Request add dji spark drone
DJI does not officially support waypoint flight mode on the spark. There are no dronedeploy plans to add spark support.
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Do you need waypoint flight mode to fly a drone in grid pattern? The Spark may not be the most obvious choice for mapping, but it is a very low impact drone which could be used in locations where a mavic or a phantom would not be considered allright.
I support the request to add support for Spark.
The other reason that Spark support is unlikely is that it is flown using a wifi connection. We have dropped support for phantom 3 standard and 4K for that reason.
That is only half the truth. It can be flown by gesture control, by wifi connection to a phone OR with a proper 2.4 or 5.8Ghz control connection. I have a set of cheap ebay antenna reflectors on my Spark controller, and was able to fly 1000 meters out this weekend before I got any flicker in video connection. This was using 5.8Ghz and the lower output CE transmission settings as I am in Norway.
But by default, users do not know that you can set it up to fly via the USB. The official position at the moment is that we don’t plan to support the spark.
I was not “flying it via USB”. My iphone connects via wifi to the controller, and the controller connects via PTP (as all the other proper DJI control connections) on 2.4 or 5.8Ghz. Without the cheapo reflectors, I can usually fly 3-400 meters out.
There are two reasons the Spark is not well suited for mapping - the first is as you mentioned before, that the DJI SDK doesnt support waypoint missions. Secondly - the geotagging of the images are missing decimal seconds, which means a geotag-dependent solution like Dronedeploy is going to struggle.
I hope DJI eventually supports waypoint missions, and that DD reconsiders supporting the Spark. Other mapping app vendors have already brought out support for the Spark, but not with regular mapping features.
I know quite a few people who can make use of Spark for small projects and mapping in areas where a larger drone can’t be used.
Any preview of when support for DJI Spark going to be available?
No plans for Spark support at this time.
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DJI now has official waypoint support for the Spark! Does this change your plans for supporting the Spark?
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Oh yes, latest DJI SDK does support waypoints on Spark now; have been using waypoint missions in Litchi already. When do you follow suit?
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Also, in full support for Spark compatibility. Great software, but would be better if I didn’t have to lug around an Inspire just to use your toolset. Either way, others are approaching your quality, and happen to support this extremely low impact and agile UAS.
Thanks again for what you do support!
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I vote for Spark support as well. I love DroneDeploy; sometimes I just need a small mission and have a small drone on-hand to do the job.
I just came in from doing some small tests with my spark. I was having trouble with Litchi, and getting frustrated, so I decided to try the DD Android app. After a couple of times flipping the sport mode switch, to get it through the checklist, and maybe force closing once, I did get DD to fly a short mission. I was using and Moto E4 plus with the controller through a OTG cable. I had to cut short because of battery and incoming weather.
I will try again in the next couple of days.
Was this a fluke?
All DD competitors already have Spark support. Surely it’s not a big deal for Drone Deploy to implement support as well! What seems to be happening is simple bad will of the producers.
Please spark support !!!
I can confirm that Dronedeploy works with the spark
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@TimmyG, can you explain how you got it to connect and provide a link to the map?
Even if you did get it to work it won’t make maps because of the rounding off of the coordinates that mine is reporting.
Update. The Mavic Air’s firmware v01.00.0500 fixed this same GPS coordinate rounding issue so hopefully they have a case study that would easily apply to the Spark. I just flew some test missions with Litchi and it does VERY well. I fear that mapping with a Spark may be too much of a niche that they won’t want to put any effort into it, but I sent them an email anyway. @Adam_Carp, are there any contacts that we might be able to get a comment from?
Here’s what I got back from DJI …
Thank you for contacting DJI Technical Support.
I hope this email finds you well. It is a pleasure assisting you today. I can definitely see how that feature would be useful. We have to pick new features based on the value they’ll add to the most users possible. At the moment, we won’t be able to make this one work, but we will keep it in mind for future development plans for sure.
It was really a pleasure doing business with you! Thank you for choosing us!
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