Considering adding a Spark to the mix.

[senny_spark]

I got ahead of myself when I was reading your post you said you purchase a DJI spark you wanted to purchase DJI spark what I was saying was you should have went to the DJI store and bought a refurbished fly more combo or just the Drone itself for cheaper so you wouldn't have to come out the pocket more but you found it on eBay for 460 which is good for make sure you calibrate before each flight because I bought one and I lost mine because I didn't do a compass calibration

 

[Brojon]

Ah! No - it was not in stock anywhere I checked including NewEgg.
I suspect that Amazon Prime day wiped them out. I tried but was sabotaged by their glitches.

 

[rangeangel]

So I watched more videos and read more reviews and felt confident enough to pull the plug on a Spark. Snagged a new Fly More combo off fleaBay for $460 which I think is pretty good since I can't find anyplace that has them discounted. The current discount is for the controller + Spark for $400. Considering the extra battery, props and charger I felt like the flymore was the way to go.
One of the things that sold me was the ability to charge through the USB port. That's dang handy as I have a really good Ankar 22,000 maH portable pack. It was not clear if the remote could also be charged this way .
Somewhere I saw a deal on two batteries I have to dig up.
Next question - ND filters. I don't want to do another round of PolarPro filters (I think I personally bumped them into the red last year ). Any cheap but decent ND's running around?

The remote can be charged using a standard usb just like the Spark which is convenient . I was going to purchase some ND filters I found on Amazon but ended up getting the PolarPro 3 pack from Best Buy. I had read reviews where people were saying that some filter brands are too heavy for the Spark camera. The PolarPro filters have caused no problems with my camera.

 

[Eljay]

re: compass calibration - I flew from CA to Ireland and didn't calibrate my compass and didn't have any problems. Go figure.

re: palm stuff - I have the Fn button set to take off/land so I just grab the spark, put it in my hand, once I have GPS lock I hit the Fn button on the remote, do my thing, fly it back to around face level near me, facing away from me, put my palm under it but not right under the sensor, more like under the battery, hit Fn again and let it settle into my palm. Works great.

The Spark is great for quick flights. On road trips if there's some scenic view I'll pull over, fly around for 5 minutes, take some shots, get back on the road. Takes just a few minutes and most people just totally ignore it. Even if they're giving you a bit of stink eye when they see the palm landing it's like, OK, this thing's under control, we don't need to be concerned.

 

[Brojon]

re: compass calibration - I flew from CA to Ireland and didn't calibrate my compass and didn't have any problems. Go figure.

re: palm stuff - I have the Fn button set to take off/land so I just grab the spark, put it in my hand, once I have GPS lock I hit the Fn button on the remote, do my thing, fly it back to around face level near me, facing away from me, put my palm under it but not right under the sensor, more like under the battery, hit Fn again and let it settle into my palm. Works great.

That is *very* useful info! I had no idea that you could assign land/takeoff to the function button and I don't recall seeing it in the Spark manual. Must be in the controller manual. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Spark 317]

That is *very* useful info! I had no idea that you could assign land/takeoff to the function button and I don't recall seeing it in the Spark manual. Must be in the controller manual. Thanks a bunch!

Be cautious when you assign a button for that feature.

I've read reports of people accidentally launching the Spark inside or not ready to launch when fiddling with the remote.

In one instance a child picked up the remote and started pressing buttons.

 

[Brojon]

Duly noted. I'll likely play with both methods and adopt the one that makes sense.
The worst case scenario for me would be to accidentally press the button walking down the street.
I'd assume that the AC wouldn't fire up if sideways in the holster.

 

[Drones_ES_MD]

Duly noted. I'll likely play with both methods and adopt the one that makes sense.
The worst case scenario for me would be to accidentally press the button walking down the street.
I'd assume that the AC wouldn't fire up if sideways in the holster.

Man your notebook must be getting filled up!

 

[Brojon]

Man your notebook must be getting filled up!

lol, not so much - I'm a software developer so I'm used to keeping a lot of info in my head while cross-correlating.
I'm also what they call an autodidact which helps me a lot learning new things. Given that much is already applicable from the Mavic and Phantom I'm trying to focus on what's unique.
Found a thing called Dji Go 4 Mod 2.0. Trying to find out what it offers.

 

[Eljay]

Yeah so if you're going to have the Spark on and the remote turned on and everything connected, I mean, I wouldn't let the kids play with a live controller with the button assigned or no button assigned. That's just asking for it. If things are turned off you can hit that button all you want and obviously nothing's going to happen. If you hit the button in a can't launch scenario - Spark is at a disallowed angle, etc. - it's just going to ignore it.

You can definitely take off/land from the palm using the sticks as well, so give that a shot, it's just awkward to use the controller one handed.

 

[Brojon]

Yeah so if you're going to have the Spark on and the remote turned on and everything connected, I mean, I wouldn't let the kids play with a live controller with the button assigned or no button assigned. That's just asking for it. If things are turned off you can hit that button all you want and obviously nothing's going to happen. If you hit the button in a can't launch scenario - Spark is at a disallowed angle, etc. - it's just going to ignore it.

You can definitely take off/land from the palm using the sticks as well, so give that a shot, it's just awkward to use the controller one handed.

Yeah, no. I tried sticks with hand holding my Mavic and it's entirely too awkward.
No kids to worry about so I should be GTG

 

[Eljay]

I have kids but a) I don't leave everything unattended while powered on (duh) and b) they know the Spark is not a toy. If they want they can fly a $20 drone any time they want.

 

[Spark 317]

Use your nose to slide the launch slider on the Go4 app as you hold the remote in one hand and the Spark in the other.

 

[Fire Sparker]

He has a bottom "socket", then a piece that rotates over the top, then a band that stretches from the bottom to hold teh top part on plus two clips each side for the band.
So given this thing is on your belt you'd have to pop off each side band - one handed - then release the band from the top, then flip the top up to remove the drone - all while keeping hold of it to prevent dropping it.
Not to say it's a bad design but I'm thinking more a flip phone type holster where a restraining strap simply unsnaps and allows me to remove the drone. I do leather work and make pistol holsters so I'm sure I can come up with something a bit simpler yet secure. In fact just a pocket with a magnetic top flap would be just dandy for my use.

Just a simple shoulder bag does the trick, open it up stuff the spark in, I don't have big drones and I don't want them. Life is really all about usability, if things get on your tits you aint going use them. Once I was smitten by camera gear, and found myself leaving it all at home and picking up my pocket Canon. I might feel that I am happy with my spark, but I do look forward to Spark MK2 with folding arms please.

 

[Brojon]

Agreed about stuff getting left behind. That said I once sold all my 35mm gear and lenses. Picked up a Pentax 110 SLR that had a wide angle, tele and normal lens. The idea was I could backpack with it and leave the weight hit of teh 35 at home.
What a colossal screw up! I hiked Bryce Canyon, Zion, Yellowstone - all at a time that I was relatively alone in these places - not like the touristy crowded and restricted places they are today - and all those photos are crap because 110 image quality just wasn't there - suitable only for snapshots which is exactly what I got.
So I admonished myself that the Spark is a selfie drone so I don't make the mistake of thinking it can fill in for the big boys.
Next summer we hope to travel to Germany for a few weeks as my wife does some academic research. I'll be taking the Spark but I'll also have my Mavic and Sony DSLR - they all fit in a single camera backpack amazingly enough. I would have killed for such a rig in the 70's!

 

[KNAVE]

I do look forward to Spark MK2 with folding arms please.

https://store.dji.com/product/mavic-air

 

[mlash]

lol - love the labels!
I'm not concerned about the props. My entire goal is rapid deployment.
So - I'm a photographer by nature and I'm always seeing things I'd like to get a shot of and drones have made it relatively easy to get to places you can't hoof to or get a batter angle with.
But I don't want to schlep either my Mavic or P4P in their cases on a mere possibility of seeing something.
With that Pgytech holster I can have the Spark on my belt (or wear like an armband), carry the remote and launch in seconds virtually anywhere.
Who knows? Maybe I sell my Mavic and get a Mavic Air if this works out well.

I just sold my Spark and bought an Air. I loved flying the spark and the convenience of it. I hated to sell but with having the Mavic Pro, Air and the Spark was just not necessary. The Air is definitely the "Spark Pro" and it is well worth the upgrade when you get ready to do so! Though, I would never sell my Mavic Pro!

 

[Spark 317]

Though, I would never sell my Mavic Pro!

You sure about that?

Mavic 2

 

[Brojon]

I just sold my Spark and bought an Air. I loved flying the spark and the convenience of it. I hated to sell but with having the Mavic Pro, Air and the Spark was just not necessary. The Air is definitely the "Spark Pro" and it is well worth the upgrade when you get ready to do so! Though, I would never sell my Mavic Pro!

If they get some of the features into the Air such as waypoints #1 then I might consider selling my MP to trade in on an Air - but the range is still an issue..

 

[mlash]

You sure about that?

Mavic 2

I stand corrected! If the Mavic 2 has a better cammera on it (1" sensor) then I might consider. But I'm set on getting the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 for video if the Mavic 2 doesn't WOW me! Just waiting patiently on the DJI unveiling like everyone else.