Notice From Autel About Controllers and Compatibility in the Future

[SARty]

There's a lot of positive vibes in recent comments - that's great!

I don't want to stray from that, but would like to express a concern before decisions are made on Autel's end....

We've seen a discount/trade-in program mentioned by Randall/Autel a couple of times now. Given the current heat, I don't think he'd freely share something like that without it being a very real possibility. IF the price is right, I think it'd be a workable solution for many v1 owners.

But what will the trade-in price be for a naked v2 airframe and/or naked v2 airframe + v2 standard controller (both options really need to be made available; many smart controller owners will still want/need a 2nd controller). And for a v2 Smart Controller? This is what it all boils down to and I hope Autel chooses to do right by us. [ETA: I reread the email Randall wrote to mshmovie a few comments back - Randall mentions trading in the v1 Smart Controller, but not the airframe or standard controller. Has anyone seen a communication from Autel that specifically mentions trading in v1 airframes/standard controllers/Livedecks for v2 equipment? My points here may all be moot if not].

During multiple flash sales over the last year, we've seen the Evo II Pro (basic kit) sold through reliable retailers for as little as $1,166USD. Considering the camera/gimbal and battery together retail for $1098, this says a lot about the value of the airframe itself, along with the standard controller.

IMHO, Autel should not profit from a program like this. Repeating myself from earlier comments, we shouldn't have to pay for Autel's shortsightedness regarding their design and supply chain. Nor should we have to pay for them finally implementing the technology (dual band) that will [fingers crossed] bring about the performance and signal reliability they promised us in the Evo II from day one.

It goes without saying that the parts involved cost next to nothing. And Autel will of course refurbish and resell the v1 equipment they acquire through trade-ins. So what's a fair price?

I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this...

 

[Brock Inspector]

OK, it's a dialog and it's a start-- provided there are any v1 Smart Controllers forthcoming. But it still doesn't address the switcharoo problem where many seem to have recently invested in the whole Autel ecosystem (now known as v.1) particularly because of the forward compatibility assurances of the Smart Controller. I see a lot of posts where folks who did buy during the Spring Sale, who somehow now mistakenly have now gotten the impression the v2 Smart Controller will be backwards compatible. It will not, according to Warnas. (Clean break, coming a day after the new Chinese blacklist of 59 companies--Autel not among them, thank goodness, but with hints a component supplier may be on that list of Entities with ties to Chinese military that prompted this round of embargoed companies. Is the SDR chipset that's being replaced part of an NDAA compliance agreement? Most sympathetic scenario I can envision but good for neither SC v1 nor Evo II v1 owners/purchasers with government contracts.)
So what about the current rolling stock? How about a program to swap out both SDR boards? FW will be the same between v1 & v2, they say. Is the Standard Remote controller going to be updated and can the existing one be upgraded?

 

[mshmovie]

There's a lot of positive vibes in recent comments - that's great!

I don't want to stray from that, but would like to express a concern before decisions are made on Autel's end....

We've seen a discount/trade-in program mentioned by Randall/Autel a couple of times now. Given the current heat, I don't think he'd freely share something like that without it being a very real possibility. IF the price is right, I think it'd be a workable solution for many v1 owners.

But what will the trade-in price be for a naked v2 airframe and/or naked v2 airframe + v2 standard controller (both options really need to be made available; many smart controller owners will still want/need a 2nd controller). This is what it all boils down to and I hope Autel chooses to do right by us. [EDIT to add: I reread the email Randall wrote to mshmovie a few comments back - Randall mentions trading in the v1 Smart Controller, but not the airframe or standard controller. Has anyone seen a communication from Autel that specifically mentions trading in v1 airframes/controllers for v2?].

During multiple flash sales over the last year, we've seen the Evo II Pro (basic kit) sold through reliable retailers for as little as $1,166USD. Considering the camera/gimbal and battery together retail for $1098, this says a lot about the value of the airframe itself, along with the standard controller.

IMHO, Autel should not profit from a program like this. Repeating myself from earlier comments, we shouldn't have to pay for Autel's shortsightedness regarding their design and supply chain. Nor should we have to pay for them finally implementing the technology (dual band) that will [fingers crossed] bring about the performance and signal reliability they promised us from day one.

It goes without saying that the parts involved cost next to nothing. And Autel will of course refurbish and resell the v1 equipment they acquire through trade-ins. So what's a fair price?

I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this...

I think it's worth sharing this with Autel Robotics/Randall. My hunch is that this is under consideration, but over communicating a good point, in a considerate manner, can never hurt (you're already doing it in this thread - just put it in an email so it has less of a chance of getting lost amongst the now over 400 posts).

I also suspect your comment will be read by Randal & others in Autel Robotics; the spirit of his email was to do right by his customers (while managing the chip shortage challenge, and getting an improved radio spec to market as a byproduct of addressing the chip shortage).

 

[mshmovie]

OK, it's a dialog and it's a start-- provided there are any v1 Smart Controllers forthcoming. But it still doesn't address the switcharoo problem where many seem to have recently invested in the whole Autel ecosystem (now known as v.1) particularly because of the forward compatibility assurances of the Smart Controller. I see a lot of posts where folks who did buy during the Spring Sale, who somehow now mistakenly have now gotten the impression the v2 Smart Controller will be backwards compatible. It will not, according to Warnas. (Clean break, coming a day after the new Chinese blacklist of 59 companies--Autel not among them, thank goodness, but with hints a component supplier may be on that list of Entities with ties to Chinese military that prompted this round of embargoed companies. Is the SDR chipset that's being replaced part of an NDAA compliance agreement? Most sympathetic scenario I can envision but good for neither SC v1 nor Evo II v1 owners/purchasers with government contracts.)
So what about the current rolling stock? How about a program to swap out both SDR boards? FW will be the same between v1 & v2, they say. Is the Standard Remote controller going to be updated and can the existing one be upgraded?

I assume a trade in/trade up will be accommodated to keep customers happy and ensure they remain customers; not lose them. The cost of customer acquisition is not trivial and I doubt attrition is a desired outcome. Will customers be lost? Likely a few as a least one member of the forum deleted their account in frustration over this issue and that is likely carrying forward to their actions in the market.

While every concern you voiced is valid, I think they're going to be well managed by Autel. Could I be wrong? Yes. But the communication from Randall leads me to believe the customers will be taken care of.

 

[kenautelevo2pro]

I understand there are various needs among the diverse group of pilots who fly the autel drone. that being said, my understanding of the upgrade program is mostly geared to helping v1 owners advance and keep up with the technology due to a hiccup in the process. thru no fault of their own, it suddenly became difficult and costly to upgrade. not sure if that means sidestepping from v1 to v2 rather than a true upgrade which is from v1 to autel 3.

 

[mshmovie]

I understand there are various needs among the diverse group of pilots who fly the autel drone. that being said, my understanding of the upgrade program is mostly geared to helping v1 owners advance and keep up with the technology due to a hiccup in the process. thru no fault of their own, it suddenly became difficult and costly to upgrade. not sure if that means sidestepping from v1 to v2 rather than a true upgrade which is from v1 to autel 3.

We'll find out the details, but the intent expressed so far is, "We are working on a program where v1 Smart Controller owners will be able to trade it in for a discount on a future airframe not supported by the v1. " as per Randall.

I feel that intent as to help, not harm. V1 smart controllers, if we get the ones allocated will work with what we have and have a trade in envisioned. That leaves us with a few options: 1) take delivery of the preorder (provided we get one from the allocation), 2) keep it when a new airframe comes out to use with our v1's, 3) trade it in towards a new airframe, 4) cancel the preorder. Anyone that elects #4 forfeits #1-#3.

Anything missed?

 

[Brock Inspector]

I understand there are various needs among the diverse group of pilots who fly the autel drone. that being said, my understanding of the upgrade program is mostly geared to helping v1 owners advance and keep up with the technology due to a hiccup in the process. thru no fault of their own, it suddenly became difficult and costly to upgrade. not sure if that means sidestepping from v1 to v2 rather than a true upgrade which is from v1 to autel 3.

I mean, the new CEO may be a congenial fellow and all, but the journey ahead still has its perils for Autel. Either the Evo II v2 when it arrives is the Remote ID version, or they've got another largish task in front of them to drop another version still, ahead of the Sep 2022 (drop-dead date for manufacturers selling drones in US that do not incorporate Standard RID--not just tacking on a module. We may not care if we individually have to shell out modest money for a module to keep our drone current, but it's not that easy for manufacturers). Another company with very interesting drone hardware and smart controllers including an enterprise system folded their tent some time ago here in the US because they couldn't stay competitive (Yuneec). No one who owns an Autel Evo II is likely to want to see them fail-- but the recent missteps suggest they certainly could

 

[kenautelevo2pro]

We'll find out the details, but the intent expressed so far is, "We are working on a program where v1 Smart Controller owners will be able to trade it in for a discount on a future airframe not supported by the v1. " as per Randall.

I feel that intent as to help, not harm. V1 smart controllers, if we get the ones allocated will work with what we have and have a trade in envisioned. That leaves us with a few options: 1) take delivery of the preorder (provided we get one from the allocation), 2) keep it when a new airframe comes out to use with our v1's, 3) trade it in towards a new airframe, 4) cancel the preorder. Anyone that elects #4 forfeits #1-#3.

Anything missed?

im not sure I fully understand this. maybe I missed it but I didn't understand airframe to mean a dedicated sku or a special sku to accommodate disenfranchised v1 pilots. I could be wrong though, that would be awesome for everyone but that's pretty costly. personally I would wait.

I also feel the autel intent is to help. autel should help me take delivery of a preorder sc if offered and then go from there. if you are flying a v1 drone with a v1 sc and you absolutely feel you have to get into a v2 drone, go buy one like everyone else and autel should swap your v1 sc for a v2 sc. maybe they help you on the v2 retail package because maybe it's a combo package, I guess. (this is where I need a little bit of help understanding why anyone would want to do this; I'm not smart enough to see this connection).

otherwise, autel care and autel warranty replacements notwithstanding because I think we all agree how those should be handled.

 

[kenautelevo2pro]

I mean, the new CEO may be a congenial fellow and all, but the journey ahead still has its perils for Autel. Either the Evo II v2 when it arrives is the Remote ID version, or they've got another largish task in front of them to drop another version still, ahead of the Sep 2022 (drop-dead date for manufacturers selling drones in US that do not incorporate Standard RID--not just tacking on a module. We may not care if we individually have to shell out modest money for a module to keep our drone current, but it's not that easy for manufacturers). Another company with very interesting drone hardware and smart controllers including an enterprise system folded their tent some time ago here in the US because they couldn't stay competitive (Yuneec). No one who owns an Autel Evo II is likely to want to see them fail-- but the recent missteps suggest they certainly could

further complicates the matter; nothing I have mentioned to this point takes into account rid because I don't know enough to comment on it other than to say I don't believe it's going to happen anytime soon (not from the faa; not from autel).

 

[Lexicon]

Remote ID right now does not have requirements or standards for the manufacturers to meet. So there is no point in investing in R&D for a feature or standard that no one has any idea how to complete.

I’m sure V2’s will have some awesome features. Swappable payloads with V1’s would be ideal. Being able to use the DUAL camera and upgrading just the air frame and smart controllers would be incredible.

Billy

 

[Lexicon]

100%! I have worked in the pro video business my entire adult life.

I have written before that when I have purchase pro video gear, I buy every accessory I think I will ever need. Once a given camera (for example) is upgraded, changed, discontinued...all the accessories go the same way. This doesn't make that camera worthless or a "brick". It still does everything it did when it was new.

To the contrary, with the exception of the Live Deck and SC...Autel has told us that all other accessories and updates will apply equally to both V1 & V2 aircraft.

Totally! I have an old Panasonic DVX-100A (2005 I think) that was the first prosumer camera that shot in 24P. I also bought a $2K underwater housing and spent dozens of hours fabricating a new 1” thick acrylic port with custom 5” viewfinder. It was rendered obsolete just a few years later but I don’t regret spending a penny or minute on it because I was able to capture some historic moments and made more than my money back. It was a tool. My old GoPro Hero 3 is higher resolution and was a fraction of the cost. It’s just the way things go with electronics.

-Billy

 

[MattMPA]

Remote ID right now does not have requirements or standards for the manufacturers to meet. So there is no point in investing in R&D for a feature or standard that no one has any idea how to complete.

I’m sure V2’s will have some awesome features. Swappable payloads with V1’s would be ideal. Being able to use the DUAL camera and upgrading just the air frame and smart controllers would be incredible.

Billy

I have been told by Autel that the V1 and V2 will be no different from each other in features, firmware updates, etc.

 

[mshmovie]

I have been told by Autel that the V1 and V2 will be no different from each other in features, firmware updates, etc.

Correct, they're just not compatible with each other.

 

[RetArmy]

You know the trade in/up option is a nice thing. BUT, why not just do that for the Evo 3 instead of v1 to v2. XDynamics did that with the Evolve where you can trade it in for the Evolve 2. So rather then giving us a V1 to V2 trade in, give us the trade in for Evo 3.

This helps future proof us and get the good vibs back about making the best of this situation.

 

[Lexicon]

I have been told by Autel that the V1 and V2 will be no different from each other in features, firmware updates, etc.

I had no idea. I just assumed they’d be releasing a new model. I guess it makes sense, then it would be an EVO III not EVO II V2. Doh!

 

[steve2497]

Update on SC arriving.

Got an email from Autel's CEO today in response to an email I sent him:

"Hey Steve,

Sorry again I don't get back right away. These Smart Controllers could be docked late this week or early next week and then sent to the dealer network. I'm trying to get better clarity, but they are coming!! Let me know how things go and know I'm in your corner!

Randall"

 

[kenautelevo2pro]

Update on SC arriving.

Got an email from Autel's CEO today in response to an email I sent him:

"Hey Steve,

Sorry again I don't get back right away. These Smart Controllers could be docked late this week or early next week and then sent to the dealer network. I'm trying to get better clarity, but they are coming!! Let me know how things go and know I'm in your corner!

Randall"

looks like we'll get them just in time for summer. good news!

 

[MattMPA]

I too reached out to Autel. I received responses both times.

My concern was about the SC fitting into the rugged case. I was told that it will fit in the case providing the handle was removed, and was also provided the dimensions of the SC. 11.93x7.48x3.43 inch

Speaking only for my rugged case, the larger, lower compartment is 10 5/8 x 8 3/4 x 1 3/4.

I'm not sure how the new SC will fit into this compartment, but maybe it's some sort of new math.

My vendor mentioned that they, Autel and GPC were in discussion to gather feedback and recommendations for anew foam insert that will fit the SC.

 

[kenautelevo2pro]

not that anyone cares but it was mentioned here once in this thread. today dji finally upgraded their sc to work with the mini2, their <250g drone. took them forever but they finally kept their promise of forward compatibility just as it seems autel is trying their best (heck, they might have done it to spite). I'm really happy...on both fronts; dji and autel. to me, flying with a sc is 10 times better than an rc with phone and cables. not only is it more "professional" but also it's more comfortable/ergo and the screen tends to be bigger and brighter making it easier to fly. using the sc with the mini2 has turned that drone from a dog into a lean, mean, tiny fighting drone and now it's back in my rotation as a serious 4k drone for tight spots and low risk flying (w/o sensors). I hope the autel sc breathes new life into the evo2 (not that it really needed it) making it even better and more exciting.

 

[alsey7]

looks like we'll get them just in time for summer. good news!

sounds good BUT heatwave in Socal i will wait to fly at night LOL or dusk