Small drones are not new. Toy-sized quadcopters have been on the market for years helping kids (and dads) start flying for a relatively reasonable price and not much expertise. Yet small drones that can do almost anything a big drone can do That's new.

It's super fun; especially for the price

Gesture control could use some work

The fervour surrounding hobbyist drones has died down a tad of late, particularly as local rules and regulations have restricted when and where owners are able to fly their newly purchased gadget.

Compact and lightweight design; Well priced; Great photo taking

Short flight time; Can get shaky during windy conditions

By learning to compromise, DJI has delivered its most accessible drone yet

Small and lightweight; Great gesture control; Lots of powerful autonomous features

Limited battery life and range; Spotty connectivity over Wi-Fi

There are times when you wish you could really extend out your selfie sticks perhaps a little further to capture more of the background. Perhaps even get a "higher" perspective of things and take a shot from above the trees.

DJI's Spark drone is an exquisitely-built, incredibly easy-to-fly drone, but 16 minutes of flight time is not enough, especially when the reality is more like 10 to 12 minutes. There are still so many things to love about DJI's tiny, selfie-snapping drone.

Our Spark is returning to DJI a bit worse for wear. As a rule, we try to send products back to companies in the same state they arrived, but that's a hazard of real-world testing a product with four spinning blades: sometimes things end up covered in dirt and grass and the sacrificial blood of one...

As some of you already know, DJI has just announced a brand-new drone, DJI Spark, that's going to officially come out this summer. When it comes to the release date and pricing, there's a whole chapter dedicated to those things so make sure you check them out.

The Spark has found the drone sweet spot and auto-landed right on its bullseye. In some ways, it's the equivalent of our favourite compact system cameras - loads of auto modes for hassle-free flying, but with enough manual controls to tempt anyone looking to hone their drone skills. You could even say it has spiritual similarities to the Super 8. That classic little handheld camera gave amateurs an exciting new way to make home movies in the '70s, despite limitations like a three-minute recording time. The Spark has some limitations too. Its 10-15 minute flying time means I wouldn’t recommend buying it without at least one spare battery. The gesture controls need some fine-tuning. And it can be pretty damn noisy when flying at low altitude. But it's just so much fun to use, and capable of producing such great videos from barely more than three taps of your smartphone, that you quickly forget all this and start daydreaming about where you can take it next. That's a sign of gadget greatness, and it'll surely sell like flying hot cakes later this month. I suggest you join the queue while the summer is still young.

Excellent auto-flying modes; Incredibly small and light; Crisp and colourful HD video; Manual options for levelling up;

Battery life means you need spares; Noisy at low altitude; Expensive, particularly in the UK;

You know how Apple sometimes seems to be behind its competition in performance, design or features, only to eventually leapfrog them and take the lead? That's what DJI did with the Spark.

The DJI Spark delivers all of the camera drone features most people will ever need in an impossibly small package.

The DJI Spark delivers a tiny, lightweight design; excellent mechanically stabilized camera; USB charging and advanced features like gesture controls and obstacle detection. It travels well and is great for aerial photos and video.

Flight time can be as short as 10 to 14 minutes; The app can be frustrating to use, especially on smaller screens; And you should expect to buy batteries and possibly the optional controller.

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