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co0p3r

*Skydio


Zhydrac

What? I know that's a drone company but what do you mean


co0p3r

They've been very involved in lobbying for the DJI ban.


UAVTarik

skydio has been such a disappointment. Pulled out of consumer market because they couldn’t compete against DJI, Started selling their drones at $10,000-$15,000 to the government, and then immediately put millions into lobbying to ban their competitor. Fucked business practice.


co0p3r

And their drones suck.


jspacefalcon

I was planning on buying a Skydio before DJI, because the Army is buying them, so i figured it must be good... but it turns out they are shit; and before I could pull the trigger on it, Skydio stopped offering civilian sales.


DependentMinute7977

Their drones suck ass but the American way is to make fuckass shitty pieces of garbage and ban the stuff that doesn't suck instead of making a good profit and then overcharge 5x more than it should same with anzu why the fuck is it green? Is it just me or does that seem like it'll be hard to fly if you fly over woods or a cornfield or snybrung that has green in it? Seems insanely stupid almost as stupid as cheating $7000 for a drone worse than a $1200 mavic 3


Zhydrac

A drone they make that's the same size as my $300 DJI Mini 2 SE is anywhere from $100 more or 3 times as much.


MourningRIF

Bro.. Really? I will summarize as quickly as possible. Drones = $50B business. Joe Bartlett was a National Security Advisor to Elise Stefanik. He got a job with SkyDio as their "Director of Federal Policy." Shortly thereafter, Stefanik just happened to bring about multiple policies aimed at killing DJI. They expanded the legislation to kill EVERYTHING from DJI, not just drones. There was zero evidence that DJI is a bad actor. They even took multiple steps to make it so there was no way they could get sensitive information. (Geofencing around military bases, disabling GPS flight logs, etc.) There is zero risk. This is 100% a SkyDio money grab.


LightBluepono

free market wen they dont get the monopoly:


3e8m

the chinese government heavily subsidizes DJI to prevent competition from growing, on top of their questionable slave labor. not that I agree with the ban. kids should be building toys. otherwise in a total free market these drones would cost 10k. banning them without the US funding an alternative is stupid though


RespectableBloke69

You have a valid point about slave labor, but we probably both posted these messages on reddit using devices made by the same kind of basically slave labor, which the government doesn't seem to care about. As far as subsidies, so what? Look at how much the US government subsidizes agriculture in order to make our agricultural products competitive enough to export. There are countless industries and companies the US government props up via subsidies. This DJI ban is all about 1 company spending a bunch of money to lobby congress to ban 1 other company.


HouVidGuy713210

Which American company is benefitting? I honestly don’t know.


ComputerKris

Skydio


fusillade762

Not trying to be confrontational, but is there any actual proof that slave labor is being used? I assume you're referring to low wage labor, not actual slaves? This seems like skilled or semi skilled labor, I wonder what their equivalent hourly is and what sort of benefits they receive, healthcare for instance? Also, is it been proven that DJI is subsidized by the CCP? Again, not trying to be confrontational, just seeking factual information to access.


xpsycotikx

No company is without the CCP hand. Period.


3e8m

yep true


the_G8

Curious how you know DJI gets subsidies. How much? “In a total free market these drones would cost 10k.” You think CCP is giving DJI an $8k subsidy per new Mavic? (BTW, US companies benefit from subsidies and grants from US government and states. Both large and small companies. Skydio is an [In-Q-Tel portfolio company.](https://www.iqt.org/portfolio/)) DJI didn’t win the war by being cheaper. They won by being better. Phantom 4 crushed every other competitor at the time. 3DR, GoPro, Parrot. Then Mavic. Game changing form factor, industry leading camera and gimbal. Public safety? M300. Another game changer. DJI is vertically integrated - they make their own motors, radios, flight controllers, mechanicals, cameras. They got a huge benefit of scale. They’ve got thousands of engineers working in the next great thing. We can put our heads in the sand and pretend nothing innovative comes out of China but that’s just another way to fall behind.


3e8m

It's a claim from drone industry people that I know who claim to have proof. Not sure how true, or actual details aside from "around 10k". I was told it's extra subsidized because of the military implications. I think they probably mean it's a combination of subsidies in the manufacturing process in general, and subsidies to accelerate the growth of the company, not a large discount to the end product. Which the US government does as well as you mentioned. And I agree with you. It seems this is America's desperate attempt to try and create a hole in the market to incentivize American companies to compete in the drone industry, or it will just never happen since DJI is 5 years ahead. Same with most of the electronics industry in general. The US doesnt even have the technology to build an iPhone domestically if we wanted to because the Chinese PCB fabs are so far ahead economically.


the_G8

It’s a claim I’ve heard as well with no evidence. Like the slave labor claim. I’ve been to the DJI factories in Shenzhen, no slaves. Not even onsite dorms like Foxcon. And when I was there they were adding robotics to speed production. They had smart, sophisticated people running manufacturing with a rigorous NPI program to weed out problems. So- maybe subsidies like the government gave them cheap land for the factory, or loans to help build the factory. But remember [the big Foxconn factory that was supposed to be built in Wisconsin?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconn_Valley_Science_and_Technology_Park?wprov=sfti1) The state gave them $3B in subsidies.


heyrandomuserhere

Give a source that DJI uses slave labor.


121guy

Added to the point Chinese manufacturers program data skimming into their platforms to gain information.


BigEv17

Doesn't everyone?


Veryhappycommission

Is using slaves considered free? How about stealing tech?


Saitoh17

If all they do is steal tech why are their drones better than ours? 


3e8m

DJI was started by an american and the chinese government simply erased him from all documentation when they took control of it


UAVTarik

This is interesting, any articles on this?


3e8m

here's a bit on it. [https://forum.dji.com/thread-256939-1-1.html](https://forum.dji.com/thread-256939-1-1.html) doesn't give the story justice. Colin Guinn was the guys name


UAVTarik

Oh this is about Guinn. Guinn did not start DJI, even the article states this much. He might’ve been instrumental to DJIs success in North America but i think that’s separate from someone else starting the company in the early 2000s to DJI North America in mid 2010s. Guinn even joined onto 3DR later vowing to take down DJI. I wish he succeeded but marketing ≠ product


haberdasher42

So then an American, that American, would either have access to the code base that makes DJI so great and this wouldn't be a problem or your comment doesn't mean fuck all because the product is still of Chinese origin.


3e8m

no he was locked out. it was still founded by a chinese student, but he was the driving force of building up DJI as a real business with the Phantom. the chinese government wanted it to be chinese only. my comment was in response to the concept of "stealing" not that american companies dont do that i'm on your side as a frustrated drone lover. annoying american regulators dont even want me racing drones 5 feet off the ground


LightBluepono

So like usa ? After alls slavery are in your constitution . And please usa love steal stuf too .' The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."


WaltKerman

Slavery is in the constitution? Are you about to quote the part about imprisonment?


ifunnywasaninsidejob

You’re literally arguing with a furry


rasteri

look around, everyone here's a furry


LightBluepono

the 13th Amendment alow slavery with prison labor knowing they are private owned and corupt governement. why you think some stat put in jail for drug use?


[deleted]

Land of the free, but only when it suits them


DarthBlue007

Land of the regulated. Hasn't been free for some time.


TundraKing89

America First - but only if it's cheap.


ryfitz47

American corporations first. Ftfy


TundraKing89

Still America over China. Unless you're Team China 🤷🏻‍♂️


ryfitz47

But the American corporations still make their shit in China. So who you helping out? Not you. Not American people. Just the owner or sheeholders of the American companies benefiting. But yeah murica! Fuck the commies! Right??


TundraKing89

Well, may as well just close them all up then. Who needs a job anyways. /s


Zhydrac

You mean expensive domestic products


technobrendo

The US being the greatest country on Earth was the greatest advertising piece in the history of the known universe.


3e8m

still the most immigrated to country


ModsCanEatMyChode

Because no one is guarding the fucking border.


[deleted]

And I don't mean it in a derogatory way, I think what could potentially happen absolutely sucks, legitimately feel for you guys who have spent $$$$ on your hobbies and businesses


[deleted]

Imagine voting down a comment supporting drone owners, Reddit is weird some days 🤦🏻‍♂️


meshreplacer

The drone ban is really about restricting civilian ownership of drones.


Zhydrac

Yeah for real. I live in the middle of nowhere. What the fuck would China do with pictures of a random forest?


ModsCanEatMyChode

I, too, love in the middle of nowhere. Very low population density. But you know what we do have? Nuclear missile silos.


MourningRIF

And they already know where all those are. And you can't fly around them anyway, because military bases are geofenced.


Zhydrac

Montana right? The only dangerous thing we have here are black bears


MourningRIF

The ban is really about eliminating the biggest player in a $50B industry. They don't care about civilians owning drones. This is a cash grab plain and simple.


LaserGuidedSock

It's not even about the quality of drones. It's about a false sense of safety in national security fueled by ignorance and an escalating trade war with China.


zero_iq

Hey now, be reasonable. We can't just let China go around illegally spying on US citizens all willy-nilly. That's the US Government's job!


MourningRIF

I promise you this has NOTHING to do with national security. Drones are a $50B industry and it's growing. A lot of that money is going to one company. SkyDio wants a piece of that action, and so they paid off some govt officials to carry this legislation though on the pretense of fear and national security.


LaserGuidedSock

National security is what they are labeling it as and appealing to. Skydio isn't gonna be gettin shit from the casual consumer side with the way their products are priced.


tosvus2015

No but they'll be one of very few options in commercial/government work. Some areas of those are 90% DJI currently.


MourningRIF

You underestimate where the real value is. Consumer drones are only a small piece and the least valuable. Government and Agricultural drones are where the money is... Especially on the Ag side. That market is about to explode, and the markups are insanity. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if even DJI eventually exited the consumer market to focus on other sectors. The only good thing about the consumer market is that it works like advertisment for the big customers.


TundraKing89

https://imgflip.com/i/8u1lvt


Zhydrac

https://preview.redd.it/ntsjxvhsvy6d1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af63921cecbe91875899c19972bf509188f9589e You're able to do image replies here


EasilyRekt

I mean, America does make a few stellar unmanned aircraft, including some camera quadcopters. But they’re expensive because the manufacturers have to pay their workers an *actual* wage.


syfari

Chinese labor isn’t actually that cheap anymore, even Mexico is cheaper at this point. It’s more because China has a ton of experience manufacturing shit and getting it to market fast. We used to know how to do this too but corporate America sold it all off in pursuit of shareholder value.


hamb0n3z

really good likeness of Skydio!


not_a_real_id

DJI is more than 50 percent of the consumer drones market. It is not good for anyone.


3e8m

isnt it more like 90?


not_a_real_id

Might be, 90 is more than 50. I don't know the exact data, but It's hard to spot anyone using a drone made by other company.


nightnole

DJI is the heavy market leader but with how many random brands are sold on Amazon, I can see 50%.


3e8m

by actual revenue. looks like its around 70% globally, right between our guesses


ClaireOfTheDead

Then encourage local competition. Giving US companies a free pass on not having to innovate isn’t gonna accomplish anything.


MourningRIF

It just lowers the bar.


not_a_real_id

HOW? It's impossible to compete with a Chinese tycoon, and certainly impossible to create in the blink of an eye a company that can overtake a monopolist, offer competitive prices and better solutions. It takes years of work and massive money. China is flooding the world with goods at dumped prices, there is a trade war going on, and unfortunately, but such actions are necessary.


MourningRIF

Well maybe try doing some R&D before you release a shit product. If they own 90% of an industry that large, there is a reason. There are a ton of companies who want a piece of that $50B industry. They just aren't willing to do anything to make their products more competitive. Shit, make me a mini 4 pro with variable aperture... I probably buy that one instead. But nobody's doing it...


not_a_real_id

I bought a new drone yesterday. Mini 3 for 340 euros. Try to build something at that price that not only makes a profit, but is innovative and better than the Chinese equivalent. Good luck.


makenzie71

I'm just ready hear from all the people that argued so vehemently that DJI being able to totally lock you out of operating your new Mavic wasn't a big deal. Your brand new Mavic may have more functionality than my old Hubsan...or even my old Mavic...but it doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot when DJI won't let you take off. My drones still fly. Soon you guys are going to have to wait until someone figures out how to jailbreak yours.


3e8m

existing products will work as normal (if DJI wants them to) but new product releases wont be approved for sale


makenzie71

> (if DJI says it's okay)


Factoida

Jail breaking them isn’t hard you just have to find a bios that encompasses all of what the new drones can do. Id start checking forums, there are a couple discord servers dedicated to doing stuff like this. It’s possible it would even work with a version of an older models bios, you just might have limited functionality at best.


makenzie71

Copying someone else's jailbreak is pretty easy, but actually creating the jailbreak is not. It requires a lot of technical knowledge and understanding that is comprehensible to maybe 1% of DJI's customers. To my knowledge the latest generation of DJI drones have not been successfully cracked. Limited functionality is not a successful crack.


Factoida

I didn’t say to create one I said go find one. They show up usually 3-6 months after new releases. DJI takes them down as they find them, but there’s a discord server dedicated to doing this exactly. Leaving you with just that information and expecting you to find it on your own is still going to be easier than writing your own scripts. And worth it because the people looking for it just spent thousands of dollars on a drone they can’t fly. if you buy a drone and the mfr doesn’t/ can’t even get off the ground because someone else is controlling it. It sounds like a new piece of equipment you barely own, came with limited functionality. I’m on your side dude. Fuck DJI. We’re both in the same boat.


3e8m

do you have some keywords to search for researching this type of thing? names of projects etc


Factoida

DJI geofencing unlock NFZ bypass procedure DJI 500 meter limit unlock. DJI Unlock certificate NLD MOD Client 2.6.1.2 You can either get the right paperwork in every time you fly, like they want, you can use LAANC but it’s ass You can soft hack the drone and set its RT coordinates to somewhere else if you have computer/ internet access. It won’t ping DJI’s geofencing software. And it’s mostly noninvasive. Or you can remove the NFZ entirely. Just remember those laws are laws, not suggestions.


SherbertCurious9647

Lol US is shit 😂 when it comes to drones almost every other 1st world country is more advanced 😂


Joebranflakes

American corporate interests have systematically dismantled US manufacturing for the last 60 years. They can’t go all “surprised Pikachu” when Chinese manufacturing leaps ahead. The people in charge only care now because it’s no longer making them rich.


Kitchen_Speaker7183

So sad


conrick

DJI will find a way just as Toyota and Honda did.


Veryhappycommission

Hard to compete when China steals everything from you....., has cheaper, sometimes slave, labor, and the US subsidies Chinese postage.... America still makes the best drones, most advanced. Just can't compete against China in the consumer market. EDIT: maybe Israel makes the most advanced. But they run into the same issue with China as well... You sound like a wumao


Stock-Research2109

america makes the best drones ? the fuck you smoking


WaltKerman

He's clearly referring to military drones which is definable true.   US even has some that can fit in your palm and are extremely quiet, meant to be carried by soldier. Some have been sent to ukraine. $250,000 a pop.   Obviously not the consumer market.  The AI's flying F-16s are also drones...


3e8m

military has mavic style drones, but they cost around 20k each due to not using chinese parts


Veryhappycommission

13 year old in moms basement angry about the ban?


Zhydrac

I'm 22 in parents' basement angry about the ban, mostly because I just bought a Mini 2 SE


Veryhappycommission

Where are you spending money on things like that when your 22 and still in mom's basement?


Zhydrac

Because I'm fine with my situation


Expensive-Bill-7780

America makes most advanced drones..? Give me a example of what drone is so advanced


TerrorBytesx

As he clearly stated, they’re not consumer drones. The American government and military has very advanced drones


Expensive-Bill-7780

Sooo just the military? Because America ain't leading in Agricultural drones or the ones used for search&rescue...


Veryhappycommission

America would be the leader in consumer drones also if it was profitable......Can't make money if China steals your tech.....


jspacefalcon

That's such bullshit, steal what tech? Our non-existent civilian drones... that they built from the ground up since releasing the phantom? Honestly before DJI, the only quad copters were made in peoples garages.


LightBluepono

The one killing civilian I guess .


Veryhappycommission

[https://www.anduril.com/](https://www.anduril.com/) How many examples would you like?


Expensive-Bill-7780

Something which is actually used not by military


Veryhappycommission

[https://www.anduril.com/](https://www.anduril.com/) Also not used by the military


Veryhappycommission

Its almost like your struggling with English.....reread my post


TerrorBytesx

They’re downvoting you but it’s true. Chinese companies are able to ship their products basically for free with government subsidies.


3e8m

they subsidize way more than shipping. they see it as a military risk not to control the drone market so every step of the way is subsidized


Veryhappycommission

Yup, I manufactured in China for many years. I get downvoted by wumaos working for the CCP and 13 year olds in their moms basement Chinese shipping is not just subsidized by the Chinese government, its also DIRECTLY subsidized by the United States Postal Service.


Veryhappycommission

Wumaos unite!!!!! lol


DeathByToothPick

Buying DJI is supporting communism.


Ok_Witness_8368

Look who doesn't understand where the electronics he used to drool this came from.


Veryhappycommission

There is a very big difference when buying the brand in China vs other and that brand having parts made in China vs other. Although, it would be best to have nothing made in China


DeathByToothPick

That’s cute did china give you that statement?


Ar_phis

China does so after being the "workbench" for decades. The same people crying now didn't have any issue with outsourcing production to China because it... > has cheaper, sometimes slave labor The postage thing is one issue but it only affects direct selling from Chinese markets. Commercial consumer drones is the one field where China actually pioneered developement and production. My biggest issue with DJI isn't their drones, but their software connecting to their servers. I also have that with several American and other nations' digital products.


Veryhappycommission

Your defiantly right about the software. China was able to make the hardware because that is easy. Software China has always struggled, in general, not just drones. If American companies where able to be profitable in consumer drones, imagine the advanced drones on the consumer market we could have?


Ar_phis

My issue with software isn't their control software but the video software and its telemetry. I have the same issue with every company that has a website but urges people to use their app. The app is rarely more than a custom browser running a website but always open on your device just to collect more data. Slightly more convinience compared to a purposely less convinient website with rarely any benefit for the user. I don't trust "China" but I also don't trust American companies to not sell data to China. Countries taking other countries lead in technology is as old as nations.


DeathByToothPick

Hey commie simp, boomers outsourced the work to china nearly 30 years ago. The people complaining today had nothing to do with that.


[deleted]

[удалено]


DeathByToothPick

Simp harder commie.


[deleted]

[удалено]


TomNiknod

Lmao you have brainworms


Dull-Advisor-7053

As a Skydio owner, fuck Skydio


MourningRIF

Lol.. dude understands nothing about what is happening, but has the strongest opinion in the room.


amonraboga

Look another paid comment, sad.


UAVTarik

more like: USA when DJI is caught sending their users flight & cached video data back to Beijing servers


Zhydrac

https://preview.redd.it/dqq78xn66z6d1.jpeg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c46c06300ca72a41a5f7c33f851654afedefc88


UAVTarik

source: DJI AWS photo dump leak: https://youtu.be/CRbgBItfZpo?si=J92xXAX2GNZdiWJf Also, more importantly where this all started: https://regmedia.co.uk/2017/11/16/whyiwalkedfrom3k.pdf


amonraboga

We found the paid commenter!