3DR SOLO LIVES ON!!!

[Hansolo808]

Yup - it's an awesome drone for cinematography - smart shots are great features. I like them both solo and phantom.

 

[Marich]

Heck, I like almost all of them.
I'm very likely to get a Mavic Pro - I'll likely be among the first to get one cuz I pre-ordered but whether it's ever delivered is another matter - because it seems uniquely suited to my specific needs. I make a lot of outdoor how-to videos to accompany products I make for backpacking, hiking, and hunting. This suits Mavic very well. I do quite a bit of close-up narration, and the ability to do indoor follow-me type shots is very intriguing.
Do I believe it'll displace Solo as my go-to to drone? Not in a million years. My Phantom 4 didn't, that's for sure.
I'll give plenty of credit where due. A friend showed me his little Yuneec Breeze the other day and it was a blast flying it around. I played with one of the little Parrot drones that shoots soft air ammo... fun knocking stacked paper cups over with. The Parrot Bebop drones are a hoot to fly around - especially when you're just tracing the flight path on your phone with your finger.
But if someone asks to see one of my drones - just one! - to represent them all, it'll be Solo that I drag out.

 

[yt lee]

in case you are interested, solo may live on as - Commercial & Enterprise Drone Software Technology the ceo is a guy just left 3dr. the HQ is in austin.

 

[erikgraham]

Well I hope this isn't vaporware. We shall see.

I'd be most excited about optical flow. Having flown DJI a lot lately, I've been more frustrated by obstacle avoidance than anything. It works fine, but it interrupts a lot of shots where I'm trying to get close in. So I turn it off. But optical flow for flying in poor Gps situations (along a wooded path) is very useful.

A slightly heavier payload capacity would be nice too. I have some multi camera GoPro VR rigs that the Solo can't lift (not that a P4 can either - but the DJI m600 can).

I still prefer the Solo, but I've been forced to use DJI of late. My days of DIY custom builds are over, but I'd be willing to pay a fair amount of money to have someone else retrofit my Solo with the features they claim.

 

[yt lee]

Well I hope this isn't vaporware. We shall see.

I'd be most excited about optical flow. Having flown DJI a lot lately, I've been more frustrated by obstacle avoidance than anything. It works fine, but it interrupts a lot of shots where I'm trying to get close in. So I turn it off. But optical flow for flying in poor Gps situations (along a wooded path) is very useful.

A slightly heavier payload capacity would be nice too. I have some multi camera GoPro VR rigs that the Solo can't lift (not that a P4 can either - but the DJI m600 can).

I still prefer the Solo, but I've been forced to use DJI of late. My days of DIY custom builds are over, but I'd be willing to pay a fair amount of money to have someone else retrofit my Solo with the features they claim.

Based on the people they try to hire, we should see a result that solo was designed to do.

 

[SirCrashAlot]

For what it's worth, I would be quite willing to upgrade my Solo in various ways. To me the killer-feature of the 2.1 controller is the Intel Edison port and the potential to integrate RealSense Sense & avoid capability if it's reasonably priced.

In my opinion there is a great opportunity for 3DR & others here. Continue selling the Solo at 'the BestBuy price' (as a loss-leader) but make up the initial loss by offering software / accessories / upgrades to those who want them. Aka the razor-blade model, where the handle is 'free' but the blades are highly profitable. This is how XBOX and many other products are marketed these days.

The key here is the base setup NEEDS to be price-competative with the low-cost manufacturers. This is difficult but not impossible when dealing with deep-pocketed Chinese state-sponsors like you-know-who. Since R&D and manufacturing startup costs are sunk and likely written off, it might be feasible to make more at the $400 price point. Perhaps some cost / feature cutting might be in order, but hitting this price-point is a key factor.

I hope 3DR or a successor is able to get the Solo to rise from the ashes. It's an amazing platform and I feel guilty for picking mine up at such an incredible discount.

 

[Marich]

Ok, I guess I'm dense! Obviously I'm missing something here everyone else sees... I'm just not sure what.
I mean, there's absolutely nothing to stop folks from equipping their Solo with anything they desire (that's available that is), from a Pixhawk 2 to a different camera to retracts to ballistic chutes to navigational lights to spotlights to turn signals to crashlights to airhorns to sirens to automated pickup arms to grappling hooks to wheels to pontoons to microphones to loudspeakers to - well, you get the idea.
It all sounds like great fun! We're likely to keep Solo in the air a long long time. But eventually parts are gonna run out, folks... why else are we stocking up on spare Solos to an amazing degree?
We have no need of a third party to "upgrade" or modernize for us, since nearly all accessories/mods are user installable. Pretty much the only thing we're dependent on others for is software, be it new updates, upgrades, or entirely new operating systems like the reportedly excellent Solex (haven't tried it myself since I'm an Apple guy).
Unless someone, somewhere acquires the right to manufacture entirely new runs of Solo we're gonna be out of business eventually though. My understanding of this is at the root of my confusion: exactly what is everyone seeing that I'm not?
Unfortunate as it is, Solos future lies in us, not a mysterious shadowy figure capering behind a curtain.
Eventually we'll be able to set up Solo up exactly as we've imagined it to be, and - unless I'm unless I'm really really out of touch here - that's all. There's no "Solo 2" making its way to Best Buy, folks. Even if 3DR did a 360 and started up drone production again, do you really think they'd start by introducing Solo 2?
It seems as if people are desperately clutching at straws here - save Solo, save Solo! - after the ship has sailed and the battle lost. The closest we could realistically come to Solo 2 would be if the remaining stock were snapped up in its entirety and used as a production base for a limited run of "custom" Solos... in other words, Solos that come out of the box with the improvements we've already devised and have already fitted to our existing drones. Is that truly a Solo 2? A guy in his basement fitting existing craft with already existing improvements?
I suppose it could be, in the eyes of some. It'd be the chance to just pop down some cash for one that's his vision of perfection ready-to-roll, no tinkering.
I'm long winded and nowhere near as gloomy as I seem! I still believe Solo is the bird to beat and am looking forward to many, many more hours flying mine.
But the future of Solo? I'm afraid it's completely up to us.

 

[erikgraham]

Obviously I'm missing something here everyone else sees...

Your on the money. The only thing your missing is the time and hassle factor of doing the work yourself. I'd rather spend the time with my kids.

I've burnt my fingers soldering (poorly) enough for a lifetime. Not to mention countless hours upgrading and downgrading firmware and/or software on various components. Throw in plenty of mistakes and way to many test flights that end in disaster. None of it is ever as simple as it seems.

If someone wants to take the time to figure it all out, test it, tweak it, and get it all working, more power to them. If the result of their labors functions as promised, I'd be more than happy to cut them a check and send off my Solo for an upgrade. Meantime I'll enjoy some time with my wife and kids.

 

[erikgraham]

Ok, I guess I'm dense! Obviously I'm missing something here everyone else sees... I'm just not sure what.
I mean, there's absolutely nothing to stop folks from equipping their Solo with anything they desire (that's available that is), from a Pixhawk 2 to a different camera to retracts to ballistic chutes to navigational lights to spotlights to turn signals to crashlights to airhorns to sirens to automated pickup arms to grappling hooks to wheels to pontoons to microphones to loudspeakers to - well, you get the idea.
It all sounds like great fun! We're likely to keep Solo in the air a long long time. But eventually parts are gonna run out, folks... why else are we stocking up on spare Solos to an amazing degree?
We have no need of a third party to "upgrade" or modernize for us, since nearly all accessories/mods are user installable. Pretty much the only thing we're dependent on others for is software, be it new updates, upgrades, or entirely new operating systems like the reportedly excellent Solex (haven't tried it myself since I'm an Apple guy).
Unless someone, somewhere acquires the right to manufacture entirely new runs of Solo we're gonna be out of business eventually though. My understanding of this is at the root of my confusion: exactly what is everyone seeing that I'm not?
Unfortunate as it is, Solos future lies in us, not a mysterious shadowy figure capering behind a curtain.
Eventually we'll be able to set up Solo up exactly as we've imagined it to be, and - unless I'm unless I'm really really out of touch here - that's all. There's no "Solo 2" making its way to Best Buy, folks. Even if 3DR did a 360 and started up drone production again, do you really think they'd start by introducing Solo 2?
It seems as if people are desperately clutching at straws here - save Solo, save Solo! - after the ship has sailed and the battle lost. The closest we could realistically come to Solo 2 would be if the remaining stock were snapped up in its entirety and used as a production base for a limited run of "custom" Solos... in other words, Solos that come out of the box with the improvements we've already devised and have already fitted to our existing drones. Is that truly a Solo 2? A guy in his basement fitting existing craft with already existing improvements?
I suppose it could be, in the eyes of some. It'd be the chance to just pop down some cash for one that's his vision of perfection ready-to-roll, no tinkering.
I'm long winded and nowhere near as gloomy as I seem! I still believe Solo is the bird to beat and am looking forward to many, many more hours flying mine.
But the future of Solo? I'm afraid it's completely up to us.

Also, I think your getting caught up on the semantics of calling it Solo 2. Solo is dead. 3DR is dead. We don't really know what this is. Could be vaporware. It definetly isn't going to show up in bestbuy. Is anyone really saying or believing that here? But it could still end up being something real. Proof will be in the pudding.

 

[yt lee]

Solo by 3DR may be dead, but Solo design will live on. The Solo form factor is still a good compromise between portability and propulsion system. The 2 cpu system still have the resource for computer vision applications. The large number of APM developers and the opensource nature of the system will ensure the design will live on.

BTW the manufacturing cost of Solo is only $200-$300, at $499, the margin is very attractive to chinese manufacturers.

 

[pyrate]

Solo is far from dead, depending on your definition
If they are able to get solo ported to master on ardupilot, it will have a long life with the folks who know how to use it. (hint they are selling them for thousands of dollars with new software)
Solo went over a lot of peoples heads, still does.

The folks that "moved on" to other products seem to be the ones wanting to declare it dead. That is absolutely one logical path to take given 3Drs stumbles.

Solo for better or worse is in the hands of the community now. (call that grasping if you want) I have more confidence in the community than I do with 3DR

 

[yt lee]

One can't blame people moved on.Solo as is has certain faults we all know too well. I evaluated Solo when it came out, but selected not to use Solo.

Frankly, due to IP issues, there will be some cosmetic changes no matter who takes over. That said, the austin startup and 3DR are concentrating their resources on computer vision applications, I suspect they will keep Solo unchanged until the inventory depleted

 

[Mike Davis]

Solo by 3DR may be dead, but Solo design will live on. The Solo form factor is still a good compromise between portability and propulsion system. The 2 cpu system still have the resource for computer vision applications. The large number of APM developers and the opensource nature of the system will ensure the design will live on.

BTW the manufacturing cost of Solo is only $200-$300, at $499, the margin is very attractive to chinese manufacturers.

Where did you get that the cost of manufacturing Solo is between $200 and $300? The famous Forbes article put the cost at over $700.

"each drone and its gimbal cost more than $750 to manufacture and ship to retailers"

Behind The Crash Of 3D Robotics, North America's Most Promising Drone Company

 

[yt lee]

Just check out the price for the following quads

1 Phantom 3 standard $499
2. Wechat quad $299
3. xiaomi quad $380
These are selling prices, you can bet your bottom dollar, the manufacturing cost is lower than selling prices.

 

[Marich]

Just check out the price for the following quads

1 Phantom 3 standard $499
2. Wechat quad $299
3. xiaomi quad $380
These are selling prices, you can bet your bottom dollar, the manufacturing cost is lower than selling prices.

You're speculating. Solo manufacturing cost is well known.

 

[yt lee]

You're speculating. Solo manufacturing cost is well known.

Yes, in the not too far future MBA text book, the prime example how to mishandle manufacturing cost will see a picture of 3DR Solo.

BTW, when you buying a PC today, are you using 2012 pricing or today's pricing.

 

[SARDG]

...BTW, when you buying a PC today, are you using 2012 pricing or today's pricing.

No... I don't use 2012 manufacturing costs either - which were much higher!

 

[yt lee]

No... I don't use 2012 manufacturing costs either - which were much higher!

Then tell me how you do your cost estimate. Don't tell me you sum up each component using part pricing from 3dr or from eBay/Amazon.

 

[Mike Davis]

Then tell me how you do your cost estimate. Don't tell me you sum up each component using part pricing from 3dr or from eBay/Amazon.

I was only using the price that it supposedly cost 3DR to build the Solo, based on the Forbes article....

 

[yt lee]

I was only using the price that it supposedly cost 3DR to build the Solo, based on the Forbes article....

then how do you rationalize the dji P3S, wechat and xiaomi quad?

BTW, beside you, how many DIY folk use Forbes to price their parts?