Bug in DJ-SW and I here are the proof! Read on! DJI must act before someone gets hurt by drone.
Last summer I bought a DJI Spark as my first drone. I was and am VERY pleased with what I can do with my Spark. But disappointed by it problems.
After a week it started to behave strangely so I went to my mothers farm at the countryside to get a big open field and very little Wifi-noice.
After a couple of flights I got the same problems as before, I documented it and went to this forums for explanations.
Compass error problem last summer
The problem I hade then was during having +20 GPS satellites, I sometimes got “Compass error” and also signal loss only at 150-250m distance. The result sometimes drone started to fly in high speed in weird and different directions, uncontrolled.
I went to this forum for help, but I got alot of criticism in return from many people except JJB (he really tried to help).
What I got from the forum:
I was a lousy pilot. (Yes, I was a beginner, but this drone is sold as a easy fly drone by DJI.)
I hadn’t made any calibration every 5 minutes. (The more experience I have got I understand this was ridiculous).
I have to learn fly in ATTI-mode.
There were to much wind. (It was not more that 6-7 m/s at this time)
My observations of the drone moved by itself was just my misunderstanding for the wind movements. People said that I didn’t do right conclusion of what I saw.
There were too much magnetism in the ground, causing compass error. (I have flown later on this place several times without compass error, so I don’t buy that!)
When I asked why “compass error” turns off GPS, it was a stupid question.
So the conclusion I got from this, was it was all my fault. I got very disappointed by the treatment I got in this forum, but I loved the pictures I could take with my Spark. So I continued droning...
Latest background
I practiced more and more. At the same time I tried to do as many safety precautions that was practically to do and still flying.
Now, I almost have had 300 flights and almost 40h airtime, and I still have the same copy of Spark left. So I have gained some experience...
I never us RTH and only fly in manual all time. And I have avoided hard crashes, I have only had some minors in bushes, that have not harmed my Spark. I have only switched propellers once. Everything else is original.
And I have had a long time now using it without any “compass errors”. I felt more and more secure with my drone... Until some days ago!
Compass error and uncontrolled flight by Spark
Two day ago I wanted to document our street. I made 2 flights at 15m height and made a video during my flight. During this street documentation I had the drone in line of sight at all time (until malfunction).
After second lap, I lifted up the drone strait up to 40m and turned it a little.
BAM: “Compass error”. ..., I must return it to me as quick as possible. But the same split second I got the second error saying that I lost control of the drone. I tried to steer the drone in my direction but I heard it revving at full speed out of sight for me. I tried some seconds more before I stopped using the RC...
I went a way in direction were it went a way and found a couple of people the saw it flying in full speed into a small forest. I started to walk in this direction to see if I could pic up a green light on the RC for connection. After a while I found the feature “Find my drone” and located the drone on the map, after some minutes walk I found it.
I was very happy!
Later on I looked at the video the onboard cam did and I looked at the flight in DJI GO 4.
And it’s in here I find proof that DJI Spark flies with full motor speed even in ATTI-mode, and that it had a direction (without connection to the RC). It was not just follow the wind. My proof are in the video.
My point (why I wrote this) : It’s dangerous (and you lose hardware) by letting “Campass error” take down GPS location. DJI has to do something to this!
Every company can make software errors. And why DJI Spark moves like is does is a software bug. BUT by letting the compass error take out GPS-position, the harm of the software bug (and compass error) are very BIG. (Imagine that you are outside of a big crowd of people and the drone starts flying into the people, or heading for an airport at full speed 50km/h x 5 min = 4 km into an airport!!!). DJI must find a solution for not turning of GPS at compass error.
First my video of the DJI GO 4:
30s into this video I lost control of the drone (&lost link) AND drone got compass error forcing it into ATTI mode. At this time drone got into an uncontrolled flight.
Note controlstick movements after 41 are none (drone was out of sight for me and I heard nothing). I tried between 31-41s to take control over the drone but I flew away in highspeed into a small forrest.
Note Speed. Full speed 65km/h, (it should only do 50km/h)
Note Path of flight. Wind was maybe 3-4m/s (I’m a sailor so I know). Why fly in a parabel?
Note Orientation of the drone. Ok, compass is out. But this show it possible to move something in a direction without compass...
Note error messages in the end... In reality I got the 30s in then I lost control.
Secondly Sparks video
This video shows the onboard camera of Spark. After 54s flight I get “Compass error” and at the same time I lost connection to drone. It should go over in ATTI-mode and hover at SAME hight, but wind could/will start moving it in ATTI-mode.
At 1:07-1:22 look at angle of direction and flight path.
Also note angle of picture. This video don’t show a hovering drone following the wind. This drone is running at full speed away from me. I have observers that saw the drone fly away with full speed as well, after I could not see it in the sky...
At 1:22-1:39 drone slows drone slows down and it looks like it starts searching for something. I think it’s obvious that it is not wind moving it around in this scene.
At 1:39-1:53 Drone starts to loose height. Why. It has +5min battery left. It should hover an constant height in ATTI-mode.
At 1:53-1:57 Drone tilts camera up. Why? I ATTI-mode?
At 1:57-2:15 Drone lands, with +5min battery. When I found it it had +20min more video recorded, so it was clearly not out of battery.
I'm very curious too to see the flight logs.
When the Spark does auto-land (which it does when it loses contact to the remote for a few seconds in ATTI mode), it automatically tilts up the camera when approaching the ground to save it from being damaged on touchdown.
It could be that at the time it lost connection you were banking the Spark, so it continues that way, taking up speed. In ATTI mode you can fly much faster than in Sport mode.
But only with the flight logs we can be sure.
Yes, DJI should really investigate into and fix it, but I have given up hope there
Wolferl Posted at 4-23 04:09
I'm very curious too to see the flight logs.
When the Spark does auto-land (which it does when it loses contact to the remote for a few seconds in ATTI mode), it automatically tilts up the camera when approaching the ground to save it from being damaged on touchdown.
It could be that at the time it lost connection you were banking the Spark, so it continues that way, taking up speed. In ATTI mode you can fly much faster than in Sport mode.
Wolferl Posted at 4-23 04:09
I'm very curious too to see the flight logs.
When the Spark does auto-land (which it does when it loses contact to the remote for a few seconds in ATTI mode), it automatically tilts up the camera when approaching the ground to save it from being damaged on touchdown.
It could be that at the time it lost connection you were banking the Spark, so it continues that way, taking up speed. In ATTI mode you can fly much faster than in Sport mode.
My conclusion of this:
1. I was extreamly lycky that it didn’t autoland in the water.
2. In logfile 8min50s I got compass error. In reality I lost connection to the drone as well.
3. 9min16s log say connection restored... But I can’t found connection lost.
4. At 9min24 there are no more logs...
5. Regardless of battery state, should it autoland in ATTI-mode when connection lost?
6. What are parameters for landing?
7. Why didn’t land on the roof tops?
8. Whas it able to avoid water, or pure luck?
9. ...
Wolferl Posted at 4-23 04:09
I'm very curious too to see the flight logs.
When the Spark does auto-land (which it does when it loses contact to the remote for a few seconds in ATTI mode), it automatically tilts up the camera when approaching the ground to save it from being damaged on touchdown.
It could be that at the time it lost connection you were banking the Spark, so it continues that way, taking up speed. In ATTI mode you can fly much faster than in Sport mode.
My conclusion of this:
1. I was extreamly lycky that it didn’t autoland in the water.
2. In logfile 8min50s I got compass error. In reality I lost connection to the drone as well.
3. 9min16s log say connection restored... But I can’t found connection lost.
4. At 9min24 there are no more logs... It is copleatly lost here?5. Latest imput from me (joysticks0 are at 9min3s. But still it’s acceleration...
6. Regardless of battery state, should it autoland in ATTI-mode when connection lost?
7. What are parameters for landing?
8. Why didn’t land on the roof tops?
9. Whas it able to avoid water, or pure luck?
For your point 6, I would think that it autolands in ATTI because that mode implies that it has also lost GPS (or really because it had errors, basically ignored the GPS) - it therefore can't return to the home point.
I had the same issue, luckily it autolanded in a field, rather than the very-nearby road!
1. why did it switch to atti mode that late? usually it dropps into it immediatly.
2. you can clearly see the spark banking horribly to the left allthough there were no inputs by you. it does not seem to me that the wind could have done this....
i totally agree that dji has to fix this „uncontralble“ manouvers!
I think it’s dangerous with drone flying uncontrolled, and if differens goverments in differens countrys will come to the same conclusion as me, drones could be forbidden, if this simple problem could result in that big consequence for control of it!
So I think DJI should not take this problem too easy! It will problably not gain future sales.
Lysak2003 Posted at 4-22 03:19
Could you please download the flight log and share the link with us that we can help to solve this issue?
https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/Upload/
your spark worked in p-sport mode
when you hovered next to the big building to the left , you made a controlled right turn <180*. during this turn the aircraft detected an imu and compass disagree. in the logs and in the app you got the first warning: compass error. when you compare the footage with the log you can see that the heading isnt the same after that turn. ( footage <180*, log>180*.) i believe that the compass was interfered by the building next to it. but the missmach was not great enough to „give up“ and to enter atti mode. the aircraft tried to stabilze itself ( great uncontrolable manouvers) but realized that it was not geting closer to where it should be : gps position no match . and it realized that it increased in speed although it shouldnt.
: speed error.when it finnaly entered atti mode ( you could control it there because it stops „selve stabilising) but it was too late as you lost signal
lvl.2
First Officer
Second Officer
lvl.4
