Looks like an interesting alternative to the Mavic.

Not quite the same flight time and only 1080 video, BUT half the price and small enough to fit in a Camelbak:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Cm1p3fr0g[/video]

UK price: £519 (without controller)
https://store.dji.com/product/spark

For comparison here is the previous drone thread where we discussed the DJI Mavic and the GoPro Karma drones.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/new-gopro-hero-session-and-drone

Looks amazing. The technology of these is moving so fast!

I still don’t really need one though.

I still don’t really need one though.

I still don’t really need one though.

I saw these online this morning. Really interested in a magic pro but the tech is moving so fast I don’t want to buy out of date products.
I can see some of the sparks features making their way into the pro 2 or whatever they call it.

Super tempted by the spark …

A lot of things you going on tbat Lilly failed to deliver. Thankfully i didn’t invest in that one as I’d have been without my money for 18months.
This however comes with a huge name behind it and looks like it ticks many boxes….

My mate just bought a Mavic. 😀

I think they are two different markets really – the Mavic shoots 4K, has a 3-axis gimbal and longer flight times and range.

The Spark only shoots 1080 (which I suspect is enough for most consumers) and judging by Casey’s comparison video the unprocessed colours are more consumer friendly (i.e. they have a bit of GoPro pop to them):

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nujgBunvgBI[/video]

ooh – this is Kai testing it on Mam Tor!!!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zCuuvYX1PA[/video]

ooh – this is Kai testing it on Mam Tor!!!

Cheers – not seen his stuff before – I like.

“I think I’ve sneezed larger things out of me than that… Asian… we’re a phlegmy race” 😆

Kai was on DigitalRev for years (mostly from Hong Kong) and got quite a following. Must have done masses for their credibility.
Now he’s struck out on his own.

16 mins fly time looks like the bottle neck for this drone technology.

I was just talking to my wife abut that. It’s pretty short but being my first drone I don’t know how I’d use it.
A few mins at a time or one continuous session.

I guess an additional battery and you have 30 odd mins which is more than enough.

chewkw – Member

16 mins fly time looks like the bottle neck for this drone technology. Yes, spare batteries are a must. Means to charge them too.
Their charging hub can charge 2 batts in 55mins, but I can’t see a car charger, or usb charger in the official accessories list.

16 mins fly time looks like the bottle neck for this drone technology.

Yeah – the bane of pretty much all compact electronic devices these days: battery life. And it’s probably less than 16 minutes in realty.

But then I suppose most folk are unlikely to be doing a single 16 minute long shot – so it’s easy enough to swap in spare batteries, even if it is a bit of a hassle and extra cost.

(my little toy Syma drone only gets SIX minutes flight time! If I’m flying it at the park I take half a dozen batteries with me)

How effective are these ‘follow modes? Looks fun to just get to the top of somewhere, chuck it out of your pocket before the descent then have it come back to you at the bottom, or more likely when you’re halfway down lying in a ditch.

On a marginally related note…

Can anyone point me in the direction of (I’m guessing a forum) somewhere i might find a half decent amateur/enthusiast who fancies earning a few quid one weekend? I’m looking for some to do maybe an hour or so (not of actual video) but there will be standing around as guests arrive at my wedding do, purely for novelty/gimmick value.

I’ve a couple of companies to ring but given they’re showing work they’ve done for top gear and national geographic i imagine the output (and pricing) will be rather more than I’m after.

(That or an inexpensive but half decent drone i can strap a go pro to)

dangeourbrain: trouble is that would be “commercial work” and would be within 50m of people so it would need Civil Aviation licensing.

https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Model-aircraft-and-drones/Flying-drones/

Ah! In which case, national geographic here i come (i imagine dinner will be a passable recreation of wildebeest crossing a crocodile infested river any how).

Ta!

Looks fun to just get to the top of somewhere, chuck it out of your pocket before the descent then have it come back to you at the bottom, or more likely when you’re halfway down lying in a ditch.

If they can go get help Lassie style, I’d get one.

AlexSimon – Member

16 mins fly time looks like the bottle neck for this drone technology.

Yes, spare batteries are a must. Means to charge them too.
Their charging hub can charge 2 batts in 55mins, but I can’t see a car charger, or usb charger in the official accessories list. [/quote] I like the size of it and depending on your usage 16 mins might be fine.

GrahamS – Member
(my little toy Syma drone only gets SIX minutes flight time! If I’m flying it at the park I take half a dozen batteries with me)

16 mins is acceptable if you simply do selfie or something i.e. start take picture then stop and pack up. 6 mins … that’s just hassle for me.

6 mins … that’s just hassle for me.

Yeah the six minute one is literally a toy though.

It’s just fun to fly about and is light enough that I can let the kids have a go without worrying about injuring anyone.

dangeourbrain – Member

On a marginally related note…

Can anyone point me in the direction of (I’m guessing a forum) somewhere i might find a half decent amateur/enthusiast who fancies earning a few quid one weekend? I’m looking for some to do maybe an hour or so (not of actual video) but there will be standing around as guests arrive at my wedding do, purely for novelty/gimmick value.

Bloke I work with has started up a drone business doing survey work etc.

He’s done all the courses got all the CAA licensing stuff, I think.
He’s also got 3560 cameras and stuff.

Dunno where you are though, which would probably have a bearing on whether it’s worth getting in contact with him….

He’s got a website & facebook page. Google ‘Remote Perspectives’. There’s more content pics on Faceook though it seems. If you search for ‘remote perspectives ltd’ you’ll find his page.

Is the follow me feature smart enough to avoid obstacles? I could see it working at Antur Stinog for example where there’s nothing really to hit. Llandegla might be a different story though!

The Mavic is an incredible bit of kit, but the size in the air is the thing that’s drawing me into the Spark. It just looks like it’ll be super discreet, and for my ‘family movie’ needs the SPark looks good, and the Mavic overkill, hence my add in the classified….hint hint.

It just looks like it’ll be super discreet,

Small, but may still be a bit noisy. I’ve got a Phantom 3 and the noise is fairly obvious at anything under 80 metres. I guess the spark isn’t as noisy but it will not be silent, certainly within 10-20m.

Can anyone point me in the direction of (I’m guessing a forum) somewhere i might find a half decent amateur/enthusiast who fancies earning a few quid one weekend? I’m looking for some to do maybe an hour or so (not of actual video) but there will be standing around as guests arrive at my wedding do, purely for novelty/gimmick value.

There *are* smaller operators out there who are legally licensed but don’t have the gravitas for NG. No idea where you are but my ISP has a sideline in drone photography (the owner likes his toys, so they also do 3D printing). They’re based in Bracknell and more info is at http://www.aaisp.net.uk/photography.html.

Or if you’re down in the south west http://www.cornwallbydrone.co.uk/ maybe.

It looks great, but the full capabilities are only achievable with a controller (rather than phone app) and apparently it doesn’t come with the controller as standard. That’s another $150, making it $650.

They do a deal pack that comes with controller, spare battery & a couple of other bits for $200 so might as well go for that, rather than just the $150 controller.
But then it’s up to $700….

I would absolutely love one – but unfortunately it’s no in my ‘toy’ budget range….

It’s a shame the prop arms don’t fold too. That would have made it really tiny – although it looks like it would still find in a mid-sized trail pack with no bother.

It looks great, but the full capabilities are only achievable with a controller

What extra capabilities does the controller give? I know it extends the range, but what else do you need it for?

And do we know if other DJI controllers work with it?

They do a deal pack … But then it’s up to $700….

Yep or £700 GBP – nippy but still quite a bit cheaper than £1099 for the standard Mavic Pro I guess.

It’s a shame the prop arms don’t fold too. That would have made it really tiny

Yeah seems odd to suss that design for the Mavic and then not put it on the Spark. Maybe it needed the extra rigidity of fixed arms?

It’s a shame the prop arms don’t fold too. That would have made it really tiny – although it looks like it would still find in a mid-sized trail pack with no bother.

The plus side of that is it looks quite sturdy – so that you wouldn’t mind jamming it in bags/strapping it to packs/etc.

The plus side of that is it looks quite sturdy – so that you wouldn’t mind jamming it in bags/strapping it to packs/etc.

Until you take it out to discover you’ve snapped one of the props off. 😀

GrahamS – Member

What extra capabilities does the controller give? I know it extends the range, but what else do you need it for?

Mainly range & top speed I think. With the phone controller, it will only allow the drone to fly 100m away & up to 50m high. Probably far enough for most ‘selfie’ applications, I think….
There’s a sport button on the controller that I guess enables it to run faster – but again – do you really need that? Dunno.

Just seems a bit lame to boast the top specs that aren’t actually available until you pay more for the controller.
I guess if it said; range; 100m, altitude 50m, it would put people off.

I think the review that this info was in, mentioned that other DJI controllers don’t work with the Spark.

AlexSimon – Member

The plus side of that is it looks quite sturdy – so that you wouldn’t mind jamming it in bags/strapping it to packs/etc.

True – but if the arms folded in, out of the way, they would probably be less likely to get caught on straps etc. & damaged. They could have supplied it with a Velcro padded sleeve to wrap around it to keep it safe in your bag & stop the arms snagging on things.
But – the arms do look very sturdy as they are & it’s mean to nitpick the detail when it looks so cool….

Saw Casey’s video last night, does look rather good.

DangerousBrain – again not sure where based, but check out Tom at Raptor Aerial imaging:
https://www.raptoraerialimaging.co.uk/

Borders based but does some stuff further south.

I think the extra capabilities you get with the controller are the functions to take video while moving around. There’s some new ones, like climbing in a corkscrew motion while keeping the subject in the camera frame.

I’ve been looking at these today and once you buy another battery on and the base version you’re in for 550 .
I think I’ll go for the kit with the extra battery, the controller and all the other bits for 700

My wife is working in china this week and managed to get me a Spark fly more kit, two memory cards and another battery for just over £500.

That’s a seriously good price and can’t want to have a play.

Oooh that is a very good price. How much room does she have in her luggage? 😉

I want one !

I have one

Its an awesome gadget, however unless you just plan position it in the air and take a photo I think you really need the controller. COntrolling by phone isn’t the easiest.

The bad news is that it appears that noone in the uk stocks the batteries or the controller! I’ve ordered from DJI direct, but its not been shipped yet, and thats been a week.

If you do get one don’t expect to be able to walk to the top of the hill, stick it on first time, and get awesome footage. It has taken me 4 or 5 battery charges to still not get through he basics. I’ve ordered 2 spares, as in reality the flight time is closer to 12 min, not 16.

What I will say however, is that how such a small device can stay still in 25mph winds is borderline witchcraft.

Very tempted to buy one of these with the holidays approaching. £699 for the Fly More bundle seems the only logical purchase to get the controller and another battery. But that closes the gap to the more capable mavic which can be bought for just over £900 relatively easily. In reality it looks like one mavic battery last about the same time as two sparks and the mavic comes with a controller to its a fair comparison. So then its down to size vs better spec. Tricky.

Just got mine and so far I’m really impressed!
Still need to learn how to use it properly:

Test 1

Test 2

From the other drone thread, an impressive little video by whiter74 of this parish:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Jsf-YtZvA[/video]