Flyaways a concern if you are using the gestures?

[nutsnbolts]

I don't know if I know the answer to this or not but if you are using spark just for gestures alone do you need to calibrate the compass or IMU since I won't be using the controller or my phone?

The idea of gestures is that you get to a location and want to do a quick selfie or video and I don't need to check my surroundings other than the fact that I could launch my drone in a safe area just for utilizing the gestures. Do I need to be concerned about flyaways?

 

[Tom Croley]

I vote yes....be concerned. I admit, I'm not very experienced with drones yet, but I have already observed that the gesture mode is far from perfect. So far, I'm disappointed in it. It goof up ever time I try it. My last goof up went like this. I launched, I did a couple of Darth Vader moves from left to right....they were a little glitchy but worked, then I waved for it to follow me and it backed up as it should. Next, I started walking down the street to see if it followed, and it did....for a while. Then it stopped following and just hung in the air about 14 feet up, blinking at me. I tried the "Y" gesture over and over and over. It simply would not come to me. So I tried every gesture in the book and even a few not in the book. Finally, the battery went low and it did a programmed landing. I walked over and let it land in my palm.

But what if I had gestured for it to back away over a cliff, or over the side of a boat, and it then got stuck like that.....what then? So yes, there is concern.

 

[suprPHREAK]

Yes it is a concern. Mine flew away in gesture mode. DJI replaced it.

I won't ever use it without a remote again.

 

[Sparkbart]

In my experience, Gesture Mode is far from perfect. When I first got my Spark I wanted to try just using my Smart Device. Well I got it working in GM and moved it around and finally did the gesture to move up and back to take a selfie. When I tried to recall it, it wouldn't. No matter what I did; move closer, further, to the side, etc, it would not come back. It just hovered. After several long minutes, I finally went and got my Smart Device and took over control with it.

Even after I got the Remote it still would on occasion not respond to my gestures. So now when I use GM I always have my remote at the ready...

 

[nutsnbolts]

Ok that is good to know. That stinks. I thought maybe for the low height that its being utilized. The compass issues would not be an issue since I'm not taking it to the higher heights as if I was using a controller.

 

[suprPHREAK]

Ok that is good to know. That stinks. I thought maybe for the low height that its being utilized. The compass issues would not be an issue since I'm not taking it to the higher heights as if I was using a controller.

Compass error is what made mine fly away, as I found out by looking at the logs afterward.

 

[Mrmund]

I've been using my Spark for 4 months now and this is what I have figured out:
#1 MOST IMPORTANT!(yes I'm yelling) use your drone in a safe manner respectable to the non drone people around you. You are and ambassador for this technology and you want non drone people to like us not be afraid.
#2 Gesture mode isn't perfect but it's still pretty cool
#3 Flyaways are a real concern, take precautions and don't be "that guy"
#4 When going to a different geographic location it always helps to calibrate your compass

Use you Spark in gesture mode, yes it darn cool. Go outside some place new, park. Walk away from the cars to a "safe" area. Pop out your phone, link it, pick up the tiny drone and spin in a circle. That's it.
You should be good for the day unless you're by a bunch of metal. Take it down the the trail, turn it on, tap twice and take a great picture. Feel good knowing it will come back and your day out won't be ruined by losing that amazing little piece of tech we all know and love.

Good luck and Happy Sparking!

Take some great pics and post them here

 

[dwallersv]

P4, Mavic, and now Spark owner. I have some experience.

NO, do not recalibrate your compass unless GO4 tells you to. No, you do not need to recalibrate when you move to a different area.

LEAVE YOUR COMPASS ALONE. You are far more likely to screw it up than improve its accuracy. Here's why: You want to calibrate it in circumstances as similar to flight as possible. This means no metal around, anywhere, above, below, left, right, etc. When its in the air, its not near ANYTHING.

This is harder to achieve than you think. Most places in developed neighborhoods have metal everywhere. Basically, you need to be in a natural field.

When someone tells you calibrating your compass can't hurt, they're wrong.

 

[dwallersv]

Spark stopping when following: There is a built-in limit of 25m from the home point (or the follow start point, can't remember) beyond which the Spark will not continue to follow. It stops at that radius like there's a wall.

Don't ask me why this stupidity is there... ask DJI. I've heard you can get around it by turning on Dynamic Home Point, but I haven't tried it.

 

[flyinstoo]

My experience with gesture mode is too be very careful on sunny days cos if you point it at you with the sun behind you it is very possible it will loose contact with you simply because it is blinded by the light. It will just sit there until the battery gets low then do an rth

 

[suprPHREAK]

My experience with gesture mode is too be very careful on sunny days cos if you point it at you with the sun behind you it is very possible it will loose contact with you simply because it is blinded by the light. It will just sit there until the battery gets low then do an rth

I think they fixed this...it should RTH or land in place after 2 minutes of lost subject.