Wow!! Now kids and adults alike will love the new DJI Spark 2 drone. The new Spark 2 is now called the DJI Mavic Mini, and it the best drone under 250 grams as of October 29, 2019 announcement. A smaller and more powerful light-weight battery and a drone is the main reason for this.

DJI Spark 2 Weight Reduction

With all the problems DJI was having at the launch of the original Spark drone, there is no wonder why they are pushing so hard to make the 2019 Spark 2 drone even better. And with all the new drone rules for UAV’s over 250 grams will be put in place by the FAA in the USA 2019. A more powerful and smaller drone from DJI will be the answer.

Although in mid-2018, all the problems were fixed, and the original Spark is still one of the best lightweight drones on the market. It still weighs over 300 grams, which are over the weight limit. It is rumored in early 2019 that DJI Spark 2 will be getting a weight reduction and brand new foldable design this fall. Also, there were a lot of rumors going around that they were going to call the new drone the DJI Mavic Mini and they did.

The Mavic Mini or Spark 2 Specs.

Which drone is the best mini drone on the market for 2019?

The Spark 2 Price

The Spark2 begins at $399 and available for preorder.  DJI will start sending the drone on Nov. 11.  Even the Spark 2 250-gram weight is a magic number since drones that consider significantly less than that which are exempt from Federal Aviation Administration regulations, for example, registration in the USA, Canada and UK.

The Spark 2 Flight Range

The Spark 2  boasts a max range of 2.5 miles or about 4km and maintains around 30 minutes of flight time, and it is fairly impressive to get a drone with the compact dimension.

Mavic Mini/Spark 2 Must-Have Bundle

USD $419

• Backed by DJI customer support
• Includes Full DJI USA WARRANTY
• Up to 30 Minutes of Flight Time
• Stream HD Video From up to 2.5 Miles
• Includes Controller & Flight Battery
• 12MP/2.7K Quad HD 3-Axis Gimbal Camera

 The DJI Mavic Mini is an easy-to-fly drone that conveys an excellent HD movie, packed in an impossibly compact bundle. It is the newest — and in many ways best — customer drone in DJI, the title that has effectively become to drones precisely what Apple and Samsung are for tablets.  The Spark 2 efficiently combines the very best characteristics of the organization’s top-end Mavic Air  — my go-to customer camera recommendation because it premiered in October 2016 — together with all the reliability of its casual-focused, travel-friendly Spark, while incorporating some fantastic new capabilities to the mixture, such as improved obstruction avoidance and a better movie camera.

Starting at $399, and $99 more for the Fly More Bundle, the mini-drone is a noticeable step up from the regular Spark. However, it’s standing from the 999 Pro is much hazier.  The Mavic Air has a few features that the mini does not, but the reverse is also correct.  Mainly, the Pro has a small advantage on battery lifetime and video transmission array and also can capture video in an “authentic” HD resolution of 2,796×2,160 pixels.

There is also a variant that is simpler and flies a couple of minutes more compared to the baseline version. Even the Air, on the other hand, is much far smarter drone compared to the mini and Mavic thanks to new technology indoors that not only makes it simpler for you to fly but retains the drone out of harm’s way too.  For non-professionals trying to find a camera drone that does over snap selfies, however, remains incredibly compact for traveling, the Mavic Air is almost ideal.

The Good: The DJI Spark 2’s folding design makes it great for travel while its  HD 1080-resolution camera along with with three-axis gimbal capture nice-looking photographs and movies.  Automated shooting alternatives and obstruction avoidance ensure it is simple to find fantastic results quickly.

The Bad: Flight time is between 27-30 minutes, therefore expect to purchase additional batteries. Piloting by the program can be bothersome, particularly on smaller displays.  Obstacle avoidance does not protect you in the top or sides. The main point An excellent quantity of technology in a pocketable drone, and most DJI Spark 2 will be the very best traveling drone you are likely to find at this time.

DJI Spark Firmware Update

We all can remember when some of DJI’s spark drones were falling from the sky, and DJI had admitted they were working on the problem.

“DJI was aware of a small number of reports involving Spark drones that have lost power mid-flight. Flight safety and product reliability are top priorities. Their engineers were thoroughly reviewing each customer case, and a fix was made. DJI products are tested for thousands of hours, and the overwhelming number of customers enjoy using their products with minimal disruption.

DJI has a firmware update for the Spark, and you must do it by September 1st, 2017, or your drone will not fly.

On August 21st, 2017, DJI released news and mandatory firmware update for their spark drone owners. The owners of DJI’s latest and smallest quadcopter must update their firmware by the 1st of September 2017, or their machine will automatically ground themselves. They did not want to risk even the slightest possibility of a drone injuring people as it crashes to the ground. The firmware update is to stop in-flight shutdowns that were occurring. So no bad things to fix a safety issue.

Find out which drones under 250g will be the best in 2019

The firmware update enhances the DJI Sparks battery management systems to optimize power supply during flight.

These kinds of problems are to be expected in this industry. A few drones will malfunction from time to time; it does not matter if it is Yuneec, GoPro, DJI, or 3D Robotics. I can remember when GoPro recalled its Karma drone. The same goes for almost every robotic lawnmower, robotic vacuum, or even smartphone or tablet for that matters. The big difference, of course, is that when a smartphone shuts down for an unexpected reboot, it doesn’t come crashing out of the sky.

DJI investigates Spark drone after users report fly-aways and unexplained crashes

“DJI is aware of a small number of reports involving Spark drones that have lost power mid-flight,” a DJI spokesperson told Digital Trends. “Flight safety and product reliability are top priorities. Our engineers are thoroughly reviewing each customer case and working to address this matter urgently. DJI products are tested for thousands of hours, and the overwhelming number of customers enjoy using our products with minimal disruption.”

DJI had fix this problem and add additional safeguards through a firmware update, which can be installed through the DJI Go 4 app.

DJI Spark multiple gimbal errors and DJI Spark: Choppy Video Feed? Here’s How To Fix It

So some Spark owner is facing problems fresh out of the box. After doing the updates, the system gives multiple gimbal errors: gimbal motor overloaded, gimbal motor protection, gimbal rotation error, and gimbal joint angle sensor initialization error.

“Something to consider, not sure if this is what is causing it or not. When the DJI Spark is powered on then, the gimbal is actively trying to stay level as that is what it is supposed to do.  If you turn the drone over, twist it around, etc. then you are causing the gimbal also to move to remain level.  You can demonstrate this just by turning it on holding it level and looking at the camera while to gently rock it side to side….you will see the camera moving as the gimbal maintains a level position.  If you pick up the drone while powered on and make extreme movements (which are not that extreme to you but they are to the gimbal), then the gimbal is going to hit the physical stops in one or more of the two available axes it moves, and then you have a Gimbal Overload condition.  I recommend you always hold your drone level while it is powered on.  If you need to flip it over or twist it around… turn it off first.”

Having trouble connecting your DJI Spark to iPhone? Here’s how to fix it

DJI Spark with IOS-How to setup

• The first thing you’ll need to do is connect to and activate your new drone. To do that, follow the steps below.
• Charge your DJI Spark battery fully and insert it into the drone.
• Download the DJI Go 4 app from the App Store.
• Open DJI Go 4 and ensure the app is set to connect to a DJI Spark.
• Turn on your DJI Spark (one tap and one long press until fans kick in).
• In the DJI Go 4 app on your device, tap Enter Device and connect to the Spark’s Wi-Fi network.*
• Enter the password found under the battery on your Spark and the carrying case.
• Turn off mobile data.
• After you’ve connected to the Spark, you will be asked to activate the product and check for firmware updates.
• Once these steps have been completed, you should now be able to fly your DJI Spark.

If your experience ends up anything like mine, you’ll be presented with one significant issue first — you can’t find the Spark’s Wi-Fi network. The Spark that ships in the “Fly More Combo” are designed to pair with the remote controller first rather than directly to your phone. Thankfully, it’s not very difficult to change that and control things with your iPhone.

DJI Spark WiFi, How to reset

• Turn on your DJI Spark (one tap and one long press until the fans kick in).
• Open the DJI Go 4 app on your iOS device and tap Enter Device. From there you should be presented with your device’s Wi-Fi menu.
• Press and hold the Spark’s power button until the drone beeps once, twice, and then three times (9-10 seconds). This resets the Spark’s Wi-Fi network.
• On your smartphone, the Spark’s Wi-Fi network should appear like a secured network
• From here, locate your Spark’s carrying case. The Wi-Fi password will be listed next to the QR code. Input that password and tap Connect.

Once you’ve followed these steps, your device should have no issues connecting to the DJI Spark. The range, when connected to a smartphone, is pretty minimal, but things are stable for the most part right now.

What does the New DJI Spark 2 have?

The Spark 2 has a foldable design, with many improvements (more aerodynamic and better airflow for cooling may be, similar to what we’ve seen with the Mavic Air?).

An updated HD @ 30fps camera (finally!) And 1080p @ 60fps with enhanced image quality. No RAW, unfortunately, though. Wi-Fi will be used for transmission, exactly like using the Mavic Air. New features such as Asteroid, Boomerang, and enhanced gesture control will be copied from the Mavic Air…

The link between your smartphone and the remote control will be via a USB cable and not wireless, which should make for a better relationship. The DJI Spark 2 have up and down-facing sensors and camera for obstacle avoidance. Pricing is USD 399 to USD 499 for the fly more combo. The Mavic mini drone uses an sd card and includes internal storage, similar to the Mavic Air.

The new DJI Spark 2 doesn’t have all these problems as the original Spark at first. No more issues, and with the improved battery that will make it under 250 grams and the new HD camera drone will be the best drone under half a pound, Stay tuned for more reviews and updates as they come out.