Evo II supposedly made in the USA, but box says it’s made in China, what gives?

[ZombiePhysicist]

So just got my Evo II pro and the box says made in China. One of the reasons I got this was Autel seemed to assert it‘s made in the USA. What gives?

Autel EVO II Dual Made In USA Frequently Asked Questions

Where in the US is the Autel Evo II being produced? What percentage of the parts are made in the USA? What is the difference between “Assembled in the USA” vs “Made in the USA?” Which components are being produced in the USA? Is Autel Chinese owned? Is the EVO II™ DUAL on the approved list of...

www.autelpilot.com

it seems skydio also purports to be made in the USA but has equally fuzzy descriptions and I wonder what it’s box says.

History

Skydio offers fully autonomous drones for business, public safety and creative endeavors.

www.skydio.com

it seems that the “most” made in America consumer level product is probably skydio, or do I have
it wrong?

 

[Agustine]

Yes it is a grey area but if you really look into it the EVO II Duel is the only one they claim made in the USA. Parts for it come from China and other places in the world and some of it is assembled in the US of A in the tiny work shop by Autel elf's in the back of their building.

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

Yes it is a grey area but if you really look into it the EVO II Duel is the only one they claim made in the USA. Parts for it come from China and other places in the world and some of it is assembled in the US of A in the tiny work shop by Autel elf's in the back of their building.

View attachment 9296

Lol, so only the $10,000 model.

Arg, it's shame they try to pawn themselves off that way. Looks like Skydio is the only one to get for mostly US build, it's as good as you can do. Apparently, except for a $10k dual model.

What I don't get is they must build the bodies in both places then. Just a smaller volume in the US. Because the dual lense can't be what gets them over the hurdle of being 'made in usa'?

 

[Agustine]

Lol, so only the $10,000 model.

Arg, it's shame they try to pawn themselves off that way. Looks like Skydio is the only one to get for mostly US build, it's as good as you can do. Apparently, except for a $10k dual model.

What I don't get is they must build the bodies in both places then. Just a smaller volume in the US. Because the dual lense can't be what gets them over the hurdle of being 'made in usa'?

From my understanding it comes down to two different thermo cameras.

Autel announces “Made in the USA” EVO II Dual Bundles

Drone manufacturer Autel announced September 3 that its EVO II Dual drone package is “Made in the USA” – meaning it will have a competitive edge over drones manufactured elsewhere – and particularly drones of Chinese origin. The Department of Interior has banned the use of Chinese-made drones or...

autelpilots.com

AUTEL ENTERPRISE is Announcing its Made in USA EVO II Dual Bundles.

A rapid-deployment, packable unmanned aircraft made in USA with foreign and US components and labor. Bothell, WA., SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 (Newswire.com) – Unmanned Aircraft manufacturer Autel Robotics is releasing its Autel EVO II Dual Enterprise UAS bundle/package, created for public sector and...

autelpilots.com

AUTEL ROBOTICS EVO 2 DUAL 640R with radiometric thermal camera in locating a person by heat source www.autel.co.il 04-9998979

autelpilots.com

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

From my understanding it comes down to two different thermo cameras.

Autel announces “Made in the USA” EVO II Dual Bundles

Drone manufacturer Autel announced September 3 that its EVO II Dual drone package is “Made in the USA” – meaning it will have a competitive edge over drones manufactured elsewhere – and particularly drones of Chinese origin. The Department of Interior has banned the use of Chinese-made drones or...

autelpilots.com

AUTEL ENTERPRISE is Announcing its Made in USA EVO II Dual Bundles.

A rapid-deployment, packable unmanned aircraft made in USA with foreign and US components and labor. Bothell, WA., SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 (Newswire.com) – Unmanned Aircraft manufacturer Autel Robotics is releasing its Autel EVO II Dual Enterprise UAS bundle/package, created for public sector and...

autelpilots.com

AUTEL ROBOTICS EVO 2 DUAL 640R with radiometric thermal camera in locating a person by heat source www.autel.co.il 04-9998979

autelpilots.com

To get the "made in USA" designation substantially all the valuable parts need to be made in the USA.

Considering the lens costs about 9k, the rest of the drone is minor. So odds are the drone itself is still made in china, but they get to put the made in USA designation because the majority of the cost is in the camera part.

Complying with the Made in USA Standard

The official website of the Federal Trade Commission, protecting America’s consumers for over 100 years.

www.ftc.gov

Example: An exercise treadmill is assembled in the U.S. The assembly represents significant work and constitutes a "substantial transformation" (a term used by the U.S. Customs Service). All of the treadmill’s major parts, including the motor, frame, and electronic display, are imported. A few of its incidental parts, such as the handle bar covers, the plastic on/off power key, and the treadmill mat, are manufactured in the U.S. Together, these parts account for approximately three percent of the total cost of all the parts. Because the value of the U.S.-made parts is negligible compared to the value of all the parts, a claim on the treadmill that it is "Made in USA of U.S. and Imported Parts" is deceptive. A claim like "Made in U.S. from Imported Parts" or "Assembled in U.S.A." would not be deceptive.

Kind of sleazy if true. Much of the reason people want a made in USA drone is with regard to sensitive information and lack of trust that china doesn't somehow compromise the tech.

Feeding an expensive made in the USA camera through all the electronics doesn't solve for that issue, unfortunately.

As such, it seems Skydio is the only only maker thats trying to get most of the drone made in the USA but even they dont seem able to get the 'made in the usa' designation...

 

[PingSpike]

It's just a ridiculous marketing exercise.

It is no more made in USA than I was

 

[Ansia]

Do they actually make the Skydio in America (parts and all) or is it assembled in America?

 

[Empire Drone]

“We design, assemble, and support our products in the U.S.” From the Skydio website. History

No mention of manufacturing at this time.

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

Do they actually make the Skydio in America (parts and all) or is it assembled in America?

Not fully sure. The FTC seems to say it's not enough to just import parts from all over the world and just screwdriver them together, and seems that most of the components need to be from the US. It's a big fuzzy but my guess is over 75% from this:

Assembled in USA Claims​

A product that includes foreign components may be called "Assembled in USA" without qualification when its principal assembly takes place in the U.S. and the assembly is substantial. For the "assembly" claim to be valid, the product’s last "substantial transformation" also should have occurred in the U.S. That’s why a "screwdriver" assembly in the U.S. of foreign components into a final product at the end of the manufacturing process doesn’t usually qualify for the "Assembled in USA" claim.

Example: A lawn mower, composed of all domestic parts except for the cable sheathing, flywheel, wheel rims and air filter (15 to 20 percent foreign content) is assembled in the U.S. An "Assembled in USA" claim is appropriate.
Example: All the major components of a computer, including the motherboard and hard drive, are imported. The computer’s components then are put together in a simple "screwdriver" operation in the U.S., are not substantially transformed under the Customs Standard, and must be marked with a foreign country of origin. An "Assembled in U.S." claim without further qualification is deceptive.

Complying with the Made in USA Standard

The official website of the Federal Trade Commission, protecting America’s consumers for over 100 years.

www.ftc.gov

 

[mike9591]

hard to find much that is made entirely in the USA// especially electronics anything. Autel is a US company, but they also use Chinese mfg's for most of everything they have.. components, boards, and other parts. Few US companies make the circuit boards, motors, and other parts.

 

[Tufargon]

hard to find much that is made entirely in the USA// especially electronics anything. Autel is a US company, but they also use Chinese mfg's for most of everything they have.. components, boards, and other parts. Few US companies make the circuit boards, motors, and other parts.

Autel is not a U.S company.
Third paragraph says so, then a little lower it states where some parts are made (not all). They figure that assembling them in the U.S makes them U.S made. They were always a Chinese company but they put a small shop in Washington.

Autel announces 'Made in the USA' EVO II Dual Bundles - DroneDJ

Autel's EVO II Enterprise drone is now Made in the USA. The company is assembling its First Responder unit in the United States in a strategic move.

dronedj.com

 

[parkgt]

Did anyone believe a consumer level drone was actually assembled in the USA from parts mostly produced in the USA. Those day passed a long time ago!

 

[advexure]

Autel Robotics USA is headquartered in Bothell, WA but there are other Autel HQ around the world.

EVO II Dual is the only platform of the three EVO II series models (EVO II, EVO II Pro, EVO II Dual) that has passed a Made in the USA certification with the FTC. To pass this certification a product may and will most likely have non-US components.

The consumer models (EVO II and EVO II Pro) are not and have never claimed to be Made in the USA.