Spark attack

[Willie Bornman]

I set my DJI Spark up for flying on the hood of my Mahindra (Nice flat surface). I always take of from this platform. The problem is that the Spark has difficulty to find enough satellites while sitting on this flat metal surface. So, I take off in ATTI mode to gain some height and keep it in position until enough satellites are found to get out of Atti mode. When I flew yesterday, with the same intentions, the wind conditions were a little unfavorable for this modus operandi. I was standing down wind fromthe takeoff point. Right after takeoff, the Spark came straight for me with all it has. It took severe ducking and diving to avoid injury. Fortunately it missed me and found enough satellites to stabelise before any injury or damage occured.
Still love old Sparky.

 

[SoccerRef12]

Your Spark was trying to tell you it didn't like ATTI mode... maybe...?

 

[ol' Sparky]

Happened to me as well. Once it gets satellites, it freaks out trying to reconcile where it is from where it thinks it is.
Don't take off without satellites and it won't do that.

 

[SPark_South_Oz]

It might have been in atti mode, the device screen would have shown this of course, or position mode more usual in this case until sats locked on and GPS mode kicks in.

But the way it flew off uncontrollable sounds like you might have had an IMU / compass conflict.
This happens A LOT to pilots on the MavicPilots forum, quite well known issue.
Haven't seen it reported here much, either the Spark is less susceptible, or there are fewer users of the older Sparks don't see it as much.

What happens is minor magnetic interference (metal bonnet, rebar in sidewalk, etc) CAN sometimes make the 2 aircraft compass records different to each other on take off.
There is NO magnetic interference warning in these cases.

The aircraft takes off, and on moving a stick, the conflict appears, the aircraft FC tries adjusting to correct the 'error' of direction, the aircraft usually takes off at 90 degrees to sometimes 180 degrees and is totally uncontrollable.
Moving the sticks can help slow it a little, but it ramps up and generally flys off at normal P mode speed (if set in that).

If the aircraft doesn't crash or flyaway sooner, the 2 eventually reconcile and control is regained, but usually it takes too long and the aircraft is often damaged or lost.

Just watch the map icon on take off.
If the red arrow on the map matches direction the aircraft is facing on the ground, all is good.
If it's off, then there is slight interference and best to turn off the drone / comtroller, move the drone a little bit away, and try start up again.

 

[BikeFlagAZ]

Never take off from a metal (ferrous) platform such as a car or a bridge. It will interfere with the compass calibration. Just set it on the ground or other firm surface.

 

[Willie Bornman]

Never take off from a metal (ferrous) platform such as a car or a bridge. It will interfere with the compass calibration. Just set it on the ground or other firm surface.

At my age and back condition, the ground is unreachable to me. I will have to get a plastic table of some sort. LOL

 

[SoccerRef12]

At my age and back condition, the ground is unreachable to me. I will have to get a plastic table of some sort. LOL

You can always hand launch (also known as selfie mode). Walk away from your car, hold the Spark and press the battery button 3 times (I think it's 3), and it will hover and acquire satellites without metal interference.

 

[Willie Bornman]

You can always hand launch (also known as selfie mode). Walk away from your car, hold the Spark and press the battery button 3 times (I think it's 3), and it will hover and acquire satellites without metal interference.

I programmed one of the 2 buttons on the remote controller to "take-off/landing". This works perfect. holdingb the RC in one hand with your thumb on the programmed "take-off" button, and the Spark on the other hand.
Just press the takeoff button and there it goes. Thanks