Help!!!

[Expert @ crashing]

Purchased my first DJI spark and love it!!! Takes great photos and video that I otherwise would be unable to get.
My problem is that it seems to go "rogue" on me. I usually calibrate IMU and Compass before every flight, but find that unit suddenly veers off on its own after 1-2 minutes of flying.
My last experience saw me hovering about 100' up taking some shots and when I tried to bring the unit down, it suddenly veered off at top speed and smashed into a concrete wall and literally disintegrated.
Trying to figure out why unit would suddenly get "a mind of its own" and take off.
Tried to save it while it was veering off, but unit had no response to controls which are on my phone.

Any help here would be appreciated.

 

[DesertWindAero]

I usually calibrate IMU and Compass before every flight...

Only calibrate the IMU and compass when you are told to on the screen.

 

[Expert @ crashing]

so calibrating without prompting would cause the rogue behaviour?

 

[DesertWindAero]

so calibrating without prompting would cause the rogue behaviour?

Yes...such things have been reported in the past. I haven't experienced it -- because I only calibrate when prompted to by the system. Which has been -- oh, let's see -- never.

 

[MannyCAM2001]

So very sorry to hear that. I totally agree with Desert Wind Aero. Only if needed. Compass shouldn’t be an issue, if calibrated more often. Were you able to hover in place at lower altitudes. Nothing peculiar happening? Your flight records should help you decipher. It very well could have been, no fault of your own.
Hate to see you have to flip the bill for another one. And even, be without one with how much you enjoyed it

 

[Expert @ crashing]

So very sorry to hear that. I totally agree with Desert Wind Aero. Only if needed. Compass shouldn’t be an issue, if calibrated more often. Were you able to hover in place at lower altitudes. Nothing peculiar happening? Your flight records should help you decipher. It very well could have been, no fault of your own.
Hate to see you have to flip the bill for another one. And even, be without one with how much you enjoyed it

I purchased the DJI care with this one, so I'm hoping to get a replacement under warranty.

 

[MannyCAM2001]

Great news!
I would change my handle to “Expert@Crashing*But Precautions Taken”
Cheers

 

[Darryl]

The calibration of the compass seems to continuously come up on this forum.
Should a calibration ONLY take place when prompted ? or should it be done EVERY time you fly in a different location ?

 

[John Harvey]

The calibration of the compass seems to continuously come up on this forum.
Should a calibration ONLY take place when prompted ? or should it be done EVERY time you fly in a different location ?

Only calibrate the compass when prompted to do so,, Not required before each flight and not required if you move location.

 

[Darryl]

Thank you John, much appreciated.I've had my Spark for 6 weeks now, flown plenty, not a single issue !

 

[Barennes]

Only calibrate the compass when prompted to do so,, Not required before each flight and not required if you move location.

I would add: before calibrating 'on demand', just check you are in a "metallic safe" place. Case any doubt, choose another takeoff point nearby.
On my side, calibrating is only asked if i don't pay attention to this. Could just be a wall or block with metalic structure...

 

[Expert @ crashing]

I would add: before calibrating 'on demand', just check you are in a "metallic safe" place. Case any doubt, choose another takeoff point nearby.
On my side, calibrating is only asked if i don't pay attention to this. Could just be a wall or block with metalic structure...

Can you elaborate on "metallic safe" place?

I own a metal recycling yard and have been using my Spark to take aerial shots, but this is also where I have been experiencing the control issues and having the unit go rogue and fly off on its own.

Can these units not be operated around large metallic objects or structures?

 

[Dante' Watson]

Can you elaborate on "metallic safe" place?

I own a metal recycling yard and have been using my Spark to take aerial shots, but this is also where I have been experiencing the control issues and having the unit go rogue and fly off on its own.

Can these units not be operated around large metallic objects or structures?

The short answer is NO. DJI repeatly warns again flying around metal structures. It causes strong magnetic interference with the compass, and the signal. So metal is like kryptonite to the Spark. So it's not surprising to hear these problems. Usually a warning will pop up if the interference is strong enough. I also have a Mavic Pro and the warning shows up on the remote, and the go 4 app. So you should be VERY careful flying in that area. Hope that helps a little.

 

[Spark 317]

Since the Spark is assisted in flight by GPS / compass, flying around an environment such as yours will play havoc with the sensors, causing erratic flight behavior.

Click the Spark-Help banner on any Forum page and scroll down to the "How to" section for help on calibration .

 

[Expert @ crashing]

The short answer is NO. DJI repeatly warns again flying around metal structures. It causes strong magnetic interference with the compass, and the signal. So metal is like kryptonite to the Spark. So it's not surprising to hear these problems. Usually a warning will pop up if the interference is strong enough. I also have a Mavic Pro and the warning shows up on the remote, and the go 4 app. So you should be VERY careful flying in that area. Hope that helps a little.

Very helpful........it most likely explains the issues I have been experiencing. I would warn all other drone flyers that large metal structures/objects make the drone go crazy. My last flight saw my drone hovering well above the yard taking some pics, but when I brought it down to within about 20-30' of the steel pile, it suddenly veered off at full speed and smashed into the concrete wall of our building. It was literally like someone else had taken control of the unit as it would not respond to my controls.
Now that I have this info, I think I would start my drone well away from all metal and take it to an altitude where hopefully it will not be affected by the magnetic interference.

Thanks!!

 

[Barennes]

Very helpful........it most likely explains the issues I have been experiencing. I would warn all other drone flyers that large metal structures/objects make the drone go crazy. My last flight saw my drone hovering well above the yard taking some pics, but when I brought it down to within about 20-30' of the steel pile, it suddenly veered off at full speed and smashed into the concrete wall of our building. It was literally like someone else had taken control of the unit as it would not respond to my controls.
Now that I have this info, I think I would start my drone well away from all metal and take it to an altitude where hopefully it will not be affected by the magnetic interference.

Thanks!!

It is very probably an explanation...

 

[DesertWindAero]

The short answer is NO. DJI repeatly warns again flying around metal structures. It causes strong magnetic interference with the compass, and the signal. So metal is like kryptonite to the Spark. So it's not surprising to hear these problems. Usually a warning will pop up if the interference is strong enough. I also have a Mavic Pro and the warning shows up on the remote, and the go 4 app. So you should be VERY careful flying in that area. Hope that helps a little.

That said, I fly our Spark for tactical operations for a government agency. We train and practice inside a large (~50 ft ceilings) metal structure that also has metal catwalks above an open area configured with moveable walls to resemble an industrial or office cubicle setting -- hallways, doors, and windows. In that environment, I've never been prompted to calibrate the compass...probably because it's flying in a GPS-denied environment and is using VPS only. I've never had signal problems either. So, it seems that those problems only occur outdoors when in GPS mode.

 

[Dante' Watson]

That said, I fly our Spark for tactical operations for a government agency. We train and practice inside a large (~50 ft ceilings) metal structure that also has metal catwalks above an open area configured with moveable walls to resemble an industrial or office cubicle setting -- hallways, doors, and windows. In that environment, I've never been prompted to calibrate the compass...probably because it's flying in a GPS-denied environment and is using VPS only. I've never had signal problems either. So, it seems that those problems only occur outdoors when in GPS mode.

Could be correct. I've flown indoor with metal ceilings in a gym one time. I turned of GPS and had no problem either. So I believe your right.

 

[hg87]

I have not experienced this myself but apparently Spark can get in trouble when the compass gets confused due to metal objects in its proximity.
The issue appears to be that if compass and GPS disagree GPS gets disabled and that then leads to unpredictable behaviour.
Hope that helps.

 

[Expert @ crashing]

I have not experienced this myself but apparently Spark can get in trouble when the compass gets confused due to metal objects in its proximity.
The issue appears to be that if compass and GPS disagree GPS gets disabled and that then leads to unpredictable behaviour.
Hope that helps.

Thanks, I'm sure that is the issue I was experiencing.

Just waiting to get my Spark back from repair so I can confirm.