Hey Rick , Thanks for all the work you have been putting in . Unfortunately I'm one of those knuckleheads that generally browse through the manual . You have inspired me to take the time to read them more thoroughly. Your video's are really informative and please keep on doing the question and answer video's .
Thanks a lot for the post and your support. I'm really having fun with the Spark and putting these clips together. I have a few more posting this week so stay tuned. Rick
Thanks so much for this! I just ordered a Spark (my first drone) and you answered three of my pressing questions! You do a great job. Keep up the good work. I'm now a subscriber.
Another great video! Thanks so much and please keep the Spark stuff coming until you've covered everything you think folks need. The tip about the iPad Mni 4 sure opened my eyes. I tried to insert mine but was afraid I'd break the arms if I pushed any harder. I just tried again and just as you said....it works!!! Keep this format alive.
Hi Rick , Just come acroos your page after my DJI goggles arriving and got to say , i subscribed because , you are very easy to listen to , you dont waffle on about useless stuff, and most of you answer the questions , accuratly and professionally..many thanks .
Thanks for the kind words on the clip. I enjoy putting these together and really appreciate hearing that others are enjoying them. I'll have more clips posting soon so be sure and stop back. Rick
Great video Rick! I received my Yellow Spark yesterday and getting ready to send it up in the air for the first time today. First impression is exactly as you stated in other videos. Thanks for the video and take care, Bill
Hi you were right with hooking up the Goggles to the Spark. Had a problem like most did here but did get it up and running with changing the way I had the cable hook up a few times and then bang there it was. Glad I subscribed. Rick
Rick, Thanks for another great video. Your content is always helpful and you obviously do your homework before turning on the camera. I appreciate that you approach technology wearing an engineer's hat rather than being another salesman. Which sunscreen would you recommend when flying the Spark with its controller and an iPad Mini 4?
Rick, As usual, this post is articulate, informative and full of your delightful enthusiasm. I really enjoy your site and always come away edified and eager to be in the air. (My Spark won't ship until the end of July! DRAT!) Many happy landings to you.
Zero, thanks for the post and the kind words. I just love flying and when I discover something interesting I enjoy sharing it with others. I hope you get the Spark early and you're going to love flying the quad. It's really incredible how well engineered the craft is for the price. Thanks again, Rick
Very helpful. Thank you. Like the format...though admittedly, I have not been keeping up with DJI or any drone news since the P2V+. Spark shows up tomorrow for me, have greatly appreciated your videos on it.
Thanks for the post and you're going to love the Spark, it flies like a dream. I'll keep doing these clips each week for a while as long as everyone is enjoying them. I appreciate your support of the channel and please let me know if you have any questions once your Spark arrives. Rick
Good stuff as always, in fact among the most well done anywhere, thanks. Have you addressed the goggle headband fitting problem that many of us are having? I've had to cobble together a chin strap to make mine usable at all. (Was actually glad to see a lot of others with the same issue, as at first it had me wondering if my old head was really freakish, LOL!)
Rick, I have not seen to many videos about this but can you use the DJI goggles with a phantom 3 advanced or pro? When I saw that you could just connect with a USB I thought it may be able to hook up to the back of the phantom 3 controller via USB. I would really appreciate it. I really enjoy your videos please keep them coming!
I was having issues with the DJI goggles working nicely after I swapped from iPhone, and I wanted to find a way to give my spotter access to the same information I had on my screen while I was flying FPV and be able to record the screen, and I found an easy work-around. I use the Spark remote wifi to link to my iPhone, then I connect an Apple "lightning to AV" adaptor to the iPhone, and plug the goggles HDMI input into the HDMI adaptor. You can not use the goggles touchpad to control anything (mirrored display only), but you no longer have to swap cables between iPhone and goggles at power up, and you can record the screen on the iPhone, and you have dual displays.
Good info and vid. I'm still not sold on what is essentially a "wi-fi fpv drone" .. seen too many toy grade ones that are an absolute disaster. How about running Mobizen on your Shield and taking it out to a mile and recording the screen, so we can see if there are freezes and drop outs. (I use the Nvidia Shield myself .. rolled it back to Marshmallow after several were complaining about problems with it running Android Nougat). With only a 2D gimbal, it likely has a jerkiness to the video when doing yaw turns. I even think I watched one Spark review video which showed that the horizon tilted after doing a yaw pan shot. The flight time seems to be about 10 min. to "low battery warning" (since its at 15%, instead of the 10% on other DJI quads). Looking forward to your next video. Cheers.
Hi Rick, one thing about the goggles. On the mavic if you JUST fly with the goggles and no phone is used your limited to the 30m range because you now need to login to your DJI Go 4 app to unlock the range on the quad now. If you start a spark and never connect to a phone at any point during the power cycle of the spark is the range limited like it is on the Mavic? With the mavic it only needs to see the phone for ONE moment for it to unlock the full range with the goggles. Once it has seen the phone for a moment even before you take off... It then unlocks the full range of the quad. So I am wondering if the spark will be the same.
Great format of Q&A the FAQ, Rick. I have also a question: It is possible to live stream with IOS or Android with the Spark on Facebook, Skype or RUclips?
I just ordered your DJI Goggle Adapter Kit but I have question: when you connect your Spark to the RC via cable, can you still use a smartphone/tablet as a backup/spotter if something happens with the goggles? Thank you
I would be interested in learning about the differences in speed available depending on remote/phone control. Especially if the speed difference also applies to a follow me mode once activated.
Hi Rick, great video, thanks. I am helping a family with a dissabled child. She utilizes the iPad very well with limited motor skills. The iPad may serve her much better in controlling the Spark. If we do not use the DJI controller (rather the iPad alone), is there any way to get video to DJI goggles or a pair of Fat Sharks? Would Apple TV be a solution to get video from iPad to Apple TV and then an HDMI to Fat Shark? Just wondering if you can save me some time in exploring. Thanks.
Hi Rick, Love your videos...very informative and easy to understand. I am considering getting a dedicated tablet to use with the Spark. It seems the Nvdvia Shield K1 is not available anywhere I can find. If I get the Apple Mini 4, is it okay to just get the wifi version? Thanks for all the great info. Cheers, Dottie
Larry, thanks for the post and I'm going to try and do one of these a week to keep everyone updated on the Spark. I appreciate the post and your support. Rick
Thank you for this! I have to admit that I am someone who didn't read the instructions and was confused why the goggles didn't work. I am surprised that the goggles didn't come with the adapter we need for the spark though
Thanks for the post and I agree that the goggles should have come with the converter. It too me a little while to sort it out too and was why I added the question to the list. I'm glad the video helped you a little and I'll have more along these lines posting this week so be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any of them. Rick
Rick can you me your opinion on witch is better the Spark or the Bebop 2 love your post all very informing thanks keep them coming. Do you have any more Mavic battery's for sale.
I was able to connect the goggles to my Spark in the way you suggested, but it is no fun without the ability to control the gimbal with head tracking. Have you gotten that to work, or is that the firmware update we are waiting for? Another unexpected thing is you have to wear your reading glasses to use them. The focus is not set to "infinity", but more like reading a book from 6 inches away.
Hi Rick! How about some additional feedback on the Moverio BT-300`s? Can the BT-300 be used with the Spark? Which headsets do you use the most? BT-300 or DJI Goggles?
The Spark is a lot of fun, the hand gestures are great but you are limited at this time to still shots. Maybe there with be a future firmware update for video. The remote and phone are both extremely responsive. The remote control greatly increases the flight distance. Dji is very clever in that they make the flying experience very similar in all their drones with a few features specific for each model. For being so small the Spark is extremely stable. For a hobbyist like myself it is perfect!!!
Eric, I agree with everything you've said. The hand gesture is a cool feature but somewhat limited right now. It's mostly designed to allow a novice to capture the perfect selfie without needing the remote. I'm sure they'll expand its features over time. I agree about the stability of the quad as well and was blown away at how far I could fly it and still maintain a strong signal. Very impressive! Thanks for the post, Rick
Does the Spark require you to do a compass calibration each time you fly from a different location? I know the Phantom series and the Mavic Pro needs you to do the calibration spin. Doyle from Houston .... back to U
Great video, Bob! Any answers (other than using the RC's mini USB port) to solve the glitching when using wifi between the IPad and RC? I would love to have the option of someone else being able to "watch" via the IPad while I'm using the goggles. Again, great job! We'll start checking out your store & subscribe to your UTube channel!
I am looking to get my first drone and after months of indecision finally ordered a P3 Standard just for the low price, but I'm having second thoughts about it. I live just outside the DC flight rules area and another big airport so I have only some small parks and fields nearby where I can fly. I'm worried the P3 will be too big and noticeable. The small discreet size of the Spark would be a huge advantage, and the Mavic is out of my price range. However I watched several sample videos recorded by the Spark and I wasn't too impressed in the video quality compared to the P3 or Mavic. There was a lot of jerkiness in horizontal motion, presumably limitations of the 2 axis gimbal. I was wondering if you found this to be the case and what are you thoughts about using the Spark for amateur cinematic-like video shooting. Thanks.
Hey Rick, I love your videos, HOWEVER I would really like to see you do more videos while flying. Imo, it would take your videos to a much more fun mode, not that listening to your voice isn't fun lol. ANYWAY, Thx for your hard work and dedication to this wonderful and exciting hobby... MICHAEL
I had some range and video lag issues on my spark and iPhone 7+ so I used an otg adapter and my lightning cable from the remote to the phone and it’s like flying with light bridge. Lag reduced and I went from 1,500 foot range to 4,800 foot range. I couldn’t see the wife signal anymore though. This test could be very good for a video.
Hi Rick, I've just brought the Spark and installed the latest updates. I have an android phone and have brought a OTG cable to connect it to the controller. I've read that the lastest update has no support For the OTG cable and that the wi-fi link has been greatly improved. Can you confirm this?
Rick, loved your explanations ... BUT ... I tried connecting the Goggles exactly as you said - with negative results. A TAD frustrating to say the least. I reached out to DJI technical support:- Me: "Received my spark today - can't get it to connect to my goggles" DJI Customer Support: "It is not compatbile with the dji goggles. " Me: "Hmm - according to posts on RUclips and also in the DJI forums - people are doing it via the USB Port" DJI Customer Support: "As per update this is the device (he sent a graphic which lists the features of the aircraft that the DJI Goggles support. It is from page 13 of the DJI Goggles manual .. it does not list the Spark)" Me: "Hmm - this makes me a tad unhappy. Am happy with the goggles and the Mavic and our Inspire2 arrives next week (no lie I hope)" DJI Customer Support: "Dont worry, the spark is on process of proper testing and wait for the future updates." Me: "So you are saying the Spark WILL be connected to the goggles in the near future?" ... long pause here ... DJI Customer Support: "Yes it will be" ... another pause ... DJI Customer Support: "The developers advise us to inform customers to wait.Because they are doing a lot of test to make sure the future updates will properly work on the spark. " So there you go Rick. I am at a loss (as well as jealous) as to why your Spark works with your Goggles ... and mine doesn't. I upgraded all the software (though the Goggles were up to date) and it still had no affect - I even tried with another set of proven cables - with negative results. Hope this helps others who might be frustrated. Anyone who is getting your version to work is either lucky or on old software.
April, thanks for the post and I'm sorry that you're having issues with the goggles and your spark. I can assure you that they do work and am not sure why the confusion from DJI. Maybe they aren't "officially" supported yet but I was flying with them today for a bit and they work great. There are a few things I've found through experimenting that you might want to try. Here's my process: 1) Power up the controller, Spark and tablet 2) Make your initial connection to the Spark (through Wifi) on the DJIGo4 application like normal. 3) Once you have a connection on the tablet, make all of the adjustments you need to the settings. 4) Connect up the goggle adapter (dongle) on the controller and a cable from that to the goggles. 5) At this point you should be connected and your goggles will take the place of your tablet. One critical thing, even though it seems like you could connect the cable up either way since they are both MicroUSB cables, you need to make sure the adapter is on the controller side of the connection. It's a bit of a "parent / child" relationship and will only work one way. Please give this a try and let me know how you make out. I hope you're enjoying your new Spark and thanks again for supporting the channel. Rick
Rick … you are the man! I reversed the dongle - by that I mean I plugged it into the controller (rather than the USB on the headband of the goggles) and you were right. It worked! The reason I didn’t have it that way originally was because the Micro USB on the Dongle I had purchased from Fry’s had a right-angled connector on it and the left handle on the controller can’t fold all the way in with the dongle connector plugged into the controller. For that reason, I had installed it in the USB connector in the headband of the Goggles. Overnight I had wondered about whether the cable was reversible and had intended to meter out the connections just in case (even though I sort of doubted it) - though I would have had to acquire a couple of female micro USB connectors to do that. Your comment today saved me a lot of trouble! I imagine this is also important for the “hack” that many are talking about on the forums where they connect their phones or tablets directly to the controller rather than using the Wifi to let the two communicate … giving extra range and reliability supposedly though I have not tried it. In-fact I haven’t actually flown the Spark with the Goggles today since I live close to an airport (class C airspace) where there happened to be a plane crash today … thought it might be a good idea to keep out of the skies while the FAA and NTSB do their thing smiles! However, the picture from the Spark to the Goggles was first class in my home. Despite all the above however, I think caution may well be advised when flying with the goggles (have a visual observer in any case) until DJI have blessed this with whatever update they eventually release. Flying the Spark with Goggles might void warranty conditions of DJI refresh etc. Once again - thanks for your prompt reply. April
There IS something to it @ 11:32. My video feed to my Goggles (from my Spark) worked once, but I can never get it to connect again. Is there a proper sequence of operations?
I purchased a micro B to micro B for hard-wiring my spark transmitter to the DJI goggles and it doesn't work. I watched the video 3 times and the only thing different is that I didn't use the DJI cable and adapter. Is there something special about the cable?
If I launch the Spark and fly it off from the roof of a skyscraper, what will it take for its reference point of height, the ground at the foot of the skyscraper, or the remote controller I held on the roof? Thanks.
I have DJI Spark and remote ( I bought "combo" package in December) . I just bought DJI Googles and was trying to connect it to Spark. I do have micro usb to usb converter from my Samsung Galaxy s7 which fits. I turn first all devices on ( R.C. , Spark and Googles) and then connect the cable between RC and Googles but I do not get to see what Spark camera sees and I am required to activate my Googles. ( it does say that Dj Googles support following aircrafts : Mavic Pro , Phantom 4 , Phantom 4 pro and Inspire2). - I choose "Next" on welcome screen - I tick "agree" on next screen and go "next" - on Activation Type screen I have to choose "with DJI Assistant 2" or "With mobile device" With mobile device method it works only for Mavic pro and is wireless so I have to choose Assistant 2 I do have OTG cable ( between RC and my Samsung Galaxy S7) both sides with micro USB . This does not work as well . Bit frustrating .
Nick, thanks for the post and it's hard to troubleshoot a problem like this without being in front of the gear but the first thing I would suspect is the OTG adapter you're using. I tested 16 different models before I found one that worked with the Spark. Also, I found that the first few times I used the cable for connection, I still had to "handshake" with the controller over Wifi from my phone. Once I had a picture, I then connected the cable and shut off the Wifi on my phone and it worked great. If you do decide to replace the OTG, I have them available on our website (dronevalley.com). Thanks again for posting and I hope these suggestions help. RIck
If the Wifi is working for you, there's no need to use the cable. Some of the folks using an Android device are experiencing connection issues and the cable helps to sort that out. I just posted a clip explaining the difference and how to use the cable setup. Give it a watch and let me know if you have any questions. Rick
Rick I don’t know if it was your website or not but my credit card number was stolen . Someone tried to charge $1000 on it . I really enjoy your site very professional. Steve
Steve, thanks for the post and I'm sorry to hear about your credit card but we use PayPal as a payment processor for all of the transactions on there and have never had an issue with them . The provide some of the best security available and we actually switched to them a few years back from another major CC processor that was far less secure. I appreciate the kind words on the channel content and hope you sort out the issue. Rick
Wondering if you're going to do a full in-depth review and tutorial on the goggles for the Mavic pro also would like to hear your opinion on the return to home feature where it supposed to return to your remote controller not the static home point. There must be 1000 videos out there showing return to home but none of them show how how to return to home follow me to my remote controller future Reading on forums that that future is flawed and really doesn't work is this true
I have been flying with the goggles for a few weeks and am working on a clip for them that I hope to post this week. As for the RTH with the controller, I have tested this before and it works well but have never shown it in a clip. I'll be sure to do that and try and post it soon. Thanks for the suggestion. Rick
Hi flying my Mavic air with the goggles but it will only allow me to go to a default distance and height any thoughts why this is,starting up my drone then the controller have a green light on the controller plug in my goggles (race edition) and will only as said before to go a default distance Many thanks
Hey Rick, question.......let's say I just got the drone, and I'm out with my friends and want to take a group photo. I know that with a few simple gestures I can position the Spark to take a great group shot but.......what if I wanted to take a group video? Is there a gesture to take video without using the remote or a cellphone? In the Dji video , there's a woman that's rock climbing and decides to take a selfie......done! But what if she wanted to capture herself reaching the peak of that mountain in the form of an awesome video! Is it possible? I've asked a few other reviewers and have yet to get a reply or even a response! Thank you in advance!
They're not perfectly in sync but close enough for my tastes. Many of the other ones I've tried were very noticeable and I think the Ocusync connection helps to reduce the latency. Thanks for your post and support of the channel. Rick
Jeremy, you can use an HDMI cable if your tablet has that output available but that's only half of the equation. The image needs to be split into a stereoscopic image to be able to see it right with most goggles. That's why an application like Litchi is helpful as it does this for you in FPV mode. I hope that helps and flying with the goggles in an unreal experience, have fun!
Has this been fixed (broken) by DJI? I tried connecting my drone but it never connected to my Spark using Galaxy S7. had to use Wifi.. :(It does charged my phone and I see the OS connection message but the DJI Go 4 App doesn't see the drone. I have to turn on wifi...
great video I heard the spark has signal connection issues connecting via Android phones . connecting via remote straight up to the Android phone resolves the issue . however the wires might be dangling out . I remember you had mentioned about right angle wires before to prevent those dangling if wires . may I know where to get them online. ?
Thanks for the post and I'm actually finishing a clip right now that explains the benefits of doing this. I have the cables on our website in both 20cm and 30cm lengths. The 20cm are perfect if your phone/tablet fits in the handles and the 30cm versions work with a tablet adapter. You can find them here - www.dronevalley.com
Drone Valley does the spark as issues with the palm control ? cos I saw another video as the gesture control was not accurate . is this true on your model ?
Mine works great but you can't move too quickly or it loses focus. That feature is also a little limited in that it only works for photos at this point. It is designed to be useful for catching that quick selfie without the need to spin up the controller.
9:40 Nice clear explanation for the Goggles and the Spark. Did you make a video on using the Goggles with a P4P+ that has the build in screen ??? I could not get my goggles to work using the USB cable connections. It only seemed to give me a video feed by using the HMDI cable but no touch pad controls of the touch screen. I read the manual but it was not clear...
Hi Rick. Do you know if it's possible that the spark will work with head-tracking on the goggles at some point in the future with firmware updates? Or are the Spark hardware and/or controller fundamentally incompatible with head-tracking?
Tess, thanks for the post and I am hoping that there will be head-tracking enabled on a future firmware release and I think it's entirely possible. I know this has been a hot point of contention on some of the older quads but since the Spark is so new and a lot of people are asking for it, I'm betting we'll see it. Even still, flying this quad with the goggles in FPV mode is awesome. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop back soon. Rick
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm hoping that since the controller and goggles are joined via USB there's nothing to stop the goggles sending head-tracking data to the Spark via the controller. My Spark should arrive soon. The goggles will have to wait until a later payday :)
Quick question Is there a way to do portable charging to the batteries ? E.g. Portable power charger link to the charging hub and charge the batteries without any car charger or wall charger ?
Tak Man Mak I have an Omni charge power bank the 20,000mha version and it has a 120 volt outlet that will output 100 Watts. I only have 2 batteries but you might be able to use the hub to charge 3 batteries and usb to the drone to charge a 4th and to the remote at the same time.
Rick I read someone complaining about video/control latency with wifi and said they remedied this by plugging their phone into the controller itself (like the Mavic) Thoughts?
Tahosfr, your timing is perfect. I was just doing a clip today explaining how and why this works. Give it a look and it's a great way of creating a more stable connection.
Leonardo, I wasn't sure if you were kidding or not but technically it will work. The problem is that the added weight of the battery pack would probably eat up any additional time you would have gained in flying. It would also alter the center of balance for the quad and make it pretty unstable.
Kiter, check to make sure you have the "dongle" end plugged into the controller and not the headset. If that doesn't work you may have a bad OTG dongle or a bad cable. Let me know what you find once you've checked the cable. Rick
Hi Rick, thanks a lot. I have tried it with an OTG cable and now it is working. Strange thing however is, that now it is also working with the same OTG dongle which did not work before i tried it with the OTG cable. The OTG cable must have triggered something which the OTG-dongle could not do. Do you have any ideas on that. Keep up the fabolous work Rick!
DJI has dropped the ball on the firmware updates promised for the Phantom 4 (standard) so I wouldn't hold my breath on waiting for DJI to add Mavic controller capability to the Spark.
Chris, I know there is a delay in a lot of the features announced for the P4 but DJI has different teams working on the various product lines. It would be great if they all coordinated better but I know that they are suffering from growing pains and are working on improving the firmware updates to add new features. Even with the hiccups that have happened, the P4 is still one of my favorite quads to fly.
Immediately ordered the DJI Spark - Ultimate Tablet Holder. Your enthusiasm is contagious, Rick.
Hey Rick , Thanks for all the work you have been putting in . Unfortunately I'm one of those knuckleheads that generally browse through the manual . You have inspired me to take the time to read them more thoroughly. Your video's are really informative and please keep on doing the question and answer video's .
Rick, I love to see someone passionate about what they do. I really appreciate your commentary and I love your enthusiasm. Thank you!
Thanks a lot for the post and your support. I'm really having fun with the Spark and putting these clips together. I have a few more posting this week so stay tuned. Rick
@Marcus Keeler,i know but it is his review and his channel,hahahahaaaa ,it is called ,INDEPTH.
Thanks so much for this! I just ordered a Spark (my first drone) and you answered three of my pressing questions! You do a great job. Keep up the good work. I'm now a subscriber.
Rick, enjoy your presentations! I'm 73 years old and just bought my first drone (Phantom 4). Got a lot to learn!
Watched many clips... but found most value in YOURS! Subscribed and am looking for more...
Your presentations are very well done. Easy to understand and coherent. Thanks!
Another great video! Thanks so much and please keep the Spark stuff coming until you've covered everything you think folks need. The tip about the iPad Mni 4 sure opened my eyes. I tried to insert mine but was afraid I'd break the arms if I pushed any harder. I just tried again and just as you said....it works!!! Keep this format alive.
The Q&A format is very helpful. Thanks much, Rick. I appreciate your passion.
Hi Rick , Just come acroos your page after my DJI goggles arriving and got to say , i subscribed because , you are very easy to listen to , you dont waffle on about useless stuff, and most of you answer the questions , accuratly and professionally..many thanks .
Thanks for the kind words on the clip. I enjoy putting these together and really appreciate hearing that others are enjoying them. I'll have more clips posting soon so be sure and stop back. Rick
So what's your take on the dji goggles with the spark?
Thanks. Like the format. Love your thoughtful, detailed answers.
Great video Rick! I received my Yellow Spark yesterday and getting ready to send it up in the air for the first time today. First impression is exactly as you stated in other videos.
Thanks for the video and take care, Bill
Hi you were right with hooking up the Goggles to the Spark. Had a problem like most did here but did get it up and running with changing the way I had the cable hook up a few times and then bang there it was. Glad I subscribed. Rick
Awesome clip Rick...as usual very detailed....
Rick, Thanks for another great video. Your content is always helpful and you obviously do your homework before turning on the camera. I appreciate that you approach technology wearing an engineer's hat rather than being another salesman. Which sunscreen would you recommend when flying the Spark with its controller and an iPad Mini 4?
Rick, As usual, this post is articulate, informative and full of your delightful enthusiasm. I really enjoy your site and always come away edified and eager to be in the air. (My Spark won't ship until the end of July! DRAT!) Many happy landings to you.
Zero, thanks for the post and the kind words. I just love flying and when I discover something interesting I enjoy sharing it with others. I hope you get the Spark early and you're going to love flying the quad. It's really incredible how well engineered the craft is for the price. Thanks again, Rick
Very helpful. Thank you. Like the format...though admittedly, I have not been keeping up with DJI or any drone news since the P2V+. Spark shows up tomorrow for me, have greatly appreciated your videos on it.
Thanks for the post and you're going to love the Spark, it flies like a dream. I'll keep doing these clips each week for a while as long as everyone is enjoying them. I appreciate your support of the channel and please let me know if you have any questions once your Spark arrives. Rick
Very organized and systematic explanations
I appreciate you posting and am glad you enjoyed the clip. I have a few more Spark clips posting this week so be sure to stop back soon. Rick
Great new format! Always look forward to your videos, fantastic channel! Keep up the great work! Thanks a lot :)
Great information....thanks for sharing. Waiting for mine to arrive.
Good stuff as always, in fact among the most well done anywhere, thanks. Have you addressed the goggle headband fitting problem that many of us are having? I've had to cobble together a chin strap to make mine usable at all. (Was actually glad to see a lot of others with the same issue, as at first it had me wondering if my old head was really freakish, LOL!)
Waiting on my Spark , great info. Thanks
Rick, I have not seen to many videos about this but can you use the DJI goggles with a phantom 3 advanced or pro? When I saw that you could just connect with a USB I thought it may be able to hook up to the back of the phantom 3 controller via USB. I would really appreciate it. I really enjoy your videos please keep them coming!
I was having issues with the DJI goggles working nicely after I swapped from iPhone, and I wanted to find a way to give my spotter access to the same information I had on my screen while I was flying FPV and be able to record the screen, and I found an easy work-around. I use the Spark remote wifi to link to my iPhone, then I connect an Apple "lightning to AV" adaptor to the iPhone, and plug the goggles HDMI input into the HDMI adaptor. You can not use the goggles touchpad to control anything (mirrored display only), but you no longer have to swap cables between iPhone and goggles at power up, and you can record the screen on the iPhone, and you have dual displays.
Troy Harnish ,that is kind of what I asked Rick but you answered it for me ,thanks buddy.
Troy Harnish ,is there a lightening to HDMI cable available or no ?
very nice work Rick
Thanks for this!! Very helpful can't wait to get mine June 30th!!!
Good info and vid. I'm still not sold on what is essentially a "wi-fi fpv drone" .. seen too many toy grade ones that are an absolute disaster. How about running Mobizen on your Shield and taking it out to a mile and recording the screen, so we can see if there are freezes and drop outs. (I use the Nvidia Shield myself .. rolled it back to Marshmallow after several were complaining about problems with it running Android Nougat). With only a 2D gimbal, it likely has a jerkiness to the video when doing yaw turns. I even think I watched one Spark review video which showed that the horizon tilted after doing a yaw pan shot. The flight time seems to be about 10 min. to "low battery warning" (since its at 15%, instead of the 10% on other DJI quads). Looking forward to your next video. Cheers.
Rick great job as always.
Very informative video! Great job
Hi Rick, one thing about the goggles. On the mavic if you JUST fly with the goggles and no phone is used your limited to the 30m range because you now need to login to your DJI Go 4 app to unlock the range on the quad now. If you start a spark and never connect to a phone at any point during the power cycle of the spark is the range limited like it is on the Mavic? With the mavic it only needs to see the phone for ONE moment for it to unlock the full range with the goggles. Once it has seen the phone for a moment even before you take off... It then unlocks the full range of the quad. So I am wondering if the spark will be the same.
Thank you for the fantastic tutorial
Great format of Q&A the FAQ, Rick. I have also a question: It is possible to live stream with IOS or Android with the Spark on Facebook, Skype or RUclips?
Doesn't that dongle you speak of come with the phantom 4? Yes the format is good. Thanks for the information and your work.
I just ordered your DJI Goggle Adapter Kit but I have question: when you connect your Spark to the RC via cable, can you still use a smartphone/tablet as a backup/spotter if something happens with the goggles? Thank you
I would be interested in learning about the differences in speed available depending on remote/phone control. Especially if the speed difference also applies to a follow me mode once activated.
Excellent review Rick!!
Alan, thanks for the post and I'm glad you enjoyed the clip. Rick
Hi Rick, great video, thanks. I am helping a family with a dissabled child. She utilizes the iPad very well with limited motor skills. The iPad may serve her much better in controlling the Spark. If we do not use the DJI controller (rather the iPad alone), is there any way to get video to DJI goggles or a pair of Fat Sharks? Would Apple TV be a solution to get video from iPad to Apple TV and then an HDMI to Fat Shark? Just wondering if you can save me some time in exploring. Thanks.
Hi Rick,
Love your videos...very informative and easy to understand. I am considering getting a dedicated tablet to use with the Spark. It seems the Nvdvia Shield K1 is not available anywhere I can find. If I get the Apple Mini 4, is it okay to just get the wifi version? Thanks for all the great info. Cheers, Dottie
Good format, thanks!
Larry, thanks for the post and I'm going to try and do one of these a week to keep everyone updated on the Spark. I appreciate the post and your support. Rick
I would like to know what you can do wit the Goggles as far as control like head tracking is that available with the spark??
Thank you for this! I have to admit that I am someone who didn't read the instructions and was confused why the goggles didn't work. I am surprised that the goggles didn't come with the adapter we need for the spark though
Thanks for the post and I agree that the goggles should have come with the converter. It too me a little while to sort it out too and was why I added the question to the list. I'm glad the video helped you a little and I'll have more along these lines posting this week so be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any of them. Rick
Rick can you me your opinion on witch is better the Spark or the Bebop 2
love your post all very informing thanks keep them coming. Do you have any more Mavic battery's for sale.
I was able to connect the goggles to my Spark in the way you suggested, but it is no fun without the ability to control the gimbal with head tracking. Have you gotten that to work, or is that the firmware update we are waiting for?
Another unexpected thing is you have to wear your reading glasses to use them. The focus is not set to "infinity", but more like reading a book from 6 inches away.
Hi Rick! How about some additional feedback on the Moverio BT-300`s? Can the BT-300 be used with the Spark? Which headsets do you use the most? BT-300 or DJI Goggles?
Keep em comin Rick.
The Spark is a lot of fun, the hand gestures are great but you are limited at this time to still shots. Maybe there with be a future firmware update for video. The remote and phone are both extremely responsive. The remote control greatly increases the flight distance. Dji is very clever in that they make the flying experience very similar in all their drones with a few features specific for each model. For being so small the Spark is extremely stable. For a hobbyist like myself it is perfect!!!
Eric, I agree with everything you've said. The hand gesture is a cool feature but somewhat limited right now. It's mostly designed to allow a novice to capture the perfect selfie without needing the remote. I'm sure they'll expand its features over time. I agree about the stability of the quad as well and was blown away at how far I could fly it and still maintain a strong signal. Very impressive! Thanks for the post, Rick
If you press record on the app before palm launching, you can use gesture control mode while its recording.
Great info, thanks !!
Thanks, your always a big help....
Does the Spark require you to do a compass calibration each time you fly from a different location?
I know the Phantom series and the Mavic Pro needs you to do the calibration spin.
Doyle from Houston .... back to U
Great video, Bob! Any answers (other than using the RC's mini USB port) to solve the glitching when using wifi between the IPad and RC? I would love to have the option of someone else being able to "watch" via the IPad while I'm using the goggles.
Again, great job! We'll start checking out your store & subscribe to your UTube channel!
I am looking to get my first drone and after months of indecision finally ordered a P3 Standard just for the low price, but I'm having second thoughts about it. I live just outside the DC flight rules area and another big airport so I have only some small parks and fields nearby where I can fly. I'm worried the P3 will be too big and noticeable. The small discreet size of the Spark would be a huge advantage, and the Mavic is out of my price range. However I watched several sample videos recorded by the Spark and I wasn't too impressed in the video quality compared to the P3 or Mavic. There was a lot of jerkiness in horizontal motion, presumably limitations of the 2 axis gimbal. I was wondering if you found this to be the case and what are you thoughts about using the Spark for amateur cinematic-like video shooting. Thanks.
I'm thinking about getting an iPhone 7 plus, would this be a good phone to use with the spark?
Hey Rick,
I love your videos, HOWEVER I would really like to see you do more videos while flying. Imo, it would take your videos to a much more fun mode, not that listening to your voice isn't fun lol. ANYWAY, Thx for your hard work and dedication to this wonderful and exciting hobby...
MICHAEL
Have you had any issues with pictures saving in gesture mode and are they low quality pictures opposed to max quality?
Thanks Rick. What does that have on it for sensors
Thanks for the video ! Which nividia shied do you use , is it the K1 ?
Did you ever do a review of the DJI goggles?
Rick man what is the RIGHT antenna used for on the Mavic pro controller?
best video ever good job thanks
I had some range and video lag issues on my spark and iPhone 7+ so I used an otg adapter and my lightning cable from the remote to the phone and it’s like flying with light bridge. Lag reduced and I went from 1,500 foot range to 4,800 foot range. I couldn’t see the wife signal anymore though. This test could be very good for a video.
great video !!!
Hi Rick, I've just brought the Spark and installed the latest updates. I have an android phone and have brought a OTG cable to connect it to the controller. I've read that the lastest update has no support For the OTG cable and that the wi-fi link has been greatly improved. Can you confirm this?
Rick, loved your explanations ... BUT ... I tried connecting the Goggles exactly as you said - with negative results. A TAD frustrating to say the least. I reached out to DJI technical support:-
Me: "Received my spark today - can't get it to connect to my goggles"
DJI Customer Support: "It is not compatbile with the dji goggles. "
Me: "Hmm - according to posts on RUclips and also in the DJI forums - people are doing it via the USB Port"
DJI Customer Support: "As per update this is the device (he sent a graphic which lists the features of the aircraft that the DJI Goggles support. It is from page 13 of the DJI Goggles manual .. it does not list the Spark)"
Me: "Hmm - this makes me a tad unhappy. Am happy with the goggles and the Mavic and our Inspire2 arrives next week (no lie I hope)"
DJI Customer Support: "Dont worry, the spark is on process of proper testing and wait for the future updates."
Me: "So you are saying the Spark WILL be connected to the goggles in the near future?"
... long pause here ...
DJI Customer Support: "Yes it will be"
... another pause ...
DJI Customer Support: "The developers advise us to inform customers to wait.Because they are doing a lot of test to make sure the future updates will properly work on the spark. "
So there you go Rick. I am at a loss (as well as jealous) as to why your Spark works with your Goggles ... and mine doesn't. I upgraded all the software (though the Goggles were up to date) and it still had no affect - I even tried with another set of proven cables - with negative results.
Hope this helps others who might be frustrated. Anyone who is getting your version to work is either lucky or on old software.
April, thanks for the post and I'm sorry that you're having issues with the goggles and your spark. I can assure you that they do work and am not sure why the confusion from DJI. Maybe they aren't "officially" supported yet but I was flying with them today for a bit and they work great. There are a few things I've found through experimenting that you might want to try. Here's my process:
1) Power up the controller, Spark and tablet
2) Make your initial connection to the Spark (through Wifi) on the DJIGo4 application like normal.
3) Once you have a connection on the tablet, make all of the adjustments you need to the settings.
4) Connect up the goggle adapter (dongle) on the controller and a cable from that to the goggles.
5) At this point you should be connected and your goggles will take the place of your tablet.
One critical thing, even though it seems like you could connect the cable up either way since they are both MicroUSB cables, you need to make sure the adapter is on the controller side of the connection. It's a bit of a "parent / child" relationship and will only work one way.
Please give this a try and let me know how you make out. I hope you're enjoying your new Spark and thanks again for supporting the channel.
Rick
Rick … you are the man! I reversed the dongle - by that I mean I plugged it into the controller (rather than the USB on the headband of the goggles) and you were right. It worked!
The reason I didn’t have it that way originally was because the Micro USB on the Dongle I had purchased from Fry’s had a right-angled connector on it and the left handle on the controller can’t fold all the way in with the dongle connector plugged into the controller. For that reason, I had installed it in the USB connector in the headband of the Goggles. Overnight I had wondered about whether the cable was reversible and had intended to meter out the connections just in case (even though I sort of doubted it) - though I would have had to acquire a couple of female micro USB connectors to do that. Your comment today saved me a lot of trouble!
I imagine this is also important for the “hack” that many are talking about on the forums where they connect their phones or tablets directly to the controller rather than using the Wifi to let the two communicate … giving extra range and reliability supposedly though I have not tried it. In-fact I haven’t actually flown the Spark with the Goggles today since I live close to an airport (class C airspace) where there happened to be a plane crash today … thought it might be a good idea to keep out of the skies while the FAA and NTSB do their thing smiles! However, the picture from the Spark to the Goggles was first class in my home.
Despite all the above however, I think caution may well be advised when flying with the goggles (have a visual observer in any case) until DJI have blessed this with whatever update they eventually release. Flying the Spark with Goggles might void warranty conditions of DJI refresh etc.
Once again - thanks for your prompt reply.
April
Very informative
Do the goggles work the same way with the phantom 4? Just plug I the USB and they take the place of a phone or tablet?
There IS something to it @ 11:32. My video feed to my Goggles (from my Spark) worked once, but I can never get it to connect again. Is there a proper sequence of operations?
I purchased a micro B to micro B for hard-wiring my spark transmitter to the DJI goggles and it doesn't work. I watched the video 3 times and the only thing different is that I didn't use the DJI cable and adapter. Is there something special about the cable?
Have you got a review of that tablet holder?
If I launch the Spark and fly it off from the roof of a skyscraper, what will it take for its reference point of height, the ground at the foot of the skyscraper, or the remote controller I held on the roof? Thanks.
I have DJI Spark and remote ( I bought "combo" package in December) . I just bought DJI Googles and was trying to connect it to Spark. I do have micro usb to usb converter from my Samsung Galaxy s7 which fits. I turn first all devices on ( R.C. , Spark and Googles) and then connect the cable between RC and Googles but I do not get to see what Spark camera sees and I am required to activate my Googles. ( it does say that Dj Googles support following aircrafts : Mavic Pro , Phantom 4 , Phantom 4 pro and Inspire2).
- I choose "Next" on welcome screen
- I tick "agree" on next screen and go "next"
- on Activation Type screen I have to choose "with DJI Assistant 2" or "With mobile device"
With mobile device method it works only for Mavic pro and is wireless so I have to choose Assistant 2
I do have OTG cable ( between RC and my Samsung Galaxy S7) both sides with micro USB . This does not work as well .
Bit frustrating .
Nick, thanks for the post and it's hard to troubleshoot a problem like this without being in front of the gear but the first thing I would suspect is the OTG adapter you're using. I tested 16 different models before I found one that worked with the Spark. Also, I found that the first few times I used the cable for connection, I still had to "handshake" with the controller over Wifi from my phone. Once I had a picture, I then connected the cable and shut off the Wifi on my phone and it worked great. If you do decide to replace the OTG, I have them available on our website (dronevalley.com). Thanks again for posting and I hope these suggestions help. RIck
Hi Rick. Will the signal be better if I connect the tablet to the controller through the cable? Thanks in advance.
If the Wifi is working for you, there's no need to use the cable. Some of the folks using an Android device are experiencing connection issues and the cable helps to sort that out. I just posted a clip explaining the difference and how to use the cable setup. Give it a watch and let me know if you have any questions. Rick
Rick
I don’t know if it was your website or not but my credit card number was stolen . Someone tried to charge $1000 on it . I really enjoy your site very professional.
Steve
Steve, thanks for the post and I'm sorry to hear about your credit card but we use PayPal as a payment processor for all of the transactions on there and have never had an issue with them . The provide some of the best security available and we actually switched to them a few years back from another major CC processor that was far less secure. I appreciate the kind words on the channel content and hope you sort out the issue. Rick
There’s day when i’m flying my spark, i get so much lag on my video feed using with my iPad mini 4. How do you fix this ?
Wondering if you're going to do a full in-depth review and tutorial on the goggles for the Mavic pro also would like to hear your opinion on the return to home feature where it supposed to return to your remote controller not the static home point. There must be 1000 videos out there showing return to home but none of them show how how to return to home follow me to my remote controller future Reading on forums that that future is flawed and really doesn't work is this true
I have been flying with the goggles for a few weeks and am working on a clip for them that I hope to post this week. As for the RTH with the controller, I have tested this before and it works well but have never shown it in a clip. I'll be sure to do that and try and post it soon. Thanks for the suggestion. Rick
Hi flying my Mavic air with the goggles but it will only allow me to go to a default distance and height any thoughts why this is,starting up my drone then the controller have a green light on the controller plug in my goggles (race edition) and will only as said before to go a default distance
Many thanks
Hey Rick, question.......let's say I just got the drone, and I'm out with my friends and want to take a group photo. I know that with a few simple gestures I can position the Spark to take a great group shot but.......what if I wanted to take a group video? Is there a gesture to take video without using the remote or a cellphone? In the Dji video , there's a woman that's rock climbing and decides to take a selfie......done! But what if she wanted to capture herself reaching the peak of that mountain in the form of an awesome video! Is it possible? I've asked a few other reviewers and have yet to get a reply or even a response! Thank you in advance!
There is no gesture for video
Oh...by the way....any latency problems on the goggles when flying the spark? Thanks again.
They're not perfectly in sync but close enough for my tastes. Many of the other ones I've tried were very noticeable and I think the Ocusync connection helps to reduce the latency. Thanks for your post and support of the channel. Rick
Rick , just curious and maybe I asked you before but can I just use the HDMI cable from my tablet to the goggles ?
Jeremy, you can use an HDMI cable if your tablet has that output available but that's only half of the equation. The image needs to be split into a stereoscopic image to be able to see it right with most goggles. That's why an application like Litchi is helpful as it does this for you in FPV mode. I hope that helps and flying with the goggles in an unreal experience, have fun!
@@Dronevalley ,I understand now Rick ,thank you very much and take care.
Has this been fixed (broken) by DJI? I tried connecting my drone but it never connected to my Spark using Galaxy S7. had to use Wifi.. :(It does charged my phone and I see the OS connection message but the DJI Go 4 App doesn't see the drone. I have to turn on wifi...
great video I heard the spark has signal connection issues connecting via Android phones . connecting via remote straight up to the Android phone resolves the issue . however the wires might be dangling out . I remember you had mentioned about right angle wires before to prevent those dangling if wires . may I know where to get them online. ?
Thanks for the post and I'm actually finishing a clip right now that explains the benefits of doing this. I have the cables on our website in both 20cm and 30cm lengths. The 20cm are perfect if your phone/tablet fits in the handles and the 30cm versions work with a tablet adapter. You can find them here - www.dronevalley.com
Drone Valley does the spark as issues with the palm control ? cos I saw another video as the gesture control was not accurate . is this true on your model ?
Mine works great but you can't move too quickly or it loses focus. That feature is also a little limited in that it only works for photos at this point. It is designed to be useful for catching that quick selfie without the need to spin up the controller.
9:40 Nice clear explanation for the Goggles and the Spark.
Did you make a video on using the Goggles with a P4P+ that has the build in screen ???
I could not get my goggles to work using the USB cable connections. It only seemed to give me a video feed by using the HMDI cable but no touch pad controls of the touch screen.
I read the manual but it was not clear...
Hi Rick. Do you know if it's possible that the spark will work with head-tracking on the goggles at some point in the future with firmware updates? Or are the Spark hardware and/or controller fundamentally incompatible with head-tracking?
Tess, thanks for the post and I am hoping that there will be head-tracking enabled on a future firmware release and I think it's entirely possible. I know this has been a hot point of contention on some of the older quads but since the Spark is so new and a lot of people are asking for it, I'm betting we'll see it. Even still, flying this quad with the goggles in FPV mode is awesome. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop back soon. Rick
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm hoping that since the controller and goggles are joined via USB there's nothing to stop the goggles sending head-tracking data to the Spark via the controller. My Spark should arrive soon. The goggles will have to wait until a later payday :)
What happened to one of your propellers? It's bent upwards.
Quick question
Is there a way to do portable charging to the batteries ? E.g. Portable power charger link to the charging hub and charge the batteries without any car charger or wall charger ?
Tak Man Mak I have an Omni charge power bank the 20,000mha version and it has a 120 volt outlet that will output 100 Watts. I only have 2 batteries but you might be able to use the hub to charge 3 batteries and usb to the drone to charge a 4th and to the remote at the same time.
Thanks for the info
This one looks good, but a bit pricey
Rick I read someone complaining about video/control latency with wifi and said they remedied this by plugging their phone into the controller itself (like the Mavic) Thoughts?
Yes you can plug in via USB to the controller and have a much better connection than using wi-if.
Tahosfr, your timing is perfect. I was just doing a clip today explaining how and why this works. Give it a look and it's a great way of creating a more stable connection.
Bruce, thanks for the comment and I just posted a clip explaining how this works.
Rick, could i charge the spark with a power bank while the drone is flying?
Why would you want to risk crashing your drone?
Leonardo, I wasn't sure if you were kidding or not but technically it will work. The problem is that the added weight of the battery pack would probably eat up any additional time you would have gained in flying. It would also alter the center of balance for the quad and make it pretty unstable.
The Shield Tablet will or won't fit with spark Remote?
I have connect the goggles with the RC of the Spark but it says Disconnected and i have no live view - any advice. Thanks!
Kiter, check to make sure you have the "dongle" end plugged into the controller and not the headset. If that doesn't work you may have a bad OTG dongle or a bad cable. Let me know what you find once you've checked the cable. Rick
Hi Rick, thanks a lot. I have tried it with an OTG cable and now it is working. Strange thing however is, that now it is also working with the same OTG dongle which did not work before i tried it with the OTG cable. The OTG cable must have triggered something which the OTG-dongle could not do. Do you have any ideas on that. Keep up the fabolous work Rick!
How far will the goggles work with the spark?
DJI has dropped the ball on the firmware updates promised for the Phantom 4 (standard) so I wouldn't hold my breath on waiting for DJI to add Mavic controller capability to the Spark.
forum.dji.com/thread-89940-12-1.html
Chris, I know there is a delay in a lot of the features announced for the P4 but DJI has different teams working on the various product lines. It would be great if they all coordinated better but I know that they are suffering from growing pains and are working on improving the firmware updates to add new features. Even with the hiccups that have happened, the P4 is still one of my favorite quads to fly.
How about that micro USB on th other end of th 3 battery holder? (Spark)
Thanks Cheers!
Also nice video, good lighting and well done!
Is that wall real? If real, have you flown drone into it by mistake?
what happens if you don't get faa
Re the controller-Lol why would they do that when they can sell you a(mother) controller or encourage you to buy the fly more