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Hmmm Now hobbyking is selling:
ArduPilot Mega V2.5 Flight Controller USB/GYRO/ACC/MAG/BARO
72 USD for the hobbyking APM 2.5 board
Are hobbyking selling this under license or is it a CN clone?
Can hobbyking use the name Ardupilot 2.5?
Comments
Ive spent $12k US with HKing in the last 4 years, Ive only had 1 issue with there big turnigy powersupply which failed in 5 mins, yeah its a pain as I had to send the unit back at my cost, service support was acceptable and have never had a issue, Ive since brought the chargery s1500 unit for $350, morale of the story is they are good at what they do and have taken the 'hobby' to another level in keeping prices honest, copyright stuff is another story that unfortunately it is the nature of the business...everything we consume is either copied or reverse engineered in someway, somehow along its lifecycle
@Gary I agree, I am in south Africa and the minimum shipping on 3DR is $50 and that's something very light like a APM or GPS, it’s very hard to support that kind of shipping. I agree that FedEx is the best as they bring it to your doors in around 3 - 5 days, but just to expensive I cannot justify it.
On the HK site, it's called the "HKPilot Mega 2.5," and the board is labled "Hextronix" Was it renamed? Did they actually call it an "Ardupilot." As far as I can tell, unless they violate tradmarks, they can produce the hardware and call it their own.
re: 3DR APM's:
I should be clear that overall I am a happy customer.
However...their production standards "vary". For example, I have 2 APM2.5+ units. One from March, one from May (from Greece reseller).
- They both report different altitudes when both placed on the same kitchen table at the same time. One keeps altitude mostly with 1-2m of "home", the other has 12m of variance.
- Plugging in the same 3S to the power modules gets two very different voltage reports one says 11.5v, the other says 4.6V...likewise USB voltages are reporting differently.
- they both have UBLOX, but one never gets more than 7 sats, even on the same table, at the same spot, and within a minute of the other.
- One's reset button works, the other...doesn't.
I've not even flown it, but I'm concerned enough about the one with funny alts and voltage reporting to return it without a full test.
Lol - is it just me, or does anyone else have the uncontrollable urge to take the cutters to the aerial cable on the UBLOX...? Must...cut...wrong...cable...:-)
My soldering might be utter crap, but I'm definitely good at cutting cables. I specialise in cutting the wrong ones.
Hell I`m still trying to get a refund or credit from Hobbyking which has taken me ages already to no avail.
I have done everything they have asked for,and some.
STILL NOTHING.
MY POINT? DON`T EXPECT ANY HELP FROM THEM IS THIS UNIT FAILS ETC.
STICK WITH THE ORIGINAL!!!!!
@ Soviet87 mmm copy-pasta yum :-)
On a serious note, I hope HK gets a good slap on the knuckles for smashing the window and running off with the name in broad daylight !
I guess you know your product is good when a major company wants to steal it and market it as if it was their idea.
Good work on a great product and the continuing development, from the users who find the fualts and limitations, to the people in the hardcore programming and everyone inbetween.
Oh wow. That is insane. Can't believe they would just copy-pasta that. None the less, you get what you pay for. Can't wait to order my first APM this Friday! It is going to be sweet goodness! I had planned on ordering one earlier, but yea. (From diydrones of course :))
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