The Rumour Thread

I think it can be attributed to what he smoked as a teen. Makes him very confused.. Anyway, here is a quote from him last summer describing his recreational smoking...

"Actually, truth be told...looking back...this theory was proven when, as teens, we purchased some "smoke" and later found out it was German Shepard Poop. That was a learning experience worthy of Cheech and Chong".
Sounds to me that "HE" had a personal experience with Dog Poop! LOL
 
With recent rumours I've specifically reached out to 3DR and I've been informed by more than one source that Solo's future is fine and there's good news coming on both software and the hardware fronts.

There will be regular software updates including those which people have specifically asked, for example it was a popular request to have EV comp and that was released tonight. There's testing already underway for an upcoming release.

I can't be more specific than that.

I'm so satisfied with the responses I've had, I've even posted this update to RC Groups!
 
What appears to be happening.
3DR appears to be moving its future focus onto the PX4 flight stack which has its own flight software, this appears to be a move away from open source to closed source like DJI.

This needn't necessarily be an issue as long as 3DR's customer service and support remains to be the level it has to date.

Is there any reason to be concerned?
At this stage no, but the question that Solo owners will need to know is how does the future direction of 3DR effect Solo now, are 3DR going to see that Arducopter developers merge Solo onto Master? How will 3DR check complex issues on the flight logs without at least one developer with Arducopter knowledge?
@Ian you are spraying rumors, can you please provide evidence?
I spot significant ongoing investment (meaning produced code and features) in AC as well as in the efforts to rebase Solo FW on AC 3.3x on the respective Githubs.
Thanks!
 
@Ian you are spraying rumors, can you please provide evidence?
I spot significant ongoing investment (meaning produced code and features) in AC as well as in the efforts to rebase Solo FW on AC 3.3x on the respective Githubs.
Thanks!
I'm repeating the rumours from RC Groups and elsewhere in a post here to address them, that's why it's called the rumours thread! Arducopter posted a statement today anyway, so I think from the back of that there will be more clarity.

It's no secret that 3DR are moving towards PX4 for the future. See recent posts from Chris Anderson and there's various conversations on RCG and Google Groups.
 
I'm repeating the rumours from RC Groups and elsewhere in a post here to address them, that's why it's called the rumours thread! Arducopter posted a statement today anyway, so I think from the back of that there will be more clarity.

It's no secret that 3DR are moving towards PX4 for the future. See recent posts from Chris Anderson and there's various conversations on RCG and Google Groups.
Well, Pixhawk is based on PX4. The Arducopter software is leveraging the PX4 stack and Nuttx. This is no news.
The recent blog from Tridge on DIYDrones just states the fact that 3DR is moving away from being a sponsor towards becoming an equal contributor to the Arducopter open source project.
I have not seen any official statements from CA nor anyone else at 3DR that they are moving away from Arducopter , nor that 3DR is moving to closed source (with the exception of the code on the companion computer.) To my knowledge, CA just stated that they will move out of the DIY Pixhawk standalone components business.

Ian, you are one of the most respected persons in the Solo community, I simply don't understand why you are repeatedly posting this in my view incorrect rumor statement on RCG and elsewhere. So if you have more information than the rest of us please provide evidence!
 
Ian, you are one of the most respected persons in the Solo community, I simply don't understand why you are repeatedly posting this in my view incorrect rumor statement on RCG and elsewhere. So if you have more information than the rest of us please provide evidence!
There's a whole bunch of back and fourth on RCG where Rob Lebebvre (Arducopter) mentions chatting with Lorenz (PX4) and that 3DR was moving to the PX4 flight stack due to the BSD licence that allows for it to be integrated into proprietary code.

Arducopter doesn't need the PX4 stack in reality as Rob confirms here: RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4

We were outpacing the PX4 group, who have only just now started hiring full-time coders to work on it. And that happened because they managed to redirect 3DR funding from APM to PX4. Without that move, they would still be behind.

RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4

So Qualcomm like any company out there wants to make a buck and get some locks. Went, understandably, for BSD licensing... And for all we know that BSD choice may have been a choice entirely out of Lorenz' control (maybe he can confirm or deny this)

RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4

BSD is an open source license, but that permits companies to commercialize it by taking the base code, adding their own "special sauce" and then selling it without sharing their changes back to the main code base. For example, where is the source code for AirDog? Have they returned all their changes/improvements back to the main? Where are the design files for their derivative of the PX4 hardware? Do they even advertise the fact that they are using PX4 hardware/software? Or do they prefer people to think they did it all on their own?

RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4

Rob here says that development money is going "into other community projects" maybe PX4, maybe Dronecode, but basically just saying money that was directed towards Arducopter is going to other development.

RC Groups - View Single Post - How to support Pixhawk and ArduCopter developers? Ensuring a future for APM.

Rob was even questioning why Arducopter should even bother merging in Arducopter Solo in the last week! "Most of it shouldn't even be merged because it muddies the water"

RC Groups - View Single Post - Official 3DR Solo ***Owner's Thread***

Does that clear matters up? So what's being said is that 3DR are suspected of moving to Qualcomm's Snapdragon Flight and it's being said 3DR are funding Lorenz's team to build upon PX4 code (although even this is questioned too, but basically it is being said funding is going elsewhere than Arducopter) for code that possibly doesn't have to be shared.

I should add I could add at least a half dozen more alarming examples to those above but there's enough there to show there's already rumour there that I'd fairly summarised.

I'm not concerned about this rumour at this time as 3DR have said Solo is and will continue to be supported and will get regular updates. As Arducopter are now available on a paid consultancy basis 3DR can pay for development that way.

And the final point in all this, this post like everything above is rumour and should be treated a such.
 
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I'm not concerned about 3DR's customer service moving to online chat. I just hope that their response time on emails does not take a huge hit.
 
FPV Steve
what are your sources and what do they tell you?
Ian has been pretty solid, and on mark. Curious to hear your view.
 
There's a whole bunch of back and fourth on RCG where Rob Lebebvre (Arducopter) mentions chatting with Lorenz (PX4) and that 3DR was moving to the PX4 flight stack due to the BSD licence that allows for it to be integrated into proprietary code.

Arducopter doesn't need the PX4 stack in reality as Rob confirms here: RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4



RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4



RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4



RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4

Rob here says that development money is going "into other community projects" maybe PX4, maybe Dronecode, but basically just saying money that was directed towards Arducopter is going to other development.

RC Groups - View Single Post - How to support Pixhawk and ArduCopter developers? Ensuring a future for APM.

Rob was even questioning why Arducopter should even bother merging in Arducopter Solo in the last week! "Most of it shouldn't even be merged because it muddies the water"

RC Groups - View Single Post - Official 3DR Solo ***Owner's Thread***

Does that clear matters up? So what's being said is that 3DR are suspected of moving to Qualcomm's Snapdragon Flight and it's being said 3DR are funding Lorenz's team to build upon PX4 code (although even this is questioned too, but basically it is being said funding is going elsewhere than Arducopter) for code that possibly doesn't have to be shared.

I should add I could add at least a half dozen more alarming examples to those above but there's enough there to show there's already rumour there that I'd fairly summarised.

I'm not concerned about this rumour at this time as 3DR have said Solo is and will continue to be supported and will get regular updates. As Arducopter are now available on a paid consultancy basis 3DR can pay for development that way.

And the final point in all this, this post like everything above is rumour and should be treated a such.
Thanks Ian. So basically all your information comes from earlier postings of one over the cut in funding disgruntled Arduplane developer who always made clear that he is independent from 3DR and not involved in the Solo project.
You may have missed it, but Rob made a fair public statement recently that after talking to Lorenz he may have misunderstood and miscommunicated some of the ongoing changes.
RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4

And btw, also the PX4/ETH code is open source. Also what they ported to snapdragon.

So please stay with the facts
Thank you.
 
I Don't care if 3DR re-centers thier attention on new code or projects.

As of today, 3DR has come thru on everything that i needed Solo to do.

A mid priced, Uav that takes advantage of most of GoPro's features & has GPS & operates easily. Never needed Tech. support, "7 months of flying"
& updates in a timely fashion.

Not regretting buying Solo!
 
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I agree on potential changes in future platform choices not really effecting Solo. At this point, Solo does everything it was advertised to do, and they'll likely add to it's capabilities through app updates, new smart shots, etc.

I'll admit to not really understanding the apparent feelings of betrayal from some of the ArduPilot developers - the software is open source, and 3DR has been a, if not THE primary source of funding, and everything they supported the creation of has been made available as per the license. I just don't see how they "owe" the platform anything, especially when one considers how many other companies simply use the system for their own needs, fund nothing and giving nothing back.

If 3DR transitions to PX4 for future products because it allows a more closed development, they have every right to do so. If they continue to contribute to open source, great, if not, I understand from a business perspective.

And while I mean absolutely no disrespect to Rob Lefebvre, it's impossible not to see some major bias in this statements and opinions. It totally sucks to have your employment pulled out from under you, and it's understandable to be a bit disgruntled, but he's probably allowed a little too much of that to come through in his interpretation of the situation.
 
Thanks Ian. So basically all your information comes from earlier postings of one over the cut in funding disgruntled Arduplane developer who always made clear that he is independent from 3DR and not involved in the Solo project.
You may have missed it, but Rob made a fair public statement recently that after talking to Lorenz he may have misunderstood and miscommunicated some of the ongoing changes.
RC Groups - View Single Post - Pixhawk from 3D Robotics and PX4

And btw, also the PX4/ETH code is open source. Also what they ported to snapdragon.

So please stay with the facts
Thank you.
Actually Rob specifically posted that he was one developer that on occasion did log analysis for 3DR for the Solo, so trying to suggest he had zero involvement as you have isn't correct. I'd agree he seems disgruntled so his posts should be taken with that in mind.

Here's a post from another developer "Like Randy, I am one of the main developers of the Arducopter code... Over the last year or so I have been funded by 3dr to help bring the Solo to market... Now that 3dr have stopped my financial support"

So I'm afraid, it's not a rumour that 3DR have cut back support on Arducopter, it's fact. The rumour part is why and what's the future direction etc...

RC Groups - View Single Post - How to support Pixhawk and ArduCopter developers? Ensuring a future for APM.

Whilst I see no reason to be too concerned about this change of direction by 3DR, let's not pretend it isn't happening either.

In the last 24 hours Chris Anderson has said 3DR is moving in a commercial direction, and talks of enterprise software for Solo, I guess the direction for Solo will become clear soon. I've heard Chris say of open source he likes the Google approach of layers that actually aren't open source but can be interacted with by APIs so let's see how 100% pans out.

CA.jpg CA 2.jpg
 
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FedEx is arriving tomorrow with my SOLO and I just joined the forum. My college football and motorcycle forums can get "entertaining" to say the least, but you guys can hold with the best of them. Cudo's!

Dealt with 3dr's cusomter service through chat, and while I would have preferred phone, it was quick and my issue was handle well. I bought my SOLO based on the customer service and hope it lives up to history.

I have no idea what have of this stuff on means, but I am a quick learner.
 
Even if their code becomes "closed source", if they were smart, and I believe they are, they would still have some sort of API that 3rd parties could develop against. We don't need to see the actual code behind the api.... the low level stuff. We often don't.
 
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Seems like all around good news from both the ArduPilot team and 3DR. I'm on the edge of my seat to see how this gets contorted by Craig Issod into another one of this "the sky is falling on 3DR" posts.

And welcome Cment. Yea, I was on a motorcycle forum years ago before my son was born and my riding came screeching to a halt (still have the bikes, just not the time! :D), and yes, this place can keep up with them in terms of "entertainment"!

Regarding not knowing what 1/2 this stuff means, just give it a few months. 8 months ago I ordered the parts for a little 250 quad. I now have a Solo, the 250 which has been rebuilt 3 times, 2 other DIY quads in the works and enough spare motors, flight controllers, ESCs and other various parts to build several more. I've had to place a self-imposed absolute stop to any more purchases until I actually finish a few of these!
 
At the moment everything really is speculation, judging by CA's comment, the Solo will have an announcement this week which should clear up many questions.

I just hope the "enterprise camera" options are not just mapping and a FLIR but a video option other than GoPro too.
 

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