Hello guys,
Hope you all are doing well.
Yesterday I had a real sweat with my spark.
Right now I have no access to a computer so I have no way to retrieve the flight log for you guys. But I’m sharing a link with 2 videos in it. One is from the camera, the another one is from the flight record in the DJI GO that I recorded from my phone screen.
I’ve been planning to fly from this location for a long time, for being much closer to the island I would have plenty of time to take great photos and videos.
As always I made sure to go through the preflight checklist before I took off. Put it in the air then started filming but decided to start over to make a more steady video so I flew it backwards and down to bring the drone back, not to land it but as I said to start the video over.
I was 13 meters high from the water when suddenly the drone started going down really fast, I kept calm and pushed the left stick up, but the drone didn’t respond and kept going down. As you can clearly see in the video it really touches the water.
By this time I was sure I wouldn’t retrieve my drone when as a last resort I turned the sport mode on (you can hear in the video when I turn it on).
After that the spark seemed more stable but still wouldn’t respond to my commands. That’s when I refreshed the DJI GO. That’s why it stopped recording the video.
After the app refreshed the spark started ascending by itself. Still didn’t respond to my commands. It went as high as 136 meters even with the maximum flight altitude set at 120 meters.
The drone wasn’t responding to my inputs and by this time I had lost sight of it. So I turned the controller off and on. Prayed for the drone gods for the RC reconnect with the AC.
Few seconds later both were reconnected and I had full control over the AC. Pressed RTH in order to regain sight of it, after that I think I kept flying it. Hahahahahahhaha
The message displayed was compass error, exit P-GPS mode. I have 250 flights, more than 700 km and 40 hours flying the little spark. I always check the compass twice before taking off. I’m sure It was great.
Even with the compass error it shouldn’t act so stubborn. If it dropped to ATTI it would be easily retrieved but it decided act as a grumpy elder. Not cool at all!
Honestly a day before Yesterday the drone was presenting that common failure that it seems weak during take off. So I think it could be one of the batteries.
What do you guys think?
You think if I pressed the stop bottom it would stop descending? I didn’t even think of that. I know at some point I pressed it but can’t remember exactly.
I will post the flight log as soon as possible.
After that I flew a few more batteries in the same and different location and it didn’t present any error. Seemed perfect.
By the way, even though I think I was able to take beautiful photos. Will post it soon.

The shareable link below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id ... M9qC8FmmeKhqjRSQBYS

Looking forward to see your flight record - sounds like a fascinating challenge :-)

Mirek

Mirek6 Posted at 2018-7-17 09:04
Looking forward to see your flight record - sounds like a fascinating challenge :-)

Mirek

Me too Mirek,
Really curious to know what I did exactly. I kept calm but can’t remember much.
Actually I was sure I had lost my beloved Spark.

Mirek6 Posted at 2018-7-17 09:04
Looking forward to see your flight record - sounds like a fascinating challenge :-)

Mirek

Looking forward to your analysis, sounds like a fascinating read!

That being said, all these random errors the Sparks seem to have where they stop responding to controls is getting a bit concerning and making me pretty nervous to fly mine.

Mirek6 Posted at 2018-7-17 09:04
Looking forward to see your flight record - sounds like a fascinating challenge :-)

Mirek

This should be interesting. And another case in favor of "Big Balls".

Mirek6 Posted at 2018-7-17 09:04
Looking forward to see your flight record - sounds like a fascinating challenge :-)

Mirek

"That’s when I refreshed the DJI GO. That’s why it stopped recording the video. "

He will not have the record from before this.
So you may not see how it started.


Brilhas, I think the upload to phantom help is possible with/from the phone.
On android it minimum looks like that.

Brilhas it touched the Water and Splashed a little bit you can see it in the Video, and you stayed Calm ??! %&***###£$@# !!

You are Gifted Man !

I am Glad you Saved it !

Not following stick commands is weird.  Like descending when the remote is commanding up.  I don't know what would make it do that.  It should at least give you full throttle climb.  Then later in Sport an uncommanded climb?

I know helicopters can get themselves into a sink effect where their own prop wash rolls around on top of them to cause them to fall even with full power up and full collective.  So they are climbing in a fast downward column of air giving them an overall down direction.  Maybe this?

Brilhas, did you find a NEW Bermuda Triangle ?

Terrible accident really. Can imagine your feelings with such death touches of water. Hope You will clear up everything. Keep on flying mate!

Jokes apart Brilhas, I know you love flying on Water, why at least you don't get these Floating Kit for the Spark. Maybe you can save it and take off again ?

They just cost $15 Mate ! You can have another Chance with these Balls. Without them The Spark will sink like a Brick !

Hi. Thank you for sharing that experience with us. Please sync the flight records of your DJI Spark using your DJI Go 4 application for further assessment and for you to know what really happened that day on your Drone. If you have any concerns regarding you DJI Spark please email DJI Support at ( support@dji.com ). Thank you.

DJI Stephen Posted at 2018-7-17 11:30
Hi. Thank you for sharing that experience with us. Please sync the flight records of your DJI Spark using your DJI Go 4 application for further assessment and for you to know what really happened that day on your Drone. If you have any concerns regarding you DJI Spark please email DJI Support at (  ). Thank you.

They are synced.
I will contact you guys. That’s for sure!
Thanks a lot for replying!

DMX_MT Posted at 2018-7-17 09:58
Brilhas, did you find a NEW Bermuda Triangle ?

Exactly the same spot man. Same beach.
Different take off locations but the same beach. I’d say 2 km apart from that haunted spot.

DMX_MT Posted at 2018-7-17 10:08
Jokes apart Brilhas, I know you love flying on Water, why at least you don't get these Floating Kit for the Spark. Maybe you can save it and take off again ?

They just cost $15 Mate ! You can have another Chance with these Balls. Without them The Spark will sink like a Brick !

That’s a controlled environment that you see in this video. I doubt it would work with waves coming. I’m as stubborn as the Spark. I wouldn’t fly with that. The drone is not supposed to water skying.

Thank you. If you have an additional concern about your DJI Spark please feel free to post it so that we can help you. Happy flying.

nixuspix Posted at 2018-7-17 10:04
Terrible accident really. Can imagine your feelings with such death touches of water. Hope You will clear up everything. Keep on flying mate!

Will never stop flying m8. I had already the credit card on my other hand to buy a Mavic. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah

Gunship9 Posted at 2018-7-17 09:42
Not following stick commands is weird.  Like descending when the remote is commanding up.  I don't know what would make it do that.  It should at least give you full throttle climb.  Then later in Sport an uncommanded climb?

I know helicopters can get themselves into a sink effect where their own prop wash rolls around on top of them to cause them to fall even with full power up and full collective.  So they are climbing in a fast downward column of air giving them an overall down direction.  Maybe this?

I don’t think it could be it. Why it wouldn’t come up after?
Why it went higher then programmed for? Why it didn’t respond to any stick input?

DMX_MT Posted at 2018-7-17 09:31
Brilhas it touched the Water and Splashed a little bit you can see it in the Video, and you stayed Calm ??! %&***###£$@# !!

You are Gifted Man !

Really man. I don’t care. It would be really painful, obviously, but it just a thing. A device, as a phone or anything else. It will probably get lost or brake one day.

S-e-ven Posted at 2018-7-17 09:21
"That’s when I refreshed the DJI GO. That’s why it stopped recording the video. "

He will not have the record from before this.

I think it’s there. As I have it in the flight record chances are it in the flight log as well. At least I hope so.

N2QLT Posted at 2018-7-17 09:14
This should be interesting. And another case in favor of "Big Balls".

Not big balls at all. It was purely luck. It splashed the water. Nasty stuff.

BrandonW77 Posted at 2018-7-17 09:13
Looking forward to your analysis, sounds like a fascinating read!

That being said, all these random errors the Sparks seem to have where they stop responding to controls is getting a bit concerning and making me pretty nervous to fly mine.

Seriously I think it was the battery or some crazy interference. B/c I flew the other 3 batteries in the same location with no error at all.

DJI Stephen Posted at 2018-7-17 13:23
Thank you. If you have an additional concern about your DJI Spark please feel free to post it so that we can help you. Happy flying.

I will!
Love you guys!
Hahahahahahahha
Thanks!

Sometimes I have the feeling it might be the RC which is responsible for the connection errors. I've seen strange disconnects while the RC still shows a green light but would not connect to the phone unless restarted.

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-7-17 13:33
I will!
Love you guys!
Hahahahahahahha

I've always said it does not help in ATI mode aviation knowledge, because if there is no contact is uncontrollable. You did not believe this to beginners. Now an experienced pilot confirms. Many times and many have said it not only goes to Atti mode, but the connection is broken. That's why DJI is listening because there is something bigger wrong here ...

MartyTravels Posted at 2018-7-17 13:49
Sometimes I have the feeling it might be the RC which is responsible for the connection errors. I've seen strange disconnects while the RC still shows a green light but would not connect to the phone unless restarted.

Yup! I thought of that too.
I wasn’t using the OTG. It could be it. I don’t know.  

Jakab Gipsz Posted at 2018-7-17 13:57
I've always said it does not help in ATI mode aviation knowledge, because if there is no contact is uncontrollable. You did not believe this to beginners. Now an experienced pilot confirms. Many times and many have said it not only goes to Atti mode, but the connection is broken. That's why DJI is listening because there is something bigger wrong here ...

Losing connection can happen what cant happen is the drone going up and down by itself.

Mirek6 Posted at 2018-7-17 09:04
Looking forward to see your flight record - sounds like a fascinating challenge :-)

Mirek

The log I promissed!
http://www.phantomhelp.com/logviewer/3PYE0I60Y1R4Y8QQKYFI/

Speed error

BrandonW77 Posted at 2018-7-17 09:13
Looking forward to your analysis, sounds like a fascinating read!

That being said, all these random errors the Sparks seem to have where they stop responding to controls is getting a bit concerning and making me pretty nervous to fly mine.

The log I promissed!

http://www.phantomhelp.com/logviewer/3PYE0I60Y1R4Y8QQKYFI/

DJI Stephen Posted at 2018-7-17 11:30
Hi. Thank you for sharing that experience with us. Please sync the flight records of your DJI Spark using your DJI Go 4 application for further assessment and for you to know what really happened that day on your Drone. If you have any concerns regarding you DJI Spark please email DJI Support at (  ). Thank you.

The log I promissed!

http://www.phantomhelp.com/logviewer/3PYE0I60Y1R4Y8QQKYFI/

nixuspix Posted at 2018-7-17 10:04
Terrible accident really. Can imagine your feelings with such death touches of water. Hope You will clear up everything. Keep on flying mate!

http://www.phantomhelp.com/logviewer/3PYE0I60Y1R4Y8QQKYFI/

DMX_MT Posted at 2018-7-17 09:31
Brilhas it touched the Water and Splashed a little bit you can see it in the Video, and you stayed Calm ??! %&***###£$@# !!

You are Gifted Man !

http://www.phantomhelp.com/logviewer/3PYE0I60Y1R4Y8QQKYFI/

What a wacky way to behave!
In the google drive video, did you lose control at the beginning of it? If yes, the gimbal also acts crazy, it goes down by itself. If it was you, disregard the picture.


Also, your AC's balance is a little off, maybe it needs calibration?


A fascinating flight nevertheless. I eagerly wait for its interpreters.

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-18 07:17
What a wacky way to behave!
In the google drive video, did you lose control at the beginning of it? If yes, the gimbal also acts crazy, it goes down by itself. If it was you, disregard the picture.
[view_image]

Think it was me moving the gimbal.

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-18 07:17
What a wacky way to behave!
In the google drive video, did you lose control at the beginning of it? If yes, the gimbal also acts crazy, it goes down by itself. If it was you, disregard the picture.
[view_image]

I was sure it would go for a dive. It splashes the water.  

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-7-18 07:21
Think it was me moving the gimbal.

That might raise another question. The AC was unresponsive to anything but the gimbal? Or maybe you were still controlling it at that point and it unhinged shortly after.

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-18 07:17
What a wacky way to behave!
In the google drive video, did you lose control at the beginning of it? If yes, the gimbal also acts crazy, it goes down by itself. If it was you, disregard the picture.
[view_image]

I went 500 meters and back thats when it started behave crazy.

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-18 07:24
That might raise another question. The AC was unresponsive to anything but the gimbal? Or maybe you were still controlling it at that point and it unhinged shortly after.

I rewatched it. By the time the gimbal was moving I still had control over the drone. Right after I lost the RC. Do you think the guimbal kept moving while the drone falls?

BrilhasMuito Posted at 2018-7-18 07:31
I rewatched it. By the time the gimbal was moving I still had control over the drone. Right after I lost the RC. Do you think the guimbal kept moving while the drone falls?

No idea mate. Unless you can pin point the exact moment you lost control. On the other hand, I don't think there is an exact moment, I mean a certain fraction of a second that you lose control, I think it might happen during a few seconds. So my gimbal hypothesis is void.

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-18 07:35
No idea mate. Unless you can pin point the exact moment you lost control. On the other hand, I don't think there is an exact moment, I mean a certain fraction of a second that you lose control, I think it might happen during a few seconds. So my gimbal hypothesis is void.

Lost control between 22/23 seconds.