I just came across an instagram post from DJI, advertising a 16 minute flight time on the Spark. In my own exprerience i'm not getting anywhere near this, so i'd love to know if any of you more experienced drone pilots are achieving the advertised *flight time* of 16 minutes or even getting close to it? If so please share

My usual time is 10 minutes (and I must stress that I am not unsatisfied).  My ground level is at altitude (Colorado, mile high), so my spark is flying in thinner air (which requires more work).  I also fly with the blade protectors always on (which adds weight).  And my typical use case is flying on a boat.  I purposefully and manually fly back to home point at between 30-40% battery so that I've lots of power to abort and re-attempt landing, and usually have 20% battery left when I land (on the boat).

I am not using prop guards (less weight). My experience, using 3 separate batteries: Around 14 min average flight time, consisting mainly of ascending and making videos with mediocre flight distance. (10% remaining) If you are using sports mode then expect down to 10 minutes, because the added agility burns much more energy.

Regards

I get 12-14 minutes. No prop guard, no Sports Mode.

Mind you it's up to 16 minutes the manual states that's at a constant specified speed and with minimal wind or breeze.

Info from here: https://www.dji.com/spark/info

Max Flight Time	16 minutes (no wind at a consistent 12.4 mph (20 kph))
Max Hovering Time	15 minutes (no wind)

I get around 15 min of flight time.

11 to 15, but I don't push the battery past 20%. By that time their almost 140 degrees anyway in my weather, and I'm not out to melt them.

I get the Spark down at the 30% Mark at 12 minutes. There's strong trade winds in Hawai‘i. Are you guys setting your low battery warning even lower? Maybe I should.

brian_b Posted at 2017-9-26 10:03
I get the Spark down at the 30% Mark at 12 minutes. There's strong trade winds in Hawai‘i. Are you guys setting your low battery warning even lower? Maybe I should.

30% for me. Heat plays a factor in that also.

12 minutes 7.501 meters in sport mode

Yup, another POST on the same 'How many minutes?" .. lol

12 solely with hand gesture on Sunday.  No complaints here.

I'm not sure if it is 'good' or 'bad', but 12 minutes I can't really complain. I shoot B-roll with two batteries and money shot with the third. Be nice if the Big Mac you get looks like the picture above the register.

Around 10 minutes, sports mode, with props, usually 10 % battery left

12minutes until battery is at 20%

9 to 11 minute mostly in sport mode with lots of hard banking, turns and braking.