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No more Autel

ssb73q

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Hi, I'm done with Autel. In the last year I purchased the Autel EVO ll Pro 6k, 3 batteries, an extra controller as backup, Live Deck, and Sky Fire Aerial tablet mount for the EVO ll controller. Lately we have been told that the EVO ll Pro will only be available as a V2 and that products like the V1 Smart Controller are no longer available for the V1 EVO ll Pro. Chip shortage, chip shortage, everybody has chip shortage, BS!! DJI doesn't seem to have a problem with chips, other than the political issues. Now my drone and equipment are obsolete, or soon will be. One of the nice features of the EVO ll Pro is the Mission feature of the app where 2D and 3D maps can be made using open source (free) software like WebODM. I suspect that DJI will offer Mission like features in their upcoming Mavic 3. Owning the EVO ll Pro has been nice, but lately it has been like going to the dentist with Autel. My many experiences with DJI is that DJI never disappoints. Bye bye Autel, hello DJI.

Regards,
Richard
 
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excuse me but dji has chip shortages too, they are not immune. they just don't tell you about it, they hide it. perhaps a change in chipset has not adversely affected dji equipment but you won't know it until all goes sideways. still, dji is a big company. they can buy and stock millions of chips so they don't feel the pain as early as smaller autel. but believe me, dji will feel the pain....everybody feels the pain. for the consumer, it's just a matter of how much pain is passed on from the manufacturer to the customer. a year from now when dji prices go up, maybe you won't link it to the shortage but that's neither here nor there.

your autel drone is flying just fine. go outside and fly it and enjoy it and keep your eye out for a small controller. the market is a free market; a v1 smart controller is not a unicorn, it's not an unobtainable ancient relic. there are many resources available to you to get one if you really wanted one, this forum to start with; the internet. limited quantities means you might not get one right away, you might not be able to get a new one, and it probably won't be cheap. but there will be opportunities for you to go one, that's the very definition of a free market.

there is an equivalent on the dji to autel missions. I've used it on my dji smart controller and for the most part, it's just as good. I don't think dji needs to copy the autel mission planner which still needs a lot of work. either way, the two companies are in competition with each other and competition is good. as a consumer, you have choices and I see you've made a choice to strike autel. and the beauty of that is, you get to change your mind and come back to autel whenever you feel like it....just because! :)
 
Hello,
can you please go in-depth what are the differences between the controllers?
I just purchased PRO today, it will arrive next week. I would like to know what i will be missing, so i can decide to send it back in (14-days return policy) and purchase it at a later date.
Thank you.
Best regards.
 
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I'd echo Ken's statements...and I do understand the OPs feeling.

The chip shortage is only part of the equation. Equally important is that the V1 chips are made by a firm now on the government's entity list. By using these chips...government, police, rescue, etc cannot buy these drones with government funds. A huge problem, IMO.

All that being said, we've been assured that all firmware and software updates with apply to both the V1 and V2 aircraft. I suppose the only real drawback is the difficulty in getting a V1 S/C. I pre-orded and have mine.

Part of the reason I switched to Autel from DJI was the terrible tech support I got...or I suppose...didn't get...from DJI on both my Mini and my Ronin that I use for work. It got to the point where I don't even contact DJI tech support any longer. In comparison, I've overall had very good tech support from Autel. Honestly, some questions didn't get the answer I had hoped for...but I got an answer.

The V1 aircraft will continue to fly and do their job...they aren't obsolete. I've been in the pro video business all my adult life, and changes/upgrades etc are nothing new. As I have written numerous times before, when I buy new video gear...I buy any accessory I think I'll ever need as I know things will change and be cancelled.


To the OP....good luck moving forward...
 
Hi guys, I appreciate your replies. I think this V1 V2 issue would have been a non issue if they offered the V2 as the EVO lll Pro that has enhanced communication, an improved EVO ll V1 drone. IMO Autel need to sell the V2 like the people that sell soap.This chip shortage issue has been overdone IMO. My wife asked me when I will finish installing the baseboard moldings in our house. I asked her if she was aware of the world wide chip shortage. She wasn't amused. lol

I have had excellent customer service from both Autel and DJI. Sometimes Autel expresses ignorance of certain internal app issue. An example is switching from Auto Focus to Manual Focus and then back and forth. The Manual Focus bar will eventually stop showing. This occurs for both IOS and Android devices. Other's have reported this issue, but Autel maintains a blind eye and doesn't acknowledge the issue. I do like the Autel app beta program that gives a heads up to what is coming.

Where is Autel's mini drone? Hubson, Fimi, and DJI all have new mini entries. Autel would take the oxygen out of the room if they introduced their new mini now. Waiting too long and Autel is just another mini wannabe.

I do love flying my Autel EVO ll Pro 6k drone, but the love is fading.

Regards,
Richard
 
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Hello,
can you please go in-depth what are the differences between the controllers?
I just purchased PRO today, it will arrive next week. I would like to know what i will be missing, so i can decide to send it back in (14-days return policy) and purchase it at a later date.
Thank you.
Best regards.

Short explanation here: V1 vs. V2

Call the dealer ASAP... verify whether or not they are in fact, shipping you the updated V2 version. If not, cancel the order immediately... if you placed the order today, it is possible they can process that cancellation before it is shipped out.
 
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Hi guys, I appreciate your replies. I think this V1 V2 issue would have been a non issue if they offered the V2 as the EVO lll Pro that has enhanced communication, an improved EVO ll V1 drone. IMO Autel need to sell the V2 like the people that sell soap.This chip shortage issue has been overdone IMO. My wife asked me when I will finish installing the baseboard moldings in our house. I asked her if she was aware of the world wide chip shortage. She wasn't amused. lol

I have had excellent customer service from both Autel and DJI. Sometimes Autel expresses ignorance of certain internal app issue. An example is switching from Auto Focus to Manual Focus and then back and forth. The Manual Focus bar will eventually stop showing. This occurs for both IOS and Android devices. Other's have reported this issue, but Autel maintains a blind eye and doesn't acknowledge the issue. I do like the Autel app beta program that gives a heads up to what is coming.

Where is Autel's mini drone? Hubson, Fimi, and DJI all have new mini entries. Autel would take the oxygen out of the room if they introduced their new mini now. Waiting too long and Autel is just another mini wannabe.

I do love flying my Autel EVO ll Pro 6k drone, but the love is fading.

Regards,
Richard
personally I think the professional sub-250 drone is over-rated...for many reasons. as long as it's dumbed down and low cost, it's just a recreational play toy. I get there's a "I can't fly my current drone in 100 countries" crowd but unless the next tiny drone is high tech, packed with all the latest technology, the best camera on the market, a super-agile one-hour flyer with an advanced 10-mile remote, likely $2k+....why would I need one? this race to the bottom is for the birds...literally.
 
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Short explanation here: V1 vs. V2

Call the dealer ASAP... verify whether or not they are in fact, shipping you the updated V2 version. If not, cancel the order immediately... if you placed the order today, it is possible they can process that cancellation before it is shipped out.
Will do.
 
Hi guys, I appreciate your replies. I think this V1 V2 issue would have been a non issue if they offered the V2 as the EVO lll Pro that has enhanced communication, an improved EVO ll V1 drone. IMO Autel need to sell the V2 like the people that sell soap.This chip shortage issue has been overdone IMO. My wife asked me when I will finish installing the baseboard moldings in our house. I asked her if she was aware of the world wide chip shortage. She wasn't amused. lol

I have had excellent customer service from both Autel and DJI. Sometimes Autel expresses ignorance of certain internal app issue. An example is switching from Auto Focus to Manual Focus and then back and forth. The Manual Focus bar will eventually stop showing. This occurs for both IOS and Android devices. Other's have reported this issue, but Autel maintains a blind eye and doesn't acknowledge the issue. I do like the Autel app beta program that gives a heads up to what is coming.

Where is Autel's mini drone? Hubson, Fimi, and DJI all have new mini entries. Autel would take the oxygen out of the room if they introduced their new mini now. Waiting too long and Autel is just another mini wannabe.

I do love flying my Autel EVO ll Pro 6k drone, but the love is fading.

Regards,
Richard

As I am sure you are aware, this is an Autel drone forum so of course users here will be a bit biased towards Autel but I can tell you that I personally have zero bias. I literally use whatever works best for me and when it comes to equipment nothing else really matters to me; I treat the drones in my equipment lineup no different from any other piece of camera equipment; they have a specific job to do and when they no longer can do that job I look for one that can.

I say all of that to say that I still have DJI drones and I also have the Autel EVO II 6K V1, and I can tell you there's no way at this point in time that I would even consider buying a new DJI drone. The fact is that my EVO II 6K V1 is doing every single thing that I purchased it to do and has yet to not successfully complete a job. My only real concern in the V1 vs V2 saga was that the batteries would stay the same because those are lucky to last a year; and they did.....the batteries between the V1 and V2 are exactly the same as is the charger.

DJI is more polished in many ways than Autel including flight characteristics, the app, usability, aftermarket support (cases, accessories, etc.); yet none of that matters if you get to a job site and it will not take off due to the NFZ database. My own personal experience with it was when it mis-detected the zone that I was in and force landed my Mavic Pro into the ocean only 5' from shore. DJI undoubtedly has the best of everything....until it won't take off after getting LAANC approval or crash lands your drone due to an NFZ database miscalculation.

I'm not here to change your mind, I'm just here sharing my own personal experiences with DJI, they are certainly not the DJI that I started with almost 10yrs ago and IMO the grass is certainly not greener on the other side, I have firsthand experience to prove that.
 
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As I am sure you are aware, this is an Autel drone forum so of course users here will be a bit biased towards Autel but I can tell you that I personally have zero bias. I literally use whatever works best for me and when it comes to equipment nothing else really matters to me; I treat the drones in my equipment lineup no different from any other piece of camera equipment; they have a specific job to do and when they no longer can do that job I look for one that can.

I say all of that to say that I still have DJI drones and I also have the Autel EVO II 6K V1, and I can tell you there's no way at this point in time that I would even consider buying a new DJI drone. The fact is that my EVO II 6K V1 is doing every single thing that I purchased it to do and has yet to not successfully complete a job. My only real concern in the V1 vs V2 saga was that the batteries would stay the same because those are lucky to last a year; and they did.....the batteries between the V1 and V2 are exactly the same as is the charger.

DJI is more polished in many ways than Autel including flight characteristics, the app, usability, aftermarket support (cases, accessories, etc.); yet none of that matters if you get to a job site and it will not take off due to the NFZ database. My own personal experience with it was when it mis-detected the zone that I was in and force landed my Mavic Pro into the ocean only 5' from shore. DJI undoubtedly has the best of everything....until it won't take off after getting LAANC approval or crash lands your drone due to an NFZ database miscalculation.

I'm not here to change your mind, I'm just here sharing my own personal experiences with DJI, they are certainly not the DJI that I started with almost 10yrs ago and IMO the grass is certainly not greener on the other side, I have firsthand experience to prove that.
I think the main issue is what current v1 owners do once they get around to wanting/affording a smart controller or live deck…assuming that the majority of people buying v1 drones now have no idea that their path forward is about to be blocked. Similarly, anyone buying a v1 SC now will find his path blocked when he decides he would like to upgrade his v1 drone to a new model.

Imho, there is insufficient transparency for new customers, many of whom won't be as clued up about the chip fiasco as forum members are.
 
If you currently have a V1 EVO2 and it still flies, I don't see an advantage to getting the V2, unless you need the smart controller. By the time something comes out that will squash EVO 2 in specs, we will all need to get new birds anyway due to Remote ID. Retro fitting for that will be a hassle and clunky.
 
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If you currently have a V1 EVO2 and it still flies, I don't see an advantage to getting the V2, unless you need the smart controller. By the time something comes out that will squash EVO 2 in specs, we will all need to get new birds anyway due to Remote ID. Retro fitting for that will be a hassle and clunky.

I agree with you, I think the concern is a little overblown. If you have a V1 then your only real concern is if the stock RC dies it could be difficult to get a replacement. IMO no one NEEDS the SC, its an expensive nice to have for people who are into that sort of thing but its definitely not a necessity.

My plan is to stick with what I have until something better comes along.
 
I agree with you, I think the concern is a little overblown. If you have a V1 then your only real concern is if the stock RC dies it could be difficult to get a replacement. IMO no one NEEDS the SC, its an expensive nice to have for people who are into that sort of thing but its definitely not a necessity.

My plan is to stick with what I have until something better comes along.
I was going to type that in an earlier post that the sc is not required to fly. as long as you have an rc (that came with your drone), there's no further obligation. it's not like autel is selling sc combo packages with drone and sc and no rc. at that point, you might have a case for replacement, etc.
 
personally I think the professional sub-250 drone is over-rated...for many reasons. as long as it's dumbed down and low cost, it's just a recreational play toy. I get there's a "I can't fly my current drone in 100 countries" crowd but unless the next tiny drone is high tech, packed with all the latest technology, the best camera on the market, a super-agile one-hour flyer with an advanced 10-mile remote, likely $2k+....why would I need one? this race to the bottom is for the birds...literally.
I own the EVO 2 Pro and the DJI Mini 2 - I have to say I agree with you. It all comes down to using the right tool for the right job.
My old Mavic Pro was sharper than the Mini 2 but the color profile of the mini 2 blows away the Mavic Pro - I always hated the overly yellowish profile of the MP.

Anyways - I bought the Mini 2 to help me get into tight spots in the woods and film nature in places where my EVO 2 Pro wouldn't work. The 4k video of the Mini 2 is good but not great - for small screens it's definitely passable but doesn't come close to the clarity and quality of the E2P.
 
I have an EVO II Pro V1 and a Tripletek tablet and I'm happy with the performance. I have also been pretty satisfied with Autel customer service and tech support.
 
Hi, when I started this thread I swore off buying any more Autel products. Since then I purchased the Autel EVO ll 8k, Smart Controller V1 for my EVO lls and recently the Autel NANO+ Mini. Am I a hypocrite? I guess so. The Explorer app missions are second to none for doing mapping, a gold standard. The little Nano+ has exceeded my expectations. I especially like that the Nano has a fan while other Mini's don't. Heat is the killer of electronics. Autel support still needs a lot of work, but slowly adapting.

The Autel hypocrite,
Richard
 
Hi, when I started this thread I swore off buying any more Autel products. Since then I purchased the Autel EVO ll 8k, Smart Controller V1 for my EVO lls and recently the Autel NANO+ Mini. Am I a hypocrite? I guess so. The Explorer app missions are second to none for doing mapping, a gold standard. The little Nano+ has exceeded my expectations. I especially like that the Nano has a fan while other Mini's don't. Heat is the killer of electronics. Autel support still needs a lot of work, but slowly adapting.

The Autel hypocrite,
Richard

:DWelcome back to the Autel family, it sounds like the grass wasn't that much greener on the other side. I'm surprised you are having such success with the Nano, most of the posts here about the Nano seem to be doom and gloom. My EVO II 6K V1 is still flying like the day I got it and so far is every bit as reliable as the DJI drones I used to own.
 
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:DWelcome back to the Autel family, it sounds like the grass wasn't that much greener on the other side. I'm surprised you are having such success with the Nano, most of the posts here about the Nano seem to be doom and gloom. My EVO II 6K V1 is still flying like the day I got it and so far is every bit as reliable as the DJI drones I used to own.
Hi herein, I am an equal opportunity drone pilot. lol I have the DJI Mavic 3 which is my best video and photo drone, that zoom feature is amazing. However, DJI has been annoying customers lately with their substandard drone releases. Maybe trying to catch up to Autel's poor new release and support performance? lol

Regards,
Richard
 

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