I just always palm launch Even when the controller didn't "connect" yet and it stays in place.  You can't palm launch/land on the other models which is why I got the Spark.  I mean, you can but if you get chopped up by it you should've used the Spark.

Hello and good day AntDX316. Thank you for reaching out and for sharing your insights with the palm launch feature of the DJI Spark and thank you for your valued support. Have a safe and happy flying always.

Just my personal opinion but I think it is an unsafe feature and I am saying this because I learnt it the hard way. My Spark had to make an early trip to the DJI Support center because guess what, I attempted its "coolest feature" and it crash landed on a hard tarmac pedestrian walkway breaking the front arm. So if you are attempting the palm launch, here are few things to keep in mind.
1. Do not use a flat palm to launch. Someday you may find that your palm is not secure and the spark tips and falls off when the motors fire up.
2. Hold the lower edges of the Spark when you do the double tap on the power button. Wait for the motors to fire up. Let go when you will feel the Spark pull away from your fingers.

Having said that, I don't think Palm launch is required at all. How difficult is it to find a level surface to take off from? Even if you don't have a launching pad, you can use the Spark's case. Landing on the palm is necessary because sometimes you run out of battery in the most rough terrain and you have no option left but to land on the palm. But Palm Launch is just a gimmick. None of the other DJI drones have it and people are not complaining either. The Spark's greatest feature is its size. Launching from a hard level surface and landing on the palm is the way to go. IMHO.

nilanjan118 Posted at 3-25 16:07
Just my personal opinion but I think it is an unsafe feature and I am saying this because I learnt it the hard way. My Spark had to make an early trip to the DJI Support center because guess what, I attempted its "coolest feature" and it crash landed on a hard tarmac pedestrian walkway breaking the front arm. So if you are attempting the palm launch, here are few things to keep in mind.
1. Do not use a flat palm to launch. Someday you may find that your palm is not secure and the spark tips and falls off when the motors fire up.
2. Hold the lower edges of the Spark when you do the double tap on the power button. Wait for the motors to fire up. Let go when you will feel the Spark pull away from your fingers.

I do a lot of launches from rocky, hilly terrain so I use hand launch a lot.  I have set up my Fn button for takeoff and landing.  This way it’s one touch and I don’t have to later exit Gesture mode.  Like you I hold Sparky during takeoff and let it pull out of my fingers.  For landing I have a very thin pair of leather driving gloves to palm land on...again one touch of the Fn button.  Just make sure you’ve turned 180 so obstacle avoidance doesn’t trigger and you’ve placed your hand/fingers in a way the downward sensors detect the pseudo ground of your hand.  I like the gloves especially when it’s windy and I’m trying to palm land.

Rustic17 Posted at 3-25 20:46
I do a lot of launches from rocky, hilly terrain so I use hand launch a lot.  I have set up my Fn button for takeoff and landing.  This way it’s one touch and I don’t have to later exit Gesture mode.  Like you I hold Sparky during takeoff and let it pull out of my fingers.  For landing I have a very thin pair of leather driving gloves to palm land on...again one touch of the Fn button.  Just make sure you’ve turned 180 so obstacle avoidance doesn’t trigger and you’ve placed your hand/fingers in a way the downward sensors detect the pseudo ground of your hand.  I like the gloves especially when it’s windy and I’m trying to palm land.

Assigning take off/land to one of the customisable buttons is another way to launch from hand. But it is not the same as "Palm Launch" which DJI advertises. Palm Launch tracks your face and puts you in Active Track mode after take-off. Using the button to take-off is same as using the icon on the screen. In any case, I feel the key is to hold the Spark and not rely on a flat palm to launch. Anyway, I just wanted to say that this feature should be used with extreme caution. People fly the Mavics and Phantoms in hilly terrain too and they find a way out to launch. Not trying to discourage this maneuver completely, just trying to pass on what I learnt the hard way. Cheers!!

nilanjan118 Posted at 3-25 16:07
Just my personal opinion but I think it is an unsafe feature and I am saying this because I learnt it the hard way. My Spark had to make an early trip to the DJI Support center because guess what, I attempted its "coolest feature" and it crash landed on a hard tarmac pedestrian walkway breaking the front arm. So if you are attempting the palm launch, here are few things to keep in mind.
1. Do not use a flat palm to launch. Someday you may find that your palm is not secure and the spark tips and falls off when the motors fire up.
2. Hold the lower edges of the Spark when you do the double tap on the power button. Wait for the motors to fire up. Let go when you will feel the Spark pull away from your fingers.

I don't launch with a flat palm.  I launch gripping it like I'm catching it from the sky then I let go when the LEDs are red.  If I let go before it won't take-off as smooth and fall.  Also when I wait too long the motors shutdown.

I have it face me everytime.  When it's connected to the Note 9 it says, Face aware successful then takes off soon after.

I don't like ground take-offs and landing because the particles can go into the motor and damage them.

I switch to gesture control for landing then put my hand out, let it track, then I put my palm out and it lands on it and head out this is of course making it get close to me because it won't register as quickly when it's further away.

doesn;'t the mavic have palm launch and palm land?

snowbird pilot Posted at 3-27 13:12
doesn;'t the mavic have palm launch and palm land?

Not as safe as the Spark.  Mavic will just take off from your hand like it's the ground and landing is like your hand is the ground.  Sometimes when the Spark has a lot of wind hitting it, it Will not palm land but I just do auto land and grip it when it's coming down.  If you get it wrong w/ the Mavic the injuries would be a lot worse.  The Spark is very small.

AntDX316 Posted at 3-28 06:13
Not as safe as the Spark.  Mavic will just take off from your hand like it's the ground and landing is like your hand is the ground.  Sometimes when the Spark has a lot of wind hitting it, it Will not palm land but I just do auto land and grip it when it's coming down.  If you get it wrong w/ the Mavic the injuries would be a lot worse.  The Spark is very small.

In my opinion you’re still doing a lot of extra work going in and out of Gesture mode when you could set up one of the customizable buttons to takeoff/land and with a single push of the button accomplish what you’re trying to do.

Rustic17 Posted at 3-28 07:48
In my opinion you’re still doing a lot of extra work going in and out of Gesture mode when you could set up one of the customizable buttons to takeoff/land and with a single push of the button accomplish what you’re trying to do.

Yeah because I got worried I would misclick it in the car or something and it takes stuff out on the way up.

When I'm outside I just double tap the rear of it facing me then let go when the lights are red.

I like the box asking ok to land though because it makes me do a final check than just going straight into it.

I have the Fn button for navigation which brings up the 6 modes.  The front right button to customize I have it set to AE lock but I'm not sure it would matter.  I don't really have use for changing it anyway.  I used to have it to FPV/Follow but FPV mode is totally pointless.

Rustic17 Posted at 3-28 07:48
In my opinion you’re still doing a lot of extra work going in and out of Gesture mode when you could set up one of the customizable buttons to takeoff/land and with a single push of the button accomplish what you’re trying to do.

Easiest way to go out of Gesture mode after Palm Launch: Flip the switch on the RC to Sport mode, flip back to normal mode.

AntDX316 Posted at 3-28 10:48
Yeah because I got worried I would misclick it in the car or something and it takes stuff out on the way up.

When I'm outside I just double tap the rear of it facing me then let go when the lights are red.

That totally makes sense. I keep misclicking the buttons on the RC just after I turn it on and when I am looking for a take-off surface for the Spark. Double tapping the power button is not the issue. The real issue is making sure the Spark doesn't tip from your hand after the double tap. If you have that sorted, Palm launch is indeed useful.

I don't fly near very many surfaces that are suitable for the small Spark to take off from.  Hand launch seems the way to go.  Since I only hand launch and land, I just call it launching and landing.  I forgot other drones need a clear spot to take off from instead of me holding my hand over the railing on my back deck.

nilanjan118 Posted at 3-28 20:45
That totally makes sense. I keep misclicking the buttons on the RC just after I turn it on and when I am looking for a take-off surface for the Spark. Double tapping the power button is not the issue. The real issue is making sure the Spark doesn't tip from your hand after the double tap. If you have that sorted, Palm launch is indeed useful.

Yeah but when it goes red you just let go (motors fighting you from the power).  I don't take off or land with a flat palm  I grip launch/land with the fingers as it's more secure.  No throwing, no dropping, just let go and it hovers.

When I was new I just let go when it was green but it fell so I was thinking about throwing it upwards next time but then I just wanted to see what would happen if I don't let go.  The motors shut-off but I've never tested it when you let go when it's powering down.  Maybe over some matts and 2.5 feet I might test but there is no need to.  Once it goes green then red, let go and it hovers even w/o the controller connected yet.  : )

Double-tapping the power button makes it land?

nilanjan118 Posted at 3-25 16:07
Just my personal opinion but I think it is an unsafe feature and I am saying this because I learnt it the hard way. My Spark had to make an early trip to the DJI Support center because guess what, I attempted its "coolest feature" and it crash landed on a hard tarmac pedestrian walkway breaking the front arm. So if you are attempting the palm launch, here are few things to keep in mind.
1. Do not use a flat palm to launch. Someday you may find that your palm is not secure and the spark tips and falls off when the motors fire up.
2. Hold the lower edges of the Spark when you do the double tap on the power button. Wait for the motors to fire up. Let go when you will feel the Spark pull away from your fingers.

You have to hold it for a few seconds before you let it go.

snowbird pilot Posted at 3-27 13:12
doesn;'t the mavic have palm launch and palm land?

No.

nilanjan118 Posted at 3-25 16:07
Just my personal opinion but I think it is an unsafe feature and I am saying this because I learnt it the hard way. My Spark had to make an early trip to the DJI Support center because guess what, I attempted its "coolest feature" and it crash landed on a hard tarmac pedestrian walkway breaking the front arm. So if you are attempting the palm launch, here are few things to keep in mind.
1. Do not use a flat palm to launch. Someday you may find that your palm is not secure and the spark tips and falls off when the motors fire up.
2. Hold the lower edges of the Spark when you do the double tap on the power button. Wait for the motors to fire up. Let go when you will feel the Spark pull away from your fingers.

I agree with you

sparkdrone Posted at 4-2 14:00
You have to hold it for a few seconds before you let it go.

I didn't say it is not doable. But it is risky and should be used only when it is impossible to launch from a flat surface. I had about 20 successful palm launches before the crash I was referring to. So I know how it is done. There are many things we have to keep in mind while flying, don't we? But sometimes we oversee a few things. Hitting the record button for example. The key is to minimise all the risks and any pilot will tell you that take-off and landing should be done with utmost caution.

Jacob Williams Posted at 4-2 16:19
I agree with you

I was absolutely gutted when I crashed my Spark like that. Since that day, I made a personal promise that I will never palm launch. The safest way to launch is from a flat surface. If I can't find a flat surface, I use my carry case. I start the motors with the stick combination on the RC, throttle up, go straight up to a height of 7m or more and then hover for a few seconds. This is the best way to take off imho. And it ensures that the terrain below is mapped by the bottom sensors so that the Spark can use 'Precision Landing' in the event of an RTH.

nilanjan118 Posted at 4-2 16:46
I was absolutely gutted when I crashed my Spark like that. Since that day, I made a personal promise that I will never palm launch. The safest way to launch is from a flat surface. If I can't find a flat surface, I use my carry case. I start the motors with the stick combination on the RC, throttle up, go straight up to a height of 7m or more and then hover for a few seconds. This is the best way to take off imho. And it ensures that the terrain below is mapped by the bottom sensors so that the Spark can use 'Precision Landing' in the event of an RTH.

So you precision land back onto your carry case???  Very gutsy!!!

Rustic17 Posted at 4-2 17:33
So you precision land back onto your carry case???  Very gutsy!!!

lol. No way. The "case" example was for extreme cases where there is no good place to take off from. If I am unable to find a good spot to land, I use the hand. In such circumstances, I catch the AC facing me sideways and then tilt it to shut off the motors.

nilanjan118 Posted at 4-2 17:48
lol. No way. The "case" example was for extreme cases where there is no good place to take off from. If I am unable to find a good spot to land, I use the hand. In such circumstances, I catch the AC facing me sideways and then tilt it to shut off the motors.

I face it away in case obstacle avoidance kicks in (seeing me as the obstacle)...and it's easier to cover the downward sensors with my fingers so it senses the ground (hand).  In a windy condition, I have thin leather driving gloves to save my fingers if I screw up...been there and done that.  But, yeah, I try to land on a flat surface when I can.

Rustic17 Posted at 4-2 18:02
I face it away in case obstacle avoidance kicks in (seeing me as the obstacle)...and it's easier to cover the downward sensors with my fingers so it senses the ground (hand).

That's right. But when you put your hand or fingers below the bottom sensors, it tries to lift up. Facing sideways, you know exactly where the sensors are and even the catching grip is natural that way. Try it.