DJI released new features for its Spark camera drone that make it easier to capture and share moments on the go. Spark is DJI’s smallest drone that lets users control it with hand gestures.
Made possible through a recent firmware update, the new features deliver a combination of video and photo improvements to Spark users worldwide including: a new gesture to start and stop video recording; enhanced QuickShot video features for more cinematic control; and 180-degree photo shooting mode and improved photo image resolution.
Through its 3D Sensing System, Spark has features like Gesture Mode and PalmControl. Users can control Spark with hand movements, giving it commands to follow them, take aerial selfies, send the drone away, and beckon it to come back. With the addition of the new Record gesture, users can now start and stop video recording with an arm movement.
Spark’s QuickShot Intelligent Flight Modes that make creating professional videos have also been enhanced. Using QuickShot, Spark flies along a preset flight path while recording a short video and tracking a subject along the way. Users can now control which circular direction the drone flies during Circle and Helix modes to give them more cinematic control when filming. Other QuickShot modes have also been improved by increasing the height gained during Dronie mode and smoothing out the camera’s pitch in Rocket mode.
Spark also adds new photo shooting features that maximize the camera’s capabilities. In addition to the existing Vertical and Horizontal Pano modes, a new 180 mode stitches 21 individual photos together to capture 180-degree panoramic images. The photo resolution when shooting in ActiveTrack and Gesture Modes has also been improved to capture images at 12-megapixel resolution of 3968×2976 pixels.
The firmware update has also made improvements on the overall performance of Spark including better responsiveness to input from the remote controller, enhanced connectivity between the aircraft and remote controller, as well as flight logging for the Intelligent Battery system.
To take advantage of these new features, users must download and install the latest firmware on their drone and remote controller, which also updates the firmware on the Intelligent Battery system. Users must also download and use the latest DJI GO 4 mobile app, available for Android and iOS devices.