Notice From Autel About Controllers and Compatibility in the Future

[kenautelevo2pro]

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

I know. and it's really bad, so soon. we haven't had 100s here in 3 years.

 

[JTech777]

I know. and it's really bad, so soon. we haven't had 100s here in 3 years.

100% with you on that man..
110 here today in Texas.?

 

[Eagle928]

Interview with Autel CEO Randall Warnas about the chip changes.

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[Quad808]

Here is a question: If you were considering purchasing a new drone right now and had your choice between Autel and DJI, what would you go with?

I hate to say this, since I like Autel....for many reasons....but I would NOT spend the large sum of money I spent on the Evo II 6K and accessories now. No way. Not knowing about the "chip issue" and a V2 is coming soon. They will be losing many new customers. No one likes to purchase something for this much $$, only to see it replaced by the SAME EXACT DRONE with only a different transmission chip. From what has been posted coming from Autel, the "V2" is not a new drone model with loads of new features. Nope. Same drone. Same model. Same features. Support going forward. Buy one now? Will support end for your current drone, as far as RC support goes? No one can say for sure.....if there are chip shortages, will that clear up?

As I posted earlier.....Autel should come out with an upgrade path for ALL current owners and potential customers. Allowing us with proof of purchase of any Evo II model, 6k or 8k, an upgrade path....either by turning in your current model with RC to be replaced by a new "V2" model, or the ability to purchase a "V2 shell and RC" with instructions on how to swap your V1 into a V2. That would be ideal, and I would take advantage of that, as I am sure most of you would as well. Not just customers who purchase the new V1 controller.

I can understand Autel only wanting to offer some sort of upgrade path to customers who purchase the controller due to promises made about future compatibility they have made, but the V2 Evo II will not be a new model, and "IF" current V1 owners are assured of future support for their drones and RC's, then having an upgrade option is a "nice to have" but not necessary.

Autel would be doing right by current customers and future customers by offering an upgrade/trade in program to all owners. The chip shortage is not the fault of Autel, or anyone buying their Evo II's, but hopefully there can be a win worked out for all. Heck, I would even go for a program where by we send in the VI drone and RC, they retrofit it for a fee to V2 and send it back.....you may or may not get your original drone back as V2 or another refurb that has been upgraded to V2. One can hope.

 

[Jean]

I will wait for the new release of Autel Evo 3(Evo 2 V.2) and hope that the remote identification system will be included in the firmware

 

[Eagle928]

Here is a question: If you were considering purchasing a new drone right now and had your choice between Autel and DJI, what would you go with?

I hate to say this, since I like Autel....for many reasons....but I would NOT spend the large sum of money I spent on the Evo II 6K and accessories now. No way. Not knowing about the "chip issue" and a V2 is coming soon. They will be losing many new customers. No one likes to purchase something for this much $$, only to see it replaced by the SAME EXACT DRONE with only a different transmission chip. From what has been posted coming from Autel, the "V2" is not a new drone model with loads of new features. Nope. Same drone. Same model. Same features. Support going forward. Buy one now? Will support end for your current drone, as far as RC support goes? No one can say for sure.....if there are chip shortages, will that clear up?

As I posted earlier.....Autel should come out with an upgrade path for ALL current owners and potential customers. Allowing us with proof of purchase of any Evo II model, 6k or 8k, an upgrade path....either by turning in your current model with RC to be replaced by a new "V2" model, or the ability to purchase a "V2 shell and RC" with instructions on how to swap your V1 into a V2. That would be ideal, and I would take advantage of that, as I am sure most of you would as well. Not just customers who purchase the new V1 controller.

I can understand Autel only wanting to offer some sort of upgrade path to customers who purchase the controller due to promises made about future compatibility they have made, but the V2 Evo II will not be a new model, and "IF" current V1 owners are assured of future support for their drones and RC's, then having an upgrade option is a "nice to have" but not necessary.

Autel would be doing right by current customers and future customers by offering an upgrade/trade in program to all owners. The chip shortage is not the fault of Autel, or anyone buying their Evo II's, but hopefully there can be a win worked out for all. Heck, I would even go for a program where by we send in the VI drone and RC, they retrofit it for a fee to V2 and send it back.....you may or may not get your original drone back as V2 or another refurb that has been upgraded to V2. One can hope.

You should watch the interview with Randall Warnas. You might feel differently afterward. Autel is not going to leave any customer high and dry holding a brick. I choose to believe this is true.

 

[Quad808]

You should watch the interview with Randall Warnas. You might feel differently afterward. Autel is not going to leave any customer high and dry holding a brick. I choose to believe this is true.

Thanks....your post with the interview came up just as I posted my comments above. I watched the whole thing. Very candid. Some trouble spots for me, which I won't go into here, since I have posted about it numerous times in other threads. I liked what I heard...mostly. No Autel NFZ enforcement....LOVED that part. Swap-able payloads. Love that. Continuing support for current customers who made the switch to Autel...love, LOVE that. I have hope!

 

[kenautelevo2pro]

Thanks....your post with the interview came up just as I posted my comments above. I watched the whole thing. Very candid. Some trouble spots for me, which I won't go into here, since I have posted about it numerous times in other threads. I liked what I heard...mostly. No Autel NFZ enforcement....LOVED that part. Swap-able payloads. Love that. Continuing support for current customers who made the switch to Autel...love, LOVE that. I have hope!

cool, lots of good stuff in that video

 

[Anzacjack]

Whatever you can do with your hard earned cash, that gives you joy, go for it. Be sure to buy the supports that reinforce the DJI FPV's arms and DJI care. Enjoy.

Been flying this beast for a week now and no regrets. First new drone in years that has left me with a huge smile after maiden flight.
Hopefully by the time autel get their s#*# together with the smart controller, ill have filled my kitty again

 

[Volatus Drones]

All resellers had a Zoom call with Randall (CEO) yesterday morning. The conversation was framed that the chip switch is a necessary growing pain for Autel.

Here are some key takeaways about the chip switch;

• SC V1 will start shipping to resellers within a week. 500 were allocated for the US market, "double digit" allocation for international resellers.
• The chips come in pairs, one in the drone and one in the controller. Therefore V1 and V2 products are not compatible.
• New V2 chip will allow NDAA compliance.
• In terms of repairs and warranties, V1 customers will be taken care of. Autel has extra stock of V1 chips to keep V1 products working for a long time. If Autel can't repair your product, because of a lack of parts, Autel will go as far as offer V2 products to replace V1 products.
• A V2 streaming product is coming out to replace the LiveDeck.
• The EVO II V2 will be the exact same drone as the V1. The only difference is the chip and that the V2 will be clearly marked on the exterior with "V2."

Randall then spoke about the future of Autel. If half of what he says comes to fruition it will be a game changer for the industry and Autel users.

• EVO II isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's a solid platform with a long roadmap.
• Autel is quickly moving towards NDAA compliance (Made in the USA). Not clear if it's all future products or just "enterprise."
• Autel is not leaving behind it's consumer users. They understand the importance of creating and maintaining products for customers other than enterprise users.
• New payloads are coming.
• New platforms are on the horizon. No real specifics other than that he recognized there are only two platform options right now; small (EVO 2) and big (Dragonfish).

Randall is a great speaker with big aspirations and a lot of positive drive. For the first time it feels like we have a CEO/manufacturer who actually listens and is excited to give customers and resellers what they want. We are happy he's at the helm and are excited for the future of Autel for both Empire Drone and our customers.

 

[alsey7]

All resellers had a Zoom call with Randall (CEO) yesterday morning. The conversation was framed that the chip switch is a necessary growing pain for Autel.

Here are some key takeaways about the chip switch;

• SC V1 will start shipping to resellers within a week. 500 were allocated for the US market, "double digit" allocation for international resellers.
• The chips come in pairs, one in the drone and one in the controller. Therefore V1 and V2 products are not compatible.
• New V2 chip will allow NDAA compliance.
• In terms of repairs and warranties, V1 customers will be taken care of. Autel has extra stock of V1 chips to keep V1 products working for a long time. If Autel can't repair your product, because of a lack of parts, Autel will go as far as offer V2 products to replace V1 products.
• A V2 streaming product is coming out to replace the LiveDeck.
• The EVO II V2 will be the exact same drone as the V1. The only difference is the chip and that the V2 will be clearly marked on the exterior with "V2."

Randall then spoke about the future of Autel. If half of what he says comes to fruition it will be a game changer for the industry and Autel users.

• EVO II isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's a solid platform with a long roadmap.
• Autel is quickly moving towards NDAA compliance (Made in the USA). Not clear if it's all future products or just "enterprise."
• Autel is not leaving behind it's consumer users. They understand the importance of creating and maintaining products for customers other than enterprise users.
• New payloads are coming.
• New platforms are on the horizon. No real specifics other than that he recognized there are only two platform options right now; small (EVO 2) and big (Dragonfish).

Randall is a great speaker with big aspirations and a lot of positive drive. For the first time it feels like we have a CEO/manufacturer who actually listens and is excited to give customers and resellers what they want. We are happy he's at the helm and are excited for the future of Autel for both Empire Drone and our customers.

looks like then with 500 orders there should be plenty and all Preorders will be shipped out to those that ordered very very early also if that is right only like under 100 given to International seller correct me if im wrong. also is this the first batch or is that all. again i think 500 is plenty

 

[MattMPA]

All resellers had a Zoom call with Randall (CEO) yesterday morning. The conversation was framed that the chip switch is a necessary growing pain for Autel.

Here are some key takeaways about the chip switch;

• SC V1 will start shipping to resellers within a week. 500 were allocated for the US market, "double digit" allocation for international resellers.
• The chips come in pairs, one in the drone and one in the controller. Therefore V1 and V2 products are not compatible.
• New V2 chip will allow NDAA compliance.
• In terms of repairs and warranties, V1 customers will be taken care of. Autel has extra stock of V1 chips to keep V1 products working for a long time. If Autel can't repair your product, because of a lack of parts, Autel will go as far as offer V2 products to replace V1 products.
• A V2 streaming product is coming out to replace the LiveDeck.
• The EVO II V2 will be the exact same drone as the V1. The only difference is the chip and that the V2 will be clearly marked on the exterior with "V2."

Randall then spoke about the future of Autel. If half of what he says comes to fruition it will be a game changer for the industry and Autel users.

• EVO II isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's a solid platform with a long roadmap.
• Autel is quickly moving towards NDAA compliance (Made in the USA). Not clear if it's all future products or just "enterprise."
• Autel is not leaving behind it's consumer users. They understand the importance of creating and maintaining products for customers other than enterprise users.
• New payloads are coming.
• New platforms are on the horizon. No real specifics other than that he recognized there are only two platform options right now; small (EVO 2) and big (Dragonfish).

Randall is a great speaker with big aspirations and a lot of positive drive. For the first time it feels like we have a CEO/manufacturer who actually listens and is excited to give customers and resellers what they want. We are happy he's at the helm and are excited for the future of Autel for both Empire Drone and our customers.

Thanks for posting.

I was wondering about the 500 quantity. I have no idea how a quantity of 500 compares to the number of pre-orders, etc...

 

[mshmovie]

Been flying this beast for a week now and no regrets. First new drone in years that has left me with a huge smile after maiden flight.
Hopefully by the time autel get their s#*# together with the smart controller, ill have filled my kitty again

Great to hear. Randall, Autel Robotic's new CEO, sounds sincere in his intent to take care of his customers and be transparent and customer facing; he said they're working on a way to take care of customers that take delivery of the v1 Smart Controller (can be seen on YouTube where he mentioned the AutelPilots forum - he is listenting).

Enjoy you DJI FPV and start filling up that kitty; it's a natural, dare I say, "never ending", cycle.

 

[GeekOnTheWing]

You should watch the interview with Randall Warnas. You might feel differently afterward. Autel is not going to leave any customer high and dry holding a brick. I choose to believe this is true.

I watched the interview and have mixed feelings. Yes, he seems sincere. But he also seemed long on words and short on details. There's also the question of whether his superiors will honor his sincere intentions.

That said, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. But I would be lying if I had I had no doubts.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Thank you Empire Drone, great news appreciate you sharing.

A question if someone can answer, with NDAA compliance. With V1 Chip, will not be NDAA compliance. Will this effect me in the future with strict limitations with my Evo 2 V1 and V1 Smart Controller not having NDAA compliance? Or, Will my Evo 2 V1 with V1 Smart Controller be fine not having NDAA compliance?

Appreciate information on this if someone can help, Thank you.

 

[Volatus Drones]

Thank you Empire Drone, great news appreciate you sharing.

A question if someone can answer, with NDAA compliance. With V1 Chip, will not be NDAA compliance. Will this effect me in the future with strict limitations with my Evo 2 V1 and V1 Smart Controller not having NDAA compliance? Or, Will my Evo 2 V1 with V1 Smart Controller be fine not having NDAA compliance?

Appreciate information on this if someone can help, Thank you.

Unless you are working on a federal contract or receiving federal money in anyway to fly your drone NDAA will not affect you.

The National Defense Auhorization Act (NDAA) prevents the use of “covered” technology; basically tech made by US adversaries. This is why the DOI had to ground their massive fleet of DJI drones in 2019. NDAA does not affect most drone users.

It does affect agencies and companies, either hired by or recieving grant money from, the US federal government. It’s put quite a few people in a pickle because NDAA compliant drones are very expensive when compared to the price point and specs of DJI/Autel. So Autel has a real opportunity to capture this NDAA market.

It’s also important to note that the V2 chip is just one component of drone that will need to be NDAA compliant. There’s quite a few more components that need to be brought in compliance, the chip is just one of many.

Fun fact; the FLIR a payload is already cleared. The FLIR playload is what allowed Autel to call the Dual “Made in the USA, with domestic and foreign parts and labor.”

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Unless you are working on a federal contract or receiving federal money in anyway to fly your drone NDAA will not affect you.

The National Defense Auhorization Act (NDAA) prevents the use of “covered” technology; basically tech made by US adversaries. This is why the DOI had to ground their massive fleet of DJI drones in 2019. NDAA does not affect most drone users.

It does affect agencies and companies, either hired by or recieving grant money from, the US federal government. It’s put quite a few people in a pickle because NDAA compliant drones are very expensive when compared to the price point and specs of DJI/Autel. So Autel has a real opportunity to capture this NDAA market.

It’s also important to note that the V2 chip is just one component of drone that will need to be NDAA compliant. There’s quite a few more components that need to be brought in compliance, the chip is just one of many.

Fun fact; the FLIR a payload is already cleared. The FLIR playload is what allowed Autel to call the Dual “Made in the USA, with domestic and foreign parts and labor.”

Thank you very much, appreciate the NDAA compliance information I was needing. Understand now, great most flyers including myself will not be effected.

I agree, Autel does have a great opportunity going forward. We are very fortunate, I’m sure many including myself will continue to support Autel.

Thanks again!

 

[mshmovie]

I watched the interview and have mixed feelings. Yes, he seems sincere. But he also seemed long on words and short on details. There's also the question of whether his superiors will honor his sincere intentions.

That said, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. But I would be lying if I had I had no doubts.

I hear you, but Randall put a lot out there that summed up to intent to have Autel Robotics differentiate itself from the competition by considering the customer, listening to us on this forum, being transparent, and stated intent to take care of v1 smart controller buyers.

Are there variables that can have this go another way? Sure. Can we see into the future when this plays out? No. Does Randall seem to have a track record in the industry where he's served the customer and dealers? Seems like a strong yes.

Based on my impressions, I give Randall the benefit of the doubt. Of course, we'll see.

 

[Sjs]

I just received an email from Autel.

All accessories except for the Live Deck and SC will be compatible with the Evo 2 V1. There are no major differences except that the V2 will have both 2.4 & 5.8GHZ for video link and flight control transmission. All firmware updates will apply to both versions.

..still awaiting my SC...

So my Evo 2 v1 is a antique?I just bought it 4 months ago.

 

[UasDriver]

So my Evo 2 v1 is a antique?

Mines 8 months old and I expect to be flying till the FAA says "Hey Bub..."