Spark features you don't use much or at all.

[RaWine]

Spark features you don't use much or at all. How many if any do you have?

I've tried to use Tapfly for something useful, but most of the time I don't use it.

The speed control slider. Haven't used that yet. I do use tripod which does slow the speed but haven't thought of any reason to use slider.

Pause button -- mostly I just forget it is there. It would probably be more useful to me if I could assign it to something else. Mostly, I just stop what I was doing and Spark is in pause (hovering)

 

[maumau]

Spark features you don't use much or at all. How many if any do you have?

I've tried to use Tapfly for something useful, but most of the time I don't use it.

The speed control slider. Haven't used that yet. I do use tripod which does slow the speed but haven't thought of any reason to use slider.

Pause button -- mostly I just forget it is there. It would probably be more useful to me if I could assign it to something else. Mostly, I just stop what I was doing and Spark is in pause (hovering)

PAUSE button on RC is VERY usefull.
If you start to panic when your AC is starting a RTH under trees (or other undesired automatic function) and no time to enter go4, then you would be happy to have it...

 

[AirCam]

Gesture control seems to be a useless gimmick. I would bet that a lot of programming effort went into that feature. I would rather have a leaner, more efficient program without gesture control.

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

I agree about gesture control, however the palm launch/land is handy. (acckk, terrible pun, need more coffee this morning!)

 

[AirCam]

Maybe LESS coffee???

 

[RPL]

I don’t use gesture control or obstacle avoidance. Both are useless for what I use the drone for.

 

[Koala Tails]

I don’t use any automated modes without my thumb poised to hit “Pause”. I have made a point of trying all the features. I fly manually most of the time, never land on the ground, always on my palm (manually). Tap & fly is the least useful feature.
I use gesture mode to share the flying experience with other people.
The other automated modes take footage that is beyond my skill level. I wish the Spark had “Point of Interest” as the Mav’ Air does. Sometimes the “subject” is not easily defined by the Spark.

 

[SparkPete]

As others mentioned: Tap & Fly and gesture control though the latter is nice to impress other people especially the younger ones.

Pause is necessary in emergencies though I‘d trade it for the way it works on my Parrot Anafi immediately, where any command with the stick immediately cancels autonomous flight modes including RTH.

Btw. you can get point of interest, waypoints and cinematic mode by simply using the mod app.

 

[Richard Ruckert]

I don't use Tap fly because it doesn't have the free form option. The free form option would give Spark a pseudo Course lock flight mode, which is awesome.
The slider will help get in between Tripod and GPS mode with obstacle avoidance enabled. So instead of 2.2 mph with tripod mode, or 6.X with GPS and obstacle avoidance on, we can dial in a speed between 2.2 and 6.X. This matters because at a height of 10 feet, 6.X is too fast

 

[SparkPete]

... forgot to mention, you get true course lock and home lock as well with the mod app.

 

[VincentEth2018]

How do you get the mod app and how is it used? Thanks.

 

[Spark 317]

How do you get the mod app and how is it used? Thanks.

Start here.

I don't have it myself but those that do really like it.

Read all of the posts when you have the time to educate yourself as there's a lot of questions that have been answered in that thread concerning the modded app.

Good luck.

 

[pmshop]

Speed slider?
Am I missing something?

 

[V'lar]

The only features I use are focus mode and panorama (with litchi).
Otherwise I fly manually.
The go app I only use for firmware updates.

 

[Richard Ruckert]

Speed slider?
Am I missing something?

The slider will help get in between Tripod and GPS mode with obstacle avoidance enabled. So instead of 2.2 mph with tripod mode, or 6.X with GPS and obstacle avoidance on, we can dial in a speed between 2.2 and 6.X. This matters because at a height of 10 feet, 6.X is too fast.
Even better, the gimbal up/down in Tripod is too slooooooow. So instead of Tripod, stay in GPS, then move the stick speed slider down. You can achieve the same speed, or nearly the same speed as Tripod without having the gimbal be too slow.

 

[Brojon]

The slider will help get in between Tripod and GPS mode with obstacle avoidance enabled. So instead of 2.2 mph with tripod mode, or 6.X with GPS and obstacle avoidance on, we can dial in a speed between 2.2 and 6.X. This matters because at a height of 10 feet, 6.X is too fast.
Even better, the gimbal up/down in Tripod is too slooooooow. So instead of Tripod, stay in GPS, then move the stick speed slider down. You can achieve the same speed, or nearly the same speed as Tripod without having the gimbal be too slow.

My understanding is the gimbal is too fast as is. Note I do not have a Spark (yet) reading for info here.

 

[Spark 317]

My understanding is the gimbal is too fast as is. Note I do not have a Spark (yet) reading for info here.

There's an adjustment for the gimbal speed too.

Plus, if using the remote control, the gimbal wheel is speed sensitive so if you have a light touch, it can be a smooth tilt, combined with a rising shot keeping your subject centered as you rise and tilt at the same time can make for a nice shot.

 

[Brojon]

There's an adjustment for the gimbal speed too.

Plus, if using the remote control, the gimbal wheel is speed sensitive so if you have a light touch, it can be a smooth tilt, combined with a rising shot keeping your subject centered as you rise and tilt at the same time can make for a nice shot.

Ah! This is where some of the ancient reviews have given me false info - I read that the gimbal speed was not adjustable. Good to know!

 

[Spark 317]

Ah! This is where some of the ancient reviews have given me false info - I read that the gimbal speed was not adjustable. Good to know!

I just remembered, in addition to the adjustable speed, you can program 1 of 2 Function buttons on the remote to instantly flip the camera to straight down / forward at the touch of the button.

Makes it convenient to reset the camera view if your gimbal speed is set too slow.

I have mine on 19.

 

[Eljay]

The vast majority of what I do with the Spark is fly it to an interesting vantage point and take some still photos.

The rest is mostly to chase the children around. Sometimes I do that manually, sometimes I use active track.