I'm sure we all heared it already that DJI released a new drone and (again) crushed the boundaries.

With the Mavic Air being a mix of the Spark and the Mavic Pro, you'll get better Image Quality, more functions and safety features for a size nearly identical to the Spark.
Coming to nearly identical - the price point:
The retail price of the fly more Spark is 799€ here in Germany, which is a must have since you can't enjoy flying without RC, and the retail of the MavAir is 850€ here with a RC already included (no real need for fly more since RC included)

I guess, due to this low price point of the MavAir people will take the 50€ more and buy a better drone with better range in CE, than living with a kind of "obsolete" model compared to all other DJI products.(sorry, but even the P3S has 2,7K and Raw and is set to 500€).

So, my question is now: What will happen with the Spark?
Does it, finally, get a Major FW release to make it a reasonable choice for drone newbies (raw, 2K)?
Does DJI remove it from their listings (like the P3A/P)?


let me know your thoughts.

It is kinda like that in the US.  The Mavic Air is the same price as the Mavic Pro (within $49).  And they are similarly equipped when you buy the base unit.   The Spark is $399 for the unit or $599 with the controller, case, extra battery, and charging hub.  It is priced for the budget concience buyer.  You can go for the Mavic Pro's and Air's higher price range or a Spark's lower price range depending on how your stocks did this quarter.

Since the Air and the Pro both have the same eyesight range in the US, it is just a matter of whether you want the small size, protected robust camera gimbal, and higher frame rates with better bit rates that the Mavic Air gives you.  Maybe old design Mavic Pros flooding ebay can be used to provide shade when the beach umbrella isn't available.

The "Spark Pro" version, really the old Mavic since we are calling anything with more capability than the Spark that title, just dropped in price for those in the $800 budget range.  Only $828 now.  People selecting the smaller/lighter folding Mavic Air with a better, and more robust, camera over the old Mavic?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZ8 ... encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Retail price in Germany is 699 EUR for a Spark Fly More Combo (official web store), but you can find it elsewhere for 600 EUR. And this is now a different perspective...

choban Posted at 2018-1-24 00:57
Retail price in Germany is 699 EUR for a Spark Fly More Combo (official web store), but you can find it elsewhere for 600 EUR. And this is now a different perspective...

yeah noticed it, they lowered it a bit. Still. You get a better longtime package for 150-200 bucks more

There's still some advantages to the Spark.

The foldable arms of Mavic Air/Pro is both a Pro and a Con, they make the drone more portable but they break easily. Spark is sturdy, I crashed it numerous time and it survived without any damage. Another thing is the camera, DJI drone's camera hangs at the bottom like a pair of testicles - they broke off if you crashed into the tree branches (seen it numerous time on Youtube).

Spark is cheaper, I don't hesitate flying it far away. With a more expensive drone I may not dare fly it in many situations. Lastly, Spark looks like a toy and that's a huge advantage that most people didn't realised - in a drone-paranoid world, a friendly looking drone that you can launched from your hand makes it more usable than having a high spec drone that looks like a military equipment. I use Spark in a park, no one gives a damn about it, everyone thought I am playing with a RC toy, they didn't even know there's a camera in it. When you launched the drone from your hand, it tends to make people think it's a safe device despite the loud buzzing noise.

Edit: I just noticed the glossy surface of Mavic Air... why? Drones are not laptops, they are for the outdoor - exposed to the weather. Personally I think the sporty and rugged matt look of Spark is the best design for a drone. Glossy plastic will definitely get scratches later on.

I expect that it will continue to be developed in terms of it's FW and will remain in production as the entry level mini drone for those on tighter budgets or who want to see what flying a drone is like without spending a grand. It will eventually be phased out of course as all tech is - whether thats in 3 months or 18 months given the release of the Mavic Air well, your guess is as good as mine!

The Spark is still the same great drone everyone had a month ago. It’s not suddenly obsolete.

I’m sure DJI will continue to support it. It’s not even a year old yet. But, I don’t see why they should suddenly give it new features. It still has the same features it had when you bought it, and you were happy to buy it with that set.

Rogue0ne Posted at 2018-1-24 01:23
The Spark is still the same great drone everyone had a month ago. It’s not suddenly obsolete.

I’m sure DJI will continue to support it. It’s not even a year old yet. But, I don’t see why they should suddenly give it new features. It still has the same features it had when you bought it, and you were happy to buy it with that set.

Good point well made.

i'm hoping that they continue to develop it. I personally still love my Spark and have no plans to change.

jksphoto Posted at 2018-1-24 01:28
Good point well made.

i'm hoping that they continue to develop it. I personally still love my Spark and have no plans to change.

me too !!. I like a non-folding design of spark

I you look at the past, DJI focus on there latest drones, And sorry to tell not much effort to old drones(rev. phantom 2,(vision) phantom 3 , phantom 4)

Rogue0ne Posted at 2018-1-24 01:23
The Spark is still the same great drone everyone had a month ago. It’s not suddenly obsolete.

I’m sure DJI will continue to support it. It’s not even a year old yet. But, I don’t see why they should suddenly give it new features. It still has the same features it had when you bought it, and you were happy to buy it with that set.

Good point.
I really love my spark and for sure will keep it with me everytime.
My point was just to say, that they kind of sealed off the Spark by making it the only drone without raw and 1080p max + 500m range.

I really don't think that they improve so much in this drone yes, but they might consider adding some features that every drone in their lineup has - like raw.
Think back to the feature of creating sphere panos with the Go App - that was a nice feature and the spark wasn't advertised with getting such a feature at first.

To bad I bought my Spark only 1 month ago. Now, I might haven gotten the Mavic Air. Curious what upgrades (fireware) DJI has in store for the Spark.

I hope we get additional video formats or 24fps for full hd. That would please me enough.

I'm really confused on what to do here now. All I ever wanted in my Spark was DNG raw support. Now that theres Mavic Air thats just as portable as the Spark, im quite tempted to get one. But can I justify the price difference of 300-400 just for the raw mode I need? I dunno...

Adomolis Posted at 2018-1-24 02:07
I'm really confused on what to do here now. All I ever wanted in my Spark was DNG raw support. Now that theres Mavic Air thats just as portable as the Spark, im quite tempted to get one. But can I justify the price difference of 300-400 just for the raw mode I need? I dunno...

lets hope dji gets its stuff together and give the spark a raw mode. I mean its the only drone that doesnt have raw. Even the P3S which is 3 years old

I have absolutely no regrets in buying my Spark.  I bought mine mid-December as a stepping stone into the world of Drones.  I figured that if after 6 months to a year, I'm still enjoying whizzing around taking photos, then I'll move on up the ladder.  Had I known then, that the Mavic-Air would make its debut over a month later, it would not have affected my purchase.

As amazing as the Mavic Air seems, I'll keep a hold of my Spark for the moment.

Massive difference here in Aus. Fly more combo of the new Mavic Air is $1,599! I got my Spark combo for $850. That's essentially half the cost.

flipfloptrader Posted at 2018-1-24 03:20
Massive difference here in Aus. Fly more combo of the new Mavic Air is $1,599! I got my Spark combo for $850. That's essentially half the cost.

lol. thats sick.Would appreciate a price difference like that more than 100-200$.. since its more reasonable and wont make people want to switch instantly.

Ditto - I bought my Spark Combo in late November, and I haven't even flown it yet! I want it just as an aerial tripod for when I'm on my European motoring tours, so I'm not bothered about flying range. The most important features to me are compact size (my car has a very small boot!) and the palm take-off and landing feature - so the Spark is still right for me. I've invested in the portable charging station and various other accessories, plus a secondhand iPad Mini 2 to circumvent the EU 5.8GHz/OTG issue.

Yes, the residual value of the Spark is bound to drop, but there is an upside to this. I would guess that next year we'll see secondhand Sparks on eBay for under £200 - so in the event of a flyaway it would be cheap enough to replace. In fact, I'd probably buy one and carry it as a spare for my trips, maximising my investment in the add-ons!

Alan

I'm too suffering buyers remorse....i bought mine more than a month ago so cannot return it ....That said there are some Spark advantages. People have said that it is sturdier which i have yet to find for myself. A cheaper drone means you are far more likely to take it out. Think of it as a amateur to enthusiast camera as opposed to pro-level, high-end camera. Would you take a £1000 drone on holiday, backpacking, staying in hostels etc? The spark is still a smaller device when flown and nearly 50% lighter to carry.  I sat on the fence for a long time before buying because frankly drone technology still hasn't matured to the extent i wanted. The mavic and phantoms were too big, and the spark too short a flight time. Yes the mavic air is a mix of both, but its seems more of a small upgrade then a game changer. I think i will stick with my spark as a beginner drone and pay close attention to how the technology develops. I'm hoping there will be leaps like with other consumer electronics!

What is really sad, that Spark's HW is most likely capable of performing most features we would like to see. It would be terrific if someone could be able to crack the FW and start an open source development of it just like the android world did. Sparks wouldn't end up being tossed away toys, just because it was easier to cash out for something newer.

I must admit I’m at somewhat of a loss in understanding why many appear to be in a rush to be butt sore over this recent release.

For over four years I was more than happy with my Phantom 1. I was getting close to 20minute flight times, with camera and gimbal and video downlink, using a very simple battery mod. When the Vision series was released some of the auto flight modes looked interesting but nothing I couldn’t achieve manually. The P3 and P4 releases still didn’t tempt me, 4K video appeared to be the big deal but as I don’t have any devices capable of utilising 4K I was still more than happy with the 1080p performance of my 3rd party camera.

I succumbed to the charms of the Spark last November as a local store had the Fly More Combo at a rediculously low offer, cheaper than the Chinese box shifters plus they threw in a 64GB card at no extra cost. In fact in retrospect the Spark was cheaper than the Phantom I purchased in 2013.

I’m not disrespecting the release of the Mavic Air or those that intend to buy it, it looks like a nice capable platform. I still have no need for 4K video, the new auto modes are still achievable manually, I’ve yet to lose control so the front and rear sensors for me are redundant, and the extra flight time is not essential as the 12-13minutes provided by the Spark battery is more than adequate for securing the shots I’m after.

Again I’m not disrespecting the Mavic Air, if it’s extra features are something you truly desire then it makes absolute sense to upgrade. All I’m saying is don’t be so quick to discount the Spark as it’s still a very capable platform with plenty to offer the average user. I’m still flying my Phantom1 after nearly five years, I chose to get the Spark because of the silly low price and I can get it into places that the Phantom would struggle with, the other features are just a bonus.

Regards

Nidge.

Spark is still my fun drone. Camera is okay for its size. Also it has such a small footprint it is more noticed as a toy. I think spark still has its advantages.

I can still return my Spark for a full refund (perks of buying things on Amazon, especially during the holiday season), but I am still not sure if I should do that. Mavic Air would be perfect for me, but that means also that I have to pay 200 EUR more for a non-combo version. Still have a week to decide...

Gunship9 Posted at 2018-1-24 00:35
The "Spark Pro" version, really the old Mavic since we are calling anything with more capability than the Spark that title, just dropped in price for those in the $800 budget range.  Only $828 now.  People selecting the smaller/lighter folding Mavic Air with a better, and more robust, camera over the old Mavic?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZ8 ... encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I use this really cool plugin for Chrome called "All Prices". When browsing an Amazon page that has a bunch of different configurations, when clicking the plugin, it takes you to the page that allows you to do the "Lowest Offer For Each". It is pretty handy.

https://chrome.google.com/websto ... dlancldjldhidjekpdd

I am looking for a drone with more flight time than spark and better camera. Should I go for Air or mavic

I bought SPARK a month ago ... and honestly I'm sorry ... why?
- With the new baby, DJI instead correct and give us a polished product as he promised us with SPARK here we are in the forums with fear of flying because of the deficiency of the WIFI connection.
- With all the features that we attach, more than 24 fps, RAW, other image formats and a correct OTG ... now they will tell you to go for an AIR
I see little serious that DJI remove this new product without polishing before the SPARK and desfraudando to those who acquired it.
Anyway ... SPARK compared in AIR does not make sense, analyze it as you want ... but SPARK is not competitive anymore.

DJI never bothered fixing spark problems like broken qr code or the android EU wifi issues. Or even respond to when it will be fixed.
Techical answers are void.
I’m not going to start over with a mavic air, waiting for necessary fixes that never arrive.
Actually not with anything which has an app with forced message popups blocking it during flight.

I just hope that DJI doesn't hold back features from the Spark (like OTG support!) to help differentiate the Air.

The main problem I have is with the Android app itself and as long as the Air uses the same app, hopefully it will get much better.

My only beef is that I wish DJI would have "finished" the Spark before bringing out the next new toy.  I think there are a lot of things (OTG for one) that need to be polished up a bit and I wish they had concentrated on that before coming out with another model.

I just hope they continue to move the Spark forward.

The Spark is still a great drone.
I wait and see if DJI will fail again with the Wifi only connection on the Mavic Air - testing it on Bermuda with no interference at all is just a joke. And Casey already pointed out that he noticed the range difference and connection.

It's just sad to see all the suggested features in a new drone and we will get nothing of it - if you still think we get 24fps or "correct" ce channel support on Wifi you must be out of your mind.

Nidge Posted at 2018-1-24 04:27
I must admit I’m at somewhat of a loss in understanding why many appear to be in a rush to be butt sore over this recent release.

For over four years I was more than happy with my Phantom 1. I was getting close to 20minute flight times, with camera and gimbal and video downlink, using a very simple battery mod. When the Vision series was released some of the auto flight modes looked interesting but nothing I couldn’t achieve manually. The P3 and P4 releases still didn’t tempt me, 4K video appeared to be the big deal but as I don’t have any devices capable of utilising 4K I was still more than happy with the 1080p performance of my 3rd party camera.

understand your point, but many people use these drones for videography and the most important for them is the camera... so each improvement is important for the process

Funny thing for me is that I just got the Spark So far I am loving it coming from the P3S. I literally throw it in my backpack and when I get to the destination boom throw it up in the air and I'm done. Would I have got the Mavic Air if I would have waited probably yea but I can't lie I love this little guy. I remember going to the park and people would start looking at the PS3 and you could see it would make some of them uncomfortable. With the Spark I went to the pool and while my daughter swam I got some cool shots. A dad was there and said hey that's cool how much? I said $500, he nearly flipped out and said man that's one expensive toy. So yea I do want a Mavic Air but for now, Im enjoying the Spark too much and the fact that people don't freak out when they see it is a huge plus.

I believe that a lot of the frustration from the release of the new Mavic Air comes from the fact that there has been several polls of what would people like to add to the Spark. The people gave them basically all the info they needed (24, 25 fps, raw support ....) and instead of including them (or at least some of them) in the Spark, they used them for a new drone. It is irony that a hacked versions of DJI GO 4 are actually a proof that Spark is really capable of much more than they are allowing us to use.

Add the fact that the newer versions of DJI GO 4 are actually a downgrade due to the broken OTG connection that is the only reasonable way how to fly it in the Europe with an android phone and considering that they did not fix it in three conseductive releases ... it really makes one feel like a second class customer ...

Mariano500 Posted at 2018-1-24 06:10
I bought SPARK a month ago ... and honestly I'm sorry ... why?
- With the new baby, DJI instead correct and give us a polished product as he promised us with SPARK here we are in the forums with fear of flying because of the deficiency of the WIFI connection.
- With all the features that we attach, more than 24 fps, RAW, other image formats and a correct OTG ... now they will tell you to go for an AIR

Yeah pretty sad. Its like dji read what the users want for their spark and have put all these features in to make a new drone instead of improving the spark.

Unfortunatly it outstands all other DJI drones, but not for the features, it stands out because its the least developed product when it comes to video capturing options &&&.

robnav Posted at 2018-1-24 07:20
Funny thing for me is that I just got the Spark  So far I am loving it coming from the P3S. I literally throw it in my backpack and when I get to the destination boom throw it up in the air and I'm done. Would I have got the Mavic Air if I would have waited probably yea but I can't lie I love this little guy. I remember going to the park and people would start looking at the PS3 and you could see it would make some of them uncomfortable. With the Spark I went to the pool and while my daughter swam I got some cool shots. A dad was there and said hey that's cool how much? I said $500, he nearly flipped out and said man that's one expensive toy. So yea I do want a Mavic Air but for now, Im enjoying the Spark too much and the fact that people don't freak out when they see it is a huge plus.

i really love my spark and im totally with you on all your points. Love the size and the fact that people find it more funny than scary.
But i thinks its kinda sad that DJI backstabs all the new Spark users and the Spark itself with this new high-end "low cost" drone.

Mariano500 Posted at 2018-1-24 06:10
I bought SPARK a month ago ... and honestly I'm sorry ... why?
- With the new baby, DJI instead correct and give us a polished product as he promised us with SPARK here we are in the forums with fear of flying because of the deficiency of the WIFI connection.
- With all the features that we attach, more than 24 fps, RAW, other image formats and a correct OTG ... now they will tell you to go for an AIR

It’s a case of the grass is always greener on the other side. Yes we know all about some Europeans having problems with using WiFi from controller to monitor in 2.4 ghz and equally those who have also purchased CS monitors.
We have to hope that a solution will be solved for this particular problem soon, the word is that it will so we will wait and see.
Regarding all other features like 24fps raw etc, none of these were promised so cannot be expected, it is however common for dji to pass on new features like boomerang etc to other compatible drones as they did with gesture and Mavic , I do believe we will see some of those features coming to spark but this could take a couple of months before we see them.
I believe that the most crucial thing that needs fixing for spark is better WiFi or use of cable to supply better video transmission particularly to those with problems using android in Europe.
If this is sorted then spark owners should except that everything else would be a bonus and Spark is everything that they purchased and a little more.
It’s still a great piece of technology when it works as it does and it is for many users flying it now.

heliman Posted at 2018-1-24 06:36
DJI never bothered fixing spark problems like broken qr code or the android EU wifi issues. Or even respond to when it will be fixed.
Techical answers are void.
I’m not going to start over with a mavic air, waiting for necessary fixes that never arrive.

QR was fixed with and is working fine since two updates ago.