DJI Will Turn Off Your Spark Drone if You Dont Update Firmware by September 1st. Chinese manufacturer DJI has announced that owners of its Spark drone have until September 1st to update their firmware to the latest version or be totally locked out. Per Quartz, the decision to essentially hold users devices hostage came after reports of the drones randomly falling out of the sky, which users think was due to an issue with Sparks battery firmware. In a press release, the company suggested it took the hardline approach due to safety concerns. DJI decided on the option of a mandatory firmware update in order to maximize flight safety and product reliability which we consider as top priorities, the company wrote. The update will improve stability, connectivity and the battery firmware. While locking users out of their software is questionable, its indisputable that nobody wants a blade spinning drone to come crashing down on their heads. That goes double for a manufacturer which could, in theory, be held liable for a major safety issue. Locking users out is a dramatic measure. But the press release does not rule out the possibility of updating the software after the deadline to return their Sparks to flight ready status. In the unlikely possibility there is no official ability to install the new update after the deadline, its nearly certain the drone community would come up with some kind of way to unofficially update it to the correct version and restore normal functionality. In May, DJI also announced users would be locked out of flight capabilities if they failed to register their devices in its databaseensuring software updates would allow users to comply with regional regulations. The good news As Gizmodo noted in its review of the Spark, the drone itself is awesome, packing the feature set of a much larger drone into a small and capable package. So if the issues have been fixed, theres not much to worry about. Quartz. Top VIdeos. Warning Invalid argument supplied for foreach in srvusersserverpilotappsjujaitalypublicindex. Microsoft has essentially conceded that theres no demand for the personal finance software product. Heres what you need to know. Youve got problems, Ive got advice. This advice isnt sugarcoatedin fact, its sugarfree, and may even be a little bitter. Microsoft Office Xp Publisher 2003 On Windows. Welcome to Tough Love. Torrentz will always love you. Farewell. 20032016 Torrentz. Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google, based on the Linux kernel and designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Linux For Dummies 1St Ed Credit' title='Linux For Dummies 1St Ed Credit' />TheINQUIRER publishes daily news, reviews on the latest gadgets and devices, and INQdepth articles for tech buffs and hobbyists.