Spark may surprise you

[homevale]

After owning a Spark for some time now I am surprised at what it can do. Using Litchi waypoints I can achieve trips of 5 to 6 km distance, (not distance from controller.) Using a parabolic antenna that will maintain contact with the aircraft and a OTG cable the Spark will undertake waypoint missions up to 6 km in length or possibly more if you do not travel too far from the home point. If you set speeds of around 40 to 45 kmh the Spark will easily achieve these sorts of distances. This is in calm conditions. If you have direct line of sight with the aircraft as you are required to do, the signal will remain strong, however anything between you and the aircraft will affect the signal, this includes trees. If you have set Litchi up correctly the Spark will continue a waypoint mission even if the link between controller and aircraft is lost. It will also utilse the DJI failsafe return to home if the aircraft determines that there is insufficient battery to complete the the mission. You will find that using a waypoint mission seems to make more efficient use of the battery, I can usually travel a combined distance of 5 to 6 kilometres and land with around 30% battery capacity remaining. Set the waypoints so the aircraft climbs slowly to the cruising altitude and likewise, set the waypoints to descend as the aircraft approaches the end of the mission.

 

[webvan]

Yes it works very well with Litchi, HOWEVER the footage it produces is notably "choppier" than what you get with an MP, MA or even with an Anafi, likely because of the two-axis gimbal. Using tools like Mercalli will help make it smoother.

 

[homevale]

Never heard of Mercalli but I have now at $299 and windows only. HOWEVER, the point that I was making was that the Spark is a low end drone with capabilities that may surprise people. Yes the video can be slightly choppy, but at this end of the spectrum, probably not a great issue. By using the abbreviations MP and MA I assume you are referring to the Mavics, considerably more expensive than the Spark with higher quality cameras and better gimbals, so yes they probably will be superior.

 

[homevale]

Found a mac version and will try it.

 

[twickers14]

You guys have whetted my appetite for Litchi. It gets a lot of mentions here so must, in lockdown UK, sit down and learn how to use-when I’m let out!

 

[Roland]

Litchi is worth every cent. I can only suggest to look at their website to see all the available features . They all work on Spark. Preparing a detailed mission at home to create footage which should be impossible to do manually gives double Fun.

 

[twickers14]

Litchi is worth every cent. I can only suggest to look at their website to see all the available features . They all work on Spark. Preparing a detailed mission at home to create footage which should be impossible to do manually gives double Fun.

Will do thanks.

 

[Northwood Mediaworks]

As an alternative to Mercali, perhaps try upping your frame rate from 30 to 60fps. Shotcut, a free, cross platform editor can easily interpolate you up to 60fps which smooths out some of Litchi flight jerkiness .... I did two flights around an industrial area one at 30 and up to 60... see below. It can help, and the price is right. The problem with using stabilization is that it will steal part of your frame, they crop in to help reduce the shake. Worth a try!

 

[Haggi]

Waypoint is great, but I use Focus mode more.

 

[Roland]

Litchi put your Spark in a totally new dimension. Mission is programming while focus is excercising. Even after a year it's not boring because there is so much to learn and you excercise with a great Satisfaction.

 

[David2Spark]

Never heard of Mercalli but I have now at $299 and windows only. HOWEVER, the point that I was making was that the Spark is a low end drone with capabilities that may surprise people. Yes the video can be slightly choppy, but at this end of the spectrum, probably not a great issue. By using the abbreviations MP and MA I assume you are referring to the Mavics, considerably more expensive than the Spark with higher quality cameras and better gimbals, so yes they probably will be superior.

Must the Spark always be in LOS with the controller?

 

[sparkey44]

Must the Spark always be in LOS with the controller?

I believe the answer is yes according to the FAA rules, but I don't understand why that would be necessary if you are in a unpopulated area flying with litchi waypoint mission.

 

[David2Spark]

Well there’s the point. I live at the very edge (100’) of class D. Hence I now only put up the mini at home in LOS. Litchi wouldn’t be good here...but I definitely will try it out of this airspace.

 

[sparkey44]

Well there’s the point. I live at the very edge (100’) of class D. Hence I now only put up the mini at home in LOS. Litchi wouldn’t be good here...but I definitely will try it out of this airspace.

I'm hopping that some members with knowledge of the pending FAA rules will chime in on this.

 

[David2Spark]

I believe the answer is yes according to the FAA rules, but I don't understand why that would be necessary if you are in a unpopulated area flying with litchi waypoint mission.

It’s not so much a Flight REGS rule as a capability of Litchi...
I’m aware of Transport Canada’s rules...but I’m wondering more if Litchi works off the GPS location of the drone. I mean are the waypoints GPS coordinates? I would certainly want to see the thing when it arrived at the coordinate but between coordinates does the drone need to be in LOS for Litchi to maintain course. You know behind a tree kinda thing.

 

[Spark 317]

does the drone need to be in LOS for Litchi to maintain course. You know behind a tree kinda thing.

I don't have Litchi myself, yet, but from what I have read from various posts that the mission can be planed on a PC with the use of Google Earth. Once the mission is saved it is loaded onto the Spark and will run the mission on it's own, even when it's disconnected.

Just make sure the last way point is back to you and not miles away.

Litchi for DJI Drones

Litchi for DJI Drones on Android and iOS

flylitchi.com

 

[David2Spark]

Thanks! Will give Litchi a try.

 

[basily]

I don't have Litchi myself, yet, but from what I have read from various posts that the mission can be planed on a PC with the use of Google Earth. Once the mission is saved it is loaded onto the Spark and will run the mission on it's own, even when it's disconnected.

Just make sure the last way point is back to you and not miles away.

Litchi for DJI Drones

Litchi for DJI Drones on Android and iOS

flylitchi.com

It's not even a problem if your last waypoint is miles away - not for the Spark, anyway - you on the other hand might have a heart-attack. While the mission continues even if the signal is lost, even then, if there's not enough battery to get home it will abort and RTH.

 

[sparkey44]

I don't have Litchi myself, yet, but from what I have read from various posts that the mission can be planed on a PC with the use of Google Earth. Once the mission is saved it is loaded onto the Spark and will run the mission on it's own, even when it's disconnected.

Just make sure the last way point is back to you and not miles away.

Litchi for DJI Drones

Litchi for DJI Drones on Android and iOS

flylitchi.com

You will love the litchi waypoint missions. At least I do.

 

[Spark 317]

It's not even a problem if your last waypoint is miles away - not for the Spark, anyway - you on the other hand might have a heart-attack. While the mission continues even if the signal is lost, even then, if there's not enough battery to get home it will abort and RTH.

Thanks for the info. ?

I wandered about that.

I have read that some pilots didn't do something right in the planning and they never saw the Spark again?

I may purchase it soon since my Spark is out of warranty and I'm willing to be a bit riskier with the Spark.

If I lose the Spark, hello Mavic Air 2. ?