So, when i see this (go to 38secs in) I'm expecting my spark to pull off the dronie that way, instead it just flies backwards and way past the distance set in the app.
Then I see this (go to 1min 31secs in) and shes doing a selfie shallow focus shot I think "now that is awesome!"Why DJI do you give out the impression that the spark can do these things? Sure the dronie issue is a software fix but come on! Shallow focus selfie.

Im not complaining about my Spark, its great, small, gets some great shots where I wouldnt normally fly my phantom. I just wish they had been a bit more honest about it. Especially as the marketing sells it as a 12mp 1080p selfie drone that only selifes at 2mp unless you use the remote control or iphone to get the shot, and even then it has to be out of gesture mode.

With all the things I have read about the spark on a few forums it has to have had an impact on DJI's sales. Especially releasing it with issues that should have been fixed long before launch. Even more so that they are aiming it at beginners that will be whipping it out at parties, graduations, sports events. I can forsee it being a accident waiting to happen. Just the fuel the media, governments, aviation bodies need to restrict our flying even more.

you are right ! A shallow Focus selfie is just a lie :] Didn't cach that one.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, we care much about your feedback.
For the first issue that it does not go up in Dronie mode, would you please export the data from black box and flight log for us for further analysis?
Download the Assistant 2 from DJI official Spark website page, install it, then connect your drone to PC, run assistant 2, click on "Black Box", you could get the file. Then click on "Upload Data--Confirm", choose the correct one showing the situation you mentioned, save it to local.
Please upload both files to Dropbox and post the link here, thanks.
For the second question, would you please describe it in detail?

DJI Natalia Posted at 2017-7-5 03:36
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, we care much about your feedback.
For the first issue that it does not go up in Dronie mode, would you please export the data from black box and flight log for us for further analysis?
Download the Assistant 2 from DJI official Spark website page, install it, then connect your drone to PC, run assistant 2, click on "Black Box", you could get the file. Then click on "Upload Data--Confirm", choose the correct one showing the situation you mentioned, save it to local.

The second part of his post pertains to the DJI video showing a woman climbing a cliff and taking a shallow focus picture with gesture.  The Shallow Focus option isn't available when taking selfies in Gesture Mode.  Therefore, the DJI video is advertising an option that is not available = false advertising.

As for the first problem with the Dronie option not rising......MANY of us are having that problem.  How many Blackbox files do you need to see to realize it is a common problem?  It's frustrating to always hear the same response .  DJI staff certainly has access to a Spark, my guess is if you grab a Spark off the shelf and try a dronie, you'll see it just goes straight back without rising up in the air.

Sorry for the rant.....it's just starting to get really frustrating and we need to see an update to fix these problems.

DJI Natalia Posted at 2017-7-5 03:36
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, we care much about your feedback.
For the first issue that it does not go up in Dronie mode, would you please export the data from black box and flight log for us for further analysis?
Download the Assistant 2 from DJI official Spark website page, install it, then connect your drone to PC, run assistant 2, click on "Black Box", you could get the file. Then click on "Upload Data--Confirm", choose the correct one showing the situation you mentioned, save it to local.

Ill go out in the next hour and capture the information you are asking for directly. Ill set the spark to dronie at 10m and upload the video to youtube, Ill upload the blackbox data to dropbox and post the link on here.
As for the second item, in the video it clearly shows a girl climbing a rock face and gesturing to take a selfie at the spark, while the video then clearly shows the shallow focus being implemented. This cannot be done with selfie mode yet the video implies that you can.

My Spark suffers from the same problem when using the Dronie Quick Shot. It just goes backwards, never gaining any altitude.
Out of all the Quick Shots surely this is the one that would be most used, yet sadly doesn't work as advertised!
You can't even do it manually as the resulting video would just have you (the pilot) looking down at the controller rather than the camera.

The dronie quick shot doesn't work at all, as everyone is mentioning in all forums.
In fact, I don't think I've even seen a video of a dronie working properly anywhere.

https://youtu.be/VAoZPd4PbMc

Above Youtube link is a successful Dronie, 2 weeks ago.

DJI Natalia Posted at 2017-7-5 03:36
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, we care much about your feedback.
For the first issue that it does not go up in Dronie mode, would you please export the data from black box and flight log for us for further analysis?
Download the Assistant 2 from DJI official Spark website page, install it, then connect your drone to PC, run assistant 2, click on "Black Box", you could get the file. Then click on "Upload Data--Confirm", choose the correct one showing the situation you mentioned, save it to local.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j070evmf8no7p5x/Dronie_LOGS.zip?dl=0

I couldn't get the log from DJI Assistant, it was only showing logs after this event, I exported them from my phone in CSV and copied the txt file related to it as well as putting the black box data in the file. Video is now uploading to youtube and I'll post the link as soon as its done.

fansa7dc5944 Posted at 2017-7-5 06:14
Above Youtube link is a successful Dronie, 2 weeks ago.

Could he be using older FW maybe?

These response from DJI are insane, and a huge time waster for everyone that is uploading their data for a problem that exists for 99% of users.

As for what we see , no fix from the DJI ,no statement , nothing. DJI you shot your knee whit the Sparks launching it too early...

RoomierPanda Posted at 2017-7-5 08:22
These response from DJI are insane, and a huge time waster for everyone that is uploading their data for a problem that exists for 99% of users.

Yes, its amazing that over 90% of us have been posting about an issue with Dronie and DJI keeps giving the same "canned" response.

DJI if you're listening just post an alert stating that certain modes a not functioning and engineers are working on it.

Dronie is Dji Go 4 function. It is not about the aircraft firmware. It will take Dji sometime to fix this issue on specific platform along with other issues. It is good that you guys report thr issues. Just be patient.

Appreciate your feedback and support, we care much about your feedback and listen to them, we're working on it now so you will have better experience on flying.
For the situation in Dronie mode, please take off and ensure the aircraft is flying above 2 meters above the ground, then select QuickShot--Dronie, it should work.
Besides, the Shallow Focus option isn't available when taking selfies in Gesture Mode recently, sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Malakai_UK Posted at 2017-7-5 07:54
https://www.dropbox.com/s/j070evmf8no7p5x/Dronie_LOGS.zip?dl=0

I couldn't get the log from DJI Assistant, it was only showing logs after this event, I exported them from my phone in CSV and copied the txt file related to it as well as putting the black box data in the file. Video is now uploading to youtube and I'll post the link as soon as its done.

Thank you for the data, we analyzed that, please takeoff the drone and make sure it's flying at least 2 meters above the ground then select QuickShot--Dronie, it should work fine.
If you still have the same situation, please keep me posted, thank you.

DJI Natalia Posted at 2017-7-5 18:55
Thank you for the data, we analyzed that, please takeoff the drone and make sure it's flying at least 2 meters above the ground then select QuickShot--Dronie, it should work fine.
If you still have the same situation, please keep me posted, thank you.

Ill test it from 2m and above later, I'm quite certain that the few times I tried to do the dronie I tried it at just about 2m, 3m and 4m, in front of me and overhead when starting dronie producing the same result, just flying backwards and only gaining maybe 1m.

The gaining height wasn't my main concern, its how far it went backwards, and its quite a big one!
I set it to 10m and it went 20m backwards!! What if there had been a building at 15m?
Another thing that didn't happen, it said it was returning to the start point and it didn't. I had to manually bring it back in.

Honestly DJI Natalia, do you think this is acceptable?

There is a famous saying that fits the situation perfectly :
Soon™

Jimmers Posted at 2017-7-5 03:46
The second part of his post pertains to the DJI video showing a woman climbing a cliff and taking a shallow focus picture with gesture.  The Shallow Focus option isn't available when taking selfies in Gesture Mode.  Therefore, the DJI video is advertising an option that is not available = false advertising.

As for the first problem with the Dronie option not rising......MANY of us are having that problem.  How many Blackbox files do you need to see to realize it is a common problem?  It's frustrating to always hear the same response .  DJI staff certainly has access to a Spark, my guess is if you grab a Spark off the shelf and try a dronie, you'll see it just goes straight back without rising up in the air.

You are 100% correct, the spark is a nice little machine but it's NOT what was advertised

R&L Aerial  Posted at 2017-7-6 02:01
You are 100% correct, the spark is a nice little machine but it's NOT what was advertised

Exactly. Shallow focus isn't available on gestures and I finally got an e-mail from DJI saying that photos in gesture mode were limited to 1440 x 1080.

So I'll be refunding it. That's not enough enough to cover the desktop of my laptop computer, which is 1920 x 1080.

Ill do more testing when I get time, here is my original video to go with this post with the dronie not working.

That is just insane. People who fly with the phone have QuickShots issues, people who fly with RC have signal losses & disconnects.

We are all just beta-testers, and we paid for it.

The 2MP (1440 x 1080) photo resolution from Selfie in Gesture Mode is a huge disappointment.  That's my first generation iPhone photo resolution 10 years ago!  Hopefully DJI could fix this issue through firmware update.

Bobesh Posted at 2017-7-10 01:32
That is just insane. People who fly with the phone have QuickShots issues, people who fly with RC have signal losses & disconnects.

We are all just beta-testers, and we paid for it.

The WIFI connection issues have me a bit concerned.  Connecting external devices devices via WIFI isn't exactly new technology.  I have at least 4 device that I connect to my iPhone via WIFI and all work flawlessly.

The 1440x1080 is ok for social media or use in video, its easy to compare it to old devices that capture 2mp but the sensors back then were no where near as good as they are now. I understand its a limitation due to activetrack but surely they could modify the software to switch to full resolution as it takes the shot then back to activetrack straight after.

Tviscomi Posted at 2017-7-10 02:51
The WIFI connection issues have me a bit concerned.  Connecting external devices devices via WIFI isn't exactly new technology.  I have at least 4 device that I connect to my iPhone via WIFI and all work flawlessly.

WiFi is widespread technology and should not have any problems whatsoever. But, more expensive drones from DJI uses WiFi with an additional layer like OcuSync, Lightbridge, etc. On Spark, it is pure WiFi.

I'm pleased with the Spark, but having the connection problems sucks bad. We will see - hopefully, this won't result in another "karma" situation and will be resolved by firmware or app update

Interesting !