So I notice how hot the Spark gets, and have been looking at that video for some months now from the guy that put the vent in the cover above the fan.

There has been some conjecture over whether or not the left and right vents not the spark are exhausts or intakes (many say one of each)

Anyway...I did this simple test which confirms that BOTH vents are exhausts vents.  You can see the feather being blown away from the spark on both sides.




Here’s the link to the original mod that I was referring to

Good info!         

Great test method!

Good to know if your flying that it is actively pushing debris or light snow/rain away instead of sucking it in.... I often wondered why no one had made some sort of clip on cover that gives the vents a little extra overhanging protection.

Then where does it intake from? Its creating a negative pressure inside the chassis. Wonder why they did this... I mean there wont be any dust build ups which is a

Intake is at the gimble, Sona mat or palm take-off and landing is a must

BeastMaster_101 Posted at 2018-3-4 09:58
Then where does it intake from? Its creating a negative pressure inside the chassis. Wonder why they did this... I mean there wont be any dust build ups which is a

So people say the intake is from under the gimble, but the guy that did the mod said it isn’t.  He uses a torch to show where some of the air comes from, which he says is insufficient.

After the mod he says the spark is cool after flying in sports mode.   I have no reason not to believe him so I think it’s a worthwhile mod.

Yes it probably voids warranty, yes there is a chance of debris and water, but I don’t fly in conditions where that is really a risk.

Good info. Somebody recently posted a pic of a lot of sand and dust build up around the gimbal, which would make sense IF that's where the air intake is. I agree that palm landing and take off or using the mat is important to keep your Spark clean of sand and debris. Such small and sensitive motors I'm sure are very susceptible to damage from dirt build up.

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-4 16:01
So people say the intake is from under the gimble, but the guy that did the mod said it isn’t.  He uses a torch to show where some of the air comes from, which he says is insufficient.

After the mod he says the spark is cool after flying in sports mode.   I have no reason not to believe him so I think it’s a worthwhile mod.

I dont want to risk dust build ups and here in Canada the weather is always very humid. I dont want to do the mod

Seem like a useful mod, in the video he says even the battery runs cooler with it.

I did a little test myself, with some thick smoke, and I can confirm that both vents at the top are exhausts (you can sense it with your fingers, no need for a test really). The intake is just behind the camera gimbal, I couldn't exactly see where, but the smoke got clearly sucked in right behind and above it.

Components jammed very tightly inside a compact airframe. Heat is a big problem. CPU and related electronic components handles plenty of computations to keep the AC flying/position/video photo capturing/signal transmission and receiving instructions. Heat buildup may contribute to weird behaviour in Spark and thus flyaways. For example, compass error, battery failure, problems happen in sport mode, GPS lost connection, transmission interruptions, etc. It is hard to tell which one(s) is/are caused by heat problem. Heat buildup can cause random problems.
May be of this design fault in Spark, DJI designs a bigger airframe for Mavic Air to keep the heat generating components further apart and avoid interference between components. Additional airvents are put into Mavic Air. I believe that DJI learned a lesson from Spark. As I always said, Spark owners are beta testers.

Spark may have design faults that DJI cannot correct with firmware/software upgrade. I am not surprise to learn that DJI is abandoning Spark.
I agree with the cooling MOD and at least can eliminate heat problem. Without the MOD, Spark owner can keep his warranty but if the Spark flies away due to heat problem. In this case, warranty is just a piece of paper with empty promises.
What I suggest DJI can do (if the company really cares about customer satisfactions), is to recall Spark and change the upper cover with a new version that have more intake vents for free.

Great solution to solve the heat issue! I wonder though if its a good idea to place the intake else where rather than directly on the roof of the drone just for extra protection when drizzling or something

KurtVD Posted at 2018-3-4 17:43
Seem like a useful mod, in the video he says even the battery runs cooler with it.

I did a little test myself, with some thick smoke, and I can confirm that both vents at the top are exhausts (you can sense it with your fingers, no need for a test really). The intake is just behind the camera gimbal, I couldn't exactly see where, but the smoke got clearly sucked in right behind and above it.

That's interesting.  The guy states there is no intake there, but I did keep wondering where is the air coming from.  As someone else stated, not a great spot for an intake in some ways as you will suck up debris on takeoff....but you probably get decent air flow through during forward flight.      It's still hard to understand why it gets so hot if there is an intake.

Anyway...i'll give the mod a go in the next week or so (i'm away this week) and will report back findings.   I bought a spare cover to test this on

Great video it make sense not a bad design from DJI just overlooked.
Thanks
COOLER IS BETTER.

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-5 12:44
That's interesting.  The guy states there is no intake there, but I did keep wondering where is the air coming from.  As someone else stated, not a great spot for an intake in some ways as you will suck up debris on takeoff....but you probably get decent air flow through during forward flight.      It's still hard to understand why it gets so hot if there is an intake.

Anyway...i'll give the mod a go in the next week or so (i'm away this week) and will report back findings.   I bought a spare cover to test this on

He did state that there's no intake there, but the air has to go in somewhere, and I could clearly see the smoke getting sucked through. Now that I knew where to look, I spotted a little speck of dirt/dust buildup right behind the camera, it has to be the hole where the air is getting sucked in. I guess most of you guys should find a similar spot of dust there, depending how much you've used your Spark (and where).

Where did you get the cover? I had the same idea, but no clue where I could get a spare cover...

KurtVD Posted at 2018-3-5 17:47
He did state that there's no intake there, but the air has to go in somewhere, and I could clearly see the smoke getting sucked through. Now that I knew where to look, I spotted a little speck of dirt/dust buildup right behind the camera, it has to be the hole where the air is getting sucked in. I guess most of you guys should find a similar spot of dust there, depending how much you've used your Spark (and where).

Where did you get the cover? I had the same idea, but no clue where I could get a spare cover...

That looks right.  It's only small...that could be part of the issue...but having said that, the route it follows may take it past other components that need cooling.  Hard to say unless you do a teardown.   

As for the cover, I just went on ebay and searched for spare DJI SPARK COVER.   You should get a few hits.  It cost me about $13 Aussie Dollars.   I think it came from china though and it took about 4 weeks to get here. (wasn't in a rush though)

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-5 18:22
That looks right.  It's only small...that could be part of the issue...but having said that, the route it follows may take it past other components that need cooling.  Hard to say unless you do a teardown.   

As for the cover, I just went on ebay and searched for spare DJI SPARK COVER.   You should get a few hits.  It cost me about $13 Aussie Dollars.   I think it came from china though and it took about 4 weeks to get here. (wasn't in a rush though)

Thanks! Doesn't matter if it takes a while, and even if it isn't the same quality and doesn't fit perfectly, that's fine as long as I can leave the original unmolested ;)

What you're saying about other parts that could get cooled on the original air route, might be a concern. For this reason I'm considering to make the new hole smaller than in the video, so that the fan will still need to pull some air through the little hole.

KurtVD Posted at 2018-3-5 18:30
Thanks! Doesn't matter if it takes a while, and even if it isn't the same quality and doesn't fit perfectly, that's fine as long as I can leave the original unmolested ;)

What you're saying about other parts that could get cooled on the original air route, might be a concern. For this reason I'm considering to make the new hole smaller than in the video, so that the fan will still need to pull some air through the little hole.

Yeah..my plan is to drill holes in a patten into the top. Maybe 12 or so with a 1.5mm-2mm drill bit.   I’ll make a template and stick it down with tape so the holes are lined up AND I don’t slip and scratch the case.    That’s the plan anyway.

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-5 19:40
Yeah..my plan is to drill holes in a patten into the top. Maybe 12 or so with a 1.5mm-2mm drill bit.   I’ll make a template and stick it down with tape so the holes are lined up AND I don’t slip and scratch the case.    That’s the plan anyway.

I was thinking about that too, but if I'm going with the small holes, I'll probably drill them from the inside, with the cover sitting on a wooden block. I don't see how I could drill from the outside without scratching it.
But maybe the method with a large hole and a mesh to cover it is the way to go, you don't have to make it as big as the one in the video right from the start. The problem with drilling small holes is, the plastic will get weaker with every hole you drill, and you'll have to be really careful to not crack the plastic once you have made a few holes...

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-5 19:40
Yeah..my plan is to drill holes in a patten into the top. Maybe 12 or so with a 1.5mm-2mm drill bit.   I’ll make a template and stick it down with tape so the holes are lined up AND I don’t slip and scratch the case.    That’s the plan anyway.

yeah...my plan b is to make a big hole if I ruin it in the process.  LOL

Using my template method which is stuck down on top of the case first, you shouldn’t scratch the plastic as the tape and paper is covering it.

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-5 19:40
Yeah..my plan is to drill holes in a patten into the top. Maybe 12 or so with a 1.5mm-2mm drill bit.   I’ll make a template and stick it down with tape so the holes are lined up AND I don’t slip and scratch the case.    That’s the plan anyway.

Hah! Speed holes. Yet another successful prediction done by the creators of The Simpsons.

BeastMaster_101 Posted at 2018-3-4 09:58
Then where does it intake from? Its creating a negative pressure inside the chassis. Wonder why they did this... I mean there wont be any dust build ups which is a

Air flows in through the front. It flows around the gimbal as I see it. This mod is unnecessary.

Reading this thread reminds me of another one where a guy lost his spark and DJI turned down the claim because he had a gimble cover.
At first I thought it was a it rough, but that could have contributed to poor airflow and for the unit to overheat.
Makes sense.

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-5 20:09
yeah...my plan b is to make a big hole if I ruin it in the process.  LOL

Using my template method which is stuck down on top of the case first, you shouldn’t scratch the plastic as the tape and paper is covering it.

My (now ordered) cover will also take up to 4 weeks to arrive, that gives me some time to choose between the two methods. I don't know about you, but in my case, the weather has been quite cold since I have bought my Spark, yet it gets very warm, so I think this modification will be useful for the summer months. If it's true what the guy in the video says and the battery runs a few degrees cooler as well, it will be good for the battery too (potentially less degradation).

graywoulf Posted at 2018-3-5 20:51
Air flows in through the front. It flows around the gimbal as I see it. This mod is unnecessary.

DJI has done their testing and have people smarter than me working on it, so from that aspect, i would say not necessary.  However I do not like how how it gets.  I am surprised at how hot it is really...so if it keeps it cooler, it has to be a good thing in my opinion

Ricky Aerial Photography Posted at 2018-3-4 18:29
Components jammed very tightly inside a compact airframe. Heat is a big problem. CPU and related electronic components handles plenty of computations to keep the AC flying/position/video photo capturing/signal transmission and receiving instructions. Heat buildup may contribute to weird behaviour in Spark and thus flyaways. For example, compass error, battery failure, problems happen in sport mode, GPS lost connection, transmission interruptions, etc. It is hard to tell which one(s) is/are caused by heat problem. Heat buildup can cause random problems.
May be of this design fault in Spark, DJI designs a bigger airframe for Mavic Air to keep the heat generating components further apart and avoid interference between components. Additional airvents are put into Mavic Air. I believe that DJI learned a lesson from Spark. As I always said, Spark owners are beta testers.

Where did you learn that DJI are abandoning the Spark? First I've ever heard of such things....

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-5 20:09
yeah...my plan b is to make a big hole if I ruin it in the process.  LOL

Using my template method which is stuck down on top of the case first, you shouldn’t scratch the plastic as the tape and paper is covering it.

My cover has arrived, and I had yet another idea: Instead of drilling holes (big or small), I was thinking about cutting slots, so that it would look more like a radiator. The downside is. that you need a tool like the Dremel, rather than a simple drill.

Also, I think I'll wait until November with this mod, since 2 of the 6 screwheads are filled with something (possibly solder), so that you can't insert the screwdriver. It would be easy enough to remove, but it looks like it is DJI's way of knowing if the drone has been opened by the customer, which would void the warranty. That's a risk I'm not ready to take, at least not right now, it's not even 6 months old.

KurtVD Posted at 2018-3-14 13:00
My cover has arrived, and I had yet another idea: Instead of drilling holes (big or small), I was thinking about cutting slots, so that it would look more like a radiator. The downside is. that you need a tool like the Dremel, rather than a simple drill.

Also, I think I'll wait until November with this mod, since 2 of the 6 screwheads are filled with something (possibly solder), so that you can't insert the screwdriver. It would be easy enough to remove, but it looks like it is DJI's way of knowing if the drone has been opened by the customer, which would void the warranty. That's a risk I'm not ready to take, at least not right now, it's not even 6 months old.

Aaah...didn’t know that.   That’s a buggar.  I’m in the same positin...I htink my Spark is about 6 months too and was debating if I shoudl wait until my Refresh cover is over.    If it’s obvious it’s been tampered with, then I might have second thoughts.

I like your radiator idea..I had thougt about that too (and have a dremmel) but I have had mixed results previously in trying to cut a neat consisten line using one of the discs.   To get them parallel to each other and the same lenghth on my first attempt is going to be tricky !      I  have more confidence in using a drill.

I plan to do the mod this weekend if I get a chance....just not sure when I will actually fit it.

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-3-14 13:09
Aaah...didn’t know that.   That’s a buggar.  I’m in the same positin...I htink my Spark is about 6 months too and was debating if I shoudl wait until my Refresh cover is over.    If it’s obvious it’s been tampered with, then I might have second thoughts.

I like your radiator idea..I had thougt about that too (and have a dremmel) but I have had mixed results previously in trying to cut a neat consisten line using one of the discs.   To get them parallel to each other and the same lenghth on my first attempt is going to be tricky !      I  have more confidence in using a drill.

I have finally done the modification to the spare cover and mounted it. I'm getting ready for my first outdoor flight today and I was wondering if you have been modding yours in the meantime?

I wanted to try and cut a slot or two with the Dremel tool into the cover, but the cutting wheel melted the plastic and the cut started to get very large, so I had to transform it into a hole instead. That's why it looks that way it is. For the moment, I decided to leave it at that size, because I figure that if the new intake isn't too large, it will still suck in some air from the original intake, which is what I want. As someone mentioned, there might be components in the way of the airflow that need cooling too.

As for the "tamper-proof" screws I had mentioned in an earlier post, it turned out that the two middle screws had their screwheads filled with a glue-like substance, maybe something like an epoxy. It was easy to pry them out with a needle, and it's not something that can't be replaced, if it absolutely has to be...

KurtVD Posted at 2018-4-14 02:58
I have finally done the modification to the spare cover and mounted it. I'm getting ready for my first outdoor flight today and I was wondering if you have been modding yours in the meantime?

I wanted to try and cut a slot or two with the Dremel tool into the cover, but the cutting wheel melted the plastic and the cut started to get very large, so I had to transform it into a hole instead. That's why it looks that way it is. For the moment, I decided to leave it at that size, because I figure that if the new intake isn't too large, it will still suck in some air from the original intake, which is what I want. As someone mentioned, there might be components in the way of the airflow that need cooling too.

That’s pretty cool.  I’ve done my mod as well, but haven’t taken the lid off.  Debating waiting until warranty / refresh expires which is still about 6 months away.

For some reason I also noticed that while i was on holidays flying the spark it didn’t seem as hot as it used to be.  Not sure why.  

I need to work out a photo upload site so I can post a pic of my mod.

I don’t understand why anyone thinks this is needed, the drone is tested and works I’ve never had a over heating problem or is this something other people suffer from?

Also he is trying to show airflow with a torch

Cookster670 Posted at 2018-4-15 02:53
That’s pretty cool.  I’ve done my mod as well, but haven’t taken the lid off.  Debating waiting until warranty / refresh expires which is still about 6 months away.

For some reason I also noticed that while i was on holidays flying the spark it didn’t seem as hot as it used to be.  Not sure why.  

I have problems posting pics here too, it doesn't work in the browser I'm normally using, but it works in Firefox.

I've been out flying with the modded Spark yesterday, it was a warm and sunny early spring day (not hot yet). It's hard to tell just like that if it was cooler than before, but it didn't feel hot at all. I've also done a test at home, where I measured the temperature near the exhaust vent: After 10 minutes, it is now 7-8 degrees Celsius cooler, that's quite a lot.

NedUK Posted at 2018-4-15 03:31
I don’t understand why anyone thinks this is needed, the drone is tested and works I’ve never had a over heating problem or is this something other people suffer from?

Also he is trying to show airflow with a torch

I've bought mine in November, and I've noticed that it can get quite warm, even when it's really cold. I'm sure the Spark will heat up a lot in summer, and even if it is tested and everything, it is still better if you can keep its internal components a little bit cooler during operation.

So, just like most mods, it isn't necessary, but it should enhance the Sparks performance, and it certainly won't hinder it.

Cooler bird may lengthen flight time? For electronic equipments, cooler is better than hotter. Futhermore, heat may cause errors in IMU, Compass and GPS.

Ricky Aerial Photography Posted at 2018-4-15 18:54
Cooler bird may lengthen flight time? For electronic equipments, cooler is better than hotter. Futhermore, heat may cause errors in IMU, Compass and GPS.

yep...i don't think it will affect flight time, but have always wondered if the heating up has lead to to those IMU and compass errors people get.  I've never seen a good explanation of what causes them.  Excessive heat would be a likely one.

Common sense. Heat is not welcomed in electronic equipment. Less is better than more. If drilling holes on the top cover can lower the temperature by 7-8 degree, it is definitely a must do modification.

Well I finally got around to doing this.

Haven’t flown much, but I did run 2 pack through it back to back hovering and after that the spark was only barely warm.  So definitely much cooler than normal

Will do some more tests, but so far it’s looking good.

I don’t think the holes in the cover are necessary. It never over heats and dust and dirt could cause more damage.

Very good work.
I believe the modder has some very good ideas and points. I have custom designed computer systems. Cooler is better. Dust is a major problem. If you are creating greater intake air than particulates become more prevalent. Due to ionization, said particulates may adhere to components internally. Particulate accumulation makes a coating. Said coating becomes an insulating "blanket". Thus not allowing coated components to shed their heat. Therefore creating more of an overheat problem.
To avoid this you need to either :
1)  filter incoming air
2) Create an airflow path that is away form said components, susceptible.
3) Make airflow of such high velocity "sticky" particulates ability to adhere has a lower coefficient than the force of the flow.

Possible issues and / or solutions for above:
1) Added weight and possible loss of aerodynamic efficiency.
2) Lost benefit of correct components shedding of heat.
3) Weight and power consumption of powerful fan

Even the holes may affect aerodynamics. Unless we have a wind tunnel or are adept at the software use of simulation to determine.

Positive possibilities:
A) Allowing for greater cooling may free up energy for a better cooling system.
B) Routing the exhaust to and from a specific directional, may be used to enhance the speed of flight in a specific direction. Hence directing it out the bottom and in the top may assist in lift.

I believe the best solution is to seek passive cooling methods that are weight efficient as well as measured airflow based upon port sizes of input VS exhaust and fan capability. As well as limiting airflow directed exactly around correct components. Coupled with a filter screen placed over the input port. One that is easily cleanable.

The air is pulled in from all around the body of the spark, its not air tight by any means. I know this is a long thread but important as well. I have owned many sparks and repaired even more! Most of the air flow is from the gimble area and he fan doesn't have enough power to suck to anything other than fine dust into the "cooling system"
drilling extra cooling holes is a great idea and how communities like ours grow