What we gonna do?

[arto.inetco]

Autel can make a new pretty video for CES, but not much else (sdk, 1" camera, keep xsp in stock). From what i see.....long live the pumpkin....

Maybe a merger somewhere in 2018?

 

[Donda]

I never said there is anything wrong with the machine...yet. But when that day comes, and it will come, what will be available to repair it? Most likely parts that can be found online, that are used, from others trying to get a little of their investment back by selling parts of a machine they also can't get parts for.

I don't mean to step on any toes, but what would you expect the company to say about themselves, that they are on the way out?

 

[Delta Blue]

Why did we buy the X-Star in the first place?...because partly anyway it was not from DJI. Plus, the X-Star gave us pretty high comparable quality at a very competitive price. Drones, despite the dominance of DJI, are still experiencing competition between brands, so new ones are available all the time, and many are improvements over previous designs. So why not branch out? Keep the X-Star for what it was meant for: very reliable and quality VLOS imagery and now with improved navigation tools. Pull it out of the hangar only to have a safe photo shoot. Get something else for the experimental/adventurous/tinkering spirit within us...maybe a DJI, Yuneec, Hubsan...not even breaking the surface here, many types I haven't even heard of...the X-Star has its place and is what it is, and is appreciated for its own specialty. The Air Force couldn't complete all its missions with the B-52, or C-130, or A-10. In this age of "yesterday's tools became obsolete literally yesterday", let's keep our eyes open for what our needs are. The B-52 bomber, first in use in the 1950's I believe, is still depended on today, and so is the favorite A-10, which pilots and ground personnel refuse to part with, also decades old. I'm keeping my X-Star for those short, dependable flights and will get something else more extreme if I need it. I know my needs are different from all of yours so your fleets will be different. Specialization is the key in my typically faulty opinion. If any of you find the perfect drone that does everything and satisfies every need we will benefit from knowing what it is and if it is affordable.

 

[WingBot]

As I said above, I would contact Autel directly, rather than speculate about their future. As ALL of us have experienced (and love about) Autel, Sarah at Autel immediately replied to my communication with Autel and she provided the reply which is at the bottom of this message. I would like to take advantage of this moment to note that public 'speculation' about a companys' future can actually damage existing confidence, as well as the confidence that a future prospective buyer might have. It would be like shooting ourselves in the foot. Sarah's reply is below, but I want to point out that the future for Autel looks positive and we need to settle down and look forward to better times with an already great company. Here's Sarah's reply:
Here's the message:

Hello Kent,
Thank you for contacting us at Autel support!
We get this question a lot. I can tell you that we are still around and we are not going anywhere. We are just a much smaller company than our competitors. We don't release things just to release them. We take our time and make sure everything meets our specifications. We want something that not only impresses us, but especially impresses our customers. Any news or announcements will always be made on our website and other social media channels. So keep an ear out for us! Cool things are soon to come!
Regards,
Sarah M
Customer Support
AUTEL ROBOTICS

That's great to hear! But it would be even greater if they would do a little PR to keep all of us from speculating on the viability of our beloved Autel. Not being able to get parts for the X Star is something Autel should be very concerned about. This is a factor when chosing to buy as a first timer or buying a second or an upgrade. If they say great things are coming then do the PR and give us a peek and updates. In business if you are not growing you are dying. That's just the way it is...

 

[Timgermany24]

I bought an extra camera from a crashed XSP. I need a gimble, and Autel doesn't sell them. What do I do. I guess wait and hope for them to sell them. About to send my second battery information, so they can replace it. That's 2 in one month. They do send a new one very quickly, I'll give them that. Waiting for CES 2018. Hopefully things will change.

 

[ContinuousLift]

I have the same concerns that all of you have mentioned in this thread. I’m trying to build a business based on this platform. I was concerned that I bet on the wrong horse.

For what it is worth, here is a portion of their reply to my concerns.

As someone has suggested in the thread, give them a call and find out what the situation is on regular repairs. As you can see from this response below they can fix warranty items which means they must have spare parts at least for that purpose.
————
QUOTE:
“I apologize for the delay as I was out of the office for a few days on business. I understand your concern about the XS-P, but I promise that we are here to keep you in the air. If you were to have a crash and the damage was caused by a malfunction or error on the aircraft, you would be covered under your warranty....

...DJI is a much larger company and has many resources that we don't have access to, like larger teams focused on each aspect of the drone. Because we are a much smaller company, we have to stretch ourselves a bit more to accomplish our goals. The prototype that we unveiled at CES last year is still in the works, we just don't have a release date yet. Again, we will continue to support our aircraft and have no plans to stop that support. “

 

[QuadSquad]

Well....... Try an investment along the lines of (2) XSP's, one a rugged bundle, an extra controller, (2) sets of camera filters, (6) chargers, and (14) battery's. I put ALOT of faith in Autel. I hope, for the sake of ALL of us, that they prosper.

 

[arto.inetco]

check out this dissection of the CES 2018 teaser video...nice job...

 

[arto.inetco]

the next teaser from Autel for CES....how lame is this? At least they are using the XSP...wo needing any 3rd party apps (cause there aren't any)....arto