SparkFun has sold out of ArduPilots again, but 200 more ArduPilots left Sparkfun production 30 minutes ago. The storefront will reflect that inventory tomorrow or Mon, and backorders should be filled in the next day or two.
We've now sold nearly 300 ArduPilots!
AWESOME - 300 ArduPilots! Maybe we should make a poll for how many have flown their ArduPilots yet? (I haven't as it's raining cats and dogs every day here almost plus cooold - dutch winter weather)
My sense is that about a few dozen people have successfully flown ArduPilot at this point. Most others are just experimenting, learning and assembling the other components of a UAV. Over the next few months, many of those may make it to the flying field, too. But if only half of the ArduPilots we sell make it into the air, I'll be ecstatic. As a point of reference, over the ten-year history of U-NAV I reckon that fewer than 500 people have flown PicoPilots (they've sold less than 1,000 to date). I'm hoping we can beat that in our first year.
I'm serious. I can't think in terms of sales. I think in terms of number of products doing number of functions somewhere in the world. The thought of 300 ardupilots flying around in the world is amazing.
You know, anyone can build a flying anything & give stuff away, but achievement is making a project turn into real sales. If I was that practical in the old days, I'd be launching space shuttles for a living instead of farting around with toy hobbies.
Sgt Ric: Thanks for the kind words and support! It has been hard work, but totally worth it. And Jordi and I really appreciate the beta testing everyone here has done, to say nothing of the patience with our teething pains.
Comments
You know, anyone can build a flying anything & give stuff away, but achievement is making a project turn into real sales. If I was that practical in the old days, I'd be launching space shuttles for a living instead of farting around with toy hobbies.
I am sure this has been a handful, ...seeing a fun experiment grow into an almost fulltime project.
Just a note to say ...we appreciate all your hard work!