Dear DJI,

I've put together a video showing my experience with the Spark's QuickShot functions (dronie, circle, helix, and rocket).  I've found that the Dronie and Helix don't function like it's documented in you manual or like anyone would expect for it function.  I provide video of the behavior and provide suggestions on how I personally think the DJI Go 4 software could be updated to drastically improve the functionality of these features.  

This is with DJI Go 4.1.5 on iOS 10.3.3 and Spark firmware 01.00.0500.



Thanks for watching and listening!

I know this thread is meant for DJI moderator, but I just want to provide some information and personal thought: I don't think it has something to do with DJI go 4 or firmware, I did confirm with some guys on the forum that they can have it work on iOS (Dronie does rise up for them), I  myself on Android also confirm that it works for me.
Have you ever tried with other phones to see if it is the problem with phone?

My Spark does move just like your video on Dronie and Helix. Dronie, Spark went up slightly higher but does not stop at the given distance. Helix, doesn't make a full circle, way too far out, and it didn't keep me in the center at the last.  I haven't tried Circle and Rocket yet. I used Nexus 5 w/ Android 6.0.1 and iPad mini 2 w/ iOS 10.3.3.

Thank you for taking time to make he video

Please try to flight the drone above 2 meters (6.6 feet) before you initiate Dronie mode. For the Helix mode, could you please export the flight data and sync your flight records, provide us with de data Dropbox link and your DJI account so we can check about this.
You can sync by this way: launch DJI GO app----upper right icon for DJI GO 4 / upper left icon for DJI GO ---- flight record----upper right cloud icon---- select all and start synchronization.
Here's the tutorial for data exporting, appreciate this.

I am so glad that someone decided to expose the truth about the spark.  I have the exact same problems, I have contacted DJI support and to my surprise I have been told that my one month old spark is faulty, so I have decided to play the game and I sent it for repair.  I just got a message from them saying that it was repaired and that it will be sent back to me within two days.  I will keep you informed......

Phuong Do Posted at 2017-8-10 17:18
I know this thread is meant for DJI moderator, but I just want to provide some information and personal thought: I don't think it has something to do with DJI go 4 or firmware, I did confirm with some guys on the forum that they can have it work on iOS (Dronie does rise up for them), I  myself on Android also confirm that it works for me.
Have you ever tried with other phones to see if it is the problem with phone?

I can confirm that I get the same results  as Kloo Gee with Samsung Note 3 and my new Samsung Tab.

All Quickshot modes are working for me. iOS11 newest Beta with iPhone 7+.

Thats' EXACT the same for me. No more, no less. Same IOS and RC.

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-8-11 00:52
Please try to flight the drone above 2 meters (6.6 feet) before you initiate Dronie mode. For the Helix mode, could you please export the flight data and sync your flight records, provide us with de data Dropbox link and your DJI account so we can check about this.
You can sync by this way: launch DJI GO app----upper right icon for DJI GO 4 / upper left icon for DJI GO ---- flight record----upper right cloud icon---- select all and start synchronization.
Here's the tutorial for data exporting, appreciate this.

DJI Thor,
I have a busy few days ahead of me, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get to this for a bit.  I'll open a ticket when I get the time and will let you know the case number when I do.

Thanks for responding!

Usual response by DJI.... "provide flight logs.... blah blah blah".

It's obviously a pretty widespread problem with many users experiencing the exact same issues (including me).

DJI seem uninterested, merely providing the scripted response.

For what it's worth:

- I have the exact same problems (dronie and helix);
- Dronie and Helix have never worked for me with any firmware (1.00.0400 or 1.00.0500)) or DJI Go version;
- I've tested on both LG G6 (H870) and iPad (2017 - 32gb wifi);
- I'm not using DJI controller;
- I've tried different starting altitudes (yes, over 2m) with identical results.

R&L Aerial  Posted at 2017-8-11 03:26
How are you liking the new ios 11?

Don't know about @Dirk52 but i like it.. : )

Tried on ip7 iOS 11 - working
ipad mini 3 iOS 10.3.3 - working

Oz Moose Posted at 2017-8-11 05:36
Usual response by DJI.... "provide flight logs.... blah blah blah".

It's obviously a pretty widespread problem with many users experiencing the exact same issues (including me).

erm you go to the doc, you don't expect him to ask you how are u? or what brings you hear?

eylneb Posted at 2017-8-11 05:48
erm you go to the doc, you don't expect him to ask you how are u? or what brings you hear?

More like... going to the doctor where they ask how you are and what brings you there, but then they send you home and you never hear from them again.

Gathering data is an important step in debugging problems, but it's not very useful if you don't follow up with your findings.

eylneb Posted at 2017-8-11 05:48
Don't know about @Dirk52 but i like it.. : )

Tried on ip7 iOS 11 - working

I bought the iPad pro 10.5 a couple of weeks ago and from what i hear, ios 11 is going to be great on the pro..

Yes, always the same copy/paste, "could you please export the flight data" , bla bla bla. These guys can't emulate the issue by their selfs , our engineers are looking, bla bla . So , the bottom line, we are doing all the DJI work, since they can't put their .. together , really frustrating.

I am having the exact same results. Rocket and circle work but Dronie and Helix has never worked the way it is suppose to. I am on iOS 10 using iPhone 7 with the latest Spark firmware.

Well documented Kloo... I've always had an issue with Dronie and Helix. I think what bothers me more about Dronie is that when I sent the distance limit, it just ignores the setting. I'm running latest everything on iOS 10.3.3

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-8-11 00:52
Please try to flight the drone above 2 meters (6.6 feet) before you initiate Dronie mode. For the Helix mode, could you please export the flight data and sync your flight records, provide us with de data Dropbox link and your DJI account so we can check about this.
You can sync by this way: launch DJI GO app----upper right icon for DJI GO 4 / upper left icon for DJI GO ---- flight record----upper right cloud icon---- select all and start synchronization.
Here's the tutorial for data exporting, appreciate this.

I have sent you a personal message with the link to the dropbox with my log files and provided my username so you can look up my sync'd flight data.

Let me know if you need any further info.

I won't be able to do any further test flights for a few days due to schedule, but I don't see why starting a Dronie higher than 2 meters would be necessary for it to function correctly anyways.  If that is an undocumented design feature, I would highly recommend it be altered.  I think most people would want a Dronie to start at face level and then go back and up.

Oz Moose Posted at 2017-8-11 05:36
Usual response by DJI.... "provide flight logs.... blah blah blah".

It's obviously a pretty widespread problem with many users experiencing the exact same issues (including me).

I've worked in the software industry for years and you will find the same sort of response from any software provider.  The devil is often in the details. Rather than get upset about it, I think its more helpful to provide as much useful data as can be provided to help them resolve it as quick as possible.  

Hey sir i follow your channel on youtube, i am have the same issue with quick shots not working like they should dronie for example.

fans0d5dbb98 Posted at 2017-8-11 01:32
I can confirm that I get the same results  as Kloo Gee with Samsung Note 3 and my new Samsung Tab.

Hi, so I guess, could it leads to the hardware issue, can you happen to have a bad hardware Spark that not able to lift up in Dronie. I meant there are people to be able to use Dronie (including me). While, you cannot, even with many different phones. I cannot relate to software (firmware) because if so, not just a few has issue. What do you think?

Helix and Drone does not work for me. I have a question, has there ever been some that it didn't work for and they did something and it started working? Like maybe deleted and reinstalled the DJI Go app or maybe reinstalled the firmware or even downgraded to the last one.

Kloo Gee Posted at 2017-8-11 04:36
DJI Thor,
I have a busy few days ahead of me, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get to this for a bit.  I'll open a ticket when I get the time and will let you know the case number when I do.

Thank you.

Oz Moose Posted at 2017-8-11 05:36
Usual response by DJI.... "provide flight logs.... blah blah blah".

It's obviously a pretty widespread problem with many users experiencing the exact same issues (including me).

We need to evaluate case by case, if there are a few people encountered an issue that we don't have, the most assistance is to provide us with the data that we need for analysing and that will be highly appreciated. Also, thank you for your feedback and your kind understanding.

Kloo Gee Posted at 2017-8-11 09:54
I have sent you a personal message with the link to the dropbox with my log files and provided my username so you can look up my sync'd flight data.

Let me know if you need any further info.

Yes, I had received your message and forwarded it to our engineers, thank you for the assistance. I'll reply you once I heard from them. For the Dronie mode, you can try to fly above 2 meters at present. Our engineers are also working on this and will optimize it by the firmware.

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-8-13 01:01
Yes, I had received your message and forwarded it to our engineers, thank you for the assistance. I'll reply you once I heard from them. For the Dronie mode, you can try to fly above 2 meters at present. Our engineers are also working on this and will optimize it by the firmware.

Thanks Thor!  Appreciate your assistance!  Have you also passed along my suggestions for possible new settings to help give the user more control over these features?

Thanks again!
-D

Same problems here on Android N/7, Dronie and Helix don't stop  and Dronie doesn't go up. How can it be a hardware problem when everything else works ok, shoddy software is what it is ! In the RC Groups the mods said they were testing a new firmware to have this fixed so this whole "we can't replicate, send us logs,  blah blah blah" is just to keep people waiting...

EDIT - When will it be possible to get email notification when someone replies ? Do we also need to send logs for that ?

Hey, I even didn't see Spark's QuickShot functions (dronie, circle, helix, and rocket) menu pop up with iOS10.3 or Android 6. How to enable dronie, circle, helix, and rocket option when I press quickshot? Then

fans4bcb6c28 Posted at 2017-8-13 21:11
Hey, I even didn't see Spark's QuickShot functions (dronie, circle, helix, and rocket) menu pop up with iOS10.3 or Android 6. How to enable dronie, circle, helix, and rocket option when I press quickshot? Then

I'm not in front of my Spark right now, but I believe once you choose QuickShot, you need to draw a box around the target you want it to focus on and then it will ask you which feature (droning, circle, helix, rocket) you want to use. There is an on screen prompt to draw the box, but if you dont look closely, you might miss it.

Kloo Gee Posted at 2017-8-13 06:27
Thanks Thor!  Appreciate your assistance!  Have you also passed along my suggestions for possible new settings to help give the user more control over these features?

Thanks again!

Those requirements had submitted to our engineers, we hope that more settings and more intelligent mode will be available in the future.

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-8-14 02:07
Those requirements had submitted to our engineers, we hope that more settings and more intelligent mode will be available in the future.

Thanks Thor!

fans4bcb6c28 Posted at 2017-8-13 21:11
Hey, I even didn't see Spark's QuickShot functions (dronie, circle, helix, and rocket) menu pop up with iOS10.3 or Android 6. How to enable dronie, circle, helix, and rocket option when I press quickshot? Then

Please refer to our tutorial on this page: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8-vxWY64sBNIrePb_pR6Rd2Cp8GaKa_i

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-8-13 01:01
Yes, I had received your message and forwarded it to our engineers, thank you for the assistance. I'll reply you once I heard from them. For the Dronie mode, you can try to fly above 2 meters at present. Our engineers are also working on this and will optimize it by the firmware.

Hi Thor,

I've re-tested the Dronie function starting the test with the Spark above 2 meters (14 ft actually) and still see similar behavior.

Check out the video below:

Kloo Gee Posted at 2017-8-16 17:25
Hi Thor,

I've re-tested the Dronie function starting the test with the Spark above 2 meters (14 ft actually) and still see similar behavior.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll inform to our engineers, they will help to optimize this feature.

Hi guys, My drone was replaced by DJI support with a brand new one but nothing has changed, distance slider, Dronie and Helix  still don't work well with an Android phone. I am going to make a video about my experience very soon and test the drone with an iPhone.....

Hi guys, My drone was replaced by DJI support with a brand new one but nothing has changed, distance slider, Dronie and Helix  still don't work well with an Android phone.

Since this is my second Spark that doesn’t work well with the distance slider, Dronie and Helix the conclusion must be that the issue is with the DJI 4 application for Android and not with the drone!

I am going to make a video and share my experience with other users who are having the same issues very soon but I will also test the drone with an iPhone.....

With the v01.00.0600 firmware update, Dronie and Helix now seem to work in a very reasonable manner.  Helix has an option to control the direction (i.e. clockwise, etc).  I still think the other options would be very useful to be implemented to give the user ultimate control over their videography.  Dronie should ask for distance and height inputs and Helix should ask for distance, height, and how many circles.

Thanks DJI for listening to us!  Appreciate it!

Other updates in this firmware update are looking good too!

Kloo Gee Posted at 2017-8-21 23:20
With the v01.00.0600 firmware update, Dronie and Helix now seem to work in a very reasonable manner.  Helix has an option to control the direction (i.e. clockwise, etc).  I still think the other options would be very useful to be implemented to give the user ultimate control over their videography.  Dronie should ask for distance and height inputs and Helix should ask for distance, height, and how many circles.

Thanks DJI for listening to us!  Appreciate it!

good news : )

Good news indeed. Nice to see a user with the actual response after their issue was (sort of) solved.
I usually only read the complaints here, but no solutions.
As if no problem gets solved OR users are no longer interested in sharing when a solution is provided.