I really Like Gesture mode - does it work all the time - well no - the key to it working is it has to see you - sometimes it needs to see your face - sometimes it needs to see your hand - sometimes it needs to see all of you. So to the best of my knowledge here are some tips - please feel to comment if you think I am mistaken or have other helpful tips for making the most out of Gesture mode

Take off - Drone at eye level - LEDs should be solid Red - double click - watch for gimbal to find your face - LEDS are blinking Yellow - arm length or little less is good to far and too close is bad. Glasses may be an issue - reflections I think are the issue - so if it does not work with glasses try with them off or different pair - Also hats and beards may be an issue - If the LEDs blink RED then you may have to redo the double click because face recognition has failed. Soild Green means it has found you and is ready for take off. Once props start turning LEDs will turn Solid Red - Once it takes off from your hand you are in Gesture mode.

Hand Control- watch the camera - it needs to see you and then your hand. Stand straight in front not to side. Raise hand move in and out till lights turn solid Green (little less then a yard) - As long as lights are solid Green Spark will follow your hand up and down left and right - move slow and deliberate for best results.

Follow (or fly up and away) - This can be the most challenging to get to work. - Stand in front of drone - I like to make sure I am the right distance by going into hand control first once that is working drop your hand to your side wait for lights to go solid Red. Now bring your hand up like you want to regain hand control but instead move your hand back and forth - left to right - like you are cleaning a pane of glass - do this for about the two seconds and drop your hand. If the LEDs start blinking Green it recognized the command and will fly up and away about 8 ft up and 10 ft away. Do not move until the Spark has moved back and stops and hovers. - LEDs should now be solid Green and you are now in "follow me"" mode. Note that take a picture and start video will not work unless it is in follow me mode. The Spark should follow you in this mode - if for some reason it looses sight of you it will stop - get in front of camera about 10 ft away and raises your arms in a "Y" this should, if lucky, restart the follow mode - but sometimes it will not - then you may need to get out the Go 4 app.

Take a Picture - First make sure the Spark is following you - Next stand between 10 and 20 feet from from camera (manual says 23 ft) - make and "itsy bitsy spider" move and hold it ( a picture frame as they call it) LEDs will start to blink RED slowly this means it is going to take a picture after 3 seconds - right before it takes the LEDs blink RED fast.

Record a Video - Again make sure Spark is following you - To get recording to work manual says you need to be about 6 ft away - I think it works fine at 10 ft also - but to be safe get about 6 ft way rise your right hand like you are pointing at a fly ball coming at you from right field. The LEDs should start blinking slowly to indicate it has recognized the command and then fast right before starting to record. You can now drop your arm and the Spark should be following you and recording you. To stop recording point at the fly ball again.

Beckon ( Come Hither) - To bring the drone back to you it also requires that is tracking you first. It does not give a range but I think it works between 6 and 20 ft. Make a "Y" and hold for two seconds - then drop your hands if command is recognized the Spark should move to about 5 ft high and 3 feet away approximately.

Hand Landing - You have to have the drone within arms reach - get in front of camera so that it can see your face. Look for the camera to find your face - if it is not looking at you it will not palm land. Once it sees your face place your palm up directly under the drone wait a few seconds and the drone should start to descend. If it does not descend it is not seeing your face. Move until you can tell it is looking at your face and try again.

Additional comments and tips.

1. Like someone said it needs to be able to tell the difference between you and the background. So make sure you and the background are not the same color or darkness or brightness - Contrast - The Spark does not have that good of eyesight so help her out.


2. I tend to take off and land in Gesture mode all the time - But I do other things in between - So after talking off I go to the controller symbol and take the Spark out of Gesture mode - that prevents conflicts with other modes I may want to use. When I land it - I change back to gesture mode.


3. Practice makes perfect. Once you get one gesture to work repeat it several times in different locations until it works pretty consistently - then move to next gesture.


4. If it is not working for you consider having someone else try it - I have also noticed that hand size may affect how it works larger hands may need to be further back then smaller hands.

Good Luck!

Hi. Thank you for this comments and tips that you have provided us. This will help a lot of DJI Spark owners.

Tip 2 is important because I don't think you have normal video control (video button) in Gesture Mode.

I completely exhausted a battery trying to do "away and Follow". When I'm moving it with my hand, I drop my arms, and wave like I'm gleaning a plane of glass. "Indoor mode" is off. no wind. What am I doing wrong?

Thank you for your very detailed info.

awesome, thank you for the tips. I have flattened so many batteries trying to get gesture control working. I have been trying in vain to get my Spark to follow me when I'm out mountain biking but of course I am normally wearing glasses and a helmet.