Connection Loss from controller at short range - solved

[Hotwire]

If you have had a loss in connection while using the Spark controller, this may be your solution.

It's very disconcerting when an RC aircraft looses connection, or goes out of range. This happened to me the other day and at a very short distance. So I contacted DJI via chat and the answer was less than informing. The chap was very nice but not an RC enthusiast.

The suggested solution was the firmware was some how corrupt, but that was definitely incorrect. The problem turned out to be Assistant 2 and the procedure it runs. It directs you to turn off the aircraft after installing and update and restart it. But it's running a virtual drive and it doesn't unmount the drive automatically. If you get a disk corruption you are likely to have issues and for me, Spark couldn't write logs so it had a spat.

Sparks CPU operates like any other computer, when hardware stops it waits. This can easily put it out of sink with the radio controller and the system goes to fail-safe. RTH , red connect LED etc..
So if your controller looses connection when it shouldn't, format the SD card and check the range again.

It would be interesting to know if anyone else has had this issue or can verify the problem.

 

[Dronason]

There are currently 2-3 thread like yours.

Sent from my SM-G950F using SparkPilots Spark Forum mobile app

 

[Hotwire]

There are currently 2-3 thread like yours.

Sent from my SM-G950F using SparkPilots Spark Forum mobile app

Searched 'connection loss' got nothing useful. Did this before contacting DJI.
Is the cause/solution disputed?
Do you have this issue?
Do you doubt the suggestion?
Did my time in working this out assist you?
I hope this will be helpful to someone who doesn't wish to meander the discussions.

 

[Dronason]

The good point is that an easy trial to do.
When you say format the SD, was it on a computer or inside the Spark and through the Go4 app?
I have not seen any log files on the SD card but there could maybe be some temporary files.
Some others reported that formatting the SD helped them a lot with hang and quality in the video stream.

Sent from my SM-G950F using SparkPilots Spark Forum mobile app

 

[Lancelot]

Interesting, so the "virtual drive" on sd card affect so much? I couldnt really think why this could work but hey, if it works for you, then this might worth the shot!
Next time I have connection issue, I will try format my sd.

 

[Hotwire]

The SD card had no logs, so it was not operating correctly. The range issue persisted with the Android device powered off. Hence the issue was most likely with the Drone. After formatting the SD card the problem stopped.
Formatting was done on a PC Win7. FAT32

 

[notime]

So how do you format sd card? I am not using an sd card at all, will that cause issues?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using SparkPilots Spark Forum mobile app

 

[Hotwire]

Spark is essentially a flying camera. How will you record images without a micro SD card? There isn't anywhere to store them.
It will work as a drone but it won't attempt to store data like images and flight logs. Hence, it won't have exactly this issue.
Google how to format an SD card.

 

[PascalG]

It's easy to format the card but I seriously doubt it's the issue as spark doesn't write the logs to the card but to internal memory.

 

[msinger]

So how do you format sd card?

You can format the memory card in the following section of DJI GO:

I am not using an sd card at all, will that cause issues?

No. It just means you will not be able to store photos/videos on the Spark.

 

[Dronason]

Spark is essentially a flying camera. How will you record images without a micro SD card? There isn't anywhere to store them.
It will work as a drone but it won't attempt to store data like images and flight logs. Hence, it won't have exactly this issue.
Google how to format an SD card.

It can be recorded on the phone if there is no memory card, not sure if the quality is the same.

 

[msinger]

It can be recorded on the phone if there is no memory card, not sure if the quality is the same.

No, the cached video is not as high quality as the video stored on the Spark's removable memory card.

 

[Dronason]

No, the cached video is not as high quality as the video stored on the Spark's removable memory card.

Thanks for the clarification, just checked if it worked one time but didn't took any sample picture.

 

[Hotwire]

Irrespective of what the system is trying to write to the drive/card it will effect the interrupts. Corrupt the drive/card and give it a test! I'm happy to be wrong but I see no problem with my limited test of the issue. The thing is if it is correct DJIs procedures for upgrading firmware with 'Assistant 2' can be partly the cause. Hence, why I made this a thread.

Fly-aways are all over the Phantom Pilots.. forums and this could be a simple error that would not be easily noticed, if communications were poor. Exactly the same issue of corrupt SD card affected the OpenTx with Companion when it first came along and to some degree still does. Corrupting the card sent the Tx crazy. Luckily for FrSky and Turnigy who use this open source firmware, most people didn't use the Companion software and used the traditional direct configuration method.

There is a folder on the SD card labelled 'log' or 'logs'. As it was empty I can only assume its for recording flight log data. 3DR FCs right to on-board memory in APM and Pixhawk. Base Flight FCs write to both, the black-box is flash memory but logs can go to SD card, if the hardware supports it. I suspect this is also the case for DJI UAVs. DJI techs could verify this!

As for the details on Base Flight , Joshua B or Boris could verify my statement. Not that it going to help.

PS: This technology is not new just smaller than it was in the past when we put this **** in great big boxes. Programed them with Assembler or Fourth. They will still hang if you don't attend to interrupts.

 

[notime]

Spark is essentially a flying camera. How will you record images without a micro SD card? There isn't anywhere to store them.
It will work as a drone but it won't attempt to store data like images and flight logs. Hence, it won't have exactly this issue.
Google how to format an SD card.

If no SD card in spark video/pics will save to phone.

 

[Martin Lines]

Are we not getting mixed up here with other models in the DJI range and the spark. Other models have a "secret' internal SD card used by the operating system, is it this card that support are referring to, not the optional external card on the spark used for local copies of pictures and videos

 

[Goblor]

Hi, new to this forum and have had my Spark for a couple days. I know this is an older thread. I'm not new to the DJI quads or the other supporting forums. However, I am finding the Spark a bit frustrating because of the continual disconnections. I've updated everything and I'm using an android S7 tablet that works fine with the other DJI quads in my lineup. The app "crashes" (closes) during each flight. I've tried direct USB and just the wifi with the same results. I've been in VLOS and am able to fly the Spark just fine, but I'd like to have the app functional and the screen view too.

If I've correctly understood this thread the issue lies with the SD card? And that simply formatting before each flight will solve the issue?

Thanks for any help!