Green doesn't mean that this version is lower power consumition, it is the board color in that series of clones of our ArduPilot
I have a question: Do you think it's safe to buy one of this versions?
Best regards,
Miguel.
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Also those eBay cloners usually don't even know what to do with electronics and how to properly configure them or test them. Which is rather normal, they just assemble them and that's it. So you don't know are you getting right software versions in and also are the PCBs correct or not as most of them are using outdated design files.
Clones are just that... clones. Some good, some bad.
We tried a couple Cryus Wii clones and they were terrible, failed on firmware loads, bad software tools, defective chipsets, one armed fine the other did not, etc... But then we tried a MegaPirate clone and it was just like the devteams' and worked great, even loaded AC2.5 at the time and worked.
Sure the big factories east have the heavy duty fab machines, but if the QC testing is not robust, then I'll pass. That's were the real difference is usually: clones don't offer the consistency between boards.
What OEMs offer (or should) is that consistency. Every board should work the same, every copter kit should fly the same, same tune, same parameters. Clones on the other hand maybe reliable, but tuning, flight characteristics, efficiency maybe inconsistent. Crash your quad: replace board, same tune, same radio calibration, same sensor settings == it should fly exactly the same--that's where I see the OEM advantage.
Now if a clone manufacturer does that type of QC, then guess what? The price will likely be very close! Then it's a matter of choice and customer support quality....
There is no problem with buying clones, but I prefer to buy from 3DRobotics and support the community, as well support all the hard work of Jordi and Chris over the many many years they have operated DIYDRONES and truly brought to the public-at-large the DIY autonomous hobby/passion. No one is saying they invented this Drone Savant, and it is OSH as you indicated. I understand you have had experiences that in your opinion were sub-optimal. I can relate to this, I have not had that experience with Jordi and 3DRobotics and I have recently gone through some issues where I needed a new board FAST, or what I received had issues. I never had a problem getting a reply from 3DR - and Jordi replied to me directly many times during the course of my communications with his team. Running a business is not easy, expecting instant this and instant that, or expecting instant replies from emails etc....is unrealistic in the Internet age. I hear a lot of personal attack in your posts, it sounds more to me like you have a personal issue with them and I do not think that shows well to the community members and I certainly can see it in the above post. Just my 2 cents, if you want to buy clone so be it. But I would lighten up a little on the personal rants as its getting to obvious for some of us to see.
I don't think there is anything wrong with buying clones and perhaps 3D feels the same way but I'm sure they want you to purchase from them, any business would.
Open Source and Open Hardware...right?
If a clone can go head to head with other products then it inspires innovation. Good for 3D and good for the community.
Would I buy one...no. I agree with the price comments. Does it have any new features...no.
Reliable...not proven.
I'll continue to purchase 3D products.
Randy
That's an interesting commentary bGatti. You raise some good points, but there's a counterpoint that kills the "fiefdom" concept: The source contributors do so of their own free will. They are simply able to walk away at will, go do something else, if they wanted.
Slaves can't do that. So the analogy is incorrect.
This is evidence of an artificial angst which has emerged in the Open Source Hardware world - which uses the promise of Clones (aka derivatives, forks) to inspire loyalty. Despite it's democratizing rhetoric, this model collects value from many (source contributors) - and renders profits to the few (Industrialists). In this respect, the model is not that far from slavery, fiefdom, capitalism, sharecropping etc.
The solution to bringing OSH in line with it's stated ideals is to create a patent alternative, underwritten by the community, in keeping with the soaring rhetoric. Then you could identify products which are not in conformance (because they are not contributing a reasonable portion of proceeds to the patent pool) rather than merely trying to scold consumers into fealty to the "authentic" platform.
We are all agree that clones would affect the vision of outside our community if they are used and have problems (low performance, bad components and/or implementation).
But how can we warn people outside DiyDrones about these 'bad' components.
we have a worldwide group of Ardupilot enthusiasts all over the world here and buying clones outside the community is not ethical... all the research and development of Ardupilot is funded by sales of them from the store... i never can think of buying Ardupilot from outside our community....
A week ago goodluckbuy had a clone for 100$ less. That's a pricepoint i would start thinking of buying one clone for a rover or for experiments. BTW: If you want to go the cheap way buy this http://dx.com/p/crius-all-in-one-pro-v1-0-multiwii-megapirate-fligh... and this http://dx.com/p/cn-06-gps-receiver-super-u-blox-gps-module-w-active...
and then upload http://code.google.com/p/megapirateng/downloads/list. I wouldn't go that pirates ng route because it is not so hassle free and has no datalogging - but maybe it's an option for some people.
Buying clones is not recommend, it will fail its just a matter of time.....
The last clone i used worked really well, right up until the neighbour started whipper snippering...
Epic Fail !!!
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