f there’s one thing DJI is good at, it’s stuffing a ton of features and functionality into increasingly small drones — and nothing showcases this talent more than the Spark. Despite the fact that the drone’s hull is roughly the size of a Twinkie, DJI somehow managed to cram in many of the same technology you’d find under the hood of the Spark’s bigger, bulkier bother: the Mavic Pro. But where should you place your hard earned money, and is the Spark right for you? Read on to find out.

I have been flying drones since the debut of DJI's very first Phantom. I have since then owned every reincarnation of the Phantom lineup (with the exception of the Phantom 3 Standard and advanced), and currently have a Phantom 4 Pro, Inspire 1, Mavic Pro, and Yuneec Typhoon H. I shoot aerial videos/stills for real estate companies, construction companies, universities, and occasionally for weddings. I also fly a lot for personal enjoyment. I use Adobe Premier Pro for my video editing and Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop for image adjustments. Therefore, one of the most important factors for me is image quality and video resolution. So let's start there.

Video footage is stuck at a maximum of FHD: 1920×1080 @ 30fps. No 24fps. No 60fps. No 120fps. No 4K resolution. 1920x108p @ 30fps is the only option DJI's Spark offers in terms of video options. This means that 99% of the beautiful, cinematic, smooth slow-motion aerial footage you see on YouTube is absolutely impossible to achieve with the Spark and therefore automatically places this drone in the "not meant for professional use" category. Don't get me wrong, though. 1920x1080 @ 30fps will produce great footage without a doubt. But I guarantee that your most loved aerial footage on YouYube was shot at either 24fps or 60fps. So by all means, please do not expect to mimic those types of videos with the Spark because it won't be achievable. I hate to be a downer, but I’m just being realistic. If this is your first Drone and you’re “looking forward to making amazing videos,” be forewarned that the Spark will not produce the same footage you see from Phantom, Inspire, Mavic, Typhoon, etc.