Replies

  • Admin
    Thomas J Coyle III May 31, 2013 at 4:54pm

    Hi All,

    Please let's keep this discussion reasonably civil or I will have to ask the author to close-out this discussion like was done with Hook's HK APM2.5. blog post when it became OT and nothing but a flame war.

    Regards,

    TCIII Admin (The Guy with the Navy ball cap)

  • Oliver May 31, 2013 at 4:44pm

    So this lovely thread, having devolved into some sort of daytime TV soap opera, and now at the top of the "Top Content" list on the front page of  "The Leading Community for Personal UAVs" is what the new/casual visitor to our hobby/obsession/profession is likely to see? Cool.

  • Eric Fether May 31, 2013 at 7:20am

    Okay, so what I'm hearing (besides the normal complaints about HK destroying the hobby by making things cheap -- BTW, the Ardu is OPEN SOURCE -- That means ANYONE can make the boards and hack the code.  Yes...even Hobby King) is that 3DR is of a higher quality and that HK makes "cheap crap".  Well, here's my $0.02 worth --

    I bought a APM 2.5+ from 3DR.  It died on me while configuring it (actually died as soon as I calibrated the Radio). Here's the thread where I searched for a solution.  

    http://www.diydrones.com/forum/topics/help-apm-2-5-not-connecting-t...

    What was the solution?  It was RMA'ed

    I got the RMA'ed board in about 2.5 weeks.  The RMA'ed board worked fine, and it flew fine until I threw a prop at altitude, and the quad came down inverted and damaged the board.  So...I ordered #2 (with Telemetry) from 3DR.

    #2 Arrives...DOA.  RMA'ed.

    #2 RMA #1 arrives.  DOA. RMA'ed.

    #2 RMA #2 arrives.  DOA...and now support won't return my e-mails for help.  I've offered to do a WebEx (screen sharing) conference call with them so they can see what's going on...nothing.  Absolutely no replies to my cries of help after spending $250 with these guys (I got the telemetry on the 2nd order).

    So...I order two(2) from Hobby King.  Guess what?  They both work flawlessly!  On a Quad and on a Trimotor.  -- NO PROBLEMS -- None. Nada. Zero.  Worked right out of the box.  Connected to Mission Planner, downloaded the code. Configured without issue, and flies great!  In fact, the HK boards seem to keep a better Altitude Lock than the one DIY I had that worked.

    So...here's my thoughts on the whole HK vs 3DR -- three(3) out of four(4) boards from3DR are bad, and they have put me in support Limbo.  I buy two HK's for the price of one 3DR, and they both work.  So...that's 25% success rate from 3DR, and 100% from HK ... for half the price.  Hmmm.....I wonder where I'll be ordering more from?  (BTW, I'm planning on at least four(4) more within the next 30 days).

    Now, granted, RMA'ing to HK is a challenge..but then....3DR has seemed to take on the same attitude.  At half the price...I would feel a LOT less ripped off buying a DOA from HK than I do right now with 3DR.

    -Eric

  • Damien Milk May 30, 2013 at 5:38pm
    I guess it is like everything now "you get what you pay for" but 3DR for me.
  • Sean Miles May 30, 2013 at 12:54am

    I don't know why everyone is getting so upset.

    If 3DR didn't want anyone to clone the APM they wouldn't have published a link to the Dimensional drawings, EAGLE files and an Assembly guide on the very same page they are selling it.

    After all it is Open source and not every one can afford the best part of $200.

    My only concern would be the quality of the unit. And I would have to say Chinese Electronic components don't have a great track record and quality control is an unknown with HK brand electronics (Just read some of the HK Discussions regarding their FPV gear for example)

    And to emphasis my point, imagine your $500 - $1000 or more rig suddenly flying off into the wild blue never to be seen again or inverting and smashing into the ground at full speed.

    Until they have a proven track record it would be a case of buyer beware..

  • MV Reddy May 26, 2013 at 7:02pm

    Please post buddy code if anyone has one. Thanks.

  • MV Reddy May 25, 2013 at 8:39am

    Looks like this has sparked a few words on earlier post at "#1 TOP CONTENT"

    APM2.5 from HK

  • Iman May 25, 2013 at 6:59am

    Seems finally they have decided to change the name of their clone product from "Ardupilot Mega V2.5" to "HKPilot Mega V2.5" for copyright issues.

  • Klaus Heinrich May 21, 2013 at 10:41pm

     

    Hello friends,

    what is this part? looks very similar to the original and costs 89.90 dollars             ciao Klaus

    1352041545.jpg

  • Developer
    Philip May 21, 2013 at 4:19pm

    just be careful, The saving you make here could cost you your UAV, my first attempt with UAV's was with a HK AIO-Pro, their first board had some serious issues, it failed mid flight, and cost me the whole UAV.  I now only use 3DR Ardupilot Boards for Arduplane use.

    Phil

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