I'm using the spark remote using an OTG adapter on the remote and connecting to my android phone. When connected this way, the app won't show me battery status so I don't know how much battery I have left. The battery icon just says N/A. If I connect to the rc's wifi, I get all the correct status info. Any advice on how I can correct this?
No battery status when using remote
- Thread starter glogrono
- Start date
lannes
Well-Known Member
- Join
- Jul 28, 2017
- Messages
- 131
- Age
- 59
This is a known problem with DJI Go 4 4.1.18 and 4.1.22, DJI have disabled telemetry transfer in OTG for these versions of the application.
If you want working DJI Go 4 OTG , you have to reinstall version 4.1.15 on your phone, which you can side load from APKpure.com
Chose the .xapk file and use the APK android app to install it
Is this a permanent change dji has made or is it something just for these versions? Thanks for the quick reply, by the way.
DesertWindAero
Well-Known Member
- Join
- May 28, 2017
- Messages
- 526
- Age
- 73
DJI does not support OTG for the Spark. It is unknown if they will in the future. Bottom line, it's best to just not use it.
lannes
Well-Known Member
- Join
- Jul 28, 2017
- Messages
- 131
- Age
- 59
According to DJI they are working on the Spark OTG solution, but I wouldn't hold your breath for it to be returned any time soon. Wi-fi is the only way to go at this point in time
FYI...I received the below PM a few days ago from a well-known forum member (not this forum) in regards to the Spark an OTG. I copied & pasted it just as it was sent to me, spelling errors included. Take it for what it is, though some may call "bs".
"I not only know it from DJI directly but also from a good friend who is developper himself and can read the GO 4 software code. OTG is still there, it just got messed up with a significant change to better protect it against those who are modifying it (the so calles "hackers" and DJI is working on fixing that problem without re-opening the door for those others."
"I not only know it from DJI directly but also from a good friend who is developper himself and can read the GO 4 software code. OTG is still there, it just got messed up with a significant change to better protect it against those who are modifying it (the so calles "hackers" and DJI is working on fixing that problem without re-opening the door for those others."
lannes
Well-Known Member
- Join
- Jul 28, 2017
- Messages
- 131
- Age
- 59
I also think it stems partially from the issue that the Spark is not officially registered with Apple for the MFI certification which is 4 USD per unit, quite a sizeable sum given the numbers of Spark produced.
Without this certification apple won't support it's products to be connected to the spark RC and will void any warranty on them. From research the Spark is the only DJI product not registered under MFI certification.
Yes, I read something similar about that which is strange because all of their (DJI) other platforms are certified. Make me wonder if the Spark doesn't meet their (Apple) requirements.
Peter Powers
Active Member
- Join
- Sep 18, 2017
- Messages
- 44
- Age
- 44
Except that the issue is on Android.
As for the claim of some random persons friend: nonsense. If dji had changed the protocol they where using on the OTG connection, that would barely make a difference (as the most common hacks to djis software don't need the OTG cable and are modifications to djis software, which in case that dji fixes it, would fix the problem for the users of those mods too), and it shouldn't break compatibility between their own products.
In the end its pretty bad behavior of DJI, to break the only workaround that made their product usable to many of its (EU) users, and their way of dealing with it is extremely bad.
As for the claim of some random persons friend: nonsense. If dji had changed the protocol they where using on the OTG connection, that would barely make a difference (as the most common hacks to djis software don't need the OTG cable and are modifications to djis software, which in case that dji fixes it, would fix the problem for the users of those mods too), and it shouldn't break compatibility between their own products.
In the end its pretty bad behavior of DJI, to break the only workaround that made their product usable to many of its (EU) users, and their way of dealing with it is extremely bad.
s2 Web Parrot
Active Member
What evidence do YOU have that DJI intentionally broke the workaround? Please post a link.
Peter Powers
Active Member
- Join
- Sep 18, 2017
- Messages
- 44
- Age
- 44
I don't know what you are playing at. I've made no claim of them breaking it intentionally, and I don't believe they did break it intentionally either.
Please refrain from putting words to my mouth.
What I said that they broke it is bad, and the way they deal with it is worse.
As a software engineer for many years I can read a few things from how problems in software manifest, and my best educated guess is that what broke OTG is a problem that could easily have been caught before rollout to the end user, as it's manifestation is very consistent, and either automated unit or integration tests should have caught it (and at least the unit tests should be there even if OTG us not supported, while integration tests can actually be missing as the full product doesn't officially require the functionality. In an ideal world a system like this would be worked on with both sorts of tests). Now bugs happen, so it's bad they are not testing, but if they would deal with the bug properly, priorizing it, and communicate clear and open about it, wgich they don't.
Very well stated...and to add, I would have imagined if they (DJI) tested w/o OTG (i.e. WIFI for FCC & CE) they should have encountered on MORE than 1 occasion the "crappy" signal strength issues.
lannes
Well-Known Member
- Join
- Jul 28, 2017
- Messages
- 131
- Age
- 59
They must have done something to it, otherwise the work around would be still working.
They should just tell us one way or another whether OTG will work in the future or not, it's quite simple YES or NO
lannes
Well-Known Member
- Join
- Jul 28, 2017
- Messages
- 131
- Age
- 59
LOL - DJI don't unit test let alone integration test, otherwise they would have picked up some of the bugs in development even before user acceptance testing which is what us poor buggers are doing for them. You should see the DJI forum , when issues are raised the DJI moderators are asking for screen shots/ videos of the problems so they can send them to the engineers, all of the issues being raised should have been fixed before public release.
Peter Powers
Active Member
- Join
- Sep 18, 2017
- Messages
- 44
- Age
- 44
Mh, not necessarily, part of the problem arises from mobiles that don't do 5.8ghz wifi, so their only way to connect to the remote then is 2.4, which kinda kicks the drone on 5.8; that's not that bad either, if it wasn't for:
ce rules about the energy output on those bands, compared to fcc ce allows a lot less, and even less for 5.8 than for 2.4. And to make it worse, in Europe there is radar operating on those frequencies, so ce compliant devices have to implement dynamic frequency selection, which means they have to stop, check for radar and if they detect it basically clear the frequency for it. Go figure. Now the real fun part is that the spark allows dfs to push the channel to channels that are actually not meant for use in Europe, so it will find an happy empty channel there.. So even if your phone supports the band, you might end up still losing the connection as most phones don't go to channels they are not supposed to..
Now all of those circumstances are rather hard to test, especially if you are not aware of them, or don't have them in your country.
lannes
Well-Known Member
- Join
- Jul 28, 2017
- Messages
- 131
- Age
- 59
DJI have enough test scenarios coming from the issues raised in this forum and their own DJII forum to come up with some pretty detailed test scripts which can be used over and over again
Peter Powers
Active Member
- Join
- Sep 18, 2017
- Messages
- 44
- Age
- 44
