DJI wants everyone to be able to fly a drone. At least, that's the message it seems to be sending with the Spark ($499), the company's smallest aircraft yet. It's a selfie drone you can interact with just by waving your hand. It's also a short-range quadcopter that can be controlled with your smartphone, complete with forward obstacle avoidance and subject tracking capabilities. Add an accessory remote and you've got a very capable bird, with a 31mph top speed and a robust operating range. Can it be all things to all people? Not really. It works well for selfies and quick shots, but battery life is short, the video editing process isn't as easy as promised, and flying with your smartphone is kludgy. If you want a drone, but don't want to have to worry about learning to fly one like a pro, the Spark is worth a look. But if you want a more versatile quadcopter in a small form factor, and are interested in learning to fly it manually, the DJI Mavic Pro is a stronger, albeit more exp...
The DJI Spark is a $500 palm-size gesture-controlled selfie drone for the masses, but it's hampered by short flying time and an app that could be easier to use.
Small; Supports gesture controls; Smartphone-controlled flight; Automated shots; Subject tracking; Forward obstacle avoidance; GPS stabilization; Safety features, including return-to-home
Battery nets about 12 minutes of flight time; Limited range and speed when controlling with phone; Video limited to 1080p; No support for 24fps or high frame rate capture; App and video editing features could be easier to use; Dedicated remote control is a pricey add-on