I love my Spark... but it stresses me out flying it...

Some days its perfect, other days I get weird VPS altitudes and Spark always thinks its low to the ground.
I've tried old app versions and different firmware but still get the problem intermittently, I started to think my Spark was a dud.
The more I look through the forums the more I see people having fly-aways with their Sparks, Almost every instance I read through the logs showed errors with VPS altitude.

How hard would it be to push DJI to do something about this issue?

A simple fix I would suggest would be the following...

• Disable VPS altitude in RTH. (might already be the case, would be nice to get confirmation)
  
• Have an option to turn off VPS sensors in DJIgo – or perhaps turning off the bottom sensor also in sports mode would suffice.
  
  

I really want to fly my Spark over the ocean to get some nice footage but I dont trust it enough to push it.

So how do we have auto land without VPS? How would it hover in place with no GPS and no VPS? I think this is where NOT having the redundancy of 2 VPS sensors is the issue here. As well as good common sense, don't fly near high magnet fields, don't fly with out a good home point set. Yada yada

Owners should have option switches for turning both vps and gps on or off on their aircraft.
In many environments, it may offer more consistent and predictable behaviour than having it randomly switch between flight modes.

Strobing_NYC_Sp Posted at 2018-1-9 12:32
So how do we have auto land without VPS? How would it hover in place with no GPS and no VPS? I think this is where NOT having the redundancy of 2 VPS sensors is the issue here. As well as good common sense, don't fly near high magnet fields, don't fly with out a good home point set. Yada yada

Well the GPS has never been an issue, I dont suggest ever disabling the GPS.

Having the ability to switch into ATTI mode would save many fly aways in my opinion, its better to have the drone slowly drift downwind instead of literally flying away in the opposite direction from home - or climbing over 400ft into controlled airspace.

A simple setting under the VPS options to "disable all VPS sensors"

As for the landing without VPS, I believe the VPS accuracy (when its working correctly) tells the quad when and how fast to descend - when its at 5meters.

Id rather have it bob up and down a little when its close to the ground than having it stuck at 200ft with 20% battery left.

Chances Posted at 2018-1-9 16:23
Well the GPS has never been an issue, I dont suggest ever disabling the GPS.

Having the ability to switch into ATTI mode would save many fly aways in my opinion, its better to have the drone slowly drift downwind instead of literally flying away in the opposite direction from home - or climbing over 400ft into controlled airspace.

Hi, sir. Can you provide a screenshot about the altitude? If the problem remains, please provide us the flight data and the black box. BTW, what is the version of your app?

DJI Elektra Posted at 2018-1-9 23:07
Hi, sir. Can you provide a screenshot about the altitude? If the problem remains, please provide us the flight data and the black box. BTW, what is the version of your app?

Hello DJI Elektra,
I have made a thread a few days ago with some screenshots ive taken from the extracted log file - https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... p;page=1#pid1117159

I have tried the last 3 firmwares and also app versions going back to V 4.1.15 and was having the problem intermittently.

Currently im using the latest firmware 0.900 I believe with the V 4.1.15 DJIgo app as I use the OTG cable, the newest version doesnt give telemetry back - and last 4 flights have been perfect with this combination.
I didnt get a chance to take it out today but should have some time tomorrow to do some more testing - hopefully its ok now.

But its a very odd problem, if it returns tomorrow it will be after 4 perfect flights - which is really weird...

Chances Posted at 2018-1-10 01:13
Hello DJI Elektra,
I have made a thread a few days ago with some screenshots ive taken from the extracted log file - https://forum.dji.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=127960&page=1#pid1117159

I see. Thanks for your update. Please try to fly your drone without OTG cable and see if the altitude is wrong. If the problem remains, please upload the flight data to dropbox and post the link here for further analysis.

Hi, after update the last firmware into my spark and try the "gesture piloting" in dji go 4 i have the same problem : strange height, no front off obstacle and no landing "bip". All seem to be desactivated . I try to change firmware, reset factory, uninstall dji go... no effect (( Could you help me plz ? https://youtu.be/zX5XEKwzVI0

Did you ever get the GPS module Changed??

It all sounds like the Baro altimeter has got a fault meaning that if you fly above about 5m the drone looses its relative height reference from your takeoff position.
THis causes vertical drifting and incorrect transmission of height data to your controller

Below 5m the VPS will take control of the height management and the drone should respond okay.

I expect you sorted this out or have sold the spark by now