I'm still a Spark noob, please go easy on me.
I took my Spark for a couple of flights, but in mid flight the screen reports "connection lost" and goes black and white, reconnecting after a few seconds.
Is that the connection between my phone and the RC or the RC and the spark?
It's quite unnerving. I read that the OTG cable used to help, but that that function is now disabled. What else could I try to avoid getting these messages?

The connection lost is between the RC and the Spark. How you can avoid it is being reasonable with it. By that I mean imagine the signal's path to the Spark, keep that clean so like no houses in between etc.. It shouldn't be a problem with a few trees. And always have the RC antennas facing the Spark.

first, make sure to deploy your rc antennas correctly. android phone? if so, "do not disturb" and "airplane mode" are recommended  - also disabling "power/battery management" for Go4 app if it is android 7 or later. all those things will help prevent/minimize device disconnects. many other tips/tricks available here on the forum.

First check your antennae are positioned correctly.Basically.90 degree to spark.
I get about 450 ft on average.Video drops before rc to ac so in line of sight you may well still have control without screen.

The Spark wasn't even that far from me, 10 metres up. I was looking at it and pointing at it with the RC at all times.
It made me really scared to fly it further away.
What's the default behaviour, should the connection be dropped for longer than a few seconds? Will it stay in place or go back to my home position? What would happen if I'm flying forward say when the connection drops. Would it stop or continue to fly in that direction?

Naujoks Posted at 2018-1-30 07:56
The Spark wasn't even that far from me, 10 metres up. I was looking at it and pointing at it with the RC at all times.
It made me really scared to fly it further away.
What's the default behaviour, should the connection be dropped for longer than a few seconds? Will it stay in place or go back to my home position? What would happen if I'm flying forward say when the connection drops. Would it stop or continue to fly in that direction?

I've had had that happen once (so far), it was very strange, especially since it was at a place where I've been flying before without problems (and it's a wide open field). After that I changed the location and tried again and it "seemed" ok, but I didn't go too far away. But my Spark has been acting weirdly (in a different way) before, and I'll probably have to send it in. In your case, for your next flight, I would recommend to chose a different location and try again. As for what happens if it disconnects permanently, it will "return to home" (RTH). However, you need to be sure that the aircraft has recorded the home point before you fly off, it will show a message on the display when it has done so. Until that, either don't take off or just hover in place. Also, in the app settings, you have to set the minimum RTH altitude, make sure to set it at least as high as the highest obstacles (trees, buildings) in the area where you are flying. If RTH is activated, the aircraft will ascend to this altitude (if it's higher up, it will stay there), before flying towards your position).

Naujoks Posted at 2018-1-30 07:56
The Spark wasn't even that far from me, 10 metres up. I was looking at it and pointing at it with the RC at all times.
It made me really scared to fly it further away.
What's the default behaviour, should the connection be dropped for longer than a few seconds? Will it stay in place or go back to my home position? What would happen if I'm flying forward say when the connection drops. Would it stop or continue to fly in that direction?

Sir, please ensure that you fly in a recommended flight environment. You can enter wifi setting and choose the channel with the best signal. Did you try to change a mobile device for further check? Please avoid things that have a bad influence on the wifi connection. Or you can try to put your phone in airplane mode. Thanks for your support.

Ok, this is getting kind of serious now, but with every flight I'm doing I'm getting the disconnect issue, which is really disconcerting.
There are no obvious sources of interference around. I switch off mobile data on my Note 8.
It even disconnects when I'm flying it around my flat, mere meters away from where I am.
Is there anything else I can try to find out what the issue is?

Naujoks Posted at 2018-1-31 05:40
Ok, this is getting kind of serious now, but with every flight I'm doing I'm getting the disconnect issue, which is really disconcerting.
There are no obvious sources of interference around. I switch off mobile data on my Note 8.
It even disconnects when I'm flying it around my flat, mere meters away from where I am.

I'm a noob as well and appreciate your concern. I've been flying mine around indoors and have noticed that Bluetooth can make my Spark throw error messages. I've also seen that mentioned on other threads that you should shut Bluetooth off.

I've also experienced the disconnect issue you mentioned where the screen goes black and white. It's unnerving but I've only been indoors when that's happened. The RC and the Spark remained connected so I've been able to move it to an appropriate place to land it if it didn't automatically reconnect.

However, I've not experienced these disconnects outdoors. But, I've been flying in a rural area in open fields with no trees or tall buildings around me. If you've been flying in an urban area, try flying in an open rural area to see if you get the same issue.

I am in Berlin, that is true. But if the issue is between the RC and the Spark losing connection then GPS should not make a difference?

Naujoks Posted at 2018-1-31 05:40
Ok, this is getting kind of serious now, but with every flight I'm doing I'm getting the disconnect issue, which is really disconcerting.
There are no obvious sources of interference around. I switch off mobile data on my Note 8.
It even disconnects when I'm flying it around my flat, mere meters away from where I am.

hope it's not a note 8 issue.  i'm using a note 8 and i constantly have a connection lost error when flying just overheard.

fansf17ec0e6 Posted at 2018-7-29 03:47
hope it's not a note 8 issue.  i'm using a note 8 and i constantly have a connection lost error when flying just overheard.

Hi, sorry for the troubles that it caused, may I know what is your app and firmware version? would it be possible if you can use a different device as well due to that Note 8 is not yet optimized with our DJI GO 4 app, for you to isolate the issue as well?

DJI Tony Posted at 2018-7-29 10:32
Hi, sorry for the troubles that it caused, may I know what is your app and firmware version? would it be possible if you can use a different device as well due to that Note 8 is not yet optimized with our DJI GO 4 app, for you to isolate the issue as well?

My Spark Flew away after 11 seconds of flight in a completely unobstructed and remote place.  At 500 feet away the Drone dropped reception to the controller and just flew away at 35 MPH never to be seen again. It could have flew into a highway traffic, kids in a park, path of an airplane. DJI looked at the flight data and said because it was in ATTI mode it was totally my fault. I feel this is ridiculous. They refuse to answer these questions:
1) Even thought it was in ATTI why did it loose connection to my controller in a remote area with no RF interference or physical obstructions?
2) There are audible warnings about taking off, landing, low battery, etc. but if you are at such a risk of  losing your Drone when unknowing it is in ATTI mode, why is there not a similar warning?
3) The area I was at had STRONG GPS signal which I tested, why will they not answer my question why the failure of the GPS was not the true problem. Search the GPS issues with Spark and see how many have had iGPS issues!
4) When the Drone lost connectivity to the controller, why did it not stop and hover as they said it should have done? I could have retrieved it had this happened.

I believe DJI should replace my Drone for 3 reasons:
a) GPS failure
b) Drone did not stop and hover when losing connectivity (thus could result in very dangerous consequences). Two DJI agents said it should have stopped by design.
c)  Inadequate warnings when flying in a dangerous condition they call ATTI mode

I look forward to DJI answering these points

genewSpark Posted at 2018-8-1 07:43
My Spark Flew away after 11 seconds of flight in a completely unobstructed and remote place.  At 500 feet away the Drone dropped reception to the controller and just flew away at 35 MPH never to be seen again. It could have flew into a highway traffic, kids in a park, path of an airplane. DJI looked at the flight data and said because it was in ATTI mode it was totally my fault. I feel this is ridiculous. They refuse to answer these questions:
1) Even thought it was in ATTI why did it loose connection to my controller in a remote area with no RF interference or physical obstructions?
2) There are audible warnings about taking off, landing, low battery, etc. but if you are at such a risk of  losing your Drone when unknowing it is in ATTI mode, why is there not a similar warning?

Hi, I already replied to your thread. Please see the link below. Thank you.

https://forum.dji.com/thread-159796-1-1.html

Naujoks . Did you ever figure out your problem? I am having the same issue. The spark loses connection in and out no matter the environment.  I also have a note but it is a note9.
I have figured out that if I dont use the remote and only use my phone that it doesnt lose connection. I lost control of it on one of the last times I flew it with my remote so bad that it almost hit me in my face and it ran into a wall behind me. Before this instance it had never kept flying after losing connectivity. I tried flying it in a wide open area after that twice and lost connection totally. One of the two time it performed a RTH successfully.  The other I was able to land it where it was.   I need help with this. It is always connected to GPS before takeoff. I have the most current updated files for both the app as well as the hardware.

Naujoks . Did you ever figure out your problem? I am having the same issue. The spark loses connection in and out no matter the environment.  I also have a note but it is a note9.
I have figured out that if I dont use the remote and only use my phone that it doesnt lose connection. I lost control of it on one of the last times I flew it with my remote so bad that it almost hit me in my face and it ran into a wall behind me. Before this instance it had never kept flying after losing connectivity. I tried flying it in a wide open area after that twice and lost connection totally. One of the two time it performed a RTH successfully.  The other I was able to land it where it was.   I need help with this. It is always connected to GPS before takeoff. I have the most current updated files for both the app as well as the hardware.

Naujoks . Did you ever figure out your problem? I am having the same issue. The spark loses connection in and out no matter the environment.  I also have a note but it is a note9.
I have figured out that if I dont use the remote and only use my phone that it doesnt lose connection. I lost control of it on one of the last times I flew it with my remote so bad that it almost hit me in my face and it ran into a wall behind me. Before this instance it had never kept flying after losing connectivity. I tried flying it in a wide open area after that twice and lost connection totally. One of the two time it performed a RTH successfully.  The other I was able to land it where it was.   I need help with this. It is always connected to GPS before takeoff. I have the most current updated files for both the app as well as the hardware.

Yes losing a DJI Spark is easy especially if you lose your connection. Yesterday afternoon I was flying a route over to the train tracks at about 336’ altitude. After filming a bit I was returning in a triangle pattern and lost the connection at about 100’ from home. After moving closer to the area where the drone should be I could not reconnect and lost my Spark. You cannot RTH if you lost connection and the drone did not RTH. Unless it landed in one of the pine trees in the area.
Total distance travelled was 650-700’, signal lost  100’ from home? Weak weak weak.

fans4cdb3e72 Posted at 6-14 10:05
Yes losing a DJI Spark is easy especially if you lose your connection. Yesterday afternoon I was flying a route over to the train tracks at about 336’ altitude. After filming a bit I was returning in a triangle pattern and lost the connection at about 100’ from home. After moving closer to the area where the drone should be I could not reconnect and lost my Spark. You cannot RTH if you lost connection and the drone did not RTH. Unless it landed in one of the pine trees in the area.
Total distance travelled was 650-700’, signal lost  100’ from home? Weak weak weak.

But then again it may have ejected the battery like a lot of other Spark owners experienced.

fans4cdb3e72 Posted at 6-17 20:48
But then again it may have ejected the battery like a lot of other Spark owners experienced.

I totally suspect that the battery was lost during flight. The drone was found and returned to me this morning. The gimble is broken, all props missing except one partial blade, the front lens is gone as well as the battery. From the looks of it it took a nose dive and landed on the upper front edge.
My reasoning for a lost battery? The SD card was in good shape but the video I was recording did not save. All other previously recorded videos will play.

fans4cdb3e72 Posted at 6-18 13:39
I totally suspect that the battery was lost during flight. The drone was found and returned to me this morning. The gimble is broken, all props missing except one partial blade, the front lens is gone as well as the battery. From the looks of it it took a nose dive and landed on the upper front edge.
My reasoning for a lost battery? The SD card was in good shape but the video I was recording did not save. All other previously recorded videos will play.

I am having a terrible issue with each time I hit “record video” it drops the connection. I already sent one drone back to be “fixed” but the new/repaired drone is doing the exact same thing. Photos? No problems there. Hit record Video and it’s a total loss of signal and control. So frustrating.

Any help or advise would be so appreciated.

Yeah, these kinds of issues can be serious with the Spark.
Perhaps with any drone.

I have a Spark, and last summer experienced my first fly-away.
Thankfully I was able to wrestle it to the ground after much effort and luck of signal re-connect.

Besides the dreaded "compass error", a loss of signal combined with compass error virtually gaurentees a fly-away, as RTH is impossible because RTH cannot operate properly without a properly functioning compass to guide the RTH function.

As a result I'm researching as much as I can to find info on compass errors and loss-of-signal (for the Spark)

Hope to find some reasonable solutions, and if I do will share them here at some point.

My thoughts at this time are
1) to de-magnetise the electronic compass, re-calibrate properly, and fly in areas with minimal compass interference.

2) to strengthen my RC/AC connection by following advise to use airplane mode, manual channel adjustment, etc... to try parabolic reflectors, to maybe try changing antennas altogether and even amplified.

Will let you guy's know if any of the above works for me this next Spring and Summer of 2020.

djiuser_DMDBdhGh7SN8 Posted at 10-31 01:10
As a result I'm researching as much as I can to find info on compass errors and loss-of-signal (for the Spark)

Hope to find some reasonable solutions, and if I do will share them here at some point.

Since often the Sport switch is invokves, at "compass losses", you should, perhaps, consider "Shaking", hard moves, also as a reason.
I had not many attis, but my respond to them, in case I have a RC connection, is "dont touch the right stick, just use full throttle to get it as high as possible.
Since  Atti is a even less by fw controlled kind of a sport mode itself, my guess is that trying to maneuver it to get it under controll, is pushing the compass even more to "spinning around"
The last 2 or 3 attis, which always happened in windy conditions, just after switching to sport, the bird got back into P-GPS after 5-10s.
But, of course, calibration every now and then, in case it happens more frequent, is a good try, too.

So. I live in northwest Florida and recently got a refurbished DJI Spark. It goes without saying I’m overwhelmed by the technology of this thing. I am a first time flyer and have it registered to DJI and FAA. Now, for the most part it responds well in all the functions it is supposed to, however, I have now had 2 occasions where the drone was less than 20 meters from me and it just started doing its own thing. I’ve heard of tons of others that have lost theirs because it “just flew off” . I really found they hard to believe but now I am a believer. The first time was just in front of my house and it just started flying down the road and it seemed as though it was getting directions from another source besides my controller and phone. It was like a fight for control. It crashed into a trash can and was recovered. Busted blades and marred up the body of a flawless drone. Just last night same issue at a friends house. No crash as I could run over and grab the drone and turn on its side.

To add to previous post. I did notice last night I had a WiFi connectivity issue. It all happened so fast so I only caught a glimpse of the screen in the battle to recover my drone. Again, I had to “wrestle” with what seemed to be another source that was controlling my drone. I’m very ignorant to all this and trying to educate myself so any help or suggestions for future flights would be appreciated. In a side note this seems to be a recurring issue with drone in general. Thanks for reviewing this and I look forward to a probable solution.