I pulled the spark out for what i consider an important shot a few days ago. Admitedly i hadn't flown it in a while so i suppose this could be chalked up to being my fault.

I was in the middle of nowhere, had about a five minute window to get a shot that i will use professionally, fired everything up as i always did.

It then asked me for a password or something. Next thing i knew it would not even let me type a password. My keyboard would not come up. Next thing i know the light is gone and to be honest i was very mad.

Here is my suggestion. This is a camera, or a filmmaker's tool. I am not trying to be pretentious but these devices are important and should operate as close to say a dslr camera as humanly possible. Meaning, i turn it on and it does its best to be ready to go. No questions no nothing! Can you imagine if a sports photographer had a camera and it asked him a question before it turned on?
I know there are aspects of a drone that will always make things more complicated, like the gps coordinates and everything, but my suggestion is do everything you can to make the spark fire up and be ready to go asap. I do not want to know anything about firmware, passwords or anything. I just want to fire up and go. I bought it, it is mine, i do not care about anything but flying up and getting the footage. So again, if it is possible to improve my suggestion is to try and make being ready to go the priority upon flipping the devices on.

Hi, thanks for sharing your experience with us.  I get what you are saying but in the same token it's not a DLSR, its a Drone with a camera.  Every country has drone laws that need to be respected and followed.  That being said, DJI does it best to help us align with those laws by managing geofencing and other security functions.  My recommendation is to make sure your logged into your app and drone has the latest firmware before venturing off for that special picture / video.  Again, not saying you are correct but in retrospect it is a drone with drone regulations/rules not a DSLR camera.  My 2cents

I am just saying make it as close to a dslr as possible. Meaning, favor being ready to go before all else.

There are people using ten year old versions of photoshop professionally for example. I do not think it is as critical as the software thinks it is to update. I feel like more than half the time i turn it on there is some type of prompt. I do not want that and i would think this us possible. I would like that rario to fall say to 5 or 10%. Just my suggestion based on the fact that this is a camera.

Have you ever thought about using a otg cable to the RC? RC to bird: no password, RC-otg-phone: no password

You have several choices to consider: You either rent a plane and concentrate exclusively on taking pictures of your desired objects. Your pilot will take care of the rest. Quite expensive! If that option does not work, consider learning how to walk before you run. You first must learn how to safely fly your copter and once you have that down, you can concentrate on taking photography to the next level. It is a learning curve you must be willing to take, there are no shortcuts. Take it easy, enjoy the outdoors and hopefully soon you will earn plenty of satisfaction in experiencing something new. Happy flying!

I know your frustration. I was out with the family during Spring Break and went to the Regency Bridge - last drive-able suspension bridge in Texas built in 1939. We got there and I knew we were in a Military Operations Area (MOA) and my DJI Go 4 app was asking me to accept responsibility with a huge black screen not allowing me to see FPV. I clicked accept or whatever dozens of times and nothing would happen. So I just flew with best guess.

Later I found out there was a tiny navy blue (on black) circle I had to tap before the accept button was activated.

Think of it this way, all of the stuff you went through is like turning on your DLSR and finding out you have dead batteries. Fly the spark once a week at least, check for app & firmware updates just like you would charge your DLSR batteries or clean the lens or any other maintenance.

I fly almost every day and the only wait is the GPS lock - less than 2 minutes.

That is exactly why I got the Spark - boot and go.

I missed a shot once like you with one of my home made craft.
Compasses were out of whack.
30 minutes later the issue was resolved but the shot was missed.

One of the reasons why you need to do some extra work as compared to DSLR: DSLR is a singular piece of equipment, Spark is usually 4 pieces which need to interoperate together (Spark, intelligent batteries, mobile phone and RC). Misalignment of firmware or software may ground the Spark.
pmshop above correctly suggested appropriate necessary maintenance and pre-checks - similar to maintenance you do automatically with your DSLR.

Camera on Spark is like your DSLR - easy to operate, but everything else is like a plane - you need to maintain it and do pre-checks. If your DSLR had wings, the work required would be similar :-).
It is also extremely technologically advanced, so firmware bugs and software bugs are, unfortunately, common so need for more frequent upgrades. New normal I guess and not only for drones (I am not making excuses for DJI - just stating facts).

One day, with AI advancements, future Sparks may be able to do all of this for us. Just boot and future Spark of 2035 would co-ordinate firmware and software updates, check magnetic interference and compensate for it, do IMU calibration without being touched and fly when you simply wish it to fly :-).

Oh, and use OTG - no password required - plug and play. Just make sure that your DJI GO is v 4.2.12 (if you use Android device).

My mode of operation is to make sure all is in good order before I leave for flying. While on site I just turn on RC, connect mobile to RC via OTG (this will fire up DJI GO on my phone), turn on Spark, wait 15 seconds for connection between Spark and RC, push Go Flying button on DJI GO App, take Spark in my hand and wait for GPS lock, (perhaps a minute), turn it to my face and double click on battery to initiate start from my hand, spend next 20 seconds on various pre-checks while Spark is hovering. Make sure that Home Point is set and just fly. Works like a charm every time :-)

Hi. Thank you for raising your concern to us. Rest assured that I will be forwarding this issue to our DJI engineers for further development in the future.

cantflyalick Posted at 2018-6-8 05:22
I am just saying make it as close to a dslr as possible. Meaning, favor being ready to go before all else.

There are people using ten year old versions of photoshop professionally for example. I do not think it is as critical as the software thinks it is to update. I feel like more than half the time i turn it on there is some type of prompt. I do not want that and i would think this us possible. I would like that rario to fall say to 5 or 10%. Just my suggestion based on the fact that this is a camera.

Since it is being flown as a RC model hobbyist in the nation's airspace,...safety should be "before all else."  It should require technical know how and not ever be something a four year old can fire up and go on the job with.  Fire up and go like current DSLR's are.

Everything the drone does to remind photographers that they are flying an aircraft primarily, and not taking photos as the primary goal, is a good thing.  

I dont think its rocket science.
I think your phone tilted/bugged and there is nothing to do with the drone.
Was the message something to do with a weak password? Its one time thing, you just gotta change it once.
I always check every single aspect (firmware, app, batteries, camera, etc) before going anywhere to fly my drone. This way i avoid having any problem when getting to the location. And it takes at most 2 minutes to get it to the sky.

  

You gotta think its a 300 grams object that comes in a box to anywhere in the world to anyone who wants to buy. And this object has the power of flying far, high and fast. It also films and take photos while flying. Its not that simple.  
To me these prompts are essential piece of information.
I think you are taking this awesome technology for granted.  IMHO
Few years ago we couldnt even imagine it would be possible. I dont know your age, Im 31. When I was a child i had just rocks and sticks to play. hahahahahahahahahah. Kidding. But if you really think about it the drone technology is something really OUTSTANDING, regardless any issue we might encounter.

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-6-8 11:05
I dont think its rocket science.
I think your phone tilted/bugged and there is nothing to do with the drone.
Was the message something to do with a weak password? Its one time thing, you just gotta change it once.

I got the password message (after updating to 4.2.16)- I changed it to a long password - and I still get the damn message every time. I don't care about my wi-fi password. This is ludicrous and has nothing to do with AC safety. I want the message to go away.

marlowe Posted at 2018-6-8 18:42
I got the password message (after updating to 4.2.16)- I changed it to a long password - and I still get the damn message every time. I don't care about my wi-fi password. This is ludicrous and has nothing to do with AC safety. I want the message to go away.

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
I feel you!
It doesnt bother me at all. But I agree with you, if it keeps poping even after you changed it. Shouldnt happen so DJI has to look at it.
I feel you!  

marlowe Posted at 2018-6-8 18:42
I got the password message (after updating to 4.2.16)- I changed it to a long password - and I still get the damn message every time. I don't care about my wi-fi password. This is ludicrous and has nothing to do with AC safety. I want the message to go away.

I know it can annoy a lot of people but its just a little pop up to close in a split second.
What I meant was that we never stop a minute to think how this technology is complicated and full of little high tech pieces. A annoying little pop up is the smallest problem we can find.
You remember when we had to blow the dust out the Atari cartridges in order to play it? hahahahahahahhahaha

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-6-8 19:03
What I meant was that we never stop a minute to think how this technology is complicated and full of little high tech pieces.

" The more they over think the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain"
~ Capt Montgomery Scott ~ Chief Engineer USS Enterprise NCC-1701 & NCC-1701-A

pmshop Posted at 2018-6-8 20:32
" The more they over think the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain"
~ Capt Montgomery Scott ~ Chief Engineer USS Enterprise NCC-1701 & NCC-1701-A

I understand the quote but I cant link it with anything. hahahaha
A little language barrier.

pmshop Posted at 2018-6-8 20:32
" The more they over think the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain"
~ Capt Montgomery Scott ~ Chief Engineer USS Enterprise NCC-1701 & NCC-1701-A

I would really appreciate if told me what you meant.

i had a similar issue earlier today,  where it made me answer a safety quiz before i could fly  i understand why they ask the questions, but it couldn't have decided to ask me at a worse time. why not when i first installed the app at home?

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-6-8 21:00
I would really appreciate if told me what you meant.

when the technology gets more advanced, the more it is able to be fouled up by a glitch in the software or hardware.

For example, a lot of the information technology failures is because of a small, little, simple issue.

Gunship9 Posted at 2018-6-8 10:49
Since it is being flown as a RC model hobbyist in the nation's airspace,...safety should be "before all else."  It should require technical know how and not ever be something a four year old can fire up and go on the job with.  Fire up and go like current DSLR's are.

Everything the drone does to remind photographers that they are flying an aircraft primarily, and not taking photos as the primary goal, is a good thing.

I do not think a 4 year old could turn on the drone by pressing twice after inserting its battery, turn on the remote by pressing twice, then find and open the app.

Take the safest pilot in the world, or the most reckless, to me that is their problem, and they accept responsibility for it. But the drone should turn on and be ready to operate for both of them equally. Should they fly safley? Well, yes, of course, but everyone already knows that.

cantflyalick Posted at 2018-6-9 05:38
I do not think a 4 year old could turn on the drone by pressing twice after inserting its battery, turn on the remote by pressing twice, then find and open the app.

Take the safest pilot in the world, or the most reckless, to me that is their problem, and they accept responsibility for it. But the drone should turn on and be ready to operate for both of them equally. Should they fly safley? Well, yes, of course, but everyone already knows that.

So you are saying the drone shouldn't operate as close to a DSLR camera as humanly possible?  Nor should an airplane or any other aircraft that isn't a camera.  People think of drones as cameras when they are not.  Drones are aircraft.

Aircraft have tons of laws and regulations related to them.  They have these for a reason.  Cameras have none.  Drones should not be thought of as cameras.

Half the problems with drones flying away and helicopters hitting them is from drones now being able to be flown by a four year old child.  Maybe not that far.   But, advertised as something someone with no knowledge of piloting aircraft, navigation, radio links, battery/fuel management, etc, can fly and get selfies.  Non model aircraft hobbyists fly droens with no knowledge of flight.  Fly aways, crashes into oceans, lost in trees, winds taking them away, drones flying several kilometers from the pilot, and flights well above the legal altitude,... is the result.

Drones should not be close the way DSLR's are operated.  DSLR's can be operated without a thought and often are.  Just a general discussion on how easy a drone/unmanned arial vehicle should be to operate.  Not a big deal like the discussion on mirrorless versus DSLR dinosaurs.  

Gunship9 Posted at 2018-6-9 09:18
So you are saying the drone shouldn't operate as close to a DSLR camera as humanly possible?  Nor should an airplane or any other aircraft that isn't a camera.  People think of drones as cameras when they are not.  Drones are aircraft.

Aircraft have tons of laws and regulations related to them.  They have these for a reason.  Cameras have none.  Drones should not be thought of as cameras.

The entire reason drones exist is because they are cameras. Drones are not dslrs, but since their purpose is to be ancamera, they should operate as close to one as they possibly can. You seem to be getting,lost somehwere in the middle of that statement. They should not BE dslrs, they should operate without say having to go into firmware downloads every other time i turn it on, or having to take some quiz as someone posted. That is it bro, and that is perfeclty reasonable and possible in my opinion, and i hope dji takes note.