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spark

Chinese manufacturer DJI rules the market for consumer drone shipping, but you've traditionally had to spend big in order to get features like Hard disk cameras and long-distance communication. The Spark drone aircraft, which launched a few months ago, packs premium features into a smaller, cheaper package. However, owners of the drone volition need to upgrade their firmware soon or risk their drone turning into a non-flying brick.

Issuing firmware updates for drones is nothing new. DJI has done it in the past to improve functionality, and it's even taken a heavy-handed approach in the by. A firmware update earlier this year was mandatory for anyone who wanted to actually use the drone every bit intended. In that location are legal restrictions on where you lot can fly drones, and the firmware update made sure drones didn't break those rules. Withal, refusing to update to that firmware would only limit your drone to a 50-meter radius and 30-meter altitude. The company is treating this one much more seriously.

The new update for the $500 Spark shipping includes improvements to the flight and takeoff stability, every bit well equally adding back up for DJI's VR goggles. The reason for all the aggressive behavior is the tweaked battery firmware in this update. Owners of the Spark have been reporting rare instances where the drone loses power during flight and falls out of the sky. That's not simply a recipe for a disrepair drone, but it could cause serious injury to anyone on the ground who might be in the way.

spark

So, the company says it will remotely impale any Spark drone that has not been updated past September 1st. Y'all don't want to put this update off until a subsequently appointment, either. At that place'south no guarantee you lot'll exist able to revive the drone after missing this deadline. DJI volition probably create an update for those who miss the cutoff, but in that location's no guarantee on that.

Bricking drones is an aggressive pace to accept, but DJI is really between a rock and a hard place. It has to ensure its devices comply with a myriad of overwrought regulations on drone aircraft around the earth. Leaving a drone in functioning that could drop from the sky at whatever moment is likely to upset regulators. The update can be performed via the DJI GO four app equally long as your device is connected to the internet. There'due south as well a desktop client called DJI Assistant that tin update the drone.