Looks like otg android is back and app download new app 4.2.16 587 Monday 21st May.

[Gavieboydgi]

Great sights and video there Gavie. What a great day of flying for you.

I had something similar on my last flight on 4.2.12, unable to RTH, no data and video. I manually guided the Spark back, video came back, but was choppy. Spark was flying back erratically (like it was in Sports Mode). But it kept loosing connection and slowing down that battery soon dropped. RTH about 5X, at best only came back home a short distance and cancel. It started to auto land (on a different street on top of someone house), before I manage to slowly guide it down to my street way down the road. Manage to retrieve the Spark before a car coming in the opposite direction was about to run over the Spark. Crazy flight experience that was, clearing trees and houses, I manage to kept my nerve and video remained choppy all the way through, so I wasn't able to clearly see where I was.

I've since upgraded to 4.2.14, but had not been able to fly due to bad weather. Reported the above to DJI with Flight Record uploaded and they asked me to send the Spark back for examination..... Not sure how long that would take before I get it back.

Can you please let me know exactly what you do to clear data etc? I noticed in my last flight I kept getting Video cache full warning message and an new message saying that Altitude and Distance had been restricted - at its current location, meaning that I wasn't able to fly all the way back.

Regards and Thanks.

That's exactly what I kept getting before each flight on my spark and mavic pro the spark didn't seem to like that the Mavic nothing strange happened with that. But the spark I was getting disconnections with no signal or data it was like the controller was switched off when it happened on the spark horrible feeling I couldn't imagine if that happened to me when it was saying low battery. When it happened to me each time I had about 60% battery so I had time to go through each stages to figure what was going on. What I had to do is make sure cache is automatically deleting old files and I went into the go4 app on my phone and deleted all data and cache I have been flying all day today and the spark hasn't had one problem or disconnection.

 

[Gavieboydgi]

Did some flying today with the spark and Mavic Pro got some really good photos and videos from top of Macclesfield Forests. Here's some pics


Here's my Ravpower doing it's job keeping me fling the spark testing that otg and I actually tried it in WiFi without otg and it wasn't that bad.


Some pictures of the place I was filming

 

[Gavieboydgi]

I forgot I did have a really weird thing happen when I was flying in sports mode with the spark it's happened a few times I've got it happening on video have a look and tell me if it happens to anyone else's Spark. I was turning left and straight after the spark did this 90 degree turn then back the way I was heading here's the YouTube clip thanks

 

[Dhw688]

Well I always cancel the request to change the WiFi settings and I have 11 2.4Ghz channels available, so I'd assume I have FCC mode activated.

Well, if not...this explains it.

In that case, sounds like you are in FCC mode.

Have you tried the following?

• Assume you are using 4.2.12 or .14 as 4.2.8 was quiet bad in terms of transmission.
• OTG cable, without which, seems to be a lag between mobile device and RC. Although Gavie recently reported no OTG was quiet good on .14.
• Parabolic antenna extender. I used it all the times and seems to increase the range.
• The least interference the better.

Regards.

 

[Dhw688]

Did some flying today with the spark and Mavic Pro got some really good photos and videos from top of Macclesfield Forests. Here's some pics


Here's my Ravpower doing it's job keeping me fling the spark testing that otg and I actually tried it in WiFi without otg and it wasn't that bad.

Real nice pics. Will try clearing cache next time. I just need to keep my cool.

 

[Gavieboydgi]

In reality though, this is what's been stated on the DJI website (Spark – Specs, FAQ, Tutorials and Downloads), under 'Remote Controller' section of this page. Look under 'Max Transmission Distance', where it states:

• 2.412 - 2.462 GHz (unobstructed, free of interference)
  • FCC: 1.2 mi (2 km); CE: 0.3 mi (500 m)
• 5.745 - 5.825 GHz (unobstructed, free of interference)
  • FCC: 1.2 mi (2 km); CE: 0.18 mi (300 m)

So, if you are in a CE country (eg European countries), the MAX range (free of interference) is between 300 or 500m. The 2000m range being advertised is in FCC (eg. US) mode.

I too, bought my Spark thinking that it will fly 2000m. But in hindsight, I bought mine from a general electronic store, so the sales assistant won't know much in details and simply state the max range. I personally didn't know about CE or FCC mode until I bought the Spark (too late).

Could I had returned it? Probably. As I said, it was too late, I'm attached to the Spark too much now.

Regards.

Same here I just keep it in fcc mode all time and cancel the box thing that keeps it in fcc mode. I have the Mavic Pro and The spark always keeps a smile on my face every time I fly the thing it's so tiny and most people don't bother you about it.

 

[Dhw688]

I forgot I did have a really weird thing happen when I was flying in sports mode with the spark it's happened a few times I've got it happening on video have a look and tell me if it happens to anyone else's Spark. I was turning left and straight after the spark did this 90 degree turn then back the way I was heading here's the YouTube clip thanks

Thanks for sharing the video. That has not happended to me at all. In Sports Mode, I do get sudden movements, but always in the direction I've changed to. Yours seems to change direction by itself. Quiet unusal.

 

[Dhw688]

Well, my Spark done it again. I cleared cache before I flew.

On 4.2.14, this is my first flight. Reached about 820m and loss connection. Spark doesn't attempt to RTH even after 1 minute of no connection. I had to disconnect the OTG, get out of DJI 4 App and go back in and reconnect. It established transmission and still won't RTH even when I activate it. Loss transmission again, did the disconect OTG trick, re-establish transmission and the Spark RTH automatically.

Can't stand it anymore. Will return the Spark to DJI to investigate. Well no flying for a few weeks folks.

 

[Gavieboydgi]

Batteries back on charge from 4 hours flying today straight after work. Being testing flying with WiFi and otg. I think I'll stick with otg now because with flying in Europe on WiFi my phone won't let the rc connect to the spark in 2.4 ghz and when I use otg my rc in auto settings lets the rc switch from 5ghz into 2.4 when I'm a distance away. There is absolutely no difference in quality maybe a millisecond delay difference from both. But because I'm in Europe my Samsung won't switch to 5ghz so WiFi as a connection isn't ideal. With otg I can use both.

 

[Gavieboydgi]

New update again will upload the apk file to original post

Here's what's new .

 

[Gavieboydgi]

Uploaded new dji go app 4.2.16 584 version
To original post
Here's the link to my drive so it's safe to download
Dji go app 4.2.16 584 version.

 

[Gavieboydgi]

Not tried this new update yet will go out soon and give it a good testing.

Nothing in the update that mentioned the spark but maybe they have worked on the video downlink for all dji drones that use this go4 App. Hopefully.

 

[Gavieboydgi]

Here's a video I did yesterday 16th May all done with the spark no filter set to sunny with otg on Android Samsung galaxy s8 Android g4 app version 4.2.16

 

[Dhw688]

Real nice Gavie! What a fantastic day!

 

[Gavieboydgi]

New update on android today again version 4.2.16 585 dji go app

From today I'm going to leave all other versions on original post so if you don't like the new version you can just install the old one again.


4.2.16 585 dji go app

 

[Gavieboydgi]

Real nice Gavie! What a fantastic day!

Thanks not the best editing I was just messing around testing the little spark and all its features and not once did I have any problems. I absolutely bashed it for about 4 hours.

 

[Dhw688]

I'm going to give the new version a try before I send the Spark back to DJI support.

 

[cozzykim]

Thanks not the best editing I was just messing around testing the little spark and all its features and not once did I have any problems. I absolutely bashed it for about 4 hours.

I've been resisting updates past 4.2.12.557 so far, but yesterday I had some major problems while flying from my bro's house in the Peak District.

I kept getting erratic aircraft and video disconnects at about 350m and had three separate automatic RTHs when trying to film an old mine chimney.
Admittedly, there's a very rural comms mast close by, so that might have been the problem, otherwise is very isolated, no WiFi clutter.

I even tried setting fake GPS FCC, which worked, but still getting disconnects at short range, 350-375m.

Go4 locked on me at one point, it just froze on screen, though the Nexus 7 was still working OK, and I FC'd Go4 and restarted it, whence it reconnected.
I had enough battery to let the Spark hover while I restarted Go4, luckily.

At one point, Sparky was descending from an RTH to the landing point, and started to drift away when still 15m up at about 1m/s. I grabbed the sticks and brought it down manually but...
WTF?

So, today I let Go4 update from GPlay, and it's updated to 4.2.14.583. It's not offering any further updates even with a cache/memory clear.

I have all your APKs saved Gavie, what's the recommendation from you guys who're using 12 - 14 and 4.2.16, which is most stable?

All this messing about eats batteries, and leaves less time for flying, as well as giving me some nasty scares.

Thanks for your continued attention to this OTG thread Gavie

Cheers.

 

[Gavieboydgi]

I've been resisting updates past 4.2.12.557 so far, but yesterday I had some major problems while flying from my bro's house in the Peak District.

I kept getting erratic aircraft and video disconnects at about 350m and had three separate automatic RTHs when trying to film an old mine chimney.
Admittedly, there's a very rural comms mast close by, so that might have been the problem, otherwise is very isolated, no WiFi clutter.

I even tried setting fake GPS FCC, which worked, but still getting disconnects at short range, 350-375m.

Go4 locked on me at one point, it just froze on screen, though the Nexus 7 was still working OK, and I FC'd Go4 and restarted it, whence it reconnected.
I had enough battery to let the Spark hover while I restarted Go4, luckily.

At one point, Sparky was descending from an RTH to the landing point, and started to drift away when still 15m up at about 1m/s. I grabbed the sticks and brought it down manually but...
WTF?

So, today I let Go4 update from GPlay, and it's updated to 4.2.14.583. It's not offering any further updates even with a cache/memory clear.

I have all your APKs saved Gavie, what's the recommendation from you guys who're using 12 - 14 and 4.2.16, which is most stable?

All this messing about eats batteries, and leaves less time for flying, as well as giving me some nasty scares.

Thanks for your continued attention to this OTG thread Gavie

Cheers.

I'm using the new update 16 app it seems ok for me on the s8 phone. But I fly the Mavic Pro with the same app. Your welcome.

 

[cozzykim]

I'm posting this here, as it may be related to the Go4 updates, chastise me if you think not guys.

I've been trying 'Floater' to set FCC for just those difficult situations when 300m range isn't good enough.

Firstly, maybe I'm doing something wrong but, it seems to take several attempts to get the 11 channels to confirm FCC, Sparky seems to want to stay in CE, even when Floater is running and set to 'somewhere else'.
Second, when I do manage, after several attempts, to set FCC, I can only do it with an OTG connection. If I set FCC and then restart the RC/Go4/AC with no OTG connection, it reverts to showing 13 channels without ever asking me to confirm.
I then have to do it all over again several times with an OTG connection to get FCC to take, it seems.

I've used a whole battery today, just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong, because last night I set FCC, then closed everything down including Floater. This morning when I fired her up without OTG, I had 13 channels again.

Is this possibly something to do with the app versions, I'm currently running 4.2.14.583?