’t expect 4K if that’s what you’re looking for, and you can’t shoot in 24 fps mode. it’s definitely not a bad camera. It might not have the resolution that other portable selfie drones have, but what it lacks in pixels it (mostly) makes up for with other features.

DJI Spark– Battery Life & Flight Time

DJI is promising up 16 minutes of trip time in no wind circumstances. In real-world flight, we averaged between11 to 13 minutes of flight before hitting 30 percent battery life, which isn’t amazing. If the battery becomes too low, Spark will look to return home. You may cancel its action at your risk. The Spark’s flight battery takes around 80 minutes to charge fully with the supplied charger. Also, you can beef up the drone battery with a computer or car charger, but it will take much longer to finish. We highly suggest you get more batteries (at least a backup) or the DJI Spark Fly More Combo kit. It includes a couple of extra batteries, extra propellers, propeller guards, a charging station which charges all three batteries simultaneously, a remote controller, and a shoulder bag.

DJI Spark– Remote Controller & DJI Go 4 App

Spark’s remote controller features a brand new, amplified WI-FI signal transmission system, capable of controlling the aircraft and the gimbal camera at a maximum transmission range of 1.2 mi (2 Km). It comes with the pack Fly More Combo as an option. There is no screen on the controller, but a provision is made for mounting a mobile phone to act as a screen enabling you to see your videos and in-flight data. The pause and return to home buttons as well as the mode select switch are dedicated buttons. The mode select switch on the controller switches the drone into sport mode, which gives you complete control of the drone and brings with it a top speed of 31mph (50km/h considerably faster than the smartphone app allows). The forward collision avoidance sensors are switched off in this mode, leaving only the down facing sensors to avoid hitting the ground. Making setup super-simple, the Spark can be controlled directly from your smartphone by using the DJI GO 4 app you can use virtual on-screen control sticks for maneuvering as well as initiating the Spark’s many predefined Quick Shot movements. It permits you to jump straight into the quadrotor’s camera viewpoint, review and modify videos and photos, or upload those to SkyPixel, DJI Instagram version for its flying machines. You also can access support stations, review flight logs, and more. There’s also the TapToFly mode, which works as you would expect, letting you select on screen where you want the Spark to go. It means you’re more able to concentrate on taking in the view. The app also lets you edit together your videos including adding music and effects. It’s useful if you want to quickly share to social media. Other safety features include built-in ‘No Fly Zones’ in the app, which warns you when you’re flying in a restricted area. If you’re anywhere near an airport, the drone won’t even take off. You should take in consideration that Maximum remote controller battery life is approximately 2.5 hours. Here two videos on Mobile Device Piloting and DJI GO 4 of Spark Drone: DJI GO 4 App:

DJI Spark– Intelligent Flight Modes

Those who are accustomed to DJI quadcopters recognize their unique flight modes. The DJI Spark mini-drone includes a few we are aware and some fresh ones. They comprise ActiveTrack, QuickShots, Tripod, TapFly, and the Gestural Mode. A quick video on flight modes of Spark Drone:

DJI Spark ActiveTrack Mode:

ActiveTrack intelligent mode allows you to mark and track a moving object on your mobile device screen. It’s the new Follow Me technology. Now you can just tap on any object in the camera’s Live View, and the camera will stay focused on it. It tries to identify cars, animals, bikes, and people automatically. It is a neat feature that is excellent for filming action footage; almost everything from a dog playing in your park to sports events.

DJI Spark QuickShots:

In this setting, you lock the UAS onto a target, and then inform it to execute any of 4 pre-programmed flight sequences, or Quickshots while shooting. There are four kinds of QuickShots: Circle, Dronie, Helix, and Rocket.

• Circle and Helix: Circle instructs the Spark drone to round you once. Helix mode does the exact when flying up.
• Dronie: Dronie is a short video that starts up close then slowly reveals extra as the device flies away and up.
• Rocket: Rocket prompts the rig to fly away with the video camera locked on a chosen subject or you.

A quick video from DJI on QuickShots:

DJI Spark Tripod mode:

Tripod Mode is a hugely popular mode for photographers and videographers. It’s designed to give you smooth and steady pictures and videos by fixing your drone to a location and limiting movement. This function is best for flying close to the floor or gradually over a water stream.

DJI Spark TapFly mode:

With the TapFly feature, users can now tap on the mobile device screen to fly in the designated direction without using the remote controller. You can control the gimbal and camera, so as it flies towards its spot, you can capture shots. A quick video from DJI on TapFlay:

DJI Spark Gesture Control mode:

In Gesture Mode, people can gesture certain ways towards the drone and it will follow and capture selfies without a phone or a controller. A quick video from DJI on Gesture:

DJI Spark–  How To Setting Up The Spark

Setting up the Spark drone is a relatively simple process that takes about 5 minutes once you have the battery charged and the DJI app downloaded. It is pretty much Ready-To-Fly right from the box. you must pair it using a remote controller or smartphone with Wi-Fi. The setup of DJI require that you register your new flying machine, and you should agree to the terms of a DJI account, else functionality like range and top speed will be restricted. A quick video from DJI on how to Link Spark and Connecting to WiFi:

DJI Spark– Conclusion

While the Spark is not the equipment for professional photographers, it is a great tool for amateurs. It provides you with reliable performance plus a feature-packed flying adventure in a little package. The overall design is quite beautiful with the thick motor mounts giving it a robust appearance. It comes equipped with the advanced sensors. The offering of traditional standard accessories such as the controller separately allows you the option of saving some money, and using your smartphone as a controller. But if you’re going to pull the trigger, I’d also recommend thinking long and hard about upgrading to the Fly More Combo, which comes with a battery charger, an extra battery, propeller guards, a carrying case, and the dedicated controller, which is $150 all on its own. Finally, the Spark is a good entry-level option for people who want to take drone flying more seriously. an excellent video on Dji spark review from  AuthenTech -Ben Schmanke:

DJI Spark– Faqs Related to DJI Spark

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What are the main differences between Spark and the Mavic Pro?

In addition to being lighter and smaller than the Mavic Pro, Spark was designed with new drone users in mind. Advanced gesture controls allow users to launch, direct, and land Spark with just their hands. For more intuitive on-screen control, Spark’s TapFly Mode now includes Coordinate, letting you tap an exact location on screen for Spark to fly towards. In addition, QuickShot Mode allows users to fly along four preset flight paths while recording short videos for cinema-quality footage. Spark gives users professional control without hassle. In contrast, the Mavic Pro features a more powerful camera capable of shooting 4K video (as opposed to Spark’s 1080p video), longer flight times, and an OcuSync transmission system suitable for long-distance aerial photography

How do I control Spark?

Control Spark with your mobile device by downloading the DJI GO 4 app or using the remote controller.

How do I activate Spark?

There are two ways to activate Spark: – Connect Spark with your mobile device and follow the instructions in DJI GO 4 to complete activation. – Tap the top right icon in DJI GO 4’s main page, choose Scan QR Code, and use your mobile device’s camera to scan the QR code in the aircraft’s battery compartment. Follow the instructions in the app to complete activation.

Is Spark waterproof?

No. It is recommended to avoid flying Spark in rain, fog, snow, or wet weather. Also avoid landing in or taking off from puddles, as the chassis is close to the ground.

What new functions does Spark’s camera have?

Spark supports ShallowFocus and Pano modes, which includes Horizontal and Vertical modes.

What is ShallowFocus?

ShallowFocus creates photos with a shallow depth of field with its 3D vision technology.

Which Pano modes are available?

Vertical Mode: The camera will capture three photos vertically, then combine them to make a vertical panorama. Horizontal Mode: The camera will take nine photos from different angles vertically and horizontally, and then combine them to make a horizontal panorama.

What is the maximum distance and speed at which Spark can sense obstacles?

Spark will automatically avoid obstacles up to 16 ft (5 m) in front of it. The maximum speed at which Spark is able to sense obstacles is 3 m/s.

What new Intelligent Flight Modes does Spark include?

Spark is the first DJI drone to feature new TapFly submodes, Coordinate and Direction. In QuickShot mode, Spark takes professional shots for you with Rocket, Dronie, Circle, and Helix. Spark’s Gesture Mode also includes a new set of advanced gesture recognition capabilities, including PalmControl, Follow, Beckon, and PalmLand.

What mobile device sizes fit inside Spark’s remote controller?

Spark’s remote controller fits mobile devices 6.5‑8.5 mm thick and up to 160 mm long, without a phone case. Mobile devices larger than this do not fit the remote controller’s device holder.

How do I update the remote controller firmware?

The remote controller firmware can be updated in DJI GO 4.

How do I link Spark to the remote controller?

Press the Pause, Fn, and C1 buttons at the same time. Once the controller starts beeping, release these buttons. With Spark powered on, press and hold the battery power button. When you hear Spark beep, release this button. Linking is now complete.

What wind speeds can Spark resist?

Spark can withstand wind speeds between 13‑18 mph (20‑28 kph).

What’s the resolution of Spark’s video transmission?

720p 30 fps.

What is Spark’s effective transmission range?

When connected to a remote controller: 2.4 GHz FCC: 1.2 mi (2 km); CE: 0.3 mi (500 m); SRRC: 0.3 mi (500 m) (unobstructed and free of interference) 5.8 GHz FCC: 1.2 mi (2 km); CE: 0.18 mi (300 m); SRRC: 0.7 mi (1.2 km) (unobstructed and free of interference) When connected directly to a mobile device: A max height of 50 m and distance of 100 m. 5.8 GHz transmission is not available in some regions due to local regulations.

Can frequency bands be manually adjusted during video transmission?

Yes. Users can manually choose between 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz or let DJI GO 4 choose a frequency band automatically.

Where can I check the aircraft Wi-Fi’s username and password?

There are three places where you can check this information: – The battery compartment on the aircraft (only the default Wi-Fi username and password can be found here); – The Settings option in DJI Assistant 2 or DJI GO 4; – The foam outer box (only the default Wi-Fi username and password can be found here).

How do I reset or modify Spark’s Wi-Fi username and password?

To reset, hold the battery down for 9 seconds until you hear the aircraft beep three times. To modify, connect your mobile device to Spark, enter the DJI GO 4 app, and modify the Wi-Fi username and password in the Connection Help Menu. (Note: If Spark is connected with DJI Assistant 2 on a computer, restart the aircraft before resetting the Wi-Fi username and password.)

My mobile device does not detect Spark’s Wi-Fi when I turn it on. What should I do?

This may be because Spark was previously connected to the remote controller. To prompt detection, power on the aircraft, then press down on the power button for six seconds until you hear the aircraft beep twice. This indicates that Spark’s Wi-Fi is now detectable on your mobile device.

How do I charge Spark?

Use the included USB cable to charge Spark. During charging, do not remove the battery from the aircraft. Use the Charging Hub to charge three batteries simultaneously. If using the Charging Hub, you will need to remove the batteries from the aircraft and place them in the Charging Hub.

My newly purchased battery is not responding when I press the power button. What should I do?

New batteries are shipped in Hibernation Mode. In order to activate your newly purchased battery, charge it fully.

What should I do if the aircraft and battery firmware versions are inconsistent?

Connect Spark to DJI GO 4, and the app will inform you of appropriate updates to ensure consistency.

What factors could lead to an update failure?

– Low battery level. Make sure the battery level is higher than 50%. – Powering off Spark or the remote controller during the update. If this happens, please restart Spark/remote controller and begin the update again. – Internet disconnection when downloading firmware. – Aircraft and remote controller firmware version inconsistency. Use DJI GO 4 to update the aircraft and remote controller to the latest version. It is recommended that you use DJI Assistant 2 on your computer to update your aircraft. Please note that Spark will restart once the update finishes. [bg_faq_end]

DJI Spark– Specifications

• Model: Spark
• Manufacturer: DJI
• Product type: RTF
• Weight: 0.66 lbs (300 g)
• Dimensions: 143×143×55 mm
• Diagonal Size (Without Propellers): 170 mm
• Camera: 12 MP
• Gimbal: 2-axis gimbal
• Range: Maximum 1.2 miles from remote controller / 100-yard from a mobile phone
• Methods for Controlling: Using the DJI GO 4 app, with a remote, or via advanced gesture commands
• Top speed: 31 mph
• Flight time: 16 minutes
• Operating temperature distance: 32° to 104° F (0° to 40° C)
• Charging time: 80 minutes
• Foldable: yes
• FPV: yes
• Indoor or outdoor: Both