A bit of a rant if you please

[Frodoe]

I posted the following in reply to an issue someone was having with their H, however I think it pertains more so to every aspect of what many have been experiencing on this site. So here it is for what it's worth.

NewYuneec has seamed to grow too fast, with growth comes responcibility, sadly responcibility takes a place behind all other aspects of business everywhere lately. Outsource whatever to the lowest bidder and except what you get with hopes that it will be fine has become a normal practice.
Long gone are the days of quality made and backed products, we live in a "make it cheep, sell it high, disposable scocity" in short disposable.
Not so long ago Yuneec hit the market with a (anyone can fly it idea) that was great but it came with a high price tag. $1200+ to be exact, my drone began to have issues early on. Yuneec has had my drone as many times as I have flow it seams like, yet I've remained faithful. Three months ago next week, I sent mine in again for repairs, I'm talking everything including a 64GB card to assist in techs understanding better their mistake. After losing my drone they finally sent me an upgraded 4K Typoon, less a battery, less a case, less charging cables, less a neck strap and so on. I've been fighting for at least a battery which is due to arrive tomarrow. However when I got the receipt for the 4K from Yuneec it said $799, the battery receipt says $120. Now if you shop on Amazon for $799 you get the drone, 3 batteries, a 64GB card, a case, three sets of props, a steady grip and a bunch of other stuff. As a customer without a drone for 3 months I could not even get a sun shield. Remember I'm the dude out $1200+. I know they are a business, however as a business they must learn that a customer, happy or unhappy can make or break the loyalty base of said company. IMPO it's sad that you can not find someone who is willing and respectful to stand behind their product without making you as the consumer feeling as if they are doing you a favor or making you fight for restitution.
That's my rant, just for the record, my best friend was very interested in purchasing Yuneec products for a major electric utility in my state. I have had to tell him to really read postings from this sight, because the last three tests we did with my drone did not end up well. Now that's sad.

 

[gwhuntoon]

I hear ya and I think you are correct except that the throw away society is nothing new. Unfortunately its been that way for quite some time. I'm kind of a hack and have always taken things apart which is why I like the iFixIt and Maker movements. As things advance they become less repairable not more unless you have a clean room at home and a reflow workstation for all of the surface mount electronics. Since I've always been a fixer I tend to buy things which I can repair myself. Their are obvious exceptions but one of the appeals to me of the Yuneec Typhoon H is the modular design. Even the landing gear are self contained and come out with 2 screws, no wires. That and I can take it apart and repair it once the warranty expires and parts become more available. I'm still quite amazed that Yuneec can make this drone at its price point. Yes there are growing pains but I believe they/we will get through it. I know it's been frustrating for quite a few here who've had issues but if I needed this drone for a business, I probably would have gone with a more proven platform or shelled out more coin for a more professional drone instead of jumping into this one. I know, hindsight is 20/20. I too like others here have been an early adopter, shelled out big bucks only to find it 6 months later at half the price. In the case of this drone I waited for the Pro to come out. (Actually I couldn't afford to spring for it when the H standard first came out) so I waited but then discovered, I would need to shell out 600 more to get the H Pro. After thinking about it for a bit and pricing what the Pro came with vs what the Std came with, it didn't seem so bad. I looked at DJI and knew it was a crap shoot either way. Even the price of an Inspire V1 had come down to that of an H Pro but I'd still need a tablet and I personally dislike Apple (even though I own a Macbook Pro, iMac, and had iPhones until Jobs passing, now I won't buy one.) so I would need an Android tablet to go with it, more money... Things today aren't like they used to be. In a lot of ways they are better, in others, not so much. I used to build and fly RC back when you had to cut out wing spars and iron on skin which was a big advance from the tissue paper skins. Then there were what was called foamies, planes made from Styrofoam, reinforced with carbon fiber. Radios used to have specific frequency bands and you had to change crystals and use flags on the 3' long antenna's to identify what crystals you were using, now with spread spectrum and binding there are millions of possible digitally locked combinations. Nitro is fast becoming a thing of the past to be replaced with LiPo batteries and brushless motors. Even now, people don't want to build anything they want it handed to them, hence the RTF movement. The Typhoon H is a prime example. Guess I've been rambling a bit. Hang in there, this too will pass. All I have to do is look in a spare bedroom at all of the things I've bought over the years. Man, I could have a fleet of Inspires right now. (But I also wouldn't have the experience and learning that went with it.) In no way can I rationalize or justify this or those purchases except for the fact that I'm in a position to do it and I know I only live once so live it up and have some fun.

 

[Frodoe]

I hear ya and I think you are correct except that the throw away society is nothing new. Unfortunately its been that way for quite some time. I'm kind of a hack and have always taken things apart which is why I like the iFixIt and Maker movements. As things advance they become less repairable not more unless you have a clean room at home and a reflow workstation for all of the surface mount electronics. Since I've always been a fixer I tend to buy things which I can repair myself. Their are obvious exceptions but one of the appeals to me of the Yuneec Typhoon H is the modular design. Even the landing gear are self contained and come out with 2 screws, no wires. That and I can take it apart and repair it once the warranty expires and parts become more available. I'm still quite amazed that Yuneec can make this drone at its price point. Yes there are growing pains but I believe they/we will get through it. I know it's been frustrating for quite a few here who've had issues but if I needed this drone for a business, I probably would have gone with a more proven platform or shelled out more coin for a more professional drone instead of jumping into this one. I know, hindsight is 20/20. I too like others here have been an early adopter, shelled out big bucks only to find it 6 months later at half the price. In the case of this drone I waited for the Pro to come out. (Actually I couldn't afford to spring for it when the H standard first came out) so I waited but then discovered, I would need to shell out 600 more to get the H Pro. After thinking about it for a bit and pricing what the Pro came with vs what the Std came with, it didn't seem so bad. I looked at DJI and knew it was a crap shoot either way. Even the price of an Inspire V1 had come down to that of an H Pro but I'd still need a tablet and I personally dislike Apple (even though I own a Macbook Pro, iMac, and had iPhones until Jobs passing, now I won't buy one.) so I would need an Android tablet to go with it, more money... Things today aren't like they used to be. In a lot of ways they are better, in others, not so much. I used to build and fly RC back when you had to cut out wing spars and iron on skin which was a big advance from the tissue paper skins. Then there were what was called foamies, planes made from Styrofoam, reinforced with carbon fiber. Radios used to have specific frequency bands and you had to change crystals and use flags on the 3' long antenna's to identify what crystals you were using, now with spread spectrum and binding there are millions of possible digitally locked combinations. Nitro is fast becoming a thing of the past to be replaced with LiPo batteries and brushless motors. Even now, people don't want to build anything they want it handed to them, hence the RTF movement. The Typhoon H is a prime example. Guess I've been rambling a bit. Hang in there, this too will pass. All I have to do is look in a spare bedroom at all of the things I've bought over the years. Man, I could have a fleet of Inspires right now. (But I also wouldn't have the experience and learning that went with it.) In no way can I rationalize or justify this or those purchases except for the fact that I'm in a position to do it and I know I only live once so live it up and have some fun.

Being in my mid 50's, my intro to RC was a long love of nitro Helis, I jumped in feet first not knowing anything, I was 40. It was from the the lust of something I had seen hanging from the ceiling in a chain saw repair shop when I was in my teens. I always thought one day when I could afford it one of those was on my bucket list. When the time finally came I was a grown man, all the younger kids that flew did so without the consequences, meaning if they crashed mom & dad sprung for the rebuild. As we get older we become a bit more cautious because we respect the dollars we earn. As for the throw away Society I know it's been growing for some time however, as of late it has become a norm. As you mentioned about fixing things, even the things you try to repair the parts you get are more substandard. I guess my rant is more so about customer service and outsourcing to the lowest bidder. My wife said it best, "even though corporate might except substandard from the masses of employees, I refuse to offer substandard anything to anyone because I answer to Someone much Bigger than my earthly bosses".
This from a woman who each day puts in two extra hours a day that she never gets paid for, and has done so for the twenty six years we have been married.
She is a pharmacist and has been for thirty five years, she is given more and more to do each week with fewer and fewer hours and assistance. So she gives the time knowing her reward is not here.
Respect for others is fast approaching a point of ruin faster than ever before, sadly it's at all levels.
I know this rant has gone way beyond a drone discussion but I guess I just got to a point I'd seen enough and read enough that I felt someone had to say what needed to be said, who knows maybe the right people might read it and it might help them next time they say "how can I help you".