Does the Spark actually have a Follow Me Mode?

Yes it does.  There are some reviews online that demonstrate it.

I thought the Spark had a "Follow me" mode like the Mavic, but I found out after buying it that it hasn't. It has an "ActiveTrack" mode though, allowing to track a moving object. But it seems there is no proper "Follow me": the Spark can't follow the Controller+Phone/Tablet like the Mavic does.

"ActiveTrack" has worked well for me (though it will lose subject if you switch from video to pics or visa versa, this is apparently a design feature).

I understand the mechanical differences between "follow me" (gps) and "active track" (subject recognition).  But what are the practical differences?  I've done both (follow me with P3S), and I haven't experienced a behavioral difference.  Just a different way to implement.  Are there any practical differences that I've missed?

Charles Adams Posted at 2017-8-18 07:29
"ActiveTrack" has worked well for me (though it will lose subject if you switch from video to pics or visa versa, this is apparently a design feature).

I understand the mechanical differences between "follow me" (gps) and "active track" (subject recognition).  But what are the practical differences?  I've done both (follow me with P3S), and I haven't experienced a behavioral difference.  Just a different way to implement.  Are there any practical differences that I've missed?

The follow me mode can follow you in much more height. It can track although it doesn’t see you.
And you can use the dynamic homepoint which is set automatically to you device position.
Dji idea about the modes is:
Active track = you track other objects/people and stay where you started.
Follow me = you track yourself.

Dirk52 Posted at 2017-8-18 07:45
The follow me mode can follow you in much more height. It can track although it doesn’t see you.
And you can use the dynamic homepoint which is set automatically to you device position.
Dji idea about the modes is:

OK, I get it.  That makes a lot of sense.  Here I was thinking I'm the center of the universe ;-).  DOH!

Charles Adams Posted at 2017-8-18 07:29
"ActiveTrack" has worked well for me (though it will lose subject if you switch from video to pics or visa versa, this is apparently a design feature).

I understand the mechanical differences between "follow me" (gps) and "active track" (subject recognition).  But what are the practical differences?  I've done both (follow me with P3S), and I haven't experienced a behavioral difference.  Just a different way to implement.  Are there any practical differences that I've missed?

I have been using the Spark for a few days only, so my experience is very limited. But while I am pretty happy and excited about the Spark's features in general, I found the "ActiveTrack" to be a bit disappointing. It's okay to track a slow moving object staying withing a small range, like a kid playing in a garden. But for anything moving "faster" or in a wider range, I found the Spark would lose track too quickly: it wouldn't track me for more than a few seconds when I would just walk fast or run in a large and open field.

Maybe it's just my limited experience, but I found the Mavic's Follow Me much more reliable from start than the Spark's ActiveTrack.

Will keep trying using it though...

Dirk52 Posted at 2017-8-18 07:45
The follow me mode can follow you in much more height. It can track although it doesn’t see you.
And you can use the dynamic homepoint which is set automatically to you device position.
Dji idea about the modes is:

i agree, i think follow me should have been optimized but it is too late now, the controller has no Built in GPS and to use the Phones location is probably not very precise.

Thor1 Posted at 2017-8-18 07:48
i agree, i think follow me should have been optimized but it is too late now, the controller has no Built in GPS and to use the Phones location is probably not very precise.

Follow me works with phantom, Mavic,... with no problem with the gps from the device. No need for a build in gps for the remote. Dji is just castrating the spark with less features although the spark could handle them easily.

I like the Active Track feature.  I've done it in Gesture mode as well as using the Active track function in the app.  Both work well and as long as you don't move/change direction to quickly it will follow you.

Dirk52 Posted at 2017-8-18 07:53
Follow me works with phantom, Mavic,... with no problem with the gps from the device. No need for a build in gps for the remote. Dji is just castrating the spark with less features although the spark could handle them easily.

i have read somewhere that the mavic and phantom had a built in GPS in the controller. but if what your saying is true that hopefully they optimize it.

Thor1 Posted at 2017-8-18 08:10
i have read somewhere that the mavic and phantom had a built in GPS in the controller. but if what your saying is true that hopefully they optimize it.

They don’t have a build in gps in the controller. You can buy an external one for the inspire.

Dirk52 Posted at 2017-8-18 08:43
They don’t have a build in gps in the controller. You can buy an external one for the inspire.

then hopefully DJI will bring on the follow me mode for spark!!!

Limited luck with active track so far - no matter where I plonk it in relation to the subject after while it falls behind no mater how slow the subject is moving so that it ends up following from behind. I probably need to try it again.

Is obstacle avoidance on when spark is in active track