Total Disappointment in 3DR - I do not see the product as promised?

Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Messages
69
Reaction score
8
Age
69
I have to say I like the air frame of the unit, even when it took a mind of its own and crashed into a wall, held up pretty good.

But it destroyed the propellers and I can not get new ones. I ordered them waited a few days for shipping and NADA the big zero, I called and they told me the packing label had been printed and they would go out the next day. All good right? Well no shipping notice, so I called again and was told they have to be shipped from China. NO ETA was given on the propellers. This is not the Nordstrom customer service that the spokesman told me they would be giving in numerous pre launch videos. As for the ticket I filed, for all intensive purposes it did nothing. They say they think it was a GPS glich, did I get new propellers sent to me from the fly away glitch? No! And to top it off the ones I ordered as back ups are still in China.

A comment about the Gimbal! What a crock. How did they film the release / promotional videos if they did not have the gimbal. Clearly they advertised it ready to go and still no Gimbal. They even talked about it in trade show videos and still we have no gimbals. Unfair trade practice. They took me out of the market from the competition selling me a product that really did not exist. Think of this, they claim to be targeting a sale of 1 million units and they did not have the gimbal all done? Planning overlap? Or a total misdirect in their promotion? They announce dates and pass by them as if it does not matter. I never expected to wait months to have a complete unit.

Yes, 3DR hyped the business shows on network TV, and said they expected to sell one million units in a year. And they did not even plan on spare parts like propellers? This is not as I expected it to be. They had best get their program together and fast. Where would I start if I was running the show? Supply line and Marketing Managers would be sitting in my office. They have put the ethics of the firm in very bad light. Someone had to have calculated the negative potential of making claims they knew they could not keep. Something as basic as propellers not being available. Really? Does this exceed the poor planning, will it effect sales? Well I would not buy any stock in this company.
 
So does 3DR they just are not shipping them, they say they are but are not. Plus I ordered the Gimbal and have heard it rumored that you are supposed to get a free battery for the wait but I do not have that in writting from 3DR.
 
You're absolutely correct! They advertised the drone as a package but when you ordered it, you knew the package was incomplete. You had the option to purchase either of the full P3 packages. You decided to go with 3DR and now you have buyers remorse. We get it, but you're partly to blame as well. No one forced this product into your hands.
 
Even more interesting is that I had no problem getting extra props or batteries when I was looking to get them. I have 2 full sets of spare props and 5 batteries. 3DR has fulfilled most of their commitment to me but never once did I put all my eggs into the 3DR basket.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You're absolutely correct! They advertised the drone as a package but when you ordered it, you knew the package was incomplete. You had the option to purchase either of the full P3 packages. You decided to go with 3DR and now you have buyers remorse. We get it, but you're partly to blame as well. No one forced this product into your hands.

I Don't think George has any blame, the order was placed for a smart drone with cutting edge video capabilities. What 3DR shipped was late and incomplete. They've lost their edge (if they ever had one) and It has Hardware GPS issues. Its has gimbal software issues. And the distribution of product is spotty at best.

Contrary to popular belief not every state has a Frys to run to for parts and for some people DJI wasn't an option they wanted.

This wasn't a kickstarter project, but a legit company with a background in drones and a huge marketing push.

Its certainly their fault for the thing failing to shut off when its upside down on its head thrashing props off that's easily coded, but why no updated release for it?
 
Dodge: For you to gauge the information I had at hand could be an error. The totality of the information said the unit was complete. It was offered with a Gimal and without at Best Buy. I called 3 DR and they told me the I could order the gimbal and it was just a matter of distribution, only after BEST Buy said they sold out of the complete unit package. 3DR DID NOT STATE THAT THE PRODUCT was not even ready for market, it was an issue of shipping. Heck these things are not even in the BOX... and clearly they were offering it with a stock number as a complete set at Best Buy.

Buyers Remorse is not want I am suffering it is more a matter of having purchased something with a reliance upon the statements of the manufacture. 1,000,000 planned sales and No Propellers? Really that is like 1,000,000 cars with no spare tires.

I have not been told the truth more times than I think is fair. And just how did those pre release videos they showed get made without a gimbal?
 
Who else is to blame because the OP decided to knowingly buy an incomplete product? FYI, I don't have a Fry's near me either.
 
George, you're going to have to try and tell that story to someone who doesn't know better. There is NOTHING you can say to me, or anyone else in this forum that would lead us to believe that you thought you would jump to the front of the line with a full package purchase. Most of us actually purchased a full package knowing damn well the gimbal was delayed. You may have been better served by not receiving any part of your order until it was ALL ready to ship but then I get the feeling you'd be complaining about not having Solo.

The props are not proprietary to 3DR, you can buy props that will work with Solo from EBay, Amazon, etc. If you're having trouble buying batteries - I don't know what to tell you about that.

I'm not hear to argue with you about your purchase, but for you think you've been duped is a clear misunderstanding on your part about what was available to you at your time of order.
 
Who else is to blame because the OP decided to knowingly buy an incomplete product? FYI, I don't have a Fry's near me either.

Who's F'ing idea was it to market and release an incomplete product?
Can you comprehend that or just repeat yourself some more?
 
Who's F'ing idea was it to market and release an incomplete product?
Can you comprehend that or just repeat yourself some more?

Whose idea was it to buy the product? Which executive or salesman put the gun to your head at checkout and told you to buy SOLO or die ??? ... You mad ???? lol.. yup, you're mad .. Too bad! Come back in a couple months and stop being what we call a hype-beast! You got your money back right? Leave the forum and come back when you actually own the product if all you have to contribute is complaining.
 
Dodge: In so many words, to be polite you are calling me a "liar". You presuppose to know what I was thinking and to have knowledge of some greater truth, and a motive I have. If you would like I can provide the order numbers for the Propellers. More than a week has passed and they are not shipped. I am in San Diego, I even offered to go someplace and pick them up from 3DR but no can do.
I saw all the promo videos with the Gimbal and I saw what I was told was a shipping or packaging problem with the Gimbal. I was told it was supposed to follow within about 7 to 10 days of purchase. Then I heard July, now August.... you go forgive who you want. Me I just want some propellers and the Gimbal in the time frames that keep getting broken.

I am more than willing to admit that I am wrong. Direct me to any release data that says that this was not going to be a package unit? Something from 3DR that says the shots taken were not with the Gimbal? I would love to see that. Or get me some propellers...
 
Whose idea was it to buy the product? Which executive or salesman put the gun to your head at checkout and told you to buy SOLO or die ??? ... You mad ???? lol.. yup, you're mad .. Too bad! Come back in a couple months and stop being what we call a hype-beast! You got your money back right? Leave the forum and come back when you actually own the product if all you have to contribute is complaining.

Well you're wrong and an asshat. I don't have a refund I have a return shipping label for something that was supposed to be complete and functional back in june.

And CRO Colin Guinn told me so.

People buy a product expecting it to fly upright and to be able to do the job it was marketed for. Not just to offload a few grand for a tax write off on your business. Which I hope if youre flying commercially you have an FAA waiver. I'll be checking.
 
Well you're wrong and an asshat. I don't have a refund I have a return shipping label for something that was supposed to be complete and functional back in june.

Have to agree. Over marketed product that has missed the promised delivery so many times people are forgetting how messed up that launch was.

And to add insult to injury they come up with BS along the way like this. "So, we wanted to come up with a token of apology for the few weeks you’ll have to fly Solo around with the standard vibration-isolated GoPro The Frame mount, while you imagine how that beautiful HD video would look if it were perfectly stabilized in all three axes. Here’s what we’re offering: Anyone who purchases Solo in the months of May or June will receive a free Solo flight battery ($149 USD). At least you’ll have some extra flight time to practice those Cable cam shots, and of course enjoy the HD video streaming from the GoPro for some fun FPV flying while you wait for your gimbal. "

In case anyone missed it, the batteries are just starting to ship. So much for that "At least you’ll have some extra flight time to practice those Cable cam shots"

Very nice people but possibly the most incompetent I have dealt with. Original order screwed up, website issues, phone issues, credit card billing screwed up, delayed delivery, never got free battery, never got replacement props, refund messed up twice.

So have no merchandise and none of my money.
 
You guy's/Gals think 3DR didn't want to take everybody money at one time? They couldn't, Project "Solo" must had been a work in progress when offered to the public. Bird can fly, sell it, battery No problem, Case, Backpack, No problem. Gimbals? well, now were at the root.

I believe in April/May, all they had was a prototype, Beta if you want. They know it's going to be a winner, but haven't reached 2nd base yet. But will make them for sure, just don;t know when?
lets offer the gimbal for sale, & if were lucky, consumer will never know.

Gimbal isn't that complicated. code is everywhere, hardware. It's just 3 stepper motors, just like a vinyl cutter or 3 axis cutter, same concept.
I't take 4to5 months to perfect a gimbal, with today technologies.

to sum it all up, 3DR never had a real gimbal to sell to anyone when they offered it as the "next best thing since slice bread"

All the other problems of not having other items & slow downs, were due to producing the gimbal

that said, i believe Gimbals are ready.

This is what i think.
 
Have to agree. Over marketed product that has missed the promised delivery so many times people are forgetting how messed up that launch was.

And to add insult to injury they come up with BS along the way like this. "So, we wanted to come up with a token of apology for the few weeks you’ll have to fly Solo around with the standard vibration-isolated GoPro The Frame mount, while you imagine how that beautiful HD video would look if it were perfectly stabilized in all three axes. Here’s what we’re offering: Anyone who purchases Solo in the months of May or June will receive a free Solo flight battery ($149 USD). At least you’ll have some extra flight time to practice those Cable cam shots, and of course enjoy the HD video streaming from the GoPro for some fun FPV flying while you wait for your gimbal. "

In case anyone missed it, the batteries are just starting to ship. So much for that "At least you’ll have some extra flight time to practice those Cable cam shots"

Very nice people but possibly the most incompetent I have dealt with. Original order screwed up, website issues, phone issues, credit card billing screwed up, delayed delivery, never got free battery, never got replacement props, refund messed up twice.

So have no merchandise and none of my money.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
13,093
Messages
147,741
Members
16,048
Latest member
ihatethatihavetomakeanacc