Small Equals Efficiency. DJI Spark Is The Proof
DJI Spark is one of the smallest pieces of technology on the market presently. More precisely, its measurements are 143 x 143 x 55mm and 300 grams which equals 10.6 ounces. The DJI Spark is as small as a can of soda and you can fit it into any bag or even have it hang off on your belt.
This mini drone also comes in a small foam box that’s really no bigger than a headphone case and it also comes with a storage box and has compartments for four replacement propellers and two extra batteries.
The Spark is DJI is also the first drone to be released in a variety of colors: Alpine White, Sky Blue, Meadow Green, Lava Red and Sunrise Yellow. Such colourful array of tones is definitely a unique touch that differentiate this piece of technology as the current variety of drone in the marketplace has only been offered in a scant mix of gray, white and black.
In terms of looks, this piece resembles quite a bit a shrunken DJI Mavic Pro with a very similar angular body and a camera hanging right underneath the front sensor array.
Key features include:
12MP 1/2.3" CMOS sensor
2-axis mechanical gimbal
1080/30p video
Vision system for accurate positioning
Gesture control
16-minute flight time
Compact size
Unlike most other drones, the DJI Spark also has stubbly feet rather than extended landing gear. The reason why that is the case is to keep the drone as small as possible while also making it comfortable enough to hold when landing onto your hand.
One key difference of the Spark is its limbs don’t fold into the drone like the Mavic Pro and GoPro Karma Drone. The good news is you can fold the propellers to make it a smaller package and these rotor blades will also lock into flight position once they start spinning.
Despite its small dimensions, the DJI Spark has a quite solid and dense body. Most of the Spark’s fuselage is molded from one solid piece of plastic, that’s evident from the fact that there is nearly zero visible seams along the drone’s body.
Major selling points include appealing features such as obstacle detection, dual-band GPS and a visual positioning system that lets it hover in place up to 98 feet (30 m) above the ground. Moreover, DJI made the Spark's full HD video camera resting on a two-axis motorized gimbal for smooth results without impeaching image quality.
It only takes a few seconds for the DJI Spark to be completely ready for use. The setup process is in fact quite easy and intuitive and it will get the drone ready to take off with minimal difficulties.
All you need to do is attaching the propeller guards, turning it on and linking it to your smartphone through the DJI Go 4 app. Alternatively, you can skip the controller and command the DJI Spark with just hand gestures through the new feature called PalmControl.
You can have the drone take off from the palm of your after it scans your face. From there you can wave your hands at it to take control of flying it like a Jedi moving objects with the force. Waving your hand commands the drone to fly up and away from you, after which you can form a picture frame with your fingers to have it take a selfie.
With an MSRP of $400, the Spark is a unique piece of technology and it's also available in a 'Fly More' combo that adds a remote controller, charging hub, spare props, propeller guards, and extra battery for $700.