I was pilfering through ebay for some good deals on camera gimbals and I stumbled upon a store called gadgetinfinite. They are selling several 3DR clones on their site. I also noticed another one called game-jmt that is selling 3DR radios. It seems there is an endless cycle of clones coming from China with no end in site. Even though 3DR hardware is open sourced they are intent on selling this hardware using the 3DR name, trying to pass it off as original, but I highly doubt it is.
I have read several debates about the pros and cons about Chinese companies cloning U.S. merchandise. Personally I don't see any pros. Most of these rogue companies are only cloning to profit and not innovate. Will there ever be any way to regulate this? Should it? It makes it awfully discouraging for anyone wanting to bring an innovative product to market knowing that there is little they can do to keep foreign companies from cloning their ideas.
Comments
>I just don't get it.
the 8 bit period ends - or has been ended.
the quality of the 8 bit software is quantum leaps behind what 32 bit mcu's do offer.
for me the new world is the px4.
I don't really even understand this question. It has so many angles.
First, poor people aren't flying RC aircraft, let alone drones.
And no, DIY Drones is not for wealthy people. Wealthy People go out and buy a DJI Ace One and a Vario Gasser heli, and be done with it. They aren't futzing around with this open source stuff!
DIY Drones is for the people in the middle, and I think priced as such.
Boy, I hope this doesn't get into class warfare. But I just don't understand people who think that a $200 autopilot system is overpriced? When other hobby grade systems cost $1000-5000, and professional stuff is $50,000, who can complain about a $200 system? It doesn't make any sense to me.
When I was 16, I worked hard during the summer, and saved my money, and spent $199 on a Carl Goldberg Eagle 2, probably $199 on an OS FP40, and I think $299 on a 6-channel Futaba radio. $600 for just a simple RC airplane. And that was in 1992 dollars!
Now you could have a similar setup for about $200, and add an autopilot to it for another $400, in 2012 dollars... I just do not understand these complaints.
And if it wasn't for 3DR/DIYDrones, there wouldn't BE a system for the Chinese to copy, and you'd have NO choice at all!
I just don't get it.
@David, but that's just my point. I'm not seeing many items at 25-50% of the price. At least not for 3DR clones. They're a couple bucks cheaper, and no support. It's a no-brainer to me.
As for the Orange Rx, IMO, not really the same thing at all. You are comparing a company that is constantly innovating, it's a moving target for the cloners, and selling at low prices (3DR) to a company which is selling low performance equipment based on 5+ year old technology at inflated prices (Spektrum). It's easy pickings for the cloners. And I for one don't support either Spektrum, nor the cloned Rx.
I've bought into the FrSky system. I have all Futaba Tx's, and I love them, I'd never buy a junky Chinese Tx. But, I'll also never spend $80 on a Futaba Rx again either. FrSky is offering innovative, leading-edge stuff, and high quality, at really low prices. They aren't copying anybody. And in fact, their stuff is semi-open-source. It's not all open, but they released the details of the telemetry protocol system so we can hack into it and get it to do what we want. Awesome!
A great example of "you don't get what you pay for".
Which Autopilot are you referring to? If it's the Flymentor ($70), I've had that, and it's junk. It's not a knock-off of the Helicommand either, as far as I know. I mean, I guess I heard the grumblings, but never any real evidence. Frankly I think it's just sour grapes from some of the old guard. Regardless, it doesn't work, so who cares?
aha - much better!
i went away because the word in front of the gps was optional.
my initial thinking was: nice price increase
Robert. I've edited the text to make that more clear.
optional is totally misleading ;-)
maybe you would mean included ;)
apm 2.5 gps included for 200.
sounds better ...
waiting for px4 ... paid ... 2 weeks delivery ... still with status processing :(
Robert: Optional means you can choose not to include the GPS for an even lower price ($179)
@chris
maybe you explain the word optional!
Robert: you're mistaken. The $199 price for APM 2.5 includes the GPS and cable.
The example I gave in my other post was the hobbyking autopilot (~75$) verses the helicommand model (~400$), but it's going to take a little while for me to fully research what the cloners are doing for your particular area. They'll obviously start on the simple bits an then move up to the fully assembled systems. Price wars with China are always a miserable affair. The question is what price/quality combination from China will start costing you guys the loyalists?
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