{{Short description|Chinese camera drone}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox aircraft | name = Spark | image = File:DJI Spark in flight (front).jpg | alt = a DJI Spark flying indoors | image_caption = DJI Spark | other_names = | aircraft_type = Unmanned aerial vehicle | aircraft_role = | national_origin = China | manufacturer = DJI | status = Discontinued | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | number_built = | construction_date = 2017–2019 | introduction = May 2017 | first_flight = | developed_from = | developed_into = | variants = }} The '''DJI Spark''' (company designation '''Model MM1A''')<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://fccid.io/SS3-MM1A1702/Label/FCC-ID-Label-3402155.pdf |title=DJI Spark FCC label |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}</ref> is a teleoperated compact quadcopter drone for personal and commercial aerial photography and videography use, released by the Chinese technology company DJI. The Spark had a short production run of only two years before it was replaced by the Mavic Mini.
== Design and development == thumb|DJI Spark being controlled with hand gestures. DJI announced the Spark in May 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DJI Launches Spark, The Easy And Fun Camera Drone For Everyone - DJI |url=https://www.dji.com/newsroom/news/dji-launches-spark-the-easy-and-fun-camera-drone-for-everyone |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=DJI Official |language=en}}</ref> The Spark is a small quadcopter with forward and downward obstacle avoidance sensors and satellite navigation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kesteloo |first=Haye |date=2017-12-15 |title=Review: The DJI Spark mini-drone packs a punch |url=https://dronedj.com/2017/12/15/review-dji-spark-mini-drone/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=DroneDJ |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Heater |first=Brian |date=2017-05-24 |title=DJI’s tiny new Spark drone is $499 and kind of a big deal |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/24/heres-djis-tiny-new-spark-drone/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> The drone is lighter and smaller than the company's Mavic Pro, but lacks folding arms, making it roughly the same size as a folded Mavic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heater |first=Brian |last2=Cao |first2=Veanne |date=2017-06-01 |title=The DJI Spark is fun, but not the mainstream drone we were promised |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/01/the-dji-spark-is-fun-but-not-the-mainstream-drone-we-were-promised/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=ACS |first=Matthew Allard |date=2017-05-05 |title=DJI Spark initial thoughts – how does it fare as a professional filmmaking tool? |url=https://www.newsshooter.com/2017/05/05/dji-spark-initial-thoughts-review/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Newsshooter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-06-08 |title=Flying a DJI Spark by waving your hand isn't as great as it sounds |url=https://www.engadget.com/2017-06-08-dji-spark-selfie-drone-review.html |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref> The Spark has a 12-megapixel camera with a 1/2.3" CMOS sensor mounted on a two-axis gimbal capable of capturing 1080p video at 30 frames per second.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-31 |title=DJI Spark Review |url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/dji-spark |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Murison |first=Malek |date=2017-05-24 |title=Introducing the DJI Spark - Everything You Need To Know |url=https://dronelife.com/2017/05/24/dji-spark-launch/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=DRONELIFE |language=en-US}}</ref> The Spark was the first DJI drone to be controlled by hand gestures.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fitzpatrick |first=Alex |title=The DJI Spark Is The First Drone I Actually Want To Buy |url=https://time.com/4792769/dji-spark-drone/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250518203518/https://time.com/4792769/dji-spark-drone/ |archive-date=2025-05-18 |access-date=2025-08-29 |work=TIME |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-06-01 |title=The DJI Spark is the first drone for anyone |url=https://qz.com/994904/the-dji-spark-is-the-first-drone-for-anyone |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=Quartz |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Eadicicco |first=Lisa |date=25 May 2017 |title=You Control This Tiny Drone Simply By Moving Your Hand |url=https://time.com/4794116/dji-spark-release-price-video/ |access-date=29 August 2025 |website=Time}}</ref> Originally, users controlling the drone with hand gestures still had to use their phone to control the camera, but a software update in August 2017 added the ability to record video with a new set of gestures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crook |first=Jordan |date=2017-08-02 |title=DJI Spark update introduces 180-degree selfie mode |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/02/dji-spark-update-introduces-180-degree-selfie-mode/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
Upon release, the Spark competed with drones such as the GoPro Karma and Yuneec International Breeze.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graham |first=Jefferson |title=DJI Spark hand gestures work — but not always |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/05/31/dji-spark-drone-review-hand-gestures-work-but-not-always/102303882/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> After reports of Spark drones falling from the sky in August 2017, DJI identified the issue as a software bug and released a firmware update to fix it. DJI also remotely grounded any drones that did not receive the update.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Michael |date=2017-08-22 |title=DJI Will Disable Your Spark Drone If You Don't Update the Firmware |url=https://petapixel.com/2017/08/22/dji-will-disable-spark-drone-dont-update-firmware/ |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=PetaPixel |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-08-22 |title=DJI drone owners told to update or be grounded |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-41011659 |access-date=2025-08-29 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Popper |first=Ben |date=2017-07-25 |title=Some DJI Spark drones are falling from the sky, and that’s to be expected |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/25/16025426/dji-spark-drone-customer-complaints-flight-issues |access-date=2025-08-29 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>
In August 2018, DJI collaborated with Line Friends to release a version of the Spark marked to represent the character Brown.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kesteloo |first=Haye |date=6 August 2018 |title=DJI introduces the DJI Spark BROWN in partnership with LINE FRIENDS |url=https://dronedj.com/2018/08/06/dji-introduces-the-dji-spark-brown-in-partnership-with-line-friends/ |access-date=29 August 2025 |website=DroneDJ}}</ref>
The Spark was replaced by the Mavic Mini in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Spires |first=Josh |date=2019-11-01 |title=DJI Mavic Mini killed the DJI Spark — simplifying the Mavic lineup |url=https://dronedj.com/2019/11/01/why-dji-mavic-mini-replacing-dji-spark/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326033906/https://dronedj.com/2019/11/01/why-dji-mavic-mini-replacing-dji-spark/ |archive-date=2023-03-26 |access-date=2025-08-29 |work=DroneDJ |language=en-US}}</ref> Unlike the Spark, which is required to be registered in most countries due to its {{cvt|300|g|lb}} weight, the Mavic Mini was designed to bypass drone registration regulations by weighing under {{cvt|250|g|lb}}.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Spires |first=Joshua |date=2019-11-08 |title=DJI Mavic Mini versus DJI Mavic Air versus DJI Spark |url=https://dronedj.com/2019/11/07/dji-mavic-mini-mavic-air-spark-comparison/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503030053/https://dronedj.com/2019/11/07/dji-mavic-mini-mavic-air-spark-comparison/ |archive-date=2024-05-03 |access-date=2025-08-29 |work=DroneDJ |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Specifications (Spark) == [[File:Hrad03.jpg|thumb|Aerial photo of Mladá Boleslav Castle taken with a Spark.]] {{Aircraft specs |ref=DJI Spark manual<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/Spark/20171031/Spark%20User%20Manual%20V1.6.pdf |title=Spark User Manual V1.6 |date=October 2017 |publisher=DJI}}</ref> |prime units?=met <!-- General characteristics --> |genhide=
|capacity= |length m=0.143 |length ft= |length in= |length note= |width m=0.143 |width ft= |width in= |width note= |height m=0.055 |height ft= |height in= |height note= |empty weight kg=0.300 |empty weight lb= |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |more general= *'''Battery capacity:''' 1480 mAh <!-- Powerplant --> |eng1 number= |eng1 name= |eng1 type= |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp= |eng1 shp= |eng1 note= |power original=
|prop blade number= |prop name= |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop dia note= <!-- Performance --> |perfhide=
|max speed kmh=50 |max speed mph=31 |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |range note= |endurance=16 minutes |ceiling m=4000 |ceiling ft=13123 |ceiling note=above sea level |climb rate ms=3 |climb rate ftmin=588<!-- Converted from 9.8 ft/s --> |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |disk loading kg/m2= |disk loading lb/sqft= |disk loading note= |power/mass=
|more performance=
|avionics= *'''Camera:''' 12-megapixel 1/2.3" CMOS sensor *'''GNSS compatibility:''' GPS, GLONASS *'''Transmission system:''' Wi-Fi }}
==See also== {{aircontent |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= *DJI Mini *Parrot Bebop *Ryze Tello |lists= }}
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commonscat|DJI Spark}}
{{DJI Technology}}
Category:Unmanned aerial vehicles of China Spark Category:Quadcopters