Is there a guide to prevent fly-away

[Splaterspark]

Hi, first post and new spark owner. Really enjoying this little drone and I have a bit of RC experience from flying a blade 400 heli. So far, I've captured some great footage with my spark and had very few issues, however, having found and read this forum I'm somewhat concerned about fly-away. Has anyone complied a guide with tips on how to prevent it and what procedures to follow if there's a problem.

The other day I had my first issue when the drone decided 350m away and 100m up that it had a compass error. I simply about turned to face it back to my position (flying FPV because, let's be honest, you don't see your spark 350m away) and made a beeline back to my position in sport mode. I landed without issue. From reading the forum, it sounds like I got lucky as other users seem to report a complete lack of response to the sticks when this happens. I love my little spark and unfortunately it's not disposable so I'd like to be armed with knowledge to prevent/mitigate any problems.

Also, some quick questions to prevent creating new threads:

1. I've got a micro-USB to lightening cable for my iphone 6. How the heck do you get DJI Go 4 to connect to the phone without wi-fi using this cable?
2. Can you launch with gesture control in a class D Warning Zone? I live a few miles from an airport in a class D zone and the spark doesn't seem to do gesture mode. I'm wondering if that's because it needs/wants to warn me about the zone?

 

[DesertWindAero]

Hi, first post and new spark owner. Really enjoying this little drone and I have a bit of RC experience from flying a blade 400 heli. So far, I've captured some great footage with my spark and had very few issues, however, having found and read this forum I'm somewhat concerned about fly-away. Has anyone complied a guide with tips on how to prevent it and what procedures to follow if there's a problem.

The other day I had my first issue when the drone decided 350m away and 100m up that it had a compass error. I simply about turned to face it back to my position (flying FPV because, let's be honest, you don't see your spark 350m away) and made a beeline back to my position in sport mode. I landed without issue. From reading the forum, it sounds like I got lucky as other users seem to report a complete lack of response to the sticks when this happens. I love my little spark and unfortunately it's not disposable so I'd like to be armed with knowledge to prevent/mitigate any problems.

Also, some quick questions to prevent creating new threads:

1. I've got a micro-USB to lightening cable for my iphone 6. How the heck do you get DJI Go 4 to connect to the phone without wi-fi using this cable?
2. Can you launch with gesture control in a class D Warning Zone? I live a few miles from an airport in a class D zone and the spark doesn't seem to do gesture mode. I'm wondering if that's because it needs/wants to warn me about the zone?

Rule#1 - The cable you mentioned is referred to as an OTG cable. Don't use it

 

[Splaterspark]

Rule#1 - The cable you mentioned is referred to as an OTG cable. Don't use it

Don't use it? I've seen loads of videos on YouTube stating this is one of the first things you should get? Aside from me not being able to get the bloody thing to work what's the problem?

 

[msinger]

Here are a few key things to do in order to ensure your Spark is able to safely return back to the home point:

1) Don't fly in strong winds.
2) Fully charge your batteries before flying.
3) Make sure you return to the home point before the battery is too low.
4) Don't take off near any magnetic metal objects (like rebar in a sidewalk).
5) If you're not comfortable controlling your Spark, make sure you keep it close enough so you're able to clearly see it with your eyes.

 

[msinger]

Don't use it? I've seen loads of videos on YouTube stating this is one of the first things you should get?

More people used an OTG cable when the Spark was first released. As new versions of DJI GO come out, it seems like less and less features work properly when using an OTG cable.

Most people find the Wi-Fi connection works just fine after disabling Bluetooth on the mobile device and ensuring no other electronic devices are near the Spark remote controller while flying.

 

[Splaterspark]

More people used an OTG cable when the Spark was first released. As new versions of DJI GO come out, it seems like less and less features work properly when using an OTG cable.

Most people find the Wi-Fi connection works just fine after disabling Bluetooth on the mobile device and ensuring no other electronic devices are near the Spark remote controller while flying.

Thanks for that. Explains why it's been so hard to get it to work and when I did a quick Google search there was a lot (mostly from this forum) coming up to say not to bother with it. As an amusing aside, I was getting Bluetooth interference on nearly every flight despite having my phone in airplane mode - drove me nuts. Then I remembered my Apple Watch has bluetooth

 

[msinger]

Then I remembered my Apple Watch has bluetooth

Yep. That's why I mentioned the other electronic devices part

 

[descend78]

I'm really shocked - but happy - to hear that an OTG cable is something I should avoid. I have one in my cart on amazon but I'll just go ahead and delete it [emoji3]

 

[Lastrexking]

Thanks for that. Explains why it's been so hard to get it to work and when I did a quick Google search there was a lot (mostly from this forum) coming up to say not to bother with it. As an amusing aside, I was getting Bluetooth interference on nearly every flight despite having my phone in airplane mode - drove me nuts. Then I remembered my Apple Watch has bluetooth

I have an Apple Watch and fly using an iPhone 7+. On my phone I have to go into the settings menu and turn Bluetooth off in there. Using the control panel doesn’t turn it off fully in iOS. I turn my watch off.

 

[Denver]

I was flying last Sunday in a fairly remote spot when two hillwalkers came up to speak to me about the drone. Within a minute I had interference and lost contact but the rth worked and all good. Then realised both walkers had phones and one had a gps device as well, all Bluetooth.

 

[Splaterspark]

Talk to me about ATTI mode; specifically, why do so many people seem to have an issue flying in ATTI vs GPS? Am I missing something or is the flight of the drone and control pretty much identical with the exception that the pilot will have to make manual corrections for wind, drift, etc.

I've been reading threads about practising in order to handle emergency situations and one user commented that it's important to keep the drone orientated away from you in ATTI mode. If you are flying by watching the actual drone, I can't see any difference between ATTI and GPS; if it's facing towards you left/right stick is still reversed, right? However, most of the time (and especially in an emergency to get back) I'm flying in first-person perspective by watching the video feed. In fact, I fly like this nearly all the time and only occasionally glance to check the drone if I know I'm close to, passing by, or circling around objects. Is this wrong? I find it far safer on the basis that it's hard to orientate a spark when it's more than about 30m from you. Granted, if you lose video feed and the drone is too far away to orientate then it will be very difficult to fly home. However, surely such a scenario requires multiple failures (GPS lost, RTH not responding, Compass Error, loss of video feed through interference or crashed app....all at the same time)

Edited to Add: I suppose I didn't consider that the spark camera faces forward only and so you can always rely on the video feed to = direction drone is facing. However, surely there is a means or shortcut to orientate the camera on bigger drones to face forward?

 

[Sparkbart]

Interesting. I've got dozens and dozens of flights on all my DJI drones including the Spark where I've been wearing my Apple Watch, had my Iphone in my pants pocket with "hotspot" turned on as well as having whatever apps running in the background on it, my Ipad connected to my Iphone so I could get map data and have had zero issues. I've also received calls and text while flying in this mode and have had zero issues.

So to read this is very interesting to me. As I've flown in a configuration some would consider a no-no and have experienced no issues. If there were issues flying like this you can bet I wouldn't risk my Inspire...

Back on topic - When it comes to drones there is nothing you can do that will "prevent" a fly-away. It can happen to the most experienced and careful pilot. There are simply circumstances beyond our control. With that said you can reduce the risks or chances of a flyaway as msinger has stated above. IMO, most of the people, and I say most and not all, of those that say they couldn't control their Spark when it went into ATTI mode were just not practiced in flying a drone in ATTI mode or without GPS. My Spark has gone into ATTI mode a few times and I've simply flown it back towards me until it was in GPS mode again. Heck, a couple times, I just kept flying where I was until I was ready to come back...

I was flying last Sunday in a fairly remote spot when two hillwalkers came up to speak to me about the drone. Within a minute I had interference and lost contact but the rth worked and all good. Then realised both walkers had phones and one had a gps device as well, all Bluetooth.

 

[Splaterspark]

IMO, most of the people, and I say most and not all, of those that say they couldn't control their Spark when it went into ATTI mode were just not practiced in flying a drone in ATTI mode or without GPS. My Spark has gone into ATTI mode a few times and I've simply flown it back towards me until it was in GPS mode again. Heck, a couple times, I just kept flying where I was until I was ready to come back...

This is sort of what I was beginning to suspect. I'm brand new on the forum so I didn't want to lead with, "are there people really that bad at flying?!" but I'm aware that these drones are being bought or gifted to a far wider demographic, many of whom have very little skill. I'm no hot shot, but I've always been pretty good with these sorts of things and was fairly competent with my Blade 400. I'd have killed for a front facing camera on that thing with live feed; flying nose it was a lot harder as it's so fast and quick to react that a tiny mistake in orientation could escalate very quickly into hours of mucking around with little screws to put it back together again

 

[Lastrexking]

I get a message in Go4 telling me there’s Bluetooth interference. That’s why I turn everything off.

 

[Splaterspark]

When you first start your spark on the ground some users have recommended checking that the red arrow in the bottom left-corner of DJI Go 4 App is behaving and aligned correctly. What should it be aligned with? What sort of check am I running here?

 

[msinger]

When you first start your spark on the ground some users have recommended checking that the red arrow in the bottom left-corner of DJI Go 4 App is behaving and aligned correctly. What should it be aligned with? What sort of check am I running here?

Make sure the red aircraft symbol is pointing in the correct direction on the map in DJI GO. Also, make sure it's not slowly rotating while your Spark is sitting on the ground. If you see either of those things, your Spark is likely sitting near a magnetic metal object (e.g. rebar below the surface of a sidewalk).

 

[Splaterspark]

Make sure the red aircraft symbol is pointing in the correct direction on the map in DJI GO. Also, make sure it's not slowly rotating while your Spark is sitting on the ground. If you see either of those things, your Spark is likely sitting near a magnetic metal object (e.g. rebar below the surface of a sidewalk).

That's the bit I can't figure out. The red arrow seem to relate to me holding the controller. When I spin, it spins. What am I actually looking for to verify normal behaviour.

Also, I just did a test where I set the drone at eye level behind it and flew away in a straight line (stick was dead ahead) bit it the drone looked like it was crabbing threw the air and drifted left. When I went full stick back it flew the same course back to me. It certainly wasn't a straight line though. Is this a compass issue?

Edit: I just re-calibrated the compass and it not flies out and back nice and straight and true. The hover accuracy isn't great though. It was dark and I was only flying at just above head height in a big wide field but left to hover, it varied from 2.6m at the lowest to 3.6m at the highest. Due to the light, Vision Positioning would have been switched off but that's greater than the 0.5m specified. Does the IMU (which I've never calibrated) impact on hover accuracy?

 

[msinger]

That's the bit I can't figure out. The red arrow seem to relate to me holding the controller. When I spin, it spins.

I'm referring to the red aircraft symbol in the middle here:



Or on the bottom, left side here:



Not the red aircraft symbol on the attitude indicator here:

The hover accuracy isn't great though. It was dark

The downward sensors cannot be used to help stabilize the Spark in the dark (or in poor lighting). Try that test again during the day.

 

[Splaterspark]

I'm referring to the red aircraft symbol in the middle here:

View attachment 2737

Or on the bottom, left side here:

View attachment 2738

Not the red aircraft symbol on the attitude indicator here:

View attachment 2739



The downward sensors cannot be used to help stabilize the Spark in the dark (or in poor lighting). Try that test again during the day.

Gotcha, thanks IMU and Compass carefully calibrated and now flying very straight and stable even though it's pitch black outside. Also, I've found a fun new game... hover over your head by a few meters and fly straight away from you in sport for about 20+ meters and come to a stop. Now full stick back and release to let the drone auto-brake and position hold. Points for how close it is to being back above your head. Also, it's alarming to see how long it takes to stop in sport mode at full-chat. You don't appreciate it so much when you are buzzing high in the sky but trying to stop it coming towards you at speed is rather more interesting!

 

[strobing_nyc]

I'm really shocked - but happy - to hear that an OTG cable is something I should avoid. I have one in my cart on amazon but I'll just go ahead and delete it [emoji3]

Your going to hear everything under the sun on this forum, pick and choose what to believe [emoji16] I have found hands on testing will give you the proper answer to your questions. I use OTG and love it. I also run a modified DJI GO 4 app and have the spark set to be able to go into Sport +
To each there own