I just finished flying with 3 batteries two from combo and one purchased separately with no problems.

And maybe someone that has a fallen of the sky Spark do a CSC midflight that causes drone fall like a brick from sky and dont even know what CSC is.

If someone do this with controller sticks when are on flight, drone will fall like a brick:




Its not easy to happen, but.. i dont doubt.

Stech i dont think there is a csc with spark atleast i couldnt find nothing on it in the manual or anywhere....jeez imagine that tho there is a hidden csc on remote we dont know about....makes ya think just like how we found we could use otg!

$gambino$ Posted at 2017-7-30 18:06
Stech i dont think there is a csc with spark atleast i couldnt find nothing on it in the manual or anywhere....jeez imagine that tho there is a hidden csc on remote we dont know about....makes ya think just like how we found we could use otg!

Gambino, i catch this CSC image from Spark Manual -

CSC are on page 48 and 49.
I am prety sure theres a CSC on Spark - its on manual - and maybe a lot of owners dont even know.

Hmm i will check it out interesting!

Sorry stech couldnt see pic from mobile but i think u are onto something ! I could definitely see new guys holding sticks out like that in a panic or something 1.5 sec is not long! This is a good valid point u bring up more people should look into only thing is people said the flight data cut off. Wouldnt it say if a csc was performed?

my question is why does that mode exist on the spark?   that is stupid!   its smart for other drones they make... but the spark is targeting everyone.. from experienced to clueless...   its not a Mavic Pro where its targeting moderately experienced to pro level.. or an inspire where targeting pro only.. its a $500 quadcopter with wifi and palm launch...

personally, i think this will explain some cases.   but i doubt it would explain most of them.

also would emergency stop (csc) get logged in the app?

ImHereToCrash Posted at 2017-7-30 20:13
my question is why does that mode exist on the spark?   that is stupid!   its smart for other drones they make... but the spark is targeting everyone.. from experienced to clueless...   its not a Mavic Pro where its targeting moderately experienced to pro level.. or an inspire where targeting pro only.. its a $500 quadcopter with wifi and palm launch...

personally, i think this will explain some cases.   but i doubt it would explain most of them.

This situation wouldn't explain the spark losing total power. Mine fell from the sky (several weeks ago) whilst it was just hovering, no stick inputs. When I picked the spark up off the floor it was totally switched off. I had to do the button press to turn it back on. The Spark shouldn't be able to tell the battery to turn off, I can't see why they would program that into the code.

fans5d9349b7 Posted at 2017-7-30 20:42
This situation wouldn't explain the spark losing total power. Mine fell from the sky (several weeks ago) whilst it was just hovering, no stick inputs. When I picked the spark up off the floor it was totally switched off. I had to do the button press to turn it back on. The Spark shouldn't be able to tell the battery to turn off, I can't see why they would program that into the code.

ya exactly i doubt it would account for most sparks falling.     some yes.. most people no..

If the battery will disconects from the aircraft i think it will act same as you power it on outside the aircraft , it will power down in a minute so this can explain that the AC that fall have no power on inducator.   

Thanks for this advice! Always a good procedure.

$gambino$ Posted at 2017-7-30 16:57
Supercurro what is the stop button? U mean the pause button? U dont need to hit any buttons to stop in sport mode just slowly let go of right stick...i just had a theory tho...so u know how u can flip the quad over to shut it off manually....well i wonder if being windy out and people flying in sport mode tilt level might be to aggressive in wind and might actually tilt to much enough to shut it off if really windy....hence the "falling out of sky sparks"

Yes sorry, is the pause button, if you drive full speed and you make a strong stop with the firmware 4 the engine stops. If you stop the drone slowly nothing happends, but if the drone is running full speed and lose connection could happend it stops the engines.

And this in the european version could happend lot of times, When you are farer than 200 meters you can lose the connection... (500 meters is impossible reach, the maximum I got was 350 meters).

friend just lost 1 .. confirmed not CSC

eylneb Posted at 2017-8-1 22:54
friend just lost 1 .. confirmed not CSC

, now im scared.... Anything in the logs?

Indi91 Posted at 2017-8-1 23:27
, now im scared.... Anything in the logs?

well don't be... i flew mine across the sea from 1 island to another... total 1.7km n got back safely... making it the furtherest ive flown.. to and back about 3.4km with 20% batt left

not sure..  but he already raised a case with DJI n synced the flight record for them to check.

eylneb Posted at 2017-8-1 23:47
well don't be... i flew mine across the sea from 1 island to another... total 1.7km n got back safely... making it the furtherest ive flown.. to and back about 3.4km with 20% batt left

not sure..  but he already raised a case with DJI n synced the flight record for them to check.

Are you using OTG? Thats a really far distance! Me 200m already scared. More practice brings more confidence i guess.

Indi91 Posted at 2017-8-1 23:58
Are you using OTG? Thats a really far distance! Me 200m already scared. More practice brings more confidence i guess.

nope.. wifi all the way...

Thanks for your info Do... Got a spark and a RC... last week.  no extra battery... I seem safe for now. Seems like your using a Apple, I have a Android maybe. I don't know if Assistant is a apple or android app. I can't get assistant to load on my android... Maybe the new 4.1.22 will help my 4.1.18 android. My Spark hasn't been outside yet. Winter now.....  be out when it's 40 degree and calm. Cheers.

I never had any issues with my Spark. Strange! Can’t see how the battery will have any impact on GPS receivers

I noticed this whole thread stopped having activity back in August. Between then and now, a firmware update was released that prevented flying until you did it. Was that firmware in relation to these problems?

sSkyPilot Posted at 2017-12-14 15:39
Thanks for your info Do... Got a spark and a RC... last week.  no extra battery... I seem safe for now. Seems like your using a Apple, I have a Android maybe. I don't know if Assistant is a apple or android app. I can't get assistant to load on my android... Maybe the new 4.1.22 will help my 4.1.18 android. My Spark hasn't been outside yet. Winter now.....  be out when it's 40 degree and calm. Cheers.

DJI Assistant is for Windows and Mac PCs, not for mobile devices.

Thanks Wachtberger...

The firmware info does not correlate with the battery. One might ask what is the connection with the battery?

SOUNDWAVE439 Posted at 2018-2-6 20:07
The firmware info does not correlate with the battery. One might ask what is the connection with the battery?

Hi, I am the thread opener. I got the Spark since the first date of release. At those days, you will see at least 1 person complained about Spark falling per day. And through all the updates from DJI, I strongly believe my theory was right about both hardware and software.
1. Hardware: the battery latch is so weak that after a long time using, with the gravity effects on the battery, it can fall apart and shutdown the drone. Solution: Highly suggest you buy a batter lock, or you can 3D print it (inbox me it you need the link for the drawing).
2. Software: you can tell that right away when the number of falling reduced right away after the first update for battery. Before that, DJI only release update for Spark. But then, in every update, you have to do that for every single battery...and they even said that in the release note "optimize the power management of the battery".
Til now, Spark has become more reliable and enjoyable, good job DJI. The only complain I have to them was that it took them so long to fix the matter (Around 2-3 months for the first battery update, as I remember)

So I've been reading a lot about this as a new Spark owner and I think you're on to something here.  Why I say so is this.  I have both an iPhone and an Android device.  I've hooked up the Spark to both.  I've noticed that in the firmware update section of an iOS device there is a seperate option to upgrade the firmware of a battery.  On the Android version of the app there isn't.  It seems with Android it's tied to an update of the Spark's firmware.  So that's why I think you have something there.  Since with an Android device that's no way to choose or force an update on a battery, the only way would be to go into assist and force a firmware refresh of the Spark.  That would update the firmware of the battery connected to the Spark at the time of Spark firmware update.

WinterRanger Posted at 2018-7-28 17:07
So I've been reading a lot about this as a new Spark owner and I think you're on to something here.  Why I say so is this.  I have both an iPhone and an Android device.  I've hooked up the Spark to both.  I've noticed that in the firmware update section of an iOS device there is a seperate option to upgrade the firmware of a battery.  On the Android version of the app there isn't.  It seems with Android it's tied to an update of the Spark's firmware.  So that's why I think you have something there.  Since with an Android device that's no way to choose or force an update on a battery, the only way would be to go into assist and force a firmware refresh of the Spark.  That would update the firmware of the battery connected to the Spark at the time of Spark firmware update.

In Android if a firmware update is done after being notified in the app a update is available(not mandatory),different batteries will trigger the same update notice. It can be confusing since you know you did a ac and rc update. The app doesn't tell you its the different battery that needs updating, not the entire flight units.

I saw a few YT clips where people tried ti make CSC but they failed... Maybe it has to be at a given height or something.

I had a huge battery deviation during flight. https://forum.dji.com/thread-157504-1-1.html

How many of these incidents occurred with a battery bar/add on. would be good to have an idea to rule out battery coming loose.

I had some reason to strongly believe it is the firmware of the battery that used to cause all the fuzz. Back then when Spark has just released, I was one of the owner and I was so scary to fly because people reported Spark falling and flying away everyday, yes, everyday. Then, after one update (I don't remember exactly the version), they suddenly asked us to update with all the batteries (Before, no need, only the aircraft). And it is compulsory as well, which meant we are grounded if not update. After that update, no more falling (or at least one case in a while, which I think those might be pilot's error), and Spark getting quite stable as well. So.... you can see the logic there. It is the battery matter.

I just got the refurb Spark Fly More combo from Newegg. I have noticed that twice now that after flying one battery, landing, swapping batteries that the second battery stops reporting percent charged updates. I am sure there are other things happening on the app that I'm not sure how to report yet. It has gotten stuck around 75-85% and then no further updates. I'm using a Moto G4 Plus, which isn't approved/compatible but seems to work fine for the most part. I'll attempt the firmware update tonight and see if it changes this behavior. I'll also take note of which of the two batteries is behaving this way and see if I can reduce it down to only one.

I just got the refurb Spark Fly More combo from Newegg. I have noticed that twice now that after flying one battery, landing, swapping batteries that the second battery stops reporting percent charged updates. I am sure there are other things happening on the app that I'm not sure how to report yet. It has gotten stuck around 75-85% and then no further updates. I'm using a Moto G4 Plus, which isn't approved/compatible but seems to work fine for the most part. I'll attempt the firmware update tonight and see if it changes this behavior. I'll also take note of which of the two batteries is behaving this way and see if I can reduce it down to only one.

An in flight battery ejection by the Spark is usually due to dimensional instability of the AC body due to heat. The body of the Aircraft expands when it is heated allowing the battery to slip out, especially if it is not otherwise completely seated. If it's completely seated and the clasps are slightly worn the dimensional instability of the body when heat and gravity act on it will aid in the worn clasp slipping.

Seems like their could be a better way if the battery went in from the top and facing backwards heat and gravity may not separate it from the AC as fast.   

I guess like everything that is made today.  You get the majority working, but sometimes one in 100 are faulty.   Could be just a bad batch of batteries.   I have 3 ..  2 from combo and 1 seperate purchase and all 3 are fine..

I use a battery clip and it works great !!!
Safe Flying

The AC draws quite a few amps during flight. Based on the max. flight time the Spark draws about 4 times the battery capacity or about 4-5 A/h. Could it be that the problem is simply bad contacts between the battery and AC. Bad contacts generate a lot of extra heat that in turns makes even  worst contacts and will nearly cut the power off to the AC.
Just a thought, sometimes the simplest cause is the good one.
Cheers,
S.

Might be on to something here. I'm a pretty new drone user, had the Spark for 1.5 month now, used a single battery for a few weeks since I couldn't afford the Fly More Combo.
Had my share of adventures with aftermarket propellers, some rougher on the surface, some smoother, but I'm almost 100% sure the ones I have now, black with golden line at the tip, are very good and balanced.
Unfortunately I crashed them at the first flight today, from 1m above only but it let a few minor scratches on the surface
I'm almost sure it was the batteries fault, I used the very first batterie at that try, after that tried battery #2 and #3 and they very stable again.
Gave me a little heart attack, but like I said, I'm content now cause I'm almost sure it's the first batteries fault.

I think it's easiest to recognize that it fails to maintain the altitude if you quickly push it up all the way in sport mode, the battery can't handle all the drain.
Switching it back to "normal" mode or going slowly with the stick sometimes makes it stable, sometimes not... I think there's also the charger you use. Using the original USB one that came with the drone takes longer but makes the battery "charge better" if you know what I mean.
Also have an aftermarket one that can charge 3 batteries at a time much quicker, but I think it's not making a good job with my very first battery that had too many cycles already...

This was a firmware issue in summer of 2017
Has nothing to do with the batteries falling out now.

I believe that the issue is the AC falling out WITH the battery still attached

  I have 14 flights on my Spark with no issues. Took the drone out to the country today to fly while daughter was at a 4 hour softball practice. I launched the drone in beginner mode and went out about 100 feet and 25 up. As I was turning the drone the battery fell off. I saw it come down to the ground and spent an hour searching the field, but I was unable to locate the drone, grass was about 4 feet tall. Used the app and last known locations but for the life of me I was not able to locate it. I am not a frequent flyer and I would say much a beginner and I am extremely cautious when flying the Spark . I have never had any issues until today and viewing the forum this seems to be an issue I was unaware of. I bought the Spark in November 2017 with the DJI Care, not sure what to do at this point. Pretty frustrstung to spend $700 only to have it lost from an issue with DJI Spark batteries. Extremely disappointed in DJI, I see now there is an aftermarket accessory to hold the battery in place, but if this was an issue perhaps DJI should have included this is their Fly More Combo.  Sorry about the rant, but big failure for DJI!