Hello All.

I have a DJI Spark since December17. I have more and more found that my Spark is not flying straight. In some cases, while only pressing forward, it has moved diagonally by up to 45 degrees. On video I'm going a pan instead of a fly over...Here is what the store told me where i purchased it from:

"A drone will never fly 100% straight for various reasons. One reason being that the drone is flying using a compass, seeing as compass’ are slightly off true N they actually flying in a “Notherly “ direction. And this goes for all directions."

I'd ask whether this is true and a reason for my problem, but the fact that the parrot bebop 2 i owned never once had this issue and always flew as straight as an arrow, and that my mjx bugs 2w toy drone with gps always flies straight, makes this statement hard to believe. Why does the much more expensive Spark do this?

I have done all calibrations several times, i have tried the replacement props for a flight, yet this still happens?
I have reinstalled the dji go 4 app after deleting all related folders.
If it was the wind then the direction would be the same, as the wind blows? But when flying away from me drone goes to MY right, when flying towards me, drone goes to MY left (wind should make it go to MY right again). The reason i got the spark over the bebop 2 is because of video quality, but this video quality (which is great i admit) doesn't help me if i can not fly over things in the direction i want to.

DJI, please tell me what i can do here? Can i send my flight logs through to you for you to have a look?

The store where i bought the device from is not very helpful (for other reasons, not just that query) and honestly i do not trust them enough to leave my drone with them...

Thank you.

I have the same issue and I haven't figured it out yet (tried calibration of IMU and compass, RC cal.).
I had first unit (which I lost due battery falling out) and that one was flying completely straight. I got replacement unit from DJI and this one isn't flying straight from the very first moment. It's way more obvious in sports mode, when the AC is turning left a lot and I'm afraid, that I will hit something...

you did also a calibration of your remote, I want to ask? maybe you could check RPM of the props with a tachometer, whether they are working normal or not, just my thought.

I have had a litte of that happening to me too but I think it might be that I am not pressing the joystick correctly. I notice that sometimes when I think I am going forward I am at a slight angle. When I really try to make sure I am only pushing forward I seem to fly a bit straighter.  Sidd

Just to exclude some basic and obvious reasons:
Did this happen during FUI (flying under influence) or normal flight?

I think it is the arch of the thumb as it presses forward.  Your thumb isn't a slider movement.  Push forward towards the middle of the remote control.  Another thing to look at with turning drones is changing the props out, swap the prop's position, or remove accessory landing gear and prop guards.

Also check your compass interference level at your takeoff point, should be low in the green. And when doing compass calibrations, don't do them at home/inside. Make sure you are in a large, open area away from any possible sources of interference. Preferably in the center of a large grass field if you're confined to a city.

Mara42 Posted at 2018-2-9 02:43
I have the same issue and I haven't figured it out yet (tried calibration of IMU and compass, RC cal.).
I had first unit (which I lost due battery falling out) and that one was flying completely straight. I got replacement unit from DJI and this one isn't flying straight from the very first moment. It's way more obvious in sports mode, when the AC is turning left a lot and I'm afraid, that I will hit something...

the way you do the IMU and compass calibration is very important and is not a child's play.
Also if you have done RC calibration, the same procedure above.

Hi, there. Please ensure that you fly in a place without wind. If the problem remains, I would recommend you provide a video about the situation for further check. Thanks for your support.

I would suggest to check the Yaw and magYaw deviation in the flight logs. Mine sometimes gets really hairy (30-40 degrees off), but chugs along without a compass error, as too large deviation can cause that..

Just google "magyaw drift" and you will see a lot of info and images of why it turns..

I noticed it after the last forced update to 900. Previously I was flying with 600 and it kept a solid course even in moderate-high winds. I tried to roll back to the oldest available -- 700, still same. Sortof waiting for a possible fix with the new FW...

I tried to redo the calibrations multiple times, and although it did get better, but it did not solve the issue. You can take off, and leave the drone be without any stick input and see it slowly rotate...  Really sad. Especially when trying to fly straight and keep something in the same spot on screen.. Impossible!

Mine was doing that and I used DJI Assistant 2 to reset factory settings and refresh the firmware. Seems to have helped.

Very interesting theme for me!

DukeNukem2D Posted at 2018-2-13 01:51
I would suggest to check the Yaw and magYaw deviation in the flight logs. Mine sometimes gets really hairy (30-40 degrees off), but chugs along without a compass error, as too large deviation can cause that..

Just google "magyaw drift" and you will see a lot of info and images of why it turns..

If that was my Spark I'd be sending it back to DJI for repair/replacement under warranty.

When you do your IMU calibration, make sure you are doing it on a flat surface.  When you do your compass calibration, make sure you have no metal on you or anywhere near you.

I was having the same problem with my Spark for a bit and once I did a good Compass calibration where I made 100% sure there was no metal near, it seemed to straighten it out for me.   Don't even have your phone on you when doing it.  Set it down and walk away from it and while you do it.

Kloo Gee Posted at 2018-2-13 21:56
When you do your IMU calibration, make sure you are doing it on a flat surface.  When you do your compass calibration, make sure you have no metal on you or anywhere near you.

I was having the same problem with my Spark for a bit and once I did a good Compass calibration where I made 100% sure there was no metal near, it seemed to straighten it out for me.   Don't even have your phone on you when doing it.  Set it down and walk away from it and while you do it.

Do you use spirit level for check surface horizontal position?

Mishanki Posted at 2018-2-13 23:16
Do you use spirit level for check surface horizontal position?

Sometimes spirit, sometimes water, sometimes other liquids...
Spirit tends to cause most excursions from the straight line and sometimes leads to temporary or permanent blindness. I would avoid it. Water should be the best.

Just a possibility, after you have done all the necessary calibrations, IMU, Compass, RC thimble and reset the AC via DJI Assistant 2 and you have the sensors all green to fly.

Do a swap of all the props to a new set, if you have one set extra with the fly more combo. Or visually check any prop edges or profile may be altered due to unfortunate incidents and change them.

It is a possibility that the slightly damage props may not provide the same thrust as the new props.

Mishanki Posted at 2018-2-13 23:16
Do you use spirit level for check surface horizontal position?

When I’ve done it, I just used the level built into my iPhone.  It is part of the Compass app.  Not sure if Android has the same built in, but I’m sure there are a ton of apps available to download.  

You can see an example of this in the video I made on this topic a while back...
DJI SPARK - IMU Calibration

Thank you. Got confirmation about use spirit level.

My Spark did it once in an open park and it was weird. I brought it down and shutdown the AC to check. It was perfectly fine after that. I don’t know what was the issue

Drones will fly to inputs. If you input forward command, it will tilt forward and advance. If there’s wind it will not correct for wind thus having a drift. Any aircraft suffers from this issue, unless you apply the proper wind correction.

Everyone goes into config. and calibration, when the solutions ar far more simple. The only one time the drone corrects for wind is while hovering, because it knows you commanded it to stop by removing any inputs and it will try to maintain that same GPS position or vision system position.

Hello! My drone also started to do so, and is getting more and more worse. If I do IMU calibration, is ok for a few minutes, and after that, as probably warming up, the situation is getting more and more worse. After the second battery the drone sometimes is flying almost at 45 degrees to it's original direction. In addition is getting into ATTI mode if i set to sport mode and insisting in flying in circle.
Biggest problem is, this drone was bought second hand and I have no invoice, so dont know it it's under warranty. It was bough in june, so theoretically it should be in warranty. I heard that if this problem doesnt disappear after an IMU calibration, means imu module is defective and needs replacement.

I had this issue since the start also. I always thought it was me, but now I got a new Mavic 2 and I have no problems to fly straight with that.
I need to re-calibrate everything and test. If it does not help, I need to contact DJI support as I still have some warranty left.

I just got exchanged my old Spark (water damage) under warranty, and the old one was perfect. Flying straight, not drifting, no compass error, ATTI mode or IMU error etc. The replacement drone is the total opposite. This is just so sad. I will do a lot more testing, before opening a new case DJI to get it exchanged again, as it could seem to be the compass and GPS module on the mainboard/motherboard there's faulty.


EDIT: The AC is now under repair at DJI and will be free of charge. I'm so exiting to see if I'll receive a fully perfectly working unit!

Mara42 Posted at 2018-2-9 02:43
I have the same issue and I haven't figured it out yet (tried calibration of IMU and compass, RC cal.).
I had first unit (which I lost due battery falling out) and that one was flying completely straight. I got replacement unit from DJI and this one isn't flying straight from the very first moment. It's way more obvious in sports mode, when the AC is turning left a lot and I'm afraid, that I will hit something...

Im having the same issue, no problems on original spark but as soon as i got a replacement from dji, non stop issues with drifting and connection. Horrible support from dji as usual.