OPTI to GPS to ATTI and then a crash...

bobnalyd · Sep 24, 2017

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the forum. I have had the spark for a week now and have got some awesome footage here in New Zealand.
On my last flight my spark kept switching from OPTI to GPS mode. I was able to take off in OPTI mode with 9 to 10 satellites showing so didn't worry to much as i was not planning to fly too far. A minute into the flight it switched to ATTI mode and started racing away from me (really fast) i tried to increase altitude and change direction but had no control of the craft, it eventually crash into a hill in the distance. Luckily i was flying in quite a remote area in New Zealand with no people around. I was able to locate and retrieve the spark after climbing the hill to find it with one broken prop and missing 2 LED covers.

Has this happened to any one else? I'm not sure who to contact and how. Does dji have support in New Zealand? From reading the other posts here i was able to get the .DAT file, but i cant open it.

Let me know what you guys think.

noooris · Sep 24, 2017

Don't take off without GPS lock. If you had 9-10 satellites it should have locked, the fact that it didn't means something is wrong and is all the more reason not to take off in OPTI (which only really works indoors), and ATTI (which only works if you are a pro, and even then without interference).

Wait for a GPS lock, take off and hover at 5m/15ft and wait for home point to update (and check it on the map). Make sure you have no bluetooth or radio or compass warnings. Then fly around safely. This whole process takes about 20 seconds or less.

Also download an app that checks solar activity. What happened to you could very well be the result of the sun's solar flares interfering with the satellite signal.

suprPHREAK · Sep 24, 2017

I had mine suddenly go Atti while in Gesture Mode, and fly away at high speed. Not sure why it seems to do this for many people.

If not damaged, I would recommend doing an IMU calibration. Be sure to do it on a STEADY and LEVEL surface. No shakes, and even a slight tilt and it will be off (it won't warn you... Just make sure you do this right). Magnetic interference doesn't matter with IMU calibration.

After that is done, do a compass calibration in an area with no interference. Middle of a football field, sort of thing.

Hopefully this prevents the fly away part of atti mode.

I'm not sure why it seems that some Sparks can't handle switching modes. Many report this semi uncontrollable behaviour when losing GPS lock...

Sparky786 · Sep 24, 2017

noooris said:
Don't take off without GPS lock. If you had 9-10 satellites it should have locked, the fact that it didn't means something is wrong and is all the more reason not to take off in OPTI (which only really works indoors), and ATTI (which only works if you are a pro, and even then without interference).

Wait for a GPS lock, take off and hover at 5m/15ft and wait for home point to update (and check it on the map). Make sure you have no bluetooth or radio or compass warnings. Then fly around safely. This whole process takes about 20 seconds or less.

Also download an app that checks solar activity. What happened to you could very well be the result of the sun's solar flares interfering with the satellite signal.

Hi, i didnt know that there is a gps lock? What do you mean by that,on mine i get gps but no sign of lock.

Sparky786 · Sep 24, 2017

bobnalyd said:
Hi Guys,

I'm new to the forum. I have had the spark for a week now and have got some awesome footage here in New Zealand.
On my last flight my spark kept switching from OPTI to GPS mode. I was able to take off in OPTI mode with 9 to 10 satellites showing so didn't worry to much as i was not planning to fly too far. A minute into the flight it switched to ATTI mode and started racing away from me (really fast) i tried to increase altitude and change direction but had no control of the craft, it eventually crash into a hill in the distance. Luckily i was flying in quite a remote area in New Zealand with no people around. I was able to locate and retrieve the spark after climbing the hill to find it with one broken prop and missing 2 LED covers.

Has this happened to any one else? I'm not sure who to contact and how. Does dji have support in New Zealand? From reading the other posts here i was able to get the .DAT file, but i cant open it.

Let me know what you guys think.

Hi sorry to hear your story,.
I had a similar situation happened to me, all fine to take off, about a 1min then i get compass error, the spark was trying to fly up in the air,was going left and rightz but i managed to get it down to a 1 metre and it was jist hoovering around,i could not get it down for some reason then i had to hold down the control stick to do home landing.

noooris · Sep 24, 2017

Sparky786 said:
Hi, i didnt know that there is a gps lock? What do you mean by that,on mine i get gps but no sign of lock.

GPS lock is when it switches to GPS mode and updates a homepoint (you're right that there is no lock, its a figure of speech I guess). You will have some GPS even indoors, but a 'lock' means you have enough satellites visible to switch to GPS mode.

Sparky786 · Sep 24, 2017

noooris said:
GPS lock is when it switches to GPS mode and updates a homepoint (you're right that there is no lock, its a figure of speech I guess). You will have some GPS even indoors, but a 'lock' means you have enough satellites visible to switch to GPS mode.

Tnx for the info, Can you tell me when you connect your phone to your controller thru OTG cable do you keep your phones wifi linked to the controller? Or should it be on aeroplane mode?
Also 2.4gh or 5.8gh better?
Tnx

noooris · Sep 24, 2017

Sparky786 said:
Tnx for the info, Can you tell me when you connect your phone to your controller thru OTG cable do you keep your phones wifi linked to the controller? Or should it be on aeroplane mode?
Also 2.4gh or 5.8gh better?
Tnx

I don't use OTG because I see no benefit with my iPhone. I connect 5.8ghz FCC mode and I get range of 2200m+ /7200ft+. I put my iPhone on airplane mode, and then switch on wifi. Also remember to put your smartwatch on airplane mode if you wear one. My apple watch causes all sorts of bluetooth interference even when the phone is on airplane mode.

Sparky786 · Sep 24, 2017

noooris said:
I don't use OTG because I see no benefit with my iPhone. I connect 5.8ghz FCC mode and I get range of 2200m+ /7200ft+. I put my iPhone on airplane mode, and then switch on wifi. Also remember to put your smartwatch on airplane mode if you wear one. My apple watch causes all sorts of bluetooth interference even when the phone is on airplane mode.

Do you use a controller?
I will try 5.8gh see if its better,
I might try with out otg see what happens,alot of people complain about the picture and video quality,
Should i do the same aeroplane mode then wifi,
Im also new with the spark

noooris · Sep 24, 2017

Of course I use a controller for that range. 5.8ghz is better for me where I live, your case may be different, so experiment with both and see. Airplane mode helps significantly because it cuts out all the interference from your phone's other radios.