I'm an Android developer, mostly of custom ROMs.  I just purchased a DJI Spark, and I'm currently waiting on it to arrive this coming Tuesday.

I decompile APKs all the time, so of course, the DJI app didn't go unnoticed.  Well, as it turns out, I could compress the collective of PNG images down to ~2.3MB SMALLER than the stock app.

Also, the /res/values/strings.xml, where essentially all the user-readable text is stored, needed to be spell checked.  And man was there a LOT wrong.  I didn't count exactly, but somwhere around 72 lines (and sometimes multiple words within a single line) were misspelled somehow.  So I went through and corrected all the spelling errors, grammar, punctuation, and spacing.  I'm sure I missed a couple, but after 7987 lines, that's pretty good.

I'm currently working on recompiling the apk, and testing that it will install, and I'm having some trouble, but I'll get it.

In the meantime, I have attached the strings.xml for the DJI devs to look at.  This was taken from the current 4.1.5 release for Android.  Today actually.

If an admin would like to let me know whether or not it's ok to post a modified apk with a disclaimer that it's UNOFFICIAL, let me know.

Looks like good work

Nice!... Great job!...

Here is a link to the diff between the original strings, and the fixed strings.  Let me know if you can't see it.

https://www.diffchecker.com/EIn9ycDQ

Can you do a custom rom that will allow EU users to use the 5G8 channels on devices where it is not supported ?
I'm in the uk and have a nexus 7 2nd gen, it has dual band but not the required channels. This is a problem for a huge number of us in the EU

Ps if you could come up with a fix for this you could make a pretty penny

M1dn1ght N1nj4
I could not even begin to pretend that I know a thing about what you have done, but from what it sounds like thank you.  I'm having a heck of a time just reading the manual due to all the grammar, spelling, and logic errors in it.  So, doing anything to help fix problems in those areas is a good thing.  

I have one huge question if you or ANY one can answer, please.  Is there a detailed comprehensive guide or manual for the GO 4 APP?  I've been exploring the app and while many settings and selections have explanations, many do not.  I've tried looking through the DJI website with no joy, no help in the tutorial videos either, that I could find, so I'm out of airspeed and ideas here.  I'm not one to just start tinkering with things I don't know a lot about so I'm not willing to just go changing things in the app if I have no idea what it really does.
Thank you


Edit: I guess I should add that I'm primarily interested in the menus for the flight control part of the app (areas where you set RTH, battery levels etc.), the other sections I can either figure out or don't care about.

Spaners Posted at 2017-8-26 14:58
Can you do a custom rom that will allow EU users to use the 5G8 channels on devices where it is not supported ?
I'm in the uk and have a nexus 7 2nd gen, it has dual band but not the required channels. This is a problem for a huge number of us in the EU

I would have to do a little research, but this mostly depends on the hardware, not the software.  If the hardware supports the channels you're missing, then it's possible, but of course, easier said than done.  But I can look into it a little, sure.  

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-8-26 19:41
M1dn1ght N1nj4
I could not even begin to pretend that I know a thing about what you have done, but from what it sounds like thank you.  I'm having a heck of a time just reading the manual due to all the grammar, spelling, and logic errors in it.  So, doing anything to help fix problems in those areas is a good thing.  

On my YouTube channel, I will be going over all the functions of the remote, app, and drone itself.  I will of course have to familiarize myself with where everything is first, but the videos for the Spark should start arriving about a week after I get the drone.  I have a full time job, and busy pretty much every weekend.  I will be going on vacation to Michigan from Sept 10 to 19.  I'll be taking the Spark with me, so I'll see if I can make some more videos while I'm there.

I'm also studying the FAA guidelines quite a bit, so I am legally flying.  Keep in touch.  Add me as a friend.  I'll keep posting what I find out, as well as, if I'm allowed, links to my videos.

M1dn1ght N1nj4 Posted at 2017-8-26 20:03
On my YouTube channel, I will be going over all the functions of the remote, app, and drone itself.  I will of course have to familiarize myself with where everything is first, but the videos for the Spark should start arriving about a week after I get the drone.  I have a full time job, and busy pretty much every weekend.  I will be going on vacation to Michigan from Sept 10 to 19.  I'll be taking the Spark with me, so I'll see if I can make some more videos while I'm there.

I'm also studying the FAA guidelines quite a bit, so I am legally flying.  Keep in touch.  Add me as a friend.  I'll keep posting what I find out, as well as, if I'm allowed, links to my videos.

OK sounds good...need to be clear about one detail though, I'm a P4P owner, not a spark.  I was doing a search of the forum, found this posting, and thought it would be a perfect place to go ask my question and find what I seek.  I figured it would not matter overall, from the standpoint of my question that is.  However, I know that the flight section of the app is different for each platform, so it would do me no good to see spark info in that case.  However, I'm sure there are still many things that can be learned either way.  Enjoy your vacay and good luck with all the other pokers ya got in the fire.  
Thanks for your time

Thank you so much for your feedback, we'll forward it to our engineers.

I might be able to fix more, but I'd need better access to source.  I'm sure you guys are keeping it closed-source for many reasons.  I understand why.  Just seeing if I can help.  Might be able to fix more stuff if I had source access.

You can also email me or something if you want to talk out of public view.

Great effort! People like you should really be recognized! Can i make a wish? - It would be nice to move the WiFi logo a little, so that the satelite count is better to see :-)

I talked to customer service about my fixes as well.  It's a slim-to-none (leaving toward none) chance that they'll give me any kind of access to the source code.  IF I manage to make a fully functional app repack, I'll let you know.  But I don't want to violate DJIs TOS.

Will see what more I can do tonight.

I keep seeing this little nag-box in the bottom right of the forum.

"No unauth modification posts allowed
Posts will be removed with no warning"

Wonder if that potentially means my modded APK.  Hmmmmm.  Maybe an admin can tell me.  I might have something working by tonight.  At the moment, just the spelling/grammar fixes.  But if it still works, I'll see about refining what portion of the GUI I can get access to.

UPDATE!

So I DO have a fully functional copy of my modded DJI Go4 app for Android.  Based on the latest available release (v4.1.5).  Installs and runs perfectly.  As soon as I get the all-clear from an admin, I'll post up a link to it.

M1dn1ght N1nj4 Posted at 2017-8-28 15:29
I keep seeing this little nag-box in the bottom right of the forum.

"No unauth modification posts allowed

Everyone gets this nag box.  No worries.

Just want to make sure I don't get a boot in the *** for releasing something they don't approve of.  Would be a heck of a way to start my drone lifestyle, by getting booted by the company I bought my first real drone from.  lol

I just made a new build of the app with the app icons all showing the word "MOD" in white directly on the logo.  I think I got all the icons, so it will be obvious that this is a modded APK.

To be clear, NO functionality changes have been made.  Just grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.

Hi M1dn1ght N1nj4, thanks so much for pointing out these errors. We realize the multi-language versions of DJI GO have some issues and fixing them is one of our top priorities. We're currently in the process of doing a total review of the English version of Android DJI GO, and we're aiming to release it in an update soon. We'll go through your edit and make sure we didn't miss any of these errors on our side. Thanks for supporting DJI, and thanks for your patience as we sort this out.

Since using the app a little more, I've found a few sentry's/grammar issues.  I'll do a write-up by this weekend.

OK, so I got a hold of the 4.1.8 APK for Android, and decided to pull it apart, and fix all the spelling, grammar, formatting.  There is more I could do, but I don't have time tonight.  I've fixed quite a bit.

Devs are welcome to do a diff and see what I changed.

M1dn1ght N1nj4 Posted at 2017-8-26 20:03
On my YouTube channel, I will be going over all the functions of the remote, app, and drone itself.  I will of course have to familiarize myself with where everything is first, but the videos for the Spark should start arriving about a week after I get the drone.  I have a full time job, and busy pretty much every weekend.  I will be going on vacation to Michigan from Sept 10 to 19.  I'll be taking the Spark with me, so I'll see if I can make some more videos while I'm there.

I'm also studying the FAA guidelines quite a bit, so I am legally flying.  Keep in touch.  Add me as a friend.  I'll keep posting what I find out, as well as, if I'm allowed, links to my videos.

I too am waiting for my Spark to arrive. What was the shipping time for you? I ordered mine over the weekend, plus Labor Day today, I know my delivery time is going to be longer.

As far as the FAA guidelines, are you planning on using your drone for business or commercial use? Currently, we are not required to register with the FAA as hobbyist pilots. You can, it's just not a requirement now.

brasda91 Posted at 2017-9-4 19:16
I too am waiting for my Spark to arrive. What was the shipping time for you? I ordered mine over the weekend, plus Labor Day today, I know my delivery time is going to be longer.

As far as the FAA guidelines, are you planning on using your drone for business or commercial use? Currently, we are not required to register with the FAA as hobbyist pilots. You can, it's just not a requirement now.

Mine was about a week.  That's about average for most things I order from within the US.

I'd LIKE to create a freelance business with it, but I need to do a bit more research and training.

It's really fun.  Switched into Sport Mode for the first time today, and oh boy is that fun!

Nice info Thanks