Autel Announces Discontinuation of Support, Parts, and Batteries for the Evo 1

Eagle928 · Jul 2, 2021

I can understand dropping support but not parts and especially not batteries. This is what soured so many X-Star owners on Autel. Someone needs to rethink this decision as it stands. At minimum Autel should allow a 3rd party to make the parts and get the batteries made to keep these really good drones in the air for 3-8 more years depending on use even if that means the parts and batteries would cost more.

Autel Announces End of EVO I Support Services

Today, we are announcing our End of Availability and End of Service timelines for the first generation EVO model. Learn more about what that means for first-gen EVO users here.

auteldrones.com

GunnerBAC · Jul 2, 2021

That's preposterous! 4 years!? Only 4 years!? I can't believe it.

jcommstudios · Jul 2, 2021

Eagle928 said:
I can understand dropping support but not parts and especially not batteries. This is what soured so many X-Star owners on Autel. Someone needs to rethink this decision as it stands. At minimum Autel should allow a 3rd party to make the parts and get the batteries made to keep these really good drones in the air for 3-8 more years depending on use even if that means the parts and batteries would cost more.

Autel Announces End of EVO I Support Services

Today, we are announcing our End of Availability and End of Service timelines for the first generation EVO model. Learn more about what that means for first-gen EVO users here.

auteldrones.com

@Eagle928 That is ridiculous that they will discontinue batteries. The EVO 1 is still a valid drone. The batteries aren't as "smart" as they say. I bought the EVO 1 when it came out. I have replaced 5 batteries with 3 still in use for a total of 8. Hopefully they will authorize a 3rd party to build replacements. I use the EVO1 over a couple of other drones I own because it is so quick to setup and get into the air. More will be revealed I guess. Geez they did this to the XStar users as well. Probably not the best marketing move they could make. Makes me leery to go with the 2Pro at the moment.

kenautelevo2pro · Jul 3, 2021

here are some thoughts on the topic:

jcommstudios · Jul 3, 2021

kenautelevo2pro said:
here are some thoughts on the topic:

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@kenautelevo2pro I had a conversation on a blog today with the new CEO Randal Warness. He took into consideration the need to set up, at a minimum, a 3rd party battery manufacturer a few of us were discussing.

Drone Guy · Jul 3, 2021

That's enough reason for me not to buy and EVO II

claudius62 · Jul 3, 2021

And in the logic that will follow, soon, the end of the maintenance of the Evo 2 Serie 1 because the series 2 will be released soon and not with the same electronic system ...
I did well to bet on the Mavic 2 pro which despite its age is still followed and we always find the drums and parts.
For the record, Dji has just offered me the Care-Refresh guarantee for the third time (109 €): Breakage or failure = new drone. I don't believe Autel is willing to do the same. Finally, I may have made the right pick.
It's a shame for the Evo 1, it's a great drone that is easy to set up and whose 4 k colorimetry is nice. Well adjusted, few color retouching to be done.
Finally this "easy" solution will not encourage many people to embark on the purchase of the Evo 2 knowing that there will surely be another model soon .............

ElectricPickle · Jul 3, 2021

While I'm happy with my EVO 1's performance I will not be recommending or purchasing Autel products in the future.

Slacker · Jul 3, 2021

I have purchased my last Autel product. This is twice they have abandoned their customers. I won't be around for the 3rd time.

tuxontodd · Jul 3, 2021

I've only had my EVO for about a year and a half and think of the people who may have bought one in the last six months? Autel supposedly had better customer support but I have yet to experience it. My next drone will be DJI.

kenautelevo2pro · Jul 3, 2021

I don't have an evo 1 so I'm going to stay out of this conversation.

all I can say to try to put to bed this one piece that keeps coming up, here's what I think: it doesn't matter if the v1 is put to end of life as long as the v2 is an acceptable and suitable substitution. if you truly depend on these products, make your business decisions accordingly.

claudius62 · Jul 3, 2021

Selfish thought towards those who have invested in the Evo 1 thinking they will keep it and be able to use it longer. And who may not have the means or the inclination to invest in another device.
We will think of you in a year, when the Evo 2 will be at the end of its life with the release of a hypothetical Evo 3. Finally if Autel will still exist by then! Because there, he and doing what Yuneec did before, with the consequences that we know. Disappearance of the USA of Yunnec and its after-sales service.

jcommstudios · Jul 3, 2021

claudius62 said:
Selfish thought towards those who have invested in the Evo 1 thinking they will keep it and be able to use it longer. And who may not have the means or the inclination to invest in another device.
We will think of you in a year, when the Evo 2 will be at the end of its life with the release of a hypothetical Evo 3. Finally if Autel will still exist by then! Because there, he and doing what Yuneec did before, with the consequences that we know. Disappearance of the USA of Yunnec and its after-sales service.

@claudius62 Watching Yuneec self destruct was painful. I still have an H480 that I stuck a Peau 3.97 lens into. I still fly it occasionally and take it as a back up incase the EVO goes haywire. Yuneec could have been a serious player. Loved that drone when it first came out. The H Plus was a disaster! Used one on a crop survey and the multiple folder file structure turned me off completely as did the multiple gimble issues. I hope Autel uses them as a case study and doesn't go down the tubes the same way.

Eagle's Eye Photo · Jul 3, 2021

jcommstudios said:
@Eagle928 That is ridiculous that they will discontinue batteries. The EVO 1 is still a valid drone. The batteries aren't as "smart" as they say.

"Smart" = expensive.

jcommstudios said:
@claudius62 Watching Yuneec self destruct was painful.

Yep... and it took all this time to for me to commit to the Evo II, thinking I was ahead of the curve in waiting out what I saw as growing pains, that we went through with the H.

As far as their latest offering? I'm sorry but they have a difficult sell on any former Yuneec H series owners... $1200 on essentially a ST-16 with a bright screen? Get the F outta here.

jcommstudios · Jul 4, 2021

Eagle's Eye Video said:
"Smart" = expensive.

Yep... and it took all this time to for me to commit to the Evo II, thinking I was ahead of the curve in waiting out what I saw as growing pains, that we went through with the H.

As far as their latest offering? I'm sorry but they have a difficult sell on any former Yuneec H series owners... $1200 on essentially a ST-16 with a bright screen? Get the F outta here.

@Eagle's Eye Video I had the same reaction when the EVO "Smart Controller" was announced. It is/was far less of a controller than the ST-16 and costs almost as much as the entire H setup. Truly "GTFOH!"

Herdfan · Jul 4, 2021

claudius62 said:
Selfish thought towards those who have invested in the Evo 1 thinking they will keep it and be able to use it longer. And who may not have the means or the inclination to invest in another device.
We will think of you in a year, when the Evo 2 will be at the end of its life with the release of a hypothetical Evo 3. Finally if Autel will still exist by then! Because there, he and doing what Yuneec did before, with the consequences that we know. Disappearance of the USA of Yunnec and its after-sales service.

This thread just might help determine that. I know if I were in the market for a drone right now, Autel would probably be pushed down the list simply because of this.

They had an advantage over DJI because the lack of geo-fencing, but it seems they are determined to pi$$ it all away.

kenautelevo2pro · Jul 4, 2021

Herdfan said:
This thread just might help determine that. I know if I were in the market for a drone right now, Autel would probably be pushed down the list simply because of this.

They had an advantage over DJI because the lack of geo-fencing, but it seems they are determined to pi$$ it all away.

I think we are going to get quite a surprise when the next autel product comes out. they will have to answer to the dji THREE.

claudius62 · Jul 4, 2021

Ttsst ... ttssst ....
Geo-fencing is already in Evo ...
It only takes a little push to activate it with a firmware update.
Geo-fencing active on the drone in China otherwise no sale ....
And as governments will surely ask for additional security (it is on the table in Europe), Evo will have to submit to it to continue to be sold.
It should not be believed that Dji installed the NFZ to annoy the pilots, it is above all to be more credible towards the governments and to avoid a possible blockage of its sales.
Between us the NFZ of Dji, over 7 years of flight (four with an Inspire and three on an M2 Pro), I have NEVER been stranded on a flight, at most two or three warning of proximity to the vigilance zone but without ever being blocked.
So, I don't make it a fixation and an obsession.

Herdfan · Jul 5, 2021

claudius62 said:
Ttsst ... ttssst ....
Geo-fencing is already in Evo ...
It only takes a little push to activate it with a firmware update.

So, I don't make it a fixation and an obsession.

But as an owner, I have the choice to load said firmware.

My biggest issue is one place I like to fly is an overlook we get to on our SXS. I can send it up and it can follow us for miles on top of an old strip mine. Hard for it to do that in the woods so this is a treat.

But this place is close to an old abandoned airport that DJI still has as a no-fly zone.

kSetuni · Jul 6, 2021

claudius62 said:
Ttsst ... ttssst ....
Geo-fencing is already in Evo ...
It only takes a little push to activate it with a firmware update.
Geo-fencing active on the drone in China otherwise no sale ....
And as governments will surely ask for additional security (it is on the table in Europe), Evo will have to submit to it to continue to be sold.
It should not be believed that Dji installed the NFZ to annoy the pilots, it is above all to be more credible towards the governments and to avoid a possible blockage of its sales.
Between us the NFZ of Dji, over 7 years of flight (four with an Inspire and three on an M2 Pro), I have NEVER been stranded on a flight, at most two or three warning of proximity to the vigilance zone but without ever being blocked.
So, I don't make it a fixation and an obsession.

And yet I know of several people blocked by inaccurate geofencing. One guy cannot fly from his home because its inside djis fence yet he is outside of the restricted area. A company certainly shouldn't be making these decisions for us, let alone the government.

Sadly because of djis geofencing I was seriously looking at autel for my next drone. However this certainly gives me pause. I can understand not providing updates. But to discontinue even batteries is absurd.

Sadly though are there any other companies making quality drones such as these without the negative aspects?