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Beware Buyers - Autel’s End of Life (EOL) Product Realities

tbae

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This message is for potential buyers of Autel’s UAV consumer retail products:

Ever since the sale of X-Star, Autel’s first drone, I’ve watched Autel create and sell high quality drones with excellent customer support during the manufacturing warranty period. I think product quality and customer support during the warranty period has differentiated Autel from its competitors.

Since the X-Star, Autel has launched next-evolution drones like the X-Star Premium, EVO 1, and EVO 2. When the X-Star approached EOL, the company stopped selling parts to focus on the sales of their next product. That’s not unusual as companies need to address the changing demands of their customers. What was unfortunate at that time was that since the company was small and the user base for X-Stars limited, there were no third-party manufacturers of critical parts like batteries, propellers, etc. At that time, I gave Autel the benefit of the doubt since the X-Star was their first drone - after experiencing their first sales cycle I thought Autel would learn and improve their sales and support for their future products.

As Autel announced the sales of the X-Star Premium and subsequently, the EVO 1, as each of these drones approached EOL (the EVO 1 will approach EOL in December 2021 for parts availability), there was/will be no change in the unavailability of critical parts, leaving these customers holding some nice expensive drones with eventually no way to fly them (e.g., because of the technology used, these drone batteries last 2-3 years even when treating them with the best care, whether they are used or stay new in the box).

I thought the EOL issue with the X-Star was just one single bad data point with Autel, but 3 data points about what Autel does regarding EOL with their drones suggest a sad consistent trend - I’m confident that if Autel continues this current practice with EOL products, their latest drone, the EVO II, and future drones like the EVO III and the Mini/Light will endure the same fate as their 3 previously launched drones.

This iterative cycle of winning new customers for each drone (I own the EVO 1), then losing them and starting all over to win new customers for Autel’s next drone is inefficient and exhaustive for a small company like Autel – I think this is one of the reasons why Autel cannot become a successful drone company. Instead of focusing resources on the creating the next drone so that the company can win new customers while losing its existing customers, I think the company is missing one important step in the sales cycle, which is to create an EOL parts eco-system so that current customers can continue to use their current drones, while building trust that these customers can safely purchase the next drone from Autel when they are ready to do so and use them without the fear of EOL parts abandonment. I’m not suggesting that Autel commit factory resources to manufacture legacy products indefinitely, but rather, I think they can have forge agreements with third parties to create these critical parts to appease their customer base so that Autel can then focus on their next line of products to then increase their customers on top of their current customer base.

Now, will some customers not want to purchase the next line of drones with Autel because their current drones will still be flying in the air? Of course. But the marketing advantage of building brand loyalty and encourage future purchases will outweigh any revenues lost by allowing current customers to hang on to their current drones. It’s not like creating an EOL parts eco-system manufactured by third party companies hasn’t worked before – it’s a common practice for technology hardware companies. In fact, I can’t think of ANY reputable tech hardware company that is surviving today without some EOL parts eco-system in place.

Another disturbing point (not related to EOL but you can infer when EOL happens to EOV II) – due to the chip shortage Autel has had to resort to creating a “V2” version of the EVO II which render users of “V1” EVO II’s incompatible with components of the EVO II “V2”. In other words, there are no additional V1 components being produced (and this is during the current sales cycle of the EVO II). Think about all these V1 users who purchased the EVO II before this announcement on 6/4/21 – since there are no compatible parts for their Smart Controller and/or Live Deck – they are all out of luck if these parts fail. To be fair, Autel is saying the chip shortage is what led to this “V2” version, but I would at least think that Autel should better support their EVO II customers by offering them an incentive to switch up to the V2 version.

I guess all this EOL management stuff wouldn’t matter much if we were buying toys. But these drones are expensive and regulated by the FAA, with safety first as the utmost priority. Some customers use these drones for commercial purposes and so making sure they are safely flying the skies is that much more important. I fear that without an EOL parts eco-system that Autel will see more of their older drones malfunction and cause harm – with the current sentiment towards drones as the “bad guy” I don’t think Autel would appreciate that kind of negative media.

So potential buyers - Please consider this point above when making your purchase.

To Autel Management:

Continuing to perpetuate current practices on unavailability of EOL parts is making your resources work inefficiently by creating these stellar products only to have them “fall off a cliff” at EOL. This compels your company to resort to perpetually restart the sales cycle with the next shiny drone hoping to capture a new group of customers rather than reaping dividends from all the hard work done earning your existing customer base (think of it as trying to increase the value of your investments without the benefit of compound interest, or at best, a lower interest rate than what you deserve). How many more sales cycles do you think your brand can survive until your potential customers realize that your products’ parts are abandoned at EOL and, at best, become nice-looking models on desks or hanging off ceilings?

I sincerely hope someone from Autel is reading this message because I’m really rooting for this company to be around. However, without taking an honest introspection of themselves and addressing EOL parts concerns I don’t think Autel can consider themselves a serious long-term player in this market as existing competitors evolve and new competition emerges.
 
Idea shared with you and aware that if you do not have the capacity to do so, it is difficult for a little one to want to eat bigger than yourself.
I confess without vergone that my next device will be a DJI if the Mavic 3 is born.
Having had an Inspire for almost 7 years with the only repair a faulty engine found last year at my retailer (try to find an Autel part at your dealer).
Then after the Evo 1, for three years a Mavic 2 Pro which flies perfectly and does all the missions that I prepare without fail, I am no longer ready to face the mockery and stammering of Autel.
 
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Thank you for you well written post TABE, you have said what needs to be told to other Autel owners. I had 3 X-star premiums at one time with 15 batteries. I flew on a regular basis, with that said, after the stop- production of batteries due to EOL, I was forced to sell of my inventory due to the rapid failure of the remaining batteries. I have not flown since Nov. 2020 and I miss that feeling of being in the air. There is absolutely no reason to stop production of batteries & props. I can understand after 5 years or so the non- production of cameras, electronic parts, etc. But to stop producing the 2 things that keep a bird flying is plain wrong! You can always get camera parts, electronics, etc on e-bay, but batteries, not a chance! I will never trust Autel again, they have done the same thing with the Evo 1 series. Watch out, your Evo 2 is next gentlemen. I hate the Dji's no fly zones but at least you can get batteries & even aftermarket batteries for years to come. Parts are always easy to access even for birds built when Dji was new to the drone world. I have also noticed all kinds of aftermarket accessories for any Dji product as to where you can hardly find anything for Autel products. Autel's customer service is is awesome & they have always been good to me, but the EOL has pushed me in another direction. I'm looking into buying a new quad In the near future, but it will be an Air 2s or the upcoming mavic 3.

Good luck Autel owners, I'm done with there sleazy business practices! It's just plain wrong!
 
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This message is for potential buyers of Autel’s UAV consumer retail products:

Ever since the sale of X-Star, Autel’s first drone, I’ve watched Autel create and sell high quality drones with excellent customer support during the manufacturing warranty period. I think product quality and customer support during the warranty period has differentiated Autel from its competitors.

Since the X-Star, Autel has launched next-evolution drones like the X-Star Premium, EVO 1, and EVO 2. When the X-Star approached EOL, the company stopped selling parts to focus on the sales of their next product. That’s not unusual as companies need to address the changing demands of their customers. What was unfortunate at that time was that since the company was small and the user base for X-Stars limited, there were no third-party manufacturers of critical parts like batteries, propellers, etc. At that time, I gave Autel the benefit of the doubt since the X-Star was their first drone - after experiencing their first sales cycle I thought Autel would learn and improve their sales and support for their future products.

As Autel announced the sales of the X-Star Premium and subsequently, the EVO 1, as each of these drones approached EOL (the EVO 1 will approach EOL in December 2021 for parts availability), there was/will be no change in the unavailability of critical parts, leaving these customers holding some nice expensive drones with eventually no way to fly them (e.g., because of the technology used, these drone batteries last 2-3 years even when treating them with the best care, whether they are used or stay new in the box).

I thought the EOL issue with the X-Star was just one single bad data point with Autel, but 3 data points about what Autel does regarding EOL with their drones suggest a sad consistent trend - I’m confident that if Autel continues this current practice with EOL products, their latest drone, the EVO II, and future drones like the EVO III and the Mini/Light will endure the same fate as their 3 previously launched drones.

This iterative cycle of winning new customers for each drone (I own the EVO 1), then losing them and starting all over to win new customers for Autel’s next drone is inefficient and exhaustive for a small company like Autel – I think this is one of the reasons why Autel cannot become a successful drone company. Instead of focusing resources on the creating the next drone so that the company can win new customers while losing its existing customers, I think the company is missing one important step in the sales cycle, which is to create an EOL parts eco-system so that current customers can continue to use their current drones, while building trust that these customers can safely purchase the next drone from Autel when they are ready to do so and use them without the fear of EOL parts abandonment. I’m not suggesting that Autel commit factory resources to manufacture legacy products indefinitely, but rather, I think they can have forge agreements with third parties to create these critical parts to appease their customer base so that Autel can then focus on their next line of products to then increase their customers on top of their current customer base.

Now, will some customers not want to purchase the next line of drones with Autel because their current drones will still be flying in the air? Of course. But the marketing advantage of building brand loyalty and encourage future purchases will outweigh any revenues lost by allowing current customers to hang on to their current drones. It’s not like creating an EOL parts eco-system manufactured by third party companies hasn’t worked before – it’s a common practice for technology hardware companies. In fact, I can’t think of ANY reputable tech hardware company that is surviving today without some EOL parts eco-system in place.

Another disturbing point (not related to EOL but you can infer when EOL happens to EOV II) – due to the chip shortage Autel has had to resort to creating a “V2” version of the EVO II which render users of “V1” EVO II’s incompatible with components of the EVO II “V2”. In other words, there are no additional V1 components being produced (and this is during the current sales cycle of the EVO II). Think about all these V1 users who purchased the EVO II before this announcement on 6/4/21 – since there are no compatible parts for their Smart Controller and/or Live Deck – they are all out of luck if these parts fail. To be fair, Autel is saying the chip shortage is what led to this “V2” version, but I would at least think that Autel should better support their EVO II customers by offering them an incentive to switch up to the V2 version.

I guess all this EOL management stuff wouldn’t matter much if we were buying toys. But these drones are expensive and regulated by the FAA, with safety first as the utmost priority. Some customers use these drones for commercial purposes and so making sure they are safely flying the skies is that much more important. I fear that without an EOL parts eco-system that Autel will see more of their older drones malfunction and cause harm – with the current sentiment towards drones as the “bad guy” I don’t think Autel would appreciate that kind of negative media.

So potential buyers - Please consider this point above when making your purchase.

To Autel Management:

Continuing to perpetuate current practices on unavailability of EOL parts is making your resources work inefficiently by creating these stellar products only to have them “fall off a cliff” at EOL. This compels your company to resort to perpetually restart the sales cycle with the next shiny drone hoping to capture a new group of customers rather than reaping dividends from all the hard work done earning your existing customer base (think of it as trying to increase the value of your investments without the benefit of compound interest, or at best, a lower interest rate than what you deserve). How many more sales cycles do you think your brand can survive until your potential customers realize that your products’ parts are abandoned at EOL and, at best, become nice-looking models on desks or hanging off ceilings?

I sincerely hope someone from Autel is reading this message because I’m really rooting for this company to be around. However, without taking an honest introspection of themselves and addressing EOL parts concerns I don’t think Autel can consider themselves a serious long-term player in this market as existing competitors evolve and new competition emerges.
I couldn't agree with what you stated more. Today 21st, September, 2021 I had the misfortune of dealing with one of Autel's so called "customer service reps". Without giving the person's name I can tell you that he was extremely unhelpful and gave me canned responses to my questions regarding my Autel Evo 1 drone. Perhaps you or someone else on this forum can assist me. I was told by this rather rude Autel Rep that Autel no longer sells the micro usb to usb-c cable 6 to 8 inches that I need to use to connect my OnePlus Nord 100 Android phone to my Autel Evo 1 remote control device. I have had the most infuriating time of trying to locate said cable. I have done an exhaustive search and still have NOT found the cable needed. Furthermore I feel Autel does need to reevaluate both how they deal with their consumer base and the time frame they use before they decide to discontinue certain models such as the EVO 1 and its parts and accessories. Also Autel's customer service department should NOT make one feel as though it is an imposition to answer questions regarding the Autel Evo 1 drone which is currently being phased out. No AUTEL EVO 1 drones, parts or accessories will be available for purchase after December 2021. There will be no more support for the Autel EVO 1 drone after JUNE 2022! I spent $1,500.00 on an Autel Evo Drone Bundle which included a number of accessories including both a hard and soft case through an online retailer in April 2020. I have yet to even fly my drone. I have merely run it in ATTI mode inside of my apartment to familiarise myself with the REMOTE CONTROL and its settings. Furthermore I had issues with the most recent FIRMWARE UPDATE 1.5.8 which seems to have been sorted out. My experience is quite synonymous with others who also own the Autel EVO 1 drone I have found based upon what I have read online.

That stated, would you or someone else on this forum be so kind as to direct me to where I might purchase the cable I need? I am very angry and disillusioned by the way that my support case was handled by Autel. I feel I have wasted both my time and money on their products. I am just now learning how to fly my Autel EVO 1 drone. Thanks in advance for your help. Thank you for such a thorough and engaging post. Sorry if I went a bit off topic. I can be emailed: [email protected].
 

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Perhaps you or someone else on this forum can assist me. I was told by this rather rude Autel Rep that Autel no longer sells the micro usb to usb-c cable 6 to 8 inches that I need to use to connect my OnePlus Nord 100 Android phone to my Autel Evo 1 remote control device
Hi Timothy.... you don't need this cable to attach your phone. You can use a USB-A to USB-C cable that is widely available from Amazon and other retailers in the right side of the remote. Also the micro USB port on the left side of the remote is squared off but it is still just a micro USB port that will take just about any micro usb to usb-c cable. Make sure either cable you choose is 8-12 inch long so you don't have a ton of excess hanging around.
 
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There is absolutely no reason to stop production of batteries & props. I can understand after 5 years or so the non- production of cameras, electronic parts, etc. But to stop producing the 2 things that keep a bird flying is plain wrong! You can always get camera parts, electronics, etc on e-bay, but batteries, not a chance!

I agree. These basic items can easily be outsourced to a 3rd party. The profit margin for Autel might be small or zero but so what; it's zero if they don't sell them as well.

The goodwill generated by allowing a 3rd party to help keep the older birds in the air would generate more brand loyalty and repeat customers. It's business 101 and I don't understand why Autel doesn't get this basic fact.
 
So, what you are saying is that this years workable flying drone will probably be next years paper weight because you are simply more interested in selling new drones than new batteries for an older drone? That doesn't make me feel very good about future purchases from you. You see, I am the not so proud of one of those paper weights now. I have an X Star Premium in mint condition that I can't get a new battery for and I really wish that I hadn't been so eager to buy this orange thing. I won't be buying another one from you.
 
This message is for potential buyers of Autel’s UAV consumer retail products:

Ever since the sale of X-Star, Autel’s first drone, I’ve watched Autel create and sell high quality drones with excellent customer support during the manufacturing warranty period. I think product quality and customer support during the warranty period has differentiated Autel from its competitors.

Since the X-Star, Autel has launched next-evolution drones like the X-Star Premium, EVO 1, and EVO 2. When the X-Star approached EOL, the company stopped selling parts to focus on the sales of their next product. That’s not unusual as companies need to address the changing demands of their customers. What was unfortunate at that time was that since the company was small and the user base for X-Stars limited, there were no third-party manufacturers of critical parts like batteries, propellers, etc. At that time, I gave Autel the benefit of the doubt since the X-Star was their first drone - after experiencing their first sales cycle I thought Autel would learn and improve their sales and support for their future products.

As Autel announced the sales of the X-Star Premium and subsequently, the EVO 1, as each of these drones approached EOL (the EVO 1 will approach EOL in December 2021 for parts availability), there was/will be no change in the unavailability of critical parts, leaving these customers holding some nice expensive drones with eventually no way to fly them (e.g., because of the technology used, these drone batteries last 2-3 years even when treating them with the best care, whether they are used or stay new in the box).

I thought the EOL issue with the X-Star was just one single bad data point with Autel, but 3 data points about what Autel does regarding EOL with their drones suggest a sad consistent trend - I’m confident that if Autel continues this current practice with EOL products, their latest drone, the EVO II, and future drones like the EVO III and the Mini/Light will endure the same fate as their 3 previously launched drones.

This iterative cycle of winning new customers for each drone (I own the EVO 1), then losing them and starting all over to win new customers for Autel’s next drone is inefficient and exhaustive for a small company like Autel – I think this is one of the reasons why Autel cannot become a successful drone company. Instead of focusing resources on the creating the next drone so that the company can win new customers while losing its existing customers, I think the company is missing one important step in the sales cycle, which is to create an EOL parts eco-system so that current customers can continue to use their current drones, while building trust that these customers can safely purchase the next drone from Autel when they are ready to do so and use them without the fear of EOL parts abandonment. I’m not suggesting that Autel commit factory resources to manufacture legacy products indefinitely, but rather, I think they can have forge agreements with third parties to create these critical parts to appease their customer base so that Autel can then focus on their next line of products to then increase their customers on top of their current customer base.

Now, will some customers not want to purchase the next line of drones with Autel because their current drones will still be flying in the air? Of course. But the marketing advantage of building brand loyalty and encourage future purchases will outweigh any revenues lost by allowing current customers to hang on to their current drones. It’s not like creating an EOL parts eco-system manufactured by third party companies hasn’t worked before – it’s a common practice for technology hardware companies. In fact, I can’t think of ANY reputable tech hardware company that is surviving today without some EOL parts eco-system in place.

Another disturbing point (not related to EOL but you can infer when EOL happens to EOV II) – due to the chip shortage Autel has had to resort to creating a “V2” version of the EVO II which render users of “V1” EVO II’s incompatible with components of the EVO II “V2”. In other words, there are no additional V1 components being produced (and this is during the current sales cycle of the EVO II). Think about all these V1 users who purchased the EVO II before this announcement on 6/4/21 – since there are no compatible parts for their Smart Controller and/or Live Deck – they are all out of luck if these parts fail. To be fair, Autel is saying the chip shortage is what led to this “V2” version, but I would at least think that Autel should better support their EVO II customers by offering them an incentive to switch up to the V2 version.

I guess all this EOL management stuff wouldn’t matter much if we were buying toys. But these drones are expensive and regulated by the FAA, with safety first as the utmost priority. Some customers use these drones for commercial purposes and so making sure they are safely flying the skies is that much more important. I fear that without an EOL parts eco-system that Autel will see more of their older drones malfunction and cause harm – with the current sentiment towards drones as the “bad guy” I don’t think Autel would appreciate that kind of negative media.

So potential buyers - Please consider this point above when making your purchase.

To Autel Management:

Continuing to perpetuate current practices on unavailability of EOL parts is making your resources work inefficiently by creating these stellar products only to have them “fall off a cliff” at EOL. This compels your company to resort to perpetually restart the sales cycle with the next shiny drone hoping to capture a new group of customers rather than reaping dividends from all the hard work done earning your existing customer base (think of it as trying to increase the value of your investments without the benefit of compound interest, or at best, a lower interest rate than what you deserve). How many more sales cycles do you think your brand can survive until your potential customers realize that your products’ parts are abandoned at EOL and, at best, become nice-looking models on desks or hanging off ceilings?

I sincerely hope someone from Autel is reading this message because I’m really rooting for this company to be around. However, without taking an honest introspection of themselves and addressing EOL parts concerns I don’t think Autel can consider themselves a serious long-term player in this market as existing competitors evolve and new competition emerges.
Very articulate in your assessment of Autel and their products. I have been waiting for months for the Version 2 of the 6K Pro drone. Finally got it in July. Now I am waiting on the Version 2 Smart Controller. They do make a good product but they seem to get the hype going on new products then sit on their hands while we as customers wait for them to produce and ship their products to us the consumer. You can say all you want about the chip shortage for various products but why do they promote something they can't deliver upon in a timely fashion? They should be delivering on their promises instead of developing new products such as a mini Autel drone. Will the mini drone work with our pricey smart controllers? One step at a time Autel.
 
So, what you are saying is that this years workable flying drone will probably be next years paper weight because you are simply more interested in selling new drones than new batteries for an older drone? That doesn't make me feel very good about future purchases from you. You see, I am the not so proud of one of those paper weights now. I have an X Star Premium in mint condition that I can't get a new battery for and I really wish that I hadn't been so eager to buy this orange thing. I won't be buying another one from you.
I don't think that's the case with the Evo 2 but unfortunately the Evo 1 reaches EOL at the end of this year.
 
Still waiting on the Version 2 Smart Controller. This is the new V.2 EVO 2 Pro 6K............Dale.
 

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This message is for potential buyers of Autel’s UAV consumer retail products:

Ever since the sale of X-Star, Autel’s first drone, I’ve watched Autel create and sell high quality drones with excellent customer support during the manufacturing warranty period. I think product quality and customer support during the warranty period has differentiated Autel from its competitors.

Since the X-Star, Autel has launched next-evolution drones like the X-Star Premium, EVO 1, and EVO 2. When the X-Star approached EOL, the company stopped selling parts to focus on the sales of their next product. That’s not unusual as companies need to address the changing demands of their customers. What was unfortunate at that time was that since the company was small and the user base for X-Stars limited, there were no third-party manufacturers of critical parts like batteries, propellers, etc. At that time, I gave Autel the benefit of the doubt since the X-Star was their first drone - after experiencing their first sales cycle I thought Autel would learn and improve their sales and support for their future products.

As Autel announced the sales of the X-Star Premium and subsequently, the EVO 1, as each of these drones approached EOL (the EVO 1 will approach EOL in December 2021 for parts availability), there was/will be no change in the unavailability of critical parts, leaving these customers holding some nice expensive drones with eventually no way to fly them (e.g., because of the technology used, these drone batteries last 2-3 years even when treating them with the best care, whether they are used or stay new in the box).

I thought the EOL issue with the X-Star was just one single bad data point with Autel, but 3 data points about what Autel does regarding EOL with their drones suggest a sad consistent trend - I’m confident that if Autel continues this current practice with EOL products, their latest drone, the EVO II, and future drones like the EVO III and the Mini/Light will endure the same fate as their 3 previously launched drones.

This iterative cycle of winning new customers for each drone (I own the EVO 1), then losing them and starting all over to win new customers for Autel’s next drone is inefficient and exhaustive for a small company like Autel – I think this is one of the reasons why Autel cannot become a successful drone company. Instead of focusing resources on the creating the next drone so that the company can win new customers while losing its existing customers, I think the company is missing one important step in the sales cycle, which is to create an EOL parts eco-system so that current customers can continue to use their current drones, while building trust that these customers can safely purchase the next drone from Autel when they are ready to do so and use them without the fear of EOL parts abandonment. I’m not suggesting that Autel commit factory resources to manufacture legacy products indefinitely, but rather, I think they can have forge agreements with third parties to create these critical parts to appease their customer base so that Autel can then focus on their next line of products to then increase their customers on top of their current customer base.

Now, will some customers not want to purchase the next line of drones with Autel because their current drones will still be flying in the air? Of course. But the marketing advantage of building brand loyalty and encourage future purchases will outweigh any revenues lost by allowing current customers to hang on to their current drones. It’s not like creating an EOL parts eco-system manufactured by third party companies hasn’t worked before – it’s a common practice for technology hardware companies. In fact, I can’t think of ANY reputable tech hardware company that is surviving today without some EOL parts eco-system in place.

Another disturbing point (not related to EOL but you can infer when EOL happens to EOV II) – due to the chip shortage Autel has had to resort to creating a “V2” version of the EVO II which render users of “V1” EVO II’s incompatible with components of the EVO II “V2”. In other words, there are no additional V1 components being produced (and this is during the current sales cycle of the EVO II). Think about all these V1 users who purchased the EVO II before this announcement on 6/4/21 – since there are no compatible parts for their Smart Controller and/or Live Deck – they are all out of luck if these parts fail. To be fair, Autel is saying the chip shortage is what led to this “V2” version, but I would at least think that Autel should better support their EVO II customers by offering them an incentive to switch up to the V2 version.

I guess all this EOL management stuff wouldn’t matter much if we were buying toys. But these drones are expensive and regulated by the FAA, with safety first as the utmost priority. Some customers use these drones for commercial purposes and so making sure they are safely flying the skies is that much more important. I fear that without an EOL parts eco-system that Autel will see more of their older drones malfunction and cause harm – with the current sentiment towards drones as the “bad guy” I don’t think Autel would appreciate that kind of negative media.

So potential buyers - Please consider this point above when making your purchase.

To Autel Management:

Continuing to perpetuate current practices on unavailability of EOL parts is making your resources work inefficiently by creating these stellar products only to have them “fall off a cliff” at EOL. This compels your company to resort to perpetually restart the sales cycle with the next shiny drone hoping to capture a new group of customers rather than reaping dividends from all the hard work done earning your existing customer base (think of it as trying to increase the value of your investments without the benefit of compound interest, or at best, a lower interest rate than what you deserve). How many more sales cycles do you think your brand can survive until your potential customers realize that your products’ parts are abandoned at EOL and, at best, become nice-looking models on desks or hanging off ceilings?

I sincerely hope someone from Autel is reading this message because I’m really rooting for this company to be around. However, without taking an honest introspection of themselves and addressing EOL parts concerns I don’t think Autel can consider themselves a serious long-term player in this market as existing competitors evolve and new competition emerges.
As an EVO II V1 owner purchased in February of this year, I certainly agree with the above. I really looked forward to purchasing a SC this summer but that idea was squashed when Autel started to announce their ridicules decisions regarding my brand new drone. Unless Autel has an upgrade proposal, I for one will not be back.
 
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Yep, all I heard was how great Autels customer support was. Callled them a couple times and didn’t find them very knowledgeable. Then the first set of batteries failed at a year and half. Luckily got a few more at Best Buy when they were selling for $25. I’ll have a paperweight in a year or so. Wish I would have gone DJI. Better bird all around. I won’t even by an Autel automotive scanner or anything Autel ever again.
 
This message is for potential buyers of Autel’s UAV consumer retail products:

Ever since the sale of X-Star, Autel’s first drone, I’ve watched Autel create and sell high quality drones with excellent customer support during the manufacturing warranty period. I think product quality and customer support during the warranty period has differentiated Autel from its competitors.

Since the X-Star, Autel has launched next-evolution drones like the X-Star Premium, EVO 1, and EVO 2. When the X-Star approached EOL, the company stopped selling parts to focus on the sales of their next product. That’s not unusual as companies need to address the changing demands of their customers. What was unfortunate at that time was that since the company was small and the user base for X-Stars limited, there were no third-party manufacturers of critical parts like batteries, propellers, etc. At that time, I gave Autel the benefit of the doubt since the X-Star was their first drone - after experiencing their first sales cycle I thought Autel would learn and improve their sales and support for their future products.

As Autel announced the sales of the X-Star Premium and subsequently, the EVO 1, as each of these drones approached EOL (the EVO 1 will approach EOL in December 2021 for parts availability), there was/will be no change in the unavailability of critical parts, leaving these customers holding some nice expensive drones with eventually no way to fly them (e.g., because of the technology used, these drone batteries last 2-3 years even when treating them with the best care, whether they are used or stay new in the box).

I thought the EOL issue with the X-Star was just one single bad data point with Autel, but 3 data points about what Autel does regarding EOL with their drones suggest a sad consistent trend - I’m confident that if Autel continues this current practice with EOL products, their latest drone, the EVO II, and future drones like the EVO III and the Mini/Light will endure the same fate as their 3 previously launched drones.

This iterative cycle of winning new customers for each drone (I own the EVO 1), then losing them and starting all over to win new customers for Autel’s next drone is inefficient and exhaustive for a small company like Autel – I think this is one of the reasons why Autel cannot become a successful drone company. Instead of focusing resources on the creating the next drone so that the company can win new customers while losing its existing customers, I think the company is missing one important step in the sales cycle, which is to create an EOL parts eco-system so that current customers can continue to use their current drones, while building trust that these customers can safely purchase the next drone from Autel when they are ready to do so and use them without the fear of EOL parts abandonment. I’m not suggesting that Autel commit factory resources to manufacture legacy products indefinitely, but rather, I think they can have forge agreements with third parties to create these critical parts to appease their customer base so that Autel can then focus on their next line of products to then increase their customers on top of their current customer base.

Now, will some customers not want to purchase the next line of drones with Autel because their current drones will still be flying in the air? Of course. But the marketing advantage of building brand loyalty and encourage future purchases will outweigh any revenues lost by allowing current customers to hang on to their current drones. It’s not like creating an EOL parts eco-system manufactured by third party companies hasn’t worked before – it’s a common practice for technology hardware companies. In fact, I can’t think of ANY reputable tech hardware company that is surviving today without some EOL parts eco-system in place.

Another disturbing point (not related to EOL but you can infer when EOL happens to EOV II) – due to the chip shortage Autel has had to resort to creating a “V2” version of the EVO II which render users of “V1” EVO II’s incompatible with components of the EVO II “V2”. In other words, there are no additional V1 components being produced (and this is during the current sales cycle of the EVO II). Think about all these V1 users who purchased the EVO II before this announcement on 6/4/21 – since there are no compatible parts for their Smart Controller and/or Live Deck – they are all out of luck if these parts fail. To be fair, Autel is saying the chip shortage is what led to this “V2” version, but I would at least think that Autel should better support their EVO II customers by offering them an incentive to switch up to the V2 version.

I guess all this EOL management stuff wouldn’t matter much if we were buying toys. But these drones are expensive and regulated by the FAA, with safety first as the utmost priority. Some customers use these drones for commercial purposes and so making sure they are safely flying the skies is that much more important. I fear that without an EOL parts eco-system that Autel will see more of their older drones malfunction and cause harm – with the current sentiment towards drones as the “bad guy” I don’t think Autel would appreciate that kind of negative media.

So potential buyers - Please consider this point above when making your purchase.

To Autel Management:

Continuing to perpetuate current practices on unavailability of EOL parts is making your resources work inefficiently by creating these stellar products only to have them “fall off a cliff” at EOL. This compels your company to resort to perpetually restart the sales cycle with the next shiny drone hoping to capture a new group of customers rather than reaping dividends from all the hard work done earning your existing customer base (think of it as trying to increase the value of your investments without the benefit of compound interest, or at best, a lower interest rate than what you deserve). How many more sales cycles do you think your brand can survive until your potential customers realize that your products’ parts are abandoned at EOL and, at best, become nice-looking models on desks or hanging off ceilings?

I sincerely hope someone from Autel is reading this message because I’m really rooting for this company to be around. However, without taking an honest introspection of themselves and addressing EOL parts concerns I don’t think Autel can consider themselves a serious long-term player in this market as existing competitors evolve and new competition emerges.
Hi. I was an electronics EOL Supply Chain Manager for a medical device company for many years and this is no easy job. Many of the EOL notices come from the supply chain chip manufacturers and are not from the company itself (Autel in this case). COVID made this situation worse. Basically electronic component EOL notices are forced on the companies for various reasons and the timing is never good.

I went with Autel EVO II Pro as my first drone in April and then got the notice in June about the chip change. Needless to say for a while I thought I made a terrible mistake going with Autel but after calming down, I just hope for an upgrade path to EVO II Pro V2. I wanted to purchase the Smart Controller (high price aside) but now with the incompatibility between versions I'm waiting for more dust to settle.

I like the product and will continue to use the version 1 EVO II Pro I bought while I wait for the semiconductor chip industry to recover.
thanks
 
As I'm sure others are in the same boat, I made the unfortunate decision to buy an EVO II back in February~ish, so it was the V1. I was quite excited for the Smart Controller when it was announced, but, while understandable, the V2 announcement disheartened me greatly. It seems like us V1 purchasers were cast aside with no consideration or option to upgrade reasonably. Even the SC is now only going to be V2 for future production. While I know it would probably be a loss in profits for them, or at best breaking even, an upgrade plan for those who bought V1 or more consideration and catering to V1 owners is really the only way to keep owners in good graces. It is not a smart business move to write us off as I will be far less inclined to purchase Autel products in the future if this is what I risk. I'm not certain how much was changed from V1 to V2 beyond the electronics, but from the glances I have seen, it would appear if they offered an upgrade path by turning in old V1 drones, they could probably recycle most of the drone and just swap out the relevant internals. Definitely can't say for sure one way or the other, since I don't know how much they altered, but isn't unreasonable to consider. A small loss here is nothing compared to lost future customers.
 
Yes it is very sad the choices Autel have made for their older drones, having the evo 1 and the evo 2 v1 looks like they will both become paper weights in the future
my bank account is not fat enough to keep purchasing new drones every year that really are not that reliable anyway
Autel have given the industry a bit of a shake up of late but still have a lot to learn if they intend to keep loyalty from customers
I've flown both autel and dji for many years and dji still have the edge
 
I couldn't agree with what you stated more. Today 21st, September, 2021 I had the misfortune of dealing with one of Autel's so called "customer service reps". Without giving the person's name I can tell you that he was extremely unhelpful and gave me canned responses to my questions regarding my Autel Evo 1 drone. Perhaps you or someone else on this forum can assist me. I was told by this rather rude Autel Rep that Autel no longer sells the micro usb to usb-c cable 6 to 8 inches that I need to use to connect my OnePlus Nord 100 Android phone to my Autel Evo 1 remote control device. I have had the most infuriating time of trying to locate said cable. I have done an exhaustive search and still have NOT found the cable needed. Furthermore I feel Autel does need to reevaluate both how they deal with their consumer base and the time frame they use before they decide to discontinue certain models such as the EVO 1 and its parts and accessories. Also Autel's customer service department should NOT make one feel as though it is an imposition to answer questions regarding the Autel Evo 1 drone which is currently being phased out. No AUTEL EVO 1 drones, parts or accessories will be available for purchase after December 2021. There will be no more support for the Autel EVO 1 drone after JUNE 2022! I spent $1,500.00 on an Autel Evo Drone Bundle which included a number of accessories including both a hard and soft case through an online retailer in April 2020. I have yet to even fly my drone. I have merely run it in ATTI mode inside of my apartment to familiarise myself with the REMOTE CONTROL and its settings. Furthermore I had issues with the most recent FIRMWARE UPDATE 1.5.8 which seems to have been sorted out. My experience is quite synonymous with others who also own the Autel EVO 1 drone I have found based upon what I have read online.

That stated, would you or someone else on this forum be so kind as to direct me to where I might purchase the cable I need? I am very angry and disillusioned by the way that my support case was handled by Autel. I feel I have wasted both my time and money on their products. I am just now learning how to fly my Autel EVO 1 drone. Thanks in advance for your help. Thank you for such a thorough and engaging post. Sorry if I went a bit off topic. I can be emailed: [email protected].
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