A message from Chris Anderson, Founder, DIY Drones

[Richard Nawara]

From: Chris Anderson <[email protected]>
Date: May 24, 2017 at 8:58:18 AM GMT+10
To:
Subject: A message from Chris Anderson, Founder, DIY Drones
Reply-To: [email protected]


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Dear DIY Drones Member,

I founded the DIY Drones community ten years ago, in April 2007, and it’s hard to believe how far our world come since then. When we started, the idea of making your own autonomous drone sounded like science fiction; now millions of people have one. Back then, we were hacking Arduinos and the aerospace industry dismissed us as delusional hobbyists; now the software and hardware project that started here are among the world’s most sophisticated, including the thriving ArduPilot and Dronecode software projects that are used by top research institutes and organizations, from NASA to Intel and Qualcomm. Meanwhile this site itself has grown to 85,000 drone users and developers from across the globe, making it one of the world’s largest open robotics development communities.

Out of this community has come many companies, including my own 3DR. As the industry has transformed, 3DR has moved with it, from autopilots to drones to commercial drone software. I just chronicled this evolution in a Harvard Business Review cover story, from which the below illustration is taken:



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As part of this “third wave” of the drone industry, we at 3DR last year launched Site Scan, a complete drone-to-data platform built specifically for professionals in the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry.

Today, we are releasing the latest version of Site Scan and because you’ve been part of this journey I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about it. The all-new Site Scan Manager, our web app, makes it easy to view your jobs over time, measure stockpile volumes, export to PDF and more. You can learn about it here.



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Also, today we’re announcing our latest flight mode for Site Scan Field, our iOS app. Perimeter scan enables you to capture façades and vertical structures, making it easy to collect more accurate data in the field, going from topographic survey to detailed, 3D as-built models.



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Our customers—established firms like PCL Construction, Kimley-Horn, and McKim & Creed—are using Site Scan to capture aerial data on their jobsites. Drones are helping them design new bridges, survey inaccessible terrain, build artificial lagoons, measure stockpiles, and much more.

If you want to learn more about the new Site Scan and how it works, please contact us to speak with a specialist. To read more of our stories and see how Site Scan is being used, check out our blog.

As always, thanks for being a member of the DIY Drones community. I look forward to continuing to read your stories and seeing what you build.

Chris Anderson
Founder, DIY Drones
CEO, 3DR







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[Richard Nawara]

 

[pyrate]

in another words our next group of people to exploit
these folks are getting to be no better than DJI

 

[andermac]

Can you explain to me why after building one of the best drones ever manufactured, you dropped us like a hot potato? The latest article from CNET still proclaims the 3DR Solo to still be number 5 in the world. Surely an investor can be found to resume production and add features like obstacle avoidance. Please start making Solos again. Sincerely, Andy McDonald

 

[just_bruce]

Can you explain to me why after building one of the best drones ever manufactured, you dropped us like a hot potato? The latest article from CNET still proclaims the 3DR Solo to still be number 5 in the world. Surely an investor can be found to resume production and add features like obstacle avoidance. Please start making Solos again.

They still make the Solo. It's just called the Site Scan now. Now, if they'd sell some of us that fancy Sony camera and Gimbal, THAT would be very nice indeed....

 

[andrew.baker.142]

Can you explain to me why after building one of the best drones ever manufactured, you dropped us like a hot potato? The latest article from CNET still proclaims the 3DR Solo to still be number 5 in the world. Surely an investor can be found to resume production and add features like obstacle avoidance. Please start making Solos again. Sincerely, Andy McDonald

Read the article from Forbes magazine from last Summer. It explains everything.

 

[andermac]

You appear to have read it, so instead of sending me on a chase for info, just throw the nuts and bolts out for all to see. It probably says that they couldn't compete DJI, blah, blah, blah, figures and estimates to justify shutting down Solo Line. I say bull hockey. The deal with GoPro as a platform for their products should have payed enough to support production and development. If properly managed and not sold out, this was an obvious money maker.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

You appear to have read it, so instead of sending me on a chase for info, just throw the nuts and bolts out for all to see. It probably says that they couldn't compete DJI, blah, blah, blah, figures and estimates to justify shutting down Solo Line. I say bull hockey. The deal with GoPro as a platform for their products should have payed enough to support production and development. If properly managed and not sold out, this was an obvious money maker.

It is incredibly old news that has been discussed here on a massive level in the past. You're late. If you want to know, go read it. We're not here to spoon feed you old news you're too lazy to read for yourself.

 

[andrew.baker.142]

Summary: Engineers making bad business decisions.
I can say this because I am an Engineer, and see it happen too often.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Minor correction: managers making bad decision against the better judgement of the engineers who were forced to build it

 

[andrew.baker.142]

Accepted. I was speaking more of the 2nd production run based on initial shipments.
From what I heard on this forum, the Engineers were not happy with the Rev A GPS performance, but management didn't want to improve it ($).

 

[andermac]

It is incredibly old news that has been discussed here on a massive level in the past. You're late. If you want to know, go read it. We're not here to spoon feed you old news you're too lazy to read for yourself.

Well smarty pants post something on here that is not old news or put pie in your hole. If my rehashing an old issue is so offensive to you please block my posts. Sometimes bringing up an old issue spurs someone into trying again or spinning off a popular line. You don't have to be so negative. It's what's wrong today with most forums. They are full negative people. Have a nice memorial day!

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Well smarty pants post something on here that is not old news or put pie in your hole. If my rehashing an old issue is so offensive to you please block my posts. Sometimes bringing up an old issue spurs someone into trying again or spinning off a popular line. You don't have to be so negative. It's what's wrong today with most forums. They are full negative people. Have a nice memorial day!

Are you serious? Do you read the words coming out of your keyboard? Your only responses to this thread have been whining and making uneducated demand. Literally everything you have said in this thread is completely wrong. And if not for your rude and atrocious attitude, someone probably would have explained the situation to you. But with your attitude and demands, no. Go find it yourself. Thankfully this forum is not generally full of people like you.

 

[DJMc]

Well smarty pants post something on here that is not old news or put pie in your hole. If my rehashing an old issue is so offensive to you please block my posts. Sometimes bringing up an old issue spurs someone into trying again or spinning off a popular line. You don't have to be so negative. It's what's wrong today with most forums. They are full negative people. Have a nice memorial day!

I think it's fair to say that most people on here agree entirely with your sentiment and frustration that the Solo was dropped from consumers so quickly - the recent new owners show how successful it could have been given more fortunate launch and less agressive competitors.

If you have a search of this forum posts - I see you're a recent joiner and realise there are loads to go through - you'll find a whole raft of people doing whole huge amounts of new and positive stuff. New motors, new apps, alternative batteries, cell replacement, battery monitors, multi-chargers, cable mods, alternative GPS, firmwares, software tweaks, whole body transplants [emoji1] and now new A/P cubes.

By the way, some of the contributors to this particular thread (not me btw!) are the most active contributors in this area - maybe they are being to modest to say [emoji6]

I was a full price early adopter and don't regret it at all, but was as dissapointed as you and many others with 3DR's dilemma.

Welcome - this forum is exactly the place to find positive people, who will continue to work hard to keep Solo up there with the best for a long time to come.

 

[Crobar]

Minor correction: managers making bad decision against the better judgement of the engineers who were forced to build it

Exactly. I have been both engineer and business owner/manager. Engineers never know when to stop "improving" the product. Managers can't help but make bad business decisions to secure a bonus on false terms.

 

[andermac]

Thanks DJ and Crobar for those well thought out replies. It washed what I was looking for. I'm not really a whiner and really am a nice guy. I threw my question at the writer of the post hoping to get a response from him. I had idea my question would offend anyone. Yes, I am new to this forum but I'm not some young punk just trying to pick a fight. Sometimes large contributors to a forum begin to think it is their own personal outlet outlet and they try to turn every discussion to their own set ways. I am 61 years old and retired d/t medical reasons. My brother bought a Solo last year and I followed earlier this year. I also have RC airplanes (gas). I am relatively a newb in drone flying but it's not very different from the helicopters I also fly. I apologise if I offended any other members. This only started because of a terse reply by P2P a question not even directed to him. It would have so much nicer if he had said, Go read this article in The June issue of Forbes entitled" Whatever" and then come back and we'll talk about it. Sometimes answers to new forum member like that just discourage them and they never come back. That's all I have to say on this matter. You can have the last word now P2P.

 

[Bilge]

Andy....

Hopefully you stick around the forum.....you just have to have thick skin here sometimes......you will find a lot of good information here

 

[mwizard]

So, I am still waiting for a link to the Forbes article.

 

[andermac]

So, I am still waiting for a link to the Forbes article.

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

 

[Mauiwind]

IMHO, Mr. Anderson has been pursuing a good path. Hardware production and development requires deep pockets and an efficient supply chain. DJI is, and was much too abundantly capitalized and well positioned to compete with. But Americans adapt and innovate. That is what 3DR has done.

I was flying alongside a nice fellow with a Mavik yesterday. What I got in my own head is that the aftermarket Solo community is trying to catch up to ground up, superior systems with a very outdated fundamental architecture.

I'm reminded of when I was about twenty, I had just bought a VW bug new and i fell in love with it. So, as love would have it, over the next few years, I had my head into every after market mod I could get my hands on. I did EVERYTHING to that bug. I overhauled the engine twice, just to make it a better engine. After about 4 years, (When I finally paid it off) I realized that although I learned a whole heck of a lot, I had spent enough money and time(as money), to buy a completely cool sports car instead of the unreal VW which was always gonna be a VW.. Albeit, a very cool one.

I guess I could say that i've been to this rodeo before. As basically an old guy,(supposedly smarter) I need to quit fooling myself, (falling in love) save some money, and move to more capable ground/up platform. By this time next year, there'll be another bad ass, cheaper than ever drone in the marketplace.

I'm thinking that I've learned enough about UAVs to be a better informed consumer.

There are fantastic and wonderful innovations being invented and produced for the Solo, but Solo remains a Solo with every gadget and mod tacked on. These innovations are going to be going to UAVs that are designed right from the drawing board to integrate those capabilities, in smaller, lighter and cheaper products. Its been happening, and it will continue to happen in an exponential growth pattern.

We bleed, we feed, they lead.

I have learned quite a lot though... a lot
(Certainly, there's something to be said for that.)