I have read several complaints on forums as well as on youtube videos, where pilots are having trouble getting the Spark to RTH, to the same point as the takeoff.
I have tried many different scenarios. I have the set to the takeoff point.
I did not do anything extra.
Tests:
Spark
RC Controller
Samsung Galaxy S4
no OTG cable.
DJI Go 4  ver: 4.3.4
RTH set to takeoff point.
Have transported the Spark in the car about 300 miles away from where it was last calibrated. No new calibration, at all. No IMU nor Compass recalibration.
Tried flights in daytime as well as nightime as well as dark part of dawn.
Fairly windy approx. 10mph to 21mph.
Regular mode as well as Sport mode.
Take off from ground as well as hand launch.
Flew quite some distance away.
Including over water (ocean).
Used the RTH button on Cell phone as well as on RC to activate.
In all cases the Spark returned to it's starting position and landed. Within about 10 inches.
Now in most of the previous tests it hovered above the starting position. However I was impatient so I then made it land.
In he final test, I did nothing and it landed on it's own, after a little while.
This might have been due to automatic feature or due to battery getting very low.
So, I'm not sure why so many have said the RTH feature does not work?

Probably because they had a disconnect from the GPS and it went in ATTI mode and in ATTI mode the RTH does not work. That's probably why most of the fly away happen and the RTH does not work. And not because it works on your AC, or with many Spark, it does not mean it will work on all. Some might be off, not sure why.

Is there a way to work around that happening?
Can a patch / program be implemented whereas:
In case of lost RC signal and lost GPS -- The AC would attempt RTH via useing the flight log DATA to route itself back to accomplish RTH?

djiuser_NCXRokNslVsT Posted at 12-25 07:40
Is there a way to work around tht happening?
Can a patch / program be implemented whereas:
In case of lost RC signal and lost GPS -- The AC would attempt RTH via useing the flight log DATA to route itself back to accomplish RTH?

i was thinking the same
could it be made so the drone can track its Log
but it could be hard to do

Hello and good day. I am sorry to know that you are having issues with the RTH Location function of your DJI Spark. Upon checking the information you have provided us. Have you tried using a different mobile device for your DJI Spark?  There could be an issue with the mobile device ( Samsung Galaxy S4 ) that you are using on the DJI Spark. The Samsung Galaxy S4 might not be able to make all of the functions and optimize the use of the DJI Go 4 application. For reference I will post the list of recommended mobile device for the DJI Spark. Thank you.

SAADHERO Posted at 12-25 07:50
i was thinking the same
could it be made so the drone can track its Log
but it could be hard to do

Yes I guess without the GPS, the drone has no idea where it is, so no idea where to go.

DJI Stephen Posted at 12-25 09:12
Hello and good day. I am sorry to know that you are having issues with the RTH Location function of your DJI Spark. Upon checking the information you have provided us. Have you tried using a different mobile device for your DJI Spark?  There could be an issue with the mobile device ( Samsung Galaxy S4 ) that you are using on the DJI Spark. The Samsung Galaxy S4 might not be able to make all of the functions and optimize the use of the DJI Go 4 application. For reference I will post the list of recommended mobile device for the DJI Spark. Thank you.

[view_image]

He does not have problem with the RTH, in fact he said the opposite! He does not understand why some people have problem with RTH not being precise.

DJI Stephen Posted at 12-25 09:12
Hello and good day. I am sorry to know that you are having issues with the RTH Location function of your DJI Spark. Upon checking the information you have provided us. Have you tried using a different mobile device for your DJI Spark?  There could be an issue with the mobile device ( Samsung Galaxy S4 ) that you are using on the DJI Spark. The Samsung Galaxy S4 might not be able to make all of the functions and optimize the use of the DJI Go 4 application. For reference I will post the list of recommended mobile device for the DJI Spark. Thank you.

[view_image]

DJI Stephen.
No I am NOT having a problem with RTH.
This was a thread to state I did not know why other people had the problem. Mine works fine, as far as RTH is concerned.
But, Thank you for diligence in responding to this.

with zero GPS the spark would have ZERO location info - IE: NO RTH NO PLACE IN SPACE TO CALL HOME

higher end uav's have 2 compasses and IMU's ya know just incase one sends crap data and the drone gets "lost"

the spark is prone to enter ATTI mode, lots of electronics stuffed a small package, don't believe me? search or put your spark into SPort+ mode (not regular sport mode, don't ask me how search!) and go zoom around and make some sharp corners
ALl that said I love the Spark and am on #2 due to many young pilot errors when learning how to drive.

Strobing_NYC Posted at 12-25 12:17
with zero GPS the spark would have ZERO location info - IE: NO RTH NO PLACE IN SPACE TO CALL HOME

higher end uav's have 2 compasses and IMU's ya know just incase one sends crap data and the drone gets "lost"

So far I'm loving mine also.
I put it in regular sport mode, all the time and fly it pretty far away from me.
I am hoping, if it loses connection with the RC, it will automatically RTH.
I have the altitude set to 30m for RTH.
I would be very stressed if it were to loose connection, GPS and whatever else, resulting in a Flyaway.
What preventive measures are best, to take? While still having so much fun :-)

Steps to take?

Pay attention to errors such as compass or atti mode and get it down if either crops up, and when you start up, wait for it to have 10 or more satellites and give the message "Home point has been updated."

For the first time, I had a situation where... Spark was flown to the limits of distance. Then as I flew it too low, behind a sand mound it lost communication.
I could have approached or changed my loaction. Instead I waited a little bit.
On it's own RTH kicked in. It anounced it and the Spark started coming back to me.
It did everything correct.
Went to the predetermined 30m height.
Came overhead to where it had been launched.
Then proceeded to land.
It landed within 10" of it's take off spot. Nothing special to mark it. It was just on a plain wooden patio deck.
All on it's own.
YAAAAAH!!!

Now if my car would only do that :-)

Is it me or the phone compatibility is also being blamed for RTH, ATTI, Flyaways and lost of control errors?
If phones are the cause, DJI should have included a tablet/screen (it only cost a hundred bucks anyway)