Autel will pay customers to take the part 107

clackey · Aug 29, 2016

Autel Robotics announced that it will cover the cost for its customers who take (and pass) the Federal Aviation Administration’s Remote Pilot Knowledge Test.

Autel drone operators who submit a proof of a qualified X-Star series drone purchase and proof of a passing result on the FAA’s knowledge test will be entitled to a rebate for the test, which otherwise costs $150.

Full story at Autel will pay its customers to take the Part 107 test - The Drone Girl

msinger · Aug 29, 2016

Here's the email I received directly from Autel:

paul holt · Aug 29, 2016

that's why they are growing company one step ahead of dji

TomKnAL · Aug 29, 2016

Part 107 Rebate - Autel Robotics To get the rebate, you need to buy an X-Star between 8/29 and 11/30. Of course there's a chance that they will relax the terms, like they did with the Free Battery promotion.

msinger · Aug 29, 2016

TomKnAL said:
there's a chance that they will relax the terms, like they did with the Free Battery promotion.

What exactly do you mean by that?

paul holt · Aug 29, 2016

msinger said:
What exactly do you mean by that?

because they gave most of all of us free battery's

Gimp · Aug 29, 2016

I purchased mine close to the 15th and they honored it. I was happy happy. Also should I just get this since the rebate is going even if I don't do anything commercial? What's the story on this test.

TomKnAL · Aug 30, 2016

I was wrong about the terms. I missed the "prior to" in "All Eligible Products must be purchased prior to or during the Promo Period and all rebate submissions must be received before 11:59pm on November 30, 2016."

Part 107 Rebate T+C - Autel Robotics

You have to pass the test to get the rebate, so I probably wouldn't try it unless there was some chance that you might want to do something commercial.

Fact Sheet – Small Unmanned Aircraft Regulations (Part 107)

TomKnAL · Aug 30, 2016

msinger said:
What exactly do you mean by that?

Originally that Free Battery promotion started on 7/15. There were enough people that had bought one in the weeks before the official start date, that they extended it back quite a bit. I think they moved up the end date, to 8/15, but I'm not sure. I think it originally ended on 9/30.

msinger · Aug 30, 2016

TomKnAL said:
Originally that Free Battery promotion started on 7/15.

Yes -- that's when it ended. I bought mine on the 15th, but had to return it and get a replacement since it had a bad compass. Hopefully they'll still send me the free battery

Tpat591 · Aug 30, 2016

msinger said:
Yes -- that's when it ended. I bought mine on the 15th, but had to return it and get a replacement since it had a bad compass. Hopefully they'll still send me the free battery

Worth a call to customer service?

msinger · Aug 30, 2016

Tpat591 said:
Worth a call to customer service?

Autel support wanted me to send it in to have it repaired. It was brand new out of the box, so I returned it to Amazon and bought a new one.

RJ_Make · Aug 30, 2016

From what I'm seeing on the Part 107 test; it will take me at least an entire year to learn enough to pass it..

Tpat591 · Aug 30, 2016

Yeah, there has to be some kind of condensed study guide & practice tests to study & take. That pilots handbook is well over 500 pages. We need the Cliff Notes for Dummies version so I can just study the answers.

msinger · Aug 30, 2016

RJ_Make said:
From what I'm seeing on the Part 107 test; it will take me at least an entire year to learn enough to pass it..

Unfortunately, it seems the FAA designed the test for manned aircraft pilots. I could just be missing the boat on this one, but I don't see how much of that knowledge will be applied to most commercial UAS flights. Let's be honest, the kid next door is making the same type of flights with no such knowledge.

paul holt · Aug 30, 2016

well I got mine on april 22 and autel still gave me a free battery now that is customer care

RJ_Make · Aug 30, 2016

msinger said:
Unfortunately, it seems the FAA designed the test for manned aircraft pilots. I could just be missing the boat on this one, but I don't see how much of that knowledge will be applied to most commercial UAS flights. Let's be honest, the kid next door is making the same type of flights with no such knowledge.

I think you are spot on, and is where it's causing a bit of frustration for me.