Guys I have 1 bad and 1 good new!
The bad one is that yesterday I lost my spark in a ridiculous way. It was 20 meters from me into a 2 minutes flight,  too close to the sea. I was so focused on taking nice photos that I left the drone too low for too long.
Witnesses who were surfing told me the wave touched the bottom of the Spark, it tried to RTH but went for a dive right after. Unfortunately we couldn’t find it. I will never be able to forgive myself for the terrible mistake.  

The good new is that less than 24 hours after the incident I bought a new Spark. Couldn’t help myself!

I already updated the firmware. Do I need to calibrate IMU and COMPASS before launching it?

There are a lot of mismatch info about this subject. Some say it’s not needed unless prompted. Others say it’s a good idea calibrating both before launching it for the first time.
Personally I wouldn’t calibrate the compass which I think reduces the risks of a bad calibration. Am I wrong? What about the IMU?

Below you find the ugly flight record of the ridiculous accident.

did you have care refresh ?

Can you try find it at low tide ?

Shame you lost it, but at least it's been replaced :-)   

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-4-23 16:00
did you have care refresh ?

Can you try find it at low tide ?

There is no DJI Care Refresh in Brazil we are out of their reach. I would have to find an insurance company that covers these kind of incidents. If there is such company in Brazil.
I looked for the drone for hours. During the night I went back there to look once more.
Unfortunately I had to head back to the city yesterday night therefore I couldn’t look for it today morning.

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-4-23 16:00
did you have care refresh ?

Can you try find it at low tide ?

Losing something in the ocean is so much different from losing it in a lake or river. The waves and sand will make it virtually impossible to ever find again. But years from now some kid will dig it out of the sand on a beach hundreds of miles away.

Good luck with the new Spark. I would probably buy a new one right away if I lost my Spark also. It's a great little machine.

Bing Err Posted at 2018-4-23 17:39
Losing something in the ocean is so much different from losing it in a lake or river. The waves and sand will make it virtually impossible to ever find again. But years from now some kid will dig it out of the sand on a beach hundreds of miles away.

Good luck with the new Spark. I would probably buy a new one right away if I lost my Spark also. It's a great little machine.

You will not believe that minutes before I lost it a girl found a red spark buried in the sea. As she saw me with a drone before she gave it to me. I’m sure it was sitting in there for a while b/c it was so heavy, full of sand and all rusty. I couldn’t even turn its props. Minutes after that my little spark dies too virtually in the same place as the red one. What a coincidence!

Apparently you found the Bermuda Triangle for the Sparks.

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-4-23 17:50
You will not believe that minutes before I lost it a girl found a red spark buried in the sea. As she saw me with a drone before she gave it to me. I’m sure it was sitting in there for a while b/c it was so heavy, full of sand and all rusty. I couldn’t even turn its props. Minutes after that my little spark dies too virtually in the same place as the red one. What a coincidence!
[view_image]

Haha! That is crazy! I would not fly a Spark near there again since they're being sucked into the ocean.

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-4-23 17:50
You will not believe that minutes before I lost it a girl found a red spark buried in the sea. As she saw me with a drone before she gave it to me. I’m sure it was sitting in there for a while b/c it was so heavy, full of sand and all rusty. I couldn’t even turn its props. Minutes after that my little spark dies too virtually in the same place as the red one. What a coincidence!
[view_image]

That Red drone is not a total loss. You could strip it out and use the shell/body in case you ever crash yours and break the chassis. Might be useful some day.

In an event like yours, I would use the Find My Drone option on the DJI GO 4 APP (where the three horizontal bars are located to the upper-right corner).

V_kingo Posted at 2018-4-23 18:19
Apparently you found the Bermuda Triangle for the Sparks.

Hahahahahahahahha. Exactly!!!

Bing Err Posted at 2018-4-23 18:24
Haha! That is crazy! I would not fly a Spark near there again since they're being sucked into the ocean.

Dangerous spot indeed! Hahahah

what a story!

Bing Err Posted at 2018-4-23 18:27
That Red drone is not a total loss. You could strip it out and use the shell/body in case you ever crash yours and break the chassis. Might be useful some day.

You are not gonna believe it either. Hahaha Right before I lost mine I gave the red one to a guy who loves drones but can’t afford it. He said he will try to fix it which I’m quite sure if there is a fix it’s not worth it.

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-23 18:29
In an event like yours, I would use the Find My Drone option on the DJI GO 4 APP (where the three horizontal bars are located to the upper-right corner).

Exactly what I did. But the drone was in the ocean so the tide could take it anywhere. I really tried everything I could to find it. Even the surfers looked for it. No success.

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-4-23 18:44
Exactly what I did. But the drone was in the ocean so the tide could take it anywhere. I really tried everything I could to find it. Even the surfers looked for it. No success.

That's a real bummer, sorry.

Sorry for your loss, but that's a real good life lesson for the rest of us 25' up and it still got touched/sucked into the ocean...  Poseidon is just adding to his collection!  

The Bash's Posted at 2018-4-23 20:12
Sorry for your loss, but that's a real good life lesson for the rest of us 25' up and it still got touched/sucked into the ocean...  Poseidon is just adding to his collection!

lol. poseidon is probably having a lot of fun by now

natnatroswell Posted at 2018-4-23 20:35
lol. poseidon is probably having a lot of fun by now

They use random materials in Florida to make artificial reefs.... Could you imagine a cluster of drones as a reef base....

I am sorry for that loss Brilhas.

1) Will something like this work, when you are going to do a flight very low to the water surface ?

2) Anyone has tried them before ? To check if it has impact on the flying of the drone's balance ?

3) How low can you go to the waters surface to be Safe please ?

Check the Pictures

This is the Kit ? Will it work.

I think the Floats are made of Jablo and wont be so heavy, I am only in doubt with the flying / wind effect on them. Any suggestions ?

Check this footage guys.

Brilhas I think what happened when you press RTH was that as you were not far enough, so it landed on the same spot, I think whats always best is to NEVER PRESS RTH and drive it home manually -

Quoted from DJI - ''Something worth remembering is that if your drone is less than 20 meters away from you when you press the RTH button then it will land just where it is.''

If you where away more than 20metres shouldn't it have gone up and come to your Home Point ?

This RTH is really giving me SHIVERS ! :/ If someone has a good video on this matter I will be very much obligated ! Thank you in Advance !

DMX_MLT Posted at 2018-4-24 01:47
Brilhas I think what happened when you press RTH was that as you were not far enough, so it landed on the same spot, I think whats always best is to NEVER PRESS RTH and drive it home manually -

Quoted from DJI - ''Something worth remembering is that if your drone is less than 20 meters away from you when you press the RTH button then it will land just where it is.''

Kloo Gee has an awesome video that details the different behaviour of the Spark when RTH is initiated depending on its distance from the home point.

Crazy stuff! Don't know whether to offer my congrats or not LOL

JimFandango Posted at 2018-4-24 02:16
Kloo Gee has an awesome video that details the different behaviour of the Spark when RTH is initiated depending on its distance from the home point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghRZNUbV0s4&t=815s

Thank you Jim, I will watch Kloo's Video.

He does wonderful tutorials ! Thank you Jim !

A CW Posted at 2018-4-24 02:22
Crazy stuff! Don't know whether to offer my congrats or not LOL

A CW LOL ! U like those Floaties ?

Cool concept but not for me mate - when I fly over water my drone is normally 100-400’ above - if it malfunctioned those balls won’t save it LOL

DMX_MLT Posted at 2018-4-24 01:47
Brilhas I think what happened when you press RTH was that as you were not far enough, so it landed on the same spot, I think whats always best is to NEVER PRESS RTH and drive it home manually -

Quoted from DJI - ''Something worth remembering is that if your drone is less than 20 meters away from you when you press the RTH button then it will land just where it is.''

I didn’t press RTH. It was automatically engaged. When the water touched the spark, the phone screen went black and then I heard the message the aircraft is RTH. Everything happened in seconds. I have the felling that when the RTH message popped the drone was already sunk I think the water messed with the bottom sensors, the spark got dumb.

A CW Posted at 2018-4-24 03:26
Cool concept but not for me mate - when I fly over water my drone is normally 100-400’ above - if it malfunctioned those balls won’t save it LOL

A CW but if it malfunction you can Swim to it and GRAB IT BY THE BALLS it has 4 not 2 ! LOL

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-4-24 04:23
I didn’t press RTH. It was automatically engaged. When the water touched the spark, the phone screen went black and then I heard the message the aircraft is RTH. Everything happened in seconds. I have the felling that when the RTH message popped the drone was already sunk I think the water messed with the bottom sensors, the spark got dumb.

Ohhhhh..... Yes I think thats what happened I agree with You, I thought you pressed RTH.

Probably the RTH popped up when there was the disconnection between Remote and Spark, so RTH said it will be activated when it couldnt as it was too late, as the Wave must have swallowed it already.

Hahaha - I guess there is that LOL

DMX_MLT Posted at 2018-4-24 04:29
A CW but if it malfunction you can Swim to it and GRAB IT BY THE BALLS it has 4 not 2 ! LOL

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. NICE ONE!

DMX_MLT Posted at 2018-4-24 04:31
Ohhhhh..... Yes I think thats what happened I agree with You, I thought you pressed RTH.

Probably the RTH popped up when there was the disconnection between Remote and Spark, so RTH said it will be activated when it couldnt as it was too late, as the Wave must have swallowed it already.

I didnt press RTH. Either the spark was already sunk or got dumb with the reflection went down a bit touched the wave and the rest we know what happened.  
Either way it was my mistake. Lesson learned. Always keep an eye on it and never go too close to the water. If you get that close dont leave it there for long. Go down, take the pic then get it back up as soon as possible.

DMX_MLT Posted at 2018-4-24 01:34
I am sorry for that loss Brilhas.

1) Will something like this work, when you are going to do a flight very low to the water surface ?

There is no safe way to get close to surface b/c the bottom sensors can get confused. Unless DJI gives the spark an update that allows us to turn off the bottom sensor the best idea is to keep a safe distance from it.  
Ive seen this product it seems to work but I dont know how it messes with the spark's aerodynamic. Keep a safe distance from the surface you will not have this kind of issue.   

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-4-24 07:36
There is no safe way to get close to surface b/c the bottom sensors can get confused. Unless DJI gives the spark an update that allows us to turn off the bottom sensor the best idea is to keep a safe distance from it.  
Ive seen this product it seems to work but I dont know how it messes with the spark's aerodynamic. Keep a safe distance from the surface you will not have this kind of issue.

Thank you for your help Brilhas, I will do as you say.

This could have happened to anyone, its not you fault as you didnt push it down. If I was you I will contact support and ask them if they can help. What you got to lose ?

DMX_MLT Posted at 2018-4-24 07:41
Thank you for your help Brilhas, I will do as you say.

This could have happened to anyone, its not you fault as you didnt push it down. If I was you I will contact support and ask them if they can help. What you got to lose ?

I definitelly didnt push it down. Actually i had no input on the sticks at all. I left it hovering there while I took photos.  DJI makes clear to avoid reflective surfaces. I didnt hear them. hahahahaha
I got nothing to lose I will contact them.

The Bash's Posted at 2018-4-23 20:41
They use random materials in Florida to make artificial reefs.... Could you imagine a cluster of drones as a reef base....

Would be nice!!!!!

A CW Posted at 2018-4-24 02:22
Crazy stuff! Don't know whether to offer my congrats or not LOL

Definitelly I dont deserve any congrats!!

WHAT ABOUT THE CALIBRATION OF THE COMPASS AND IMU? hahahahahahha. Should I do?

DMX_MLT Posted at 2018-4-24 01:36
[view_image]

This is the Kit ? Will it work.

whoa a cool accessories it is