Spark doesn't record a Home Point on take off. Help!

kRxMD · Mar 28, 2018

I have had my Spark for 4 months now. Ever since I used it 4 months ago, there has been no problems and I'm aware of the 1st commandment to wait for it to record the Home point every take off.

Today (after not flying for a month or so), I took it out to fly on the same clearing at the back of our house and planning to fly to the lake 1.5km away. I was around 1 minute into the flight (all GPS locked in) when I realized it hadn't reported the usual Home point recorded. I checked the volume levels but it was fine. I immediately went back to land it fearing that if the battery drops and it triggers an automatic RTH if would head off somewhere.

I repeated the procedure 3-4 times every time hovering for a few seconds after take-off but no notice of the New Home Point recorded. I also tried to manually click/set the Home point while hovering but no notification of a home point recorded every time. One time I tried to land it with the H icon and it gave a message that Home is too far something... and I cancelled it because I think it has an OLD Home point in mind and I'm pretty aware of all the dreaded fly-away stories.

I went home afterwards thinking this is trouble.

I am using an Asus Zenfone Max to fly my Spark ever since. I also notice the map on the lower left inset to be dark/no image unlike in the previous months I've been flying the Spark where there is a map displayed there. I have activated actually cellular data on my phone today but I'm pretty sure it may not be related to the failure to Record a new home point.

I will try to experiment again tomorrow morning.

Thank you guys for any help!

msinger · Mar 28, 2018

Check out your TXT flight log to see if it explains what happened. You can upload and view it online here. If you'd like other people to review and comment on your flight log, then please post a link back here after you upload it.

kRxMD · Mar 28, 2018

www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/ICEYE6MKDO7ODV6AYLV2/

kRxMD · Mar 28, 2018

The Log does show a Home point recorded but the app never gives a screen notification and never announces it has recorded a Home point.

msinger · Mar 28, 2018

The "H" marker on the map is also a sign that the home point was set.

I'm not aware of any issues with the home point marked event not being announced when the volume is turned up on the mobile device. You could try upgrading to DJI GO 4.2.8 to rule out any possible bugs in older DJI GO releases.

suprPHREAK · Mar 28, 2018

First rule of tech support: uninstall and reinstall. Lol

kRxMD · Mar 28, 2018

^ I think I have the 4.2.8 but I will try to fly it again tomorrow morning. Then possibly try the uninstall and install. Thank you.

msinger · Mar 28, 2018

kRxMD said:
^ I think I have the 4.2.8 but I will try to fly it again tomorrow morning.

Your flight log shows you were flying with 4.2.6.

kRxMD · Mar 28, 2018

okay. I'll fly tom with the 4.2.8 and update this thread. thank you.

Jangles · Mar 28, 2018

Did you calibrate the IMU and compass after sitting so long?

kRxMD · Mar 29, 2018

@Jangles

I did not recalibrate the IMU nor the compass. I go by the dictum if it doesn't prompt you, you don't need to recalibrate. I've seen youtube videos divided over this calibration. Anyhow, I am able to fully control the Spark from the remote during the flights which I noticed that it is not announcing onscreen that a Home Point has been recorded.

kRxMD · Mar 29, 2018

Guys,

I have updated to Ver. 4.2.8 last night and tried flying the bird today.

Still my initial 2 flights, it did not give a screen notification and audio prompt that it has recorded a home point after take-off. I had to land it manually.

On the third flight, what the heck

...I flew it out some distance and triggered the RTH hoping it doesn't perform our famous DJI Spark Fly-away. It returned home successfully.

On the 4the attempt, for some reason, it produced the usual/normal procedure. Announcing: Taking-off then; HOME-Point recorded (both onscreen and on audio). Lo and behold. It performed normally for like 4-5 more take-offs and triggered RTH flights

Then again on my last 2 flights, AGAIN, the onscreen notification and audio prompt is gone.

WTH?

This is a hit and miss thing, I'm beginning to think. I'll try to upload again the Flight record screen. I'm beginning to lose confidence in this bird.

msinger · Mar 29, 2018

kRxMD said:
the onscreen notification and audio prompt is gone

How about the "H" marker on the map? Was that present for all flights?

idbl_fanatic · Mar 29, 2018

Question, are you flying with Data on? If not, you may want to drop down to 4.1.15, and download offline maps

kRxMD · Mar 29, 2018

@msinger

For today's flights, the maps on the lower left are displayed and there is always an H green peg on the map on all of today's flights. The onscreen and audio announcement that a new Home point has been recorded is still the problem.

@idbl_fanatic

For today's flights, I have no data on. I put the phone on Airplane mode. While I was back home, I just let my phone connect with the home wifi thinking it was updating the maps I need. I have never had this Home-point problem since December when I even took the Spark along for a vacation I did not have a problem whether I had data on or not.