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Just wondering if Dji is going to discontinue the Spark in the near future. Asking this because(except for few third party sellers) You can only find the white version. Even in the Dji store. Just curious.
Spark being discontinued?
- Thread starter Sp@rkyPilot55
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Good find! Very unusual to only have one color in stock at official DJI store. They must be extremely low on inventory because swapping out the different colored shells is very trivial and suddenly they only stock white. Very likely that means they have slowed production.
Especially interesting timing because Target just sold of all Spark batteries on clearance. No Spark in my local Best Buy or Target since Christmas either.
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I expect we will hear about a replacement for the Spark in the near future. Just like the Phantom 4 is now out of production. Phantom 5 coming soon.
Rendlesham UAP
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You might be right ! I am lucky to have the Lava Red which I really like.
hiflyer
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I doubt if they could make it better...I love mine...my Air..uh..ehhh
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Anything can be improved. The Spark has many areas that could definitely be improved. There certainly is some reason they are not being restocked. I realize that if most of the things people miss on the Spark were added then you have the Mavic Air. But the Spark is meant as an entry level drone at a lower price point. Time will tell. [emoji6]
Well, nothing in the retail world lasts all that long, as we have all chased the dangling carrot too often, and they know that. It would be a shame, however, support would certainly continue for some time going forward.... Hopefully something at the same or lower price point comes along with some improvements, without it costing an arm and a leg. We paid $800 CDN for the FlyMore a year ago... (all in).. so hoping DJI wants to snag more consumers with a lower sticker price.
I bought the Spark Portable Power Pack from DJI but it didn't say back order however it has been over 10 days the item still not ship.
NRRTRAINS
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go to ebay all the shells you want
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Decado
Active Member
Greetings All
OK, first the disclaimer. I'm not making the usual claims of "Knowing someone who works for DJI" or "that I work for a DJI distributor" or have an insider and that my information is 100% accurate ... even if any of those were true I wouldn't own up to it would I? So that being the case draw your own conclusions.
My information is that authorised dealers have been notified that production of the Spark has ceased. Anyone who has bought a Spark with a sticker on the box showing it being manufactured after November 2018 please post, that's the latest I've seen. The reason white is still available is that you may remember when the Spark was first introduced for some months white was the only model produced and this has translated to this day to more white units being in remaining inventory which is what is being sold off now. I've been told "when they're gone they're gone".
As far as support goes ...well support for the Phantom 3 has only just ended and there's still some parts availability, I've been asked to familiarise myself with the airframe recently with the aim of doing some repairs on contract for an authorised dealer (I was a technician for 40 years before I had a drone business) so I think we'll be ok for a couple of years for Spark support.
I've also been told that no replacement has yet been announced. That's the end of anything I've been told or might have seen in an email or something. The next bit is speculation totally of my own.
I don't think there is going to be a replacement. Why? You'd only put a "Spark 2" or "Spark Pro" or whatever on sale if it was an improvement.
Let's look at what all the Spark enthusiasts are asking for in the wished for replacement. 4K Camera, 3 axis gimbal, folding arms, longer battery life ..... well, that's called the Mavic Air and if you added all of that to a Spark I would imagine the size and price point would take it close to the Mavic Air in both departments. You'll notice I didn't even mention Occusynch ... if they could do it at that price point I think the Air would have had it. Going by average DJI life spans the Air has another 6 to 8 months of production life. It just wouldn't make sense for DJI to have two production lines going with an extremely similar aircraft.
I don't mean to upset anyone because I know the Spark has a huge fan base, my business has 3 in inventory and I'll be hanging on to them in the event there isn't a replacement of similar physical size. Also as I said before, the above paragraph is totally my own thoughts, I could be completely wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.
Regards
Ari
P.S. I've heard that regional managers are in Shenzei now for a DJI briefing (unconfirmed by me). This would normally point to an upcomming product release but that could be anything
OK, first the disclaimer. I'm not making the usual claims of "Knowing someone who works for DJI" or "that I work for a DJI distributor" or have an insider and that my information is 100% accurate ... even if any of those were true I wouldn't own up to it would I? So that being the case draw your own conclusions.
My information is that authorised dealers have been notified that production of the Spark has ceased. Anyone who has bought a Spark with a sticker on the box showing it being manufactured after November 2018 please post, that's the latest I've seen. The reason white is still available is that you may remember when the Spark was first introduced for some months white was the only model produced and this has translated to this day to more white units being in remaining inventory which is what is being sold off now. I've been told "when they're gone they're gone".
As far as support goes ...well support for the Phantom 3 has only just ended and there's still some parts availability, I've been asked to familiarise myself with the airframe recently with the aim of doing some repairs on contract for an authorised dealer (I was a technician for 40 years before I had a drone business) so I think we'll be ok for a couple of years for Spark support.
I've also been told that no replacement has yet been announced. That's the end of anything I've been told or might have seen in an email or something. The next bit is speculation totally of my own.
I don't think there is going to be a replacement. Why? You'd only put a "Spark 2" or "Spark Pro" or whatever on sale if it was an improvement.
Let's look at what all the Spark enthusiasts are asking for in the wished for replacement. 4K Camera, 3 axis gimbal, folding arms, longer battery life ..... well, that's called the Mavic Air and if you added all of that to a Spark I would imagine the size and price point would take it close to the Mavic Air in both departments. You'll notice I didn't even mention Occusynch ... if they could do it at that price point I think the Air would have had it. Going by average DJI life spans the Air has another 6 to 8 months of production life. It just wouldn't make sense for DJI to have two production lines going with an extremely similar aircraft.
I don't mean to upset anyone because I know the Spark has a huge fan base, my business has 3 in inventory and I'll be hanging on to them in the event there isn't a replacement of similar physical size. Also as I said before, the above paragraph is totally my own thoughts, I could be completely wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.
Regards
Ari
P.S. I've heard that regional managers are in Shenzei now for a DJI briefing (unconfirmed by me). This would normally point to an upcomming product release but that could be anything
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That would be the Phantom 5. But I will bet there will be a lower priced entry level drone like the Spark 2 or Spark pro or whatever something lower priced than the Mavic Air. Time will tell. Personally I would like to see an improved Spark. Unless they just lower the price of the Mavic Air. I really like my Spark. Also like my Mavic Air except not pleased with how loud it is. I will buy the Mavic pro 2 with the smart controller soon but I just bought an EVO(excellent Quad). Anyway can't have too many drones [emoji16][emoji4][emoji106]
Decado
Active Member
I hope so, Authorised DJI dealers were told to expect an announcement in January so we are overdue. That and the recent losses to fraud by DJI, the fact that it is unusual for DJI to discontinue a model before releasing a replacement and their obvious reluctance to cannibalise sales from the Mavic 2 line which they have invested in so heavily have made me wonder if there hasn't been a re think and the Phantom series will be dropped totally or put on thew back burner until 2020. I haven't been told that by anyone, I probably over think things.
I certainly hope so, it's the ideal starter aircraft for a beginner. In all ways a serious DJI product which prepares you to fly any of their bigger products but an affordable entry price. It's also a great size for tight spots. I use them in the company for training pilots and close in inspections where aircraft loss is a risk. Antenna and tower inspections for example where you are flying between the guy wires. "Aircraft expendable, fly between those wires!".
Again, it's unusual for DJI to end production before the replacement is released and it's hard to see them including many of the wished for upgrades without a significant jump in price point so any replacement would probably only be a small upgrade to meet the same price point and you wonder if DJI would invest in tooling up for a whole new model that is at best a moderate improvement over it's predecessor. You'd think that despite it being a little venerable DJI might have just continued to make the Spark until demand dropped (which doesn't look like being the case as yet at least). The fact that they haven't makes me wonder if it's not a case of "that's all folks".
That's what makes me think the Spark is gone. As you say, they could well drop the price point of the Air as it is probably in the last half a year of it's production life and then release a model to replace both.
I don't find the noise of the Air to be objectionable but I'm not trying to fly it in any sort of stealthy mode. Master AIrcrews have just released a set of low noise rotors for it I believe.
As i have Sparks, Air, Mavic 2, P4P V2.0 and Inspire but can only use the smart controller on the Mavic 2 I can't justify the smart controller. If I only had the M2 it might be different.
Regards
Ari
Decado
Active Member
I wouldn't worry too much because
1. I may be misinformed (although I'm pretty happy with the veracity of the information) and
2. You can still buy Phantom 2 batteries for crying out loud and the Spark has to be one of the R.P.A. sold in greatest numbers ever. DJI and 3rd party manufacturers will be happy to turn a dollar selling new ones for quite a while I suspect.
That said, one of the previous posters mentioned that one of the big chain stores were selling them out at very good prices (they're $79 here in Australia) and 5 to 6 is a sweet spot for a Spark in my opinion so if you have a little spare cash why not?
Regards
Ari
NRRTRAINS
Well-Known Member
a good quad will last a long time , the Spark is a good quad , not the best but for the size and the price of the Spark its' one of the best . i bought my Spark because it's small and i can take it with me any where i go with out having to take a big box that looks like i going on vacation . i own a Blade 350 QX that still fly's , it is my first real quad and when it first came out and at the time it was a good quad but just like anything we buy ,what's new today is on the shelf tomorrow . the technology today and in drones is so good and getting so cheap to produce and chips are getting smaller and doing way more tasks and really fast . just look at how much technology is in the cell phone we use today .
to all Spark owners , fly and enjoy your quad .
fly safe
to all Spark owners , fly and enjoy your quad .
fly safe
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