Buy now or wait

[plstovall]

So, I'm in the process of starting up my company and am looking to purchasing a Mavic 3M multispectral drone system. With H.R. 2864 moving through congress, is it a wise move to make such an investment (over 5K).

 

[Cafguy]

I wish I could say I feel safe telling a member to spend their money BUT in todays environment I would say only to be cautious. On this forum We are already seeing persons grounding their DJI Drones to stay affloat NOW. Lets say these drones are NOT banned But the Skydio funded horror story continues. You will find a whole new group of "Patriotic" companies who will blindly follow the government and refuse to do business with persons that fly Commie spy vehicles. My hope is that this whole fiasco will blow over BUT with the world of today one can never know.
If this Ban is going to happen in the future I suppose the next question one should be asking is - Should I invest in Iphones or certain brands of computers. I would say: Be carefull the slope is very slippery.

 

[Felix le Chat]

So, I'm in the process of starting up my company and am looking to purchasing a Mavic 3M multispectral drone system. With H.R. 2864 moving through congress, is it a wise move to make such an investment (over 5K).

I'm watching this situation unfold from over on the other side of the Atlantic, and I truly feel for anyone in the US who has invested time, money and effort in becoming early adopters of this relatively new technology - a lot of whom have also become expert in their chosen fields and have built thriving businesses through hard effort. To see all of them being progressively hung out to dry by the creators of discriminatory legislation is sobering.
We on the European continent (including here in Britain) have yet to see this policy adopted, but I stress the word "YET" as I think it will be inevitable.
The most galling thing is that the lobbyists and Representatives who have decided that Chinese tech is now "The Enemy Within" are fully aware that there is no single developer or manufacturer of drones other than Skydio that is even within a farmyard mile of being able to match the functionality, reliability, quality or price of DJI products and that the cheerleader for anti-DJI legislation just happens to be the only domestic manufacturer (bloody Skydio... again!) that might be capable of producing top-grade drone tech if they put their minds to it (if they could be bothered to cater for any market other than Federal Departments, Law Enforcement, Homeland Security and the three Arms of the Military).
I'm seeing American users of DJI drones being progressively railroaded and discriminated against - who, in the end, will be punished for daring to choose to own a device that wasn't manufactured under a Star Spangled Banner.

 

[GFields]

Just like any business, you should do your due diligence. Research your local market to see how saturated the drone business is (especially those offering the same type of service). Research the need for the type of services you plan to offer. You may have good ideas but may be in a market where no one is in need of that type of service.

I, by no means, want to discourage you., but entering into a drone business is tough. I have been using drones in my business since 2012. My work is primarily commercial and residential real estate.

 

[rickmurray1989]

So, I'm in the process of starting up my company and am looking to purchasing a Mavic 3M multispectral drone system. With H.R. 2864 moving through congress, is it a wise move to make such an investment (over 5K).

No. Do not waste your money at this time. The whack jobs in Congress seem hell bent to show how tough they are on China, and this legislation is a low-hanging fruit slam dunk for their ill-informed constituents.

 

[Vic Moss]

The Countering CCP Drones Act is highly unlikely to pass. I'm still optimistic it won't.

And even if it does, that means the U.S. Government has to pay us all of the drones they've bricked. And I truly believe that single aspects of the act will persuade enough Congress folks to vote no if it makes it to the floor of either house.

 

[Ralph thompson]

I’m not in the US but would suggest u treat it like any other business, if u are confident u have connections, clients, opportunities, the motivation & drive and have done your homework (all costs, subscriptions, insurance, travel, etc equals one years revenue) and your opportunities do not relate to working with a Gov. Organization then go for it. The world has been collapsing within the next few years for as long as I can remember, hasn’t happened yet and I doubt it wil happen soon. Good luck.

 

[Cafguy]

And even if it does, that means the U.S. Government has to pay us all of the drones they've bricked.

I wonder what the limit would be and I also how many people will be turning in the drone they crashed years ago for full purchase credit? I could actually piece together dozens of "look like they work" drones Does that mean I hit the lottery? After all if their use is banned I can't very well turn it on for you to check now can I? and the government can't stop these Drones from Flying they can only ask you to stop flying them.

 

[rickmurray1989]

The Countering CCP Drones Act is highly unlikely to pass. I'm still optimistic it won't.

And even if it does, that means the U.S. Government has to pay us all of the drones they've bricked. And I truly believe that single aspects of the act will persuade enough Congress folks to vote no if it makes it to the floor of either house.

I hope that you are right. However, none of the politicians want to appear soft on China in a pivotal election year. If the climate was ever right for it to pass, it will be this year.

 

[rickmurray1989]

I wonder what the limit would be and I also how many people will be turning in the drone they crashed years ago for full purchase credit? I could actually piece together dozens of "look like they work" drones Does that mean I hit the lottery? After all if their use is banned I can't very well turn it on for you to check now can I? and the government can't stop these Drones from Flying they can only ask you to stop flying them.

They can order DJI to disable the drones through their central servers, effectively bricking them. All that it will take is a couple of keystrokes. If you cannot authenticate your DJI account, your aircraft is a dead piece of plastic.

 

[Capt KO]

Sadly, Skydio started this mess but has decided to end consumer drone models. They’re making a fortune replacing DJI for gov uses, fed, state, and local. It’s into the millions just in my Tampa Bay area. Sheer madness from our elected officials. Don’t forget to vote.

 

[Cafguy]

They can order DJI to disable the drones through their central servers, effectively bricking them. All that it will take is a couple of keystrokes. If you cannot authenticate your DJI account, your aircraft is a dead piece of plastic.

DJI is a Chinese Company Why would they assist any other Government to Disable their products? Especially one That pretty much Treats them like they would an enemy of our very ideals.
If the Ban comes to pass I think it would be a great windfall for DJI to say Fine and get out of the "app" bizz and make Drone components and Cameras. How would they be defying a Ban by importing drone parts that can be used with a variety of systems- Dozens of Chinese companies import Drone "parts". NOW Granted you would need to take the time and learn to pilot the Drone in order to replicate some of the "Goodies" they Make automatic in the apps-- Then again there is no reason they could not release their own firmware for the drones VTX that would let you assign one of those automatic things to a button on a controller.
DJI's "Parts" don't Can't collect and transmit Data Like they seem to think a Ready to Fly one, somehow would. It has to be built before its even a drone! If they simply created firmware that you could flash to your Homemade drone's VTX say using Emo or Beta flight and Only released cameras and gimbles and Drone Parts I cannot see how the Government would have a right to stop that. If they did they would have to stop a lot more companies than DJI.

 

[mavic3usa]

The government never has and never will pay the citizens to turn in their contraband. I can't think of a single government defacto confiscation that resulted in even a simple buyback program for pennies on teh dollar. If anything, you will be told to claim it on your taxes which won't help anyone. $500 for a big drone and $250 for a little drone; Mavic 3 Pro is at the top end of the little-drone category.

I've read the various "bills" and I didn't see any provisions for compensation and hopefully we don't get to that stage where we need to be asking to get paid for this. Here's how it goes and this is totally in jest so YMMV:

1.Using the FAA "confiscation" database, based on the DJI serial number, an email will be sent to the owner on the plan of record hereby ordering them to report to their nearest local law enforcement station or FAA federal facility with the drone(s) bearing the serial numbers contained in your award letter email where officials will check and verify and take possession of the contraband and give you a receipt. It is suggested you make an appointment for your drop off time. Either bring the drone or bring proof that you no longer have it which identifies the new owner and you can sign an affidavit for that. After the deadline, arrest warrants will be issued for any serial numbers that remain in open disposition so you'll want to take care of this pronto. Drones only; we don't want your worthless batteries, chargers, boxes, paperwork, or other accessories. You can sell those on eBay or Facebook if you wish.

2.You are free to abandon your drone at any law enforcement station or FAA federal facility and we suggest you disable or demil the drone before doing so. You will not be given a receipt. This is the best option for DJI drones that are not registered in the database or look alike non-DJI drones that you don't want to get stopped for. Possession of disabled or improperly demilled DJI drones after the deadline could be considered constructive possession in violation of the order.

3.Due to limited FAA enforcement capabilities, we continue to rely on local law enforcement departments to assist with FAA agency matters and at this point, we'll need them more than ever now that this is important for us to chase and it's about time to get serious and this is what we've always wanted. Officers, deputies, constables, marshals, agents, and troopers should contact anyone flying a drone which looks like a DJI model and detain that person until you can identify the drone model. Check with your legal administration but brief stops which are not overly intrusive or unreasonable are legal and authorized. Remember, only reasonable suspicion (of a crime) is required to detain someone and the FAA gives you permission to inspect their drone. If it is a DJI drone (you can confirm visually or you can use the RID checkpoint tool), you should seize it and forward the drone to the regional FAA office in your jurisdiction for further handling and proper disposition. In those states where citizens still have a few rights left, feel free to hand them a "drone stop ticket" and let them go.

In other words, the government doesn't need to ground or brick DJI drones. Honest, law-abiding citizens like me will NOT fly a DJI drone after the bill is signed regardless whether I agree with it or not. Only a court order (like an injunction) will save it at that point. It's not just me, it's the vast majority of DJI owners who are aware of the order will NOT fly. After a year or two, only the criminals will be still flying DJI drones, just like anything else. At that point, it will be easy pickings.

 

[Cafguy]

Due to limited FAA enforcement capabilities, we continue to rely on local law enforcement departments to assist with FAA agency matters and at this point, we'll need them more than ever now that this is important for us to chase and it's about time to get serious and this is what we've always wanted. Officers, deputies, constables, marshals, agents, and troopers should contact anyone flying a drone which looks like a DJI model and detain that person until you can identify the drone model.

So who will give these Local Law enforcement officers the power to enforce Federal law? Surely NOT the FAA Besides Our Local Law enforcement is taxed enough without running around looking for someones illegal RC Drone. Could you just imagine the Market on DJI Shaped Ballons if the police were required to stop every person using a drone that "looked" like a DJI besides "Looked" like A DJI" Is gonna raise all sorts of harassment problems for the already disliked local police force in a court of law.
In Bakersfield Now the only way to get the police to you is if you have a Madman with a rifle shooting around the street - and even then your gonna wait awhile so hunker down!

 

[mavic3usa]

So who will give these Local Law enforcement officers the power to enforce Federal law? Surely NOT the FAA Besides Our Local Law enforcement is taxed enough without running around looking for someones illegal RC Drone. Could you just imagine the Market on DJI Shaped Ballons if the police were required to stop every person using a drone that "looked" like a DJI besides "Looked" like A DJI" Is gonna raise all sorts of harassment problems for the already disliked local police force in a court of law.
In Bakersfield Now the only way to get the police to you is if you have a Madman with a rifle shooting around the street - and even then your gonna wait awhile so hunker down!

I don't think a lot of law enforcement will be necessary. As soon as the law passes, if DJI drone are banned on paper from operating in US airspace, as a law-abiding citizen I will self-ground my own drone. I suspect 90% of drone community will comply. That's the beauty of tyranny in a free country.

 

[WanderLost]

So, I'm in the process of starting up my company and am looking to purchasing a Mavic 3M multispectral drone system. With H.R. 2864 moving through congress, is it a wise move to make such an investment (over 5K).

There are moving goalposts in the US - so it can be an issue. I see it continuing to be an issue for federal and state contractors. Your 3M would be more likely used in a rural setting with farmers and orchard growers? If that's the scenario, then there might not be much of a problem in that environment.

 

[rapidair]

I guess I have the worlds worst timing. I have been a recreational flyer for several years. I decided at the end of 2022 that I was going to turn my hobby into a business. I spent 3 months studying and obtained my FAA remote license. I took out a $20K personal loan and purchased a Mavic 3 and D-RTK2 for mapping and photography work. Also a Mavic 3 Thermal for inspection work. Plus all the extras hard cases, extra batteries, filters, SD cards etc etc. Using the freedom of information act I built a mailing list of all the real estate agents in the state. Printed 1000 flyers to start and business cards. Built a website. Was going to mail the flyers off in batches of 100. Sent the first batch of 100 out. Found out about 2864 that week. So I just put it on pause waiting to find out what happens to the bill. Why put any more time, effort and money into a business that may get completely bricked? Very big letdown.

I was curious about the comments above about the government having to reimburse citizens for the drones if they pass the law. I figured there would be a fund for the government agencies to replace first responder gear (90% of them fly DJI) but I figured the average citizen would get boned?

Does anyone have any information about this reimbursement aspect? I would not feel quite as screwed if I know I can eventually get some of my money back on the drones. I figured they are basically worthless at this point. $15K worth of equipment and the Mavic 3 has maybe 2 hours flight time and the Mavic Thermal has never left the ground. I just turned it on long enough to update the software. They both been sitting in the cases since the 3rd week after purchase.

Like I said, worst frigging timing ever.

~Hutch in Oklahoma

 

[mavic3usa]

I guess I have the worlds worst timing. I have been a recreational flyer for several years. I decided at the end of 2022 that I was going to turn my hobby into a business. I spent 3 months studying and obtained my FAA remote license. I took out a $20K personal loan and purchased a Mavic 3 and D-RTK2 for mapping and photography work. Also a Mavic 3 Thermal for inspection work. Plus all the extras hard cases, extra batteries, filters, SD cards etc etc. Using the freedom of information act I built a mailing list of all the real estate agents in the state. Printed 1000 flyers to start and business cards. Built a website. Was going to mail the flyers off in batches of 100. Sent the first batch of 100 out. Found out about 2864 that week. So I just put it on pause waiting to find out what happens to the bill. Why put any more time, effort and money into a business that may get completely bricked? Very big letdown.

I was curious about the comments above about the government having to reimburse citizens for the drones if they pass the law. I figured there would be a fund for the government agencies to replace first responder gear (90% of them fly DJI) but I figured the average citizen would get boned?

Does anyone have any information about this reimbursement aspect? I would not feel quite as screwed if I know I can eventually get some of my money back on the drones. I figured they are basically worthless at this point. $15K worth of equipment and the Mavic 3 has maybe 2 hours flight time and the Mavic Thermal has never left the ground. I just turned it on long enough to update the software. They both been sitting in the cases since the 3rd week after purchase.

Like I said, worst frigging timing ever.

~Hutch in Oklahoma

Obviously I don't speak for the government and it's sad to say but I can almost assure you there will be no government reimbursement program for DJI contraband drones should it end up that way. Perhaps you can find a way to pivot in your business given that you have at least a number of years until this could possibly go into effect.