DJI Spark Firmware Update – Improved Gesture Control and Photo Quality

News

by Nic DivischekAugust 4^th, 2017

The DJI Spark camera drone has received a new firmware update that will include enhanced gesture control to start recording, a quick-shot feature as well as improved photo quality. Read on for a summary of the new features and how to install the new firmware.

We recently featured a post by Tamás Kiss who was testing the Spark for cinema5D in Iceland. He had troubles with the gesture control – and now it looks like as if DJI enhanced some of these functions.

New REC start/stop gesture

The DJI Spark features an innovative 3D Sensing System that includes Gesture Mode and PalmControl. Using hand movements, Spark users can instruct their drone to follow them, take aerial selfies, send the drone away and order it to come back. The new Record gesture allows users to start and stop video recording with a simple arm movement. See the image below for more information on performing the new Record gesture.

Enhanced QuickShot video features for more cinematic control

The Spark’s QuickShot Intelligent Flight Modes allows the drone to automatically fly along a preset flight path and track a subject along the way. Users can now control which circular direction the drone flies during Circle and Helix modes, offering more control when filming. Other QuickShot modes have also been improved by increasing the height gained during Drone mode and smoothing out the camera’s pitch in Rocket mode.

A 180-degree photo shooting mode and improved photo image resolution

This new photo-shooting feature maximizes the camera’s stills 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.

Other updates

The firmware update also improves the overall performance of Spark, including better responsiveness to input from the remote controller, enhanced connectivity between the aircraft and remote controller, and flight logging for the Intelligent Battery system.

Firmware Installation

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. To make life a little easier, take a look at the video below to make sure you install the firmware correctly. (DJI SPARK DOWNLOAD PAGE).

Are you a DJI Spark user? Are there any other features you would like to see in your DJI Spark? Please let us know in the comments below.