When will 3DR Robotics have a competitive drone to offer? Maybe never.

[JKDSensei]

A lot of this is "off the cuff". I don't spend hours researching stuff like this because frankly, I don't have time.
It's just generalizations from casual observations.
Feel free to set the record straight or add your opinion.

I was doing some thinking about 3DR and the Solo and the apparent failure at 3DR to come out with a competitive product....while DJI widens it's commanding lead in the industry.

OK, 3D Robotics is USA based company. Like most American companies now, It depends heavily on China to get parts and pieces. At least at any price that would allow a competitive final product.

I would wager a bet that the folks over at 3D Robotics are absolutely pulling their hair out due to bottlenecks in getting parts and supplies. Is it any wonder 3D Robotics is failing? Imagine they don't receive shipments on time....or incorrect spec parts arrive. Meanwhile, we willingly bash the daylights out of 3DR Robotics and ridicule them....when it could be possible they are being held back deliberately. Just speculating.

Why would China allow a US company to take an up and coming technology like drone tech and help them get an upper hand? China has outwitted and outplayed the US on so many fronts it's staggering.

What is 3DR going to do if they get stonewalled by the Chinese....cry and blame them?

US companies now have to depend heavily on China to get all the technology they need. That puts China at a HUGE advantage over the US. This is a dilemma every American company faces and a disaster in the USA's future in the making.

There are long term consequences to mis-managing a nation.
China seems to have been willing to do whatever it took to wrestle away the USA's manufacturing and technology dominance and while the US fights internally among itself on issues like certain rights for certain people and political correctness, and what the Kardashians are doing...China forges ahead and conquers new markets and technologies.

So what we are seeing in the drone industry, and specifically the success of DJI and hard times at 3DR is very telling as to what Americans can expect in their future if the mis-management continues

and that's an OPINION.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Have you looked over at 3DR Pilots, the sister to this site? - http://www.3drpilots.com

 

[JKDSensei]

I took a quick look since you provided the link. Didn't know it existed. Compared to PhantomPilots, it's a ghost town at this point. The one thing I grabbed from the site quickly was that they're finally shipping the gimbals. Sounds good. But now it'll take a bit of time for reports to start rolling in from users. What is the user experience compared to DJI's Phantom? I would say there's a long road ahead for 3DR to begin to scratch the surface of DJI's market share. It won't be easy.

The question still remains "what took so long"? Supply side problems? Internal logistics problems?

I would REALLY love to see 3DR's drone take off (no pun intended) and become a solid competitor to DJI. I do believe that if 3DR had a product equal to the Phantom that the customer service would likely be much better.

At this point, DJI is the 800 lb gorilla in the room and 3DR is probably going to have to excel at "everything" to make up for lost ground. Somewhat reminds me of the battle between IBM and Microsoft in the 80's. As we all know, there was a clear winner. Maybe the drone market will be totally different. I sure would love to see "team USA" win for a change.

I understand they turned to Mexico for much of their labor and technology sourcing.
Sure would like to hear more about that.

 

[dirkclod]

- Hey JKD...scroll down to the bottom of the page and ya will see where the links are to the 3DR and Inspire forums are if ya didn't know
Just click on those and go over to em and watch em carry on like we do here ..
I like ta go over to em every now and again

and leave em with a gif Ya know ..like share da love ! LOL

 

[witold]

"3DR Robotics is USA based company."

3DR has some staff in the USA - just like DJI. One manufactures stuff in China, one manufactures stuff in Mexico. Hardly a difference, IMO.

China exports everything to everyone. If you're willing to pay, they will sell it to you. Aside from some currency manipulation to make manufacturing more attractive, there is no grand conspiracy. This is in contrast to imports and doing business in China - they definitely try to keep people out.

Similarly, Chinese companies are cutthroat. Even when they make branded goods, they are known for going under the table to sell bootlegs of the same stuff screwing over their primary customer. They will make 50,000 jackets for Northface, and then they will sell "extras" through the back channels. So no, I don't think DJI suppliers care at all about DJI and I seriously doubt that anyone of them have any second thoughts about doing business with 3DR. In fact, according to some news stories, DJI has in fact dealt with several instances of corporate espionage and rouge employees steeling blueprints to sell to competitors. These "Chinese companies" do not see themselves as some sort of friendly Chinese club. They compete -hard- against one another.

 

[rrmccabe]

What does US Robotics have to do with 3Drobotics?

And "3DR Robotics" is redundant.

 

[JoeyJoe]

Aside from some currency manipulation to make manufacturing more attractive, there is no grand conspiracy.

Umm, and you know this how?
I wouldn't put anything past the Chinese government.
Not the people mind you, the government.

I wonder how much of the technology we enjoy in our DJI products is the result of R&D and how much is the result of corporate espionage. Seriously.

 

[JKDSensei]

What does US Robotics have to do with 3Drobotics?

And "3DR Robotics" is redundant.

Thanks.
Noted.

 

[JKDSensei]

"3DR Robotics is USA based company."

3DR has some staff in the USA - just like DJI. One manufactures stuff in China, one manufactures stuff in Mexico. Hardly a difference, IMO.

China exports everything to everyone. If you're willing to pay, they will sell it to you. Aside from some currency manipulation to make manufacturing more attractive, there is no grand conspiracy. This is in contrast to imports and doing business in China - they definitely try to keep people out.

Similarly, Chinese companies are cutthroat. Even when they make branded goods, they are known for going under the table to sell bootlegs of the same stuff screwing over their primary customer. They will make 50,000 jackets for Northface, and then they will sell "extras" through the back channels. So no, I don't think DJI suppliers care at all about DJI and I seriously doubt that anyone of them have any second thoughts about doing business with 3DR. In fact, according to some news stories, DJI has in fact dealt with several instances of corporate espionage and rouge employees steeling blueprints to sell to competitors. These "Chinese companies" do not see themselves as some sort of friendly Chinese club. They compete -hard- against one another.

Good post. I'd be interested to know how you came to have so much knowledge about how the Chinese operate. Do you go there? Do you import much from China? Are you involved with manufacturing in China? This is sincere question. I always viewed China as protecting it's own interests above all else. While I have imported from China and dealt with Chinese business persons personally and at trade shows, I don't have a deep perspective on their culture and business methodologies involving international trade.