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New controller buy or not

Tom skerke

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I have a evo 2 6k pro and I’m seeing a lot of these post saying don’t buy. what’s going on here.SORRY Lame in tearms
 
I have a evo 2 6k pro and I’m seeing a lot of these post saying don’t buy. what’s going on here.SORRY Lame in tearms
Hi Tom,

All the activity on this is in this thread: Notice From Autel About Controllers and Compatibility in the Future

I'll give you my summary, a few may have a different point of view (very few).

The Autel Smart Controller was marked as a superior device that differentiated itself in the market from DJI's Smart Controller:
  • 2000 vs 1000 nits (twice as birght
  • 7.9" vs 5.5 inch screen
  • promise compatibility with the Evo II and future product
    • DJI miraculously made its controller support Occusync 3 for the AIR 2S; a standard invented well after it's release; commendable
    • DJI does not support the DJI Mini 2 which uses Occusync 2 (as does the Smart controller), odd and should be supported - a miss
Here's what happened this past week:
  • A new CEO took the helm of Autel Robotics US; Randall Warnas
  • He announced there was a chip shortage of the chips used as the radios for the current Evo II airframe (now referred to as V1)
  • They would release a limited amount of V1 Smart Controllers that would only work with the existing Evo II v1's and would not work with future product releases (broken promise)
    • The allocation of V1 controllers to dealers does not guarantee that anyone that placed a preorder would get it fulfilled; it's a limited run.
  • They would release a V2 version of both the Evo II and Smart Controller; there would be no compatibility between V1 and V2
    • I think V2 will support future product; it's a superior radio using two frequencies - but doesn't help any current Autel owner
So regarding your question, "Should you buy a Smart Controller?"
  • If you place an preorder for a smart controller now, it's not known if it will be fulfilled or if it will be fulfilled with the v1 version that will work with your Evo II (limited supply allocation)
  • If you wait for the secondary market (eBay, classifieds, etc), you'll likely find some there after deliveries start. I have no idea what the after market prices will be as a result of this debacle.
The forum has come up with constructive suggestions:
  • Sell an airframe and a v2 controller where the airframe would be bare and at a nominal cost
  • build a v3 (rather than a v1 & v2) controller that has both chip sets. The v1 chipset would be pluggable/on a socket so it can be added at a later date and for anyone that has the V1 of the Evo II
I'm sorry I can't give you a definitive suggestion to buy or not, there are too many variables and we're still making a lot of noise as we're not happy about this.

Please do join the other thread; it's a great place to engage with the forum's members and read and share ideas. You may be the one that has a spark of an idea that solves this problem for Autel Rootics, its resellers and the consumners.

Regards,
Marc
 
Hi Tom,

All the activity on this is in this thread: Notice From Autel About Controllers and Compatibility in the Future

I'll give you my summary, a few may have a different point of view (very few).

The Autel Smart Controller was marked as a superior device that differentiated itself in the market from DJI's Smart Controller:
  • 2000 vs 1000 nits (twice as birght
  • 7.9" vs 5.5 inch screen
  • promise compatibility with the Evo II and future product
    • DJI miraculously made its controller support Occusync 3 for the AIR 2S; a standard invented well after it's release; commendable
    • DJI does not support the DJI Mini 2 which uses Occusync 2 (as does the Smart controller), odd and should be supported - a miss
Here's what happened this past week:
  • A new CEO took the helm of Autel Robotics US; Randall Warnas
  • He announced there was a chip shortage of the chips used as the radios for the current Evo II airframe (now referred to as V1)
  • They would release a limited amount of V1 Smart Controllers that would only work with the existing Evo II v1's and would not work with future product releases (broken promise)
    • The allocation of V1 controllers to dealers does not guarantee that anyone that placed a preorder would get it fulfilled; it's a limited run.
  • They would release a V2 version of both the Evo II and Smart Controller; there would be no compatibility between V1 and V2
    • I think V2 will support future product; it's a superior radio using two frequencies - but doesn't help any current Autel owner
So regarding your question, "Should you buy a Smart Controller?"
  • If you place an preorder for a smart controller now, it's not known if it will be fulfilled or if it will be fulfilled with the v1 version that will work with your Evo II (limited supply allocation)
  • If you wait for the secondary market (eBay, classifieds, etc), you'll likely find some there after deliveries start. I have no idea what the after market prices will be as a result of this debacle.
The forum has come up with constructive suggestions:
  • Sell an airframe and a v2 controller where the airframe would be bare and at a nominal cost
  • build a v3 (rather than a v1 & v2) controller that has both chip sets. The v1 chipset would be pluggable/on a socket so it can be added at a later date and for anyone that has the V1 of the Evo II
I'm sorry I can't give you a definitive suggestion to buy or not, there are too many variables and we're still making a lot of noise as we're not happy about this.

Please do join the other thread; it's a great place to engage with the forum's members and read and share ideas. You may be the one that has a spark of an idea that solves this problem for Autel Rootics, its resellers and the consumners.

Regards,
Marc
You make it sound to intelligent , say it isn't so? Send a resume to Autel CEO - take a VP spot and help us all please. Never been so upset about spending $2398.00 on 2 SC> Well put-you made my day a bit happier with some real intelligence.
 
You make it sound to intelligent , say it isn't so? Send a resume to Autel CEO - take a VP spot and help us all please. Never been so upset about spending $2398.00 on 2 SC> Well put-you made my day a bit happier with some real intelligence.
Thank you Bob. I'm a CTO with over 42 years of experience architecting and building systems; my company was bought by TransUnion back in October (3rd exit). I always ask what we can do better and try to set up for the next shot; like a billiards player, but it's rarely one person's effort, it's a lot of people that care and think. Even if I don't always specify product, I steer to ensure we leverage all the tech we have (it's a lot - we handle over a billion HTTP hits a day with complex processing) to ensure we get the most out of what we have.

All I'm trying to do is get us (consumers, resellers and Autel) the win the product deserves, not settle on what feels like a poorly thought out form letter.

We only go around once, we might as well make the best of it; it's more fun that way. :)
 
Thank you Bob. I'm a CTO with over 42 years of experience architecting and building systems; my company was bought by TransUnion back in October (3rd exit). I always ask what we can do better and try to set up for the next shot; like a billiards player, but it's rarely one person's effort, it's a lot of people that care and think. Even if I don't always specify product, I steer to ensure we leverage all the tech we have (it's a lot - we handle over a billion HTTP hits a day with complex processing) to ensure we get the most out of what we have.

All I'm trying to do is get us (consumers, resellers and Autel) the win the product deserves, not settle on what feels like a poorly thought out form letter.

We only go around once, we might as well make the best of it; it's more fun that way. :)
I hear you loud and clear, if you have read any of my prior post, well not this thread at least I really think (even through all of my issues) the Autel bird as they sit right now (my EVO 2 and Pro) is running very well. If we go back 6 months ago you will see all of the issues and lately the only issue is the smart controller. Autel guess what you finally got the AC in the air and they are working. You want loyal fanboys were here. DJI did you a favor, they pounced on us and we came to you. I can fly my 2 AC around 20 to 25 story high tower condos on any day. I dont lose signal, I think 3 miles is more than enough distance. Hell I have to set a 500 foot boundary because at 350 foot it's hard to see. Someone look up Miami (Downtown Brickell) not once lost a signal, try flying around the AC Units on floor 24 looking for roof damage. It just flies. Adjusted the EXP and to me it's better than DJI. The EVO make me a boatload of cash doing its thing for me. Please wake up. Skydio you need to wake up also because if this hits the fan, you are the only one left that I can even consider. I might even invest in one this week just to have some sense of sanity and work through the initial garbage. Sleep well my fans. It isn't over but its not our call. Remember Autel doesn't need the money from others, they have it as one of the biggest Automotive gurus, I just wonder if the drone division side is nothing but a write off for them from some accountant with a finger up his bass fishing hole.
 
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No. There is no product out the door, no one has reviewed a production model, or even unboxed one. If you live in the US, for all intents and purposes, the SC does not exist as something you can buy with any firm expectation of delivery. Anyone who would knowingly take your money for such a preorder today, in light of what has already been revealed, is one skeezy operator.
 
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.. my opinion agrees with that of others, absolutely not to buy, the product does not exist and if it existed in the current version it would be worth much much less than the money requested. And then there is now a big question mark about Autel Robotics' reliability and credibility in the drone industry. Stop and wait ... Many of us have invested thousands of dollars and are now wondering if it wasn't a mistake.
 
I hear you loud and clear, if you have read any of my prior post, well not this thread at least I really think (even through all of my issues) the Autel bird as they sit right now (my EVO 2 and Pro) is running very well. If we go back 6 months ago you will see all of the issues and lately the only issue is the smart controller. Autel guess what you finally got the AC in the air and they are working. You want loyal fanboys were here. DJI did you a favor, they pounced on us and we came to you. I can fly my 2 AC around 20 to 25 story high tower condos on any day. I dont lose signal, I think 3 miles is more than enough distance. Hell I have to set a 500 foot boundary because at 350 foot it's hard to see. Someone look up Miami (Downtown Brickell) not once lost a signal, try flying around the AC Units on floor 24 looking for roof damage. It just flies. Adjusted the EXP and to me it's better than DJI. The EVO make me a boatload of cash doing its thing for me. Please wake up. Skydio you need to wake up also because if this hits the fan, you are the only one left that I can even consider. I might even invest in one this week just to have some sense of sanity and work through the initial garbage. Sleep well my fans. It isn't over but its not our call. Remember Autel doesn't need the money from others, they have it as one of the biggest Automotive gurus, I just wonder if the drone division side is nothing but a write off for them from some accountant with a finger up his bass fishing hole.
Good perspective. I'm sorry this Autel decision is so material for you and your business. I concur that Skydio, using the radio from their X2, can can serious market share (and they have some massively brilliant engineers and a ton of processing power on board). I hope this works out well for us all (of course).
 
.. my opinion agrees with that of others, absolutely not to buy, the product does not exist and if it existed in the current version it would be worth much much less than the money requested. And then there is now a big question mark about Autel Robotics' reliability and credibility in the drone industry. Stop and wait ... Many of us have invested thousands of dollars and are now wondering if it wasn't a mistake.
Well said.
 
No. There is no product out the door, no one has reviewed a production model, or even unboxed one. If you live in the US, for all intents and purposes, the SC does not exist as something you can buy with any firm expectation of delivery. Anyone who would knowingly take your money for such a preorder today, in light of what has already been revealed, is one skeezy operator.
Perhaps. I'm unsure.

Typically the drone manufacturers get the folk with well subscribed, highly trafficked YouTube channels to sign an NDA, send product in advance of release with the expectation that they will have their videos (unboxing, reviews 1-N, etc.) ready to go at time of release. Again, I have no idea if this was done; I'm not one of those with a YouTube channel - (too busy working to build complex things, fly, repeat - and a few other things). :)

I saw one YouTuber that fits this profile trying to tamp this down as an absolute good move by Autel; despite being a loyal subscriber and enjoying their content, I was not aligned on that presentation.
 
Just get an android Tablet. I've been using a 7" tablet for a year and it works great. I don't know why I would dump so much money into a dedicated controller. Instead of all this time and money and effort being put into controller development I think Autel would be better off improving their software -- which still has HUGE shortcomings. No one is going to buy an Autel drone because of a controller. Getting smooth movements - similar to DJI - is not a controller issue, it is a software or drone hardware issue. I primarlly use my EVO 2 Pro for mapping, so I can survive the software issues (although it frustrates me). But if I was into videography, I'd buy a DJI. Heck, we still can't even make a panorama photos!
 
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Just get an android Tablet. I've been using a 7" tablet for a year and it works great. I don't know why I would dump so much money into a dedicated controller. Instead of all this time and money and effort being put into controller development I think Autel would be better off improving their software -- which still has HUGE shortcomings. No one is going to buy an Autel drone because of a controller. Getting smooth movements - similar to DJI - is not a controller issue, it is a software or drone hardware issue. I primarlly use my EVO 2 Pro for mapping, so I can survive the software issues (although it frustrates me). But if I was into videography, I'd buy a DJI. Heck, we still can't even make a panorama photos!
A smart controller is about convenience, not necessity; I like my DJI Smart controller because I power it up, no cables and fly.

I do have an iPad min 5 with LTE that I bought to use with my standard controllers (it doesn't consume battery from the controller like Android devices do, otherwise, I prefer Android), but all the cables make getting in the air more involved (and 1000 nits from the DJI smart controller will make it easier to see).

It's just a matter of preference, there's no right choice.
 
I own several drones, some from the same company and some from different companies. Because smart controllers are limited to specific products, I would have to buy several different smart controllers depending on the drone i'm flying. Thus, I bought the TRIPLTEK 1200 NITS android tablet. I can use it with ALL my drones. One wire sticking out the side of my controller isn't a concern. I also modify my controllers with amplified antenna systems. Attempting this on a smart controller isn't a good idea. Those are my reasons for staying away from smart controllers. They create limitations.

I am a huge fan of AUTEL 2 series drones (less limitations). I bought both the 6K and 8K. I love how much sheer lift power these things have compared to DJI. Their flight characteristics are different, but easy to get used to. I use a power amplified antenna, not just for range, but to penetrate radio and object interference. I've sold most of my DJI products due their annoying and unnecessary geofencing locks. I still own one MAV2 and just acquired an Air2s (great product BTW). DJI's drones seem to fly a little bit more stable, but it doesn't matter. It's the video footage, quality and the stability that is key. In my opinion, Autel's footage is way better than DJI's current comparable product line (Mav2Pro and Zoom). The Mav3 will need some serious upgrades for me to even consider it. For me, it will be flight time, sensor size and resolution. The camera sensor will at least have to be a 4/3 with 6k.
 
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I hear you loud and clear, if you have read any of my prior post, well not this thread at least I really think (even through all of my issues) the Autel bird as they sit right now (my EVO 2 and Pro) is running very well. If we go back 6 months ago you will see all of the issues and lately the only issue is the smart controller. Autel guess what you finally got the AC in the air and they are working. You want loyal fanboys were here. DJI did you a favor, they pounced on us and we came to you. I can fly my 2 AC around 20 to 25 story high tower condos on any day. I dont lose signal, I think 3 miles is more than enough distance. Hell I have to set a 500 foot boundary because at 350 foot it's hard to see. Someone look up Miami (Downtown Brickell) not once lost a signal, try flying around the AC Units on floor 24 looking for roof damage. It just flies. Adjusted the EXP and to me it's better than DJI. The EVO make me a boatload of cash doing its thing for me. Please wake up. Skydio you need to wake up also because if this hits the fan, you are the only one left that I can even consider. I might even invest in one this week just to have some sense of sanity and work through the initial garbage. Sleep well my fans. It isn't over but its not our call. Remember Autel doesn't need the money from others, they have it as one of the biggest Automotive gurus, I just wonder if the drone division side is nothing but a write off for them from some accountant with a finger up his bass fishing hole.
I was just over there (Miami/Brickell) last weekend. I flew my Autel 8k from my friend's narrow 2 story balcony, then up between a narrow alleyway and over to a couple businesses 2 blocks away. I then flew back down a couple narrow alleys without any signal loss or annoying intrusive DJI app questions and restrictions. Had to be extremely cautious in such of an environment. I landed flying between 2 buildings that were maybe 10ft apart, then onto a 3 ft wide balcony. DJI enthusiasts who say they don't like Autels flight characteristics are sadly mistaken. You just have to get accustomed to how it flies. Then you can fly it as well as any DJI. I bought the Autel 6k version as well and own 2 DJI aircraft. I actually sold 2 of my DJI drones to get the 6k Autel. I did this, because, I just can't stand DJI's restrictive App policies. Policy=Police.
 
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There are many pros and cons about Autel Evo II and I believe it is entirely dependent on one's personal choice. No matter what drone you're flying, you have to get used to "how" it flies. They're all different on how they handle their environments and respond to everything it comes in contact with. I luv mii Autel Evo II. This sucker is a beast and I honestly can't see miiself flying anything else. Again, personal preference. The biggest con I will point out to Autel though is this. Being a commercial pilot it's nice being able to show clients what's being filmed as I'm flying with the Live Deck. Which connects and works phenomenally by the way! But, when they ask if they can see playback of what was just captured that's where the issues truly begin. Being able to playback footage via the Live Deck (whether if I've landed or hovering) would be an absolute KILLER of a feature for Autel!!!
 
I was just over there (Miami/Brickell) last weekend. I flew my Autel 8k from my friend's narrow 2 story balcony, then up between a narrow alleyway and over to a couple businesses 2 blocks away. I then flew back down a couple narrow alleys without any signal loss or annoying intrusive DJI app questions and restrictions. Had to be extremely cautious in such of an environment. I landed flying between 2 buildings that were maybe 10ft apart, then onto a 3 ft wide balcony. DJI enthusiasts who say they don't like Autels flight characteristics are sadly mistaken. You just have to get accustomed to how it flies. Then you can fly it as well as any DJI. I bought the Autel 6k version as well and own 2 DJI aircraft. I actually sold 2 of my DJI drones to get the 6k Autel. I did this, because, I just can't stand DJI's restrictive App policies. Policy=Police.
Hi Quinn,

Once I adjusted the Expo on rudder in the Autel app, I felt it to be the equal of my DJI drones in flight characteristics ; it was desensitized around center. Before the change I felt steering was very laggy. The change was remarkable. It would be nice if they added the ability to mix rudder with yaw; my thumbs manage that when desired.

Regards,
Marc
 
I own several drones, some from the same company and some from different companies. Because smart controllers are limited to specific products, I would have to buy several different smart controllers depending on the drone i'm flying. Thus, I bought the TRIPLTEK 1200 NITS android tablet. I can use it with ALL my drones. One wire sticking out the side of my controller isn't a concern. I also modify my controllers with amplified antenna systems. Attempting this on a smart controller isn't a good idea. Those are my reasons for staying away from smart controllers. They create limitations.

I am a huge fan of AUTEL 2 series drones (less limitations). I bought both the 6K and 8K. I love how much sheer lift power these things have compared to DJI. Their flight characteristics are different, but easy to get used to. I use a power amplified antenna, not just for range, but to penetrate radio and object interference. I've sold most of my DJI products due their annoying and unnecessary geofencing locks. I still own one MAV2 and just acquired an Air2s (great product BTW). DJI's drones seem to fly a little bit more stable, but it doesn't matter. It's the video footage, quality and the stability that is key. In my opinion, Autel's footage is way better than DJI's current comparable product line (Mav2Pro and Zoom). The Mav3 will need some serious upgrades for me to even consider it. For me, it will be flight time, sensor size and resolution. The camera sensor will at least have to be a 4/3 with 6k.
u do know that its going to be easy to install external antennas since the come off on the SC
 
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