And another blow to Yuneec

[Dougcjohn]

I don’t really view the issue as “a” product and the pro/cons of a version 1 product as forecasted concerns for market.

It’s more of the ventures and accomplishments being pursued; over the last 3-5 years they’ve aquired several non-Chinese electronic production facilities, international transportation & shipping company, partnered & sponsored insurance prospects, acquired both FLIR & Hasslebald, acquired 2 Asian Agriculture companies, acquired or partnered with robotics developers, partnered with multiple software developers including several in USA... one being Microsoft, partnered with SAR developers (Globally), Nudging & gaining the “ear” of some Govt’s, Purchase of land & buildings in USA & Europe and now getting involved in a new related venture due to the direction the industry is moving; terrain mapping & 3D. What’s in Yuneec’s new E10T Thermo cameras... FLIR, a bit of DJI.

For a drone company, that’s impressive use of capital! In comparison to other similar product companies they’ve made themselves a dominate presence and easily the majority share of the core market. Without resting on profits, continued to apply foresight to pursue multiple tangent markets. Countered several lawsuits... one in channel now without losing much ground.

Bad or good, agree or dislike the series of cut throat events... they have managed to endure and literally eat or destroy dozens of competitive companies and stunt the growth of many others in the market without holding a monopoly.

If it was a company fond to Us... Intel, Ford, John Deer... Samsung, etc they’d be praised for their growth and foresight.

This new terrain SW product is only version 1 and it’ll get attention... a lot of attention in months to come. Several reviews (aka advertisement), many will wait for version 2 improvements and unless it’s not a profitable venture... they’re in the mapping game now... they’ll aquire market by development or acquiring competition.

I’d like to see “similar” aggressiveness in USA companies, and Yuneec. Clearly DJI is NOT the best in market technology, USA & Israel technology are superb and highly technical, but primarily focused on big Govt or large Corp money. The USA prosumer market has supreme technical product but at cost prohibitive to most, leaving others to absorb the majority market. That is where DJI has utilized better than others.

The Terra program isn’t impressive or better than any mapping competition yet. Time will have an effect.

 

[Dougcjohn]

@RPR, Speaking of Hex design, a German posting sent to me by a military bud stationed overseas, a pic / drawing of a phantom shaped P&P (push-pull) Octal about a year ago. I watched the rags for a bit, nothing seemed to leak so it was probably just chatter trash.

Along that line of thought, why hasn’t DJI made a small Hex on scale to the H480-520? Sadly, even if not as good or stable, it’d out sale the H. It could contain camera & lens swapable gimbles using MFT existing inventory.

It’s more thought provoking if they’re leaving that niche untouched for some reason. It’s not that they don’t have the resources. Are they wanting the competition to survive?

 

[Dougcjohn]

Despite all the DJI hoopla with widgets, you still have to fly one of their birds to use them. After a week of flying Mavic Pros, the new Mavic with the super duper Hassleblad camera, a pair of P3 Pros, and an Inspire I have no problems at all trading all of them and their widgets for a platform that can fly well, something theirs just don’t.

The DJIGo4 app, true.
But several 3rd party fully autonomous or mapping apps run from notebook, some provide minimal RC controller interaction, some assume full control via notepad and no input from RC controller. There are dozens of 3rd party apps and several load their own core kernel and prevent DJI kernel running.

Similar for 3rd party Apps that are adding the H520, they take full control via notebook, and require ST16S controller app not running. The UgCS is an example.

https://www.ugcs.com/files/manuals/v.3.2/connecting-ugcs-and-yuneec-h520.pdf

 

[Dougcjohn]

Let’s keep this here... I will only share tidbits, as to not to a start a rumor. Things needs to be perfect. Disclaimer: I am not testing for any company, as I once did. Nowadays, I just keep my ear to the ground, and keep my friend(s) close. [emoji23]

Hmmmm... not much in the clue. The bank of 12x TB48S indicates what? 2 sets on ready line for M600Pro.

 

[RPR]

Hmmmm... not much in the clue. The bank of 12x TB48S indicates what? 2 sets on ready line for M600Pro.

Yep... It was just that.. Sorry for the wrong info. ;-)

 

[claudius62]

Dji is preparing a release of equipment around April 24th. Rumors speak of a Hex, an extrapolation of the P4, but I do not know any more.

 

[AH-1G]

Rumors! Not again.?

 

[RPR]

Dji is preparing a release of equipment around April 24th. Rumors speak of a Hex, an extrapolation of the P4, but I do not know any more.

No.. Not this year. We will know. Leaks usually comes out

 

[Brahma]

There goes the mapping market.

 

[PatR]

[emoji1787][emoji38]... .
You need to go back to retirement, you’re not grumpy enough anymore... lacks the descriptive grumpy nomenclature.
That was almost ... nice?

Who the heck has P3, I1 & MP in there shop... did you have to wipe the dust off the birds?

As a matter of fact, yes. All that stuff is there for various purposes. The Phantoms are usually used as sacrificial test articles to establish the presence of disruptive EMI around cell towers and HV lines prior to setting up the good stuff. The good stuff carries bigger payloads and totally airspace unrestricted. The other stuff is equipment that are personal assets of other team members, along with a few fixed wing sUAS.

 

[PatR]

Doug,

Although I agree that DJI has been and is the front runner in COTS system development they still maintain their problem with data theft, and Terra is a real biggie in this regard as ALL data will pass through DJI’s portals during use in some manner. They are still, and will remain, blocked from being used from high security level government work, as all the other Chinese COTS products are. If you want to use any of them you have to apply for a government waiver for every aircraft. Not model, but each individual aircraft.

The units not requiring a waiver are made in the U.S. from the ground up, including the auto pilots, or certain European makers. All their data is protected as none of them ever need to be linked to the internet of things to be updated or transfer data.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Doug,

Although I agree that DJI has been and is the front runner in COTS system development they still maintain their problem with data theft, and Terra is a real biggie in this regard as ALL data will pass through DJI’s portals during use in some manner. They are still, and will remain, blocked from being used from high security level government work, as all the other Chinese COTS products are. If you want to use any of them you have to apply for a government waiver for every aircraft. Not model, but each individual aircraft.

The units not requiring a waiver are made in the U.S. from the ground up, including the auto pilots, or certain European makers. All their data is protected as none of them ever need to be linked to the internet of things to be updated or transfer data.

Pat, no disagreement, as indicated above in previous post, USA & Israel hardware get the bulk of Govt. and large Corp market. The USA and Israel... and German software and hardware developers are the best, but that doesn't equate to market share. Little deviation in comparison... The Ducati is a masterful beautiful machine but holds small fraction of market compared to other less capable brands.

However, your stmt is not 100%. The US Marines and small Army Ops units were using a modified phantom for several years... forget their "military designated name" off hand. They were recently grounded 12-18 months ago and brought up on a new analysis & review board after recent scuttle on foreign software on Govt systems: Kaspersky, etc. I don't think they received a full denial, and the model went back into the field for certain unique teams, but I beleive part of their default modificatons included full severance of Internet and zero data chatter, which for the intended team use is logical.

In addition, I'm not sure how, but DJI has made some ground in other Countries Govt agencies.... including a few NATO. I'd assume they are agreeing to again sever the data transmissions.

Back on mapping software, regardless of what we hymn & haw now on the negatives... I think within a few short years, we'll see a new strong player in Map & 3D. Version 1 is basically a salvo shot to determine market response, tactics and how to move forward for main drive.

Again, I'm not expressing support, but am recognizing the corporate drive and gains. I'd rather see several other alternatives... but that may be slim chance at current.

 

[Dougcjohn]

As a matter of fact, yes. All that stuff is there for various purposes. The Phantoms are usually used as sacrificial test articles to establish the presence of disruptive EMI around cell towers and HV lines prior to setting up the good stuff. The good stuff carries bigger payloads and totally airspace unrestricted. The other stuff is equipment that are personal assets of other team members, along with a few fixed wing sUAS.

Ahhh... the scacraficial lamb, send the P3! Makes sense... close to zero value and on RF more common with custom builds.

I had a Spark that I'd toss up and buzz around to see if any hits! Sold / Gave it to young neighbor Lad that showed a techie interest that I wanted to encourage.

Hope you're enjoying the new Digs and getting up with a bit more spring!

 

[PatR]

If you see a cell tower with something that looks like a round drum on it. Don’t fly that tower! Those are hard on everything.

 

[Dougcjohn]

If you see a cell tower with something that looks like a round drum on it. Don’t fly that tower! Those are hard on everything.

You're meaning a radome covering a side-wall/side-shield. Uplink of various... microwave, or other. Have many here in midwest. Did you receive an effect when passing through/between the uplink?

 

[Dougcjohn]

The other matching end can be on Ag silos, Feed elevators, and buildings. They too can have same result.

Basically Two types of cell tower transmissions - cellular frequencies to phones and possibly wireless backhaul over microwave links (if the tower is not wired). The cellular frequencies are limited to 500 W but usually operate at less than 100 W. The Radome can house various hardware to transmit or backhaul data. Microwave itself can be detramental and the frequencies emitted can be in the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz spectrum again not agreeable with RC.

Flying around multi-kW transmission towers or radar installations without first knowing exactly what they were transmitting could hold a surprise.

Did a bird go down?

The Z30 was basically made for tower inspection... for distance.

 

[Erik Lamden]

The Z30 was basically made for tower inspection... for distance.

Yep, a 30x zoom option for the H520 would be a dream...

 

[Dougcjohn]

Yep, a 30x zoom option for the H520 would be a dream...

By adding the E10Tv, and hopefully eventually in a Radiometric 640 provides top Thermo caliber to the H520... actually beating the Zenmuse XT2 Radiometric in sensor... Boson up from Tau2 Sensor (XT2 ver 1). That's a major bump up in competivness and capability.

Agree, a camera similar to the Z30 would be another major bump.

The Z30 started out totally over priced, then after a year was drastically reduced to $3000 making it more practical to acquire. The Zenmuse Z30 is a 30x, Plus 6x Digital providing a 180x max factor. The Z30 had a floating gimbal problem at first, after a firmware update making it extremely hard to remain focus on subject... camera arbitrarily rotated Lf or Rt changing zoom point. New version Firmware was to correct, but several Z30’s suddenly got worse rotating out of control.... mine was one. Service said they couldn’t duplicate the problem but sent me a new Z30 that has worked flawless. From a 1/4 + mile away, can zoom onto a gas station, read the pump and see people’s eyes blink. Very stable and sharpe, it’s not a photographer’s zoom since it’s only a 3 meg sensor. But with F1.6-4.7 and 5 fps burst rate, it’s great for inspections. The stability gyros must generate a lot of heat, the whole camera body is an aluminum heat sink and it gets hot if not in open breeze.

The Z3 on an I1 isn’t bad for low cost, light weight 7x zoom (3.5 + 2x digital), but the Z30 is great. Adding a potent sharpe zoom to the H520’s option list would be a major step for inspections.

 

[RPR]

Here’s a blow to Yuneec and also DJI. A bandwagon has gain momentum and social media influencer are slowly riding the Autel Robotics - EVO bus.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Here’s a blow to Yuneec and also DJI. A bandwagon has gain momentum and social media influencer are slowly riding the Autel Robotics - EVO bus.

What 'cha talking about Willis? (old TV show line).
More info please.
I am aware, there are a few Govt agencies using the EVO for the total lack of NFZ and compact size. That also was mentioned recently on DroneU podcast. Didn't receive that as a flash flood of EVO supporters.
Although, BestBuy has a great buy recently on EVO package for $350 or so off.