DJI won’t off an M3 SDK…

[netling]

This is my prediction, only and not backed by any facts.

DJI won’t be offering a SDK to M3 or for that matter any consumer drones in the future.

Why? Because after they are seeing how companies are actually using the SDK against DJI, there is no incentive for them to release one! Fact, I can do waypoints with a mini 2, I can do follow me with mini 2, I can do PPK with mini 2, I can do A LOT with the mini 2, Air 2, and the Mavic 2 that’s Enterprise level that’s cutting into their sells of more profitable enterprise models.

Why encourage cannibalize sells of your enterprise models of others are profiting off product, that makes no sense.

If they do offer it, it will be enterprise customer only and locked down with a dongle.

What say you?

 

[msinger]

Because after they are seeing how companies are actually using the SDK against DJI, there is no incentive for them to release one!

Or another spin -- offering the SDK allows other companies to add more value to DJI products -- thus increasing their sales.

 

[FLDave]

"caramelize" seems to be a new approach for marketing.
As for waypoints I think there is confusion about onboard waypoints and waypoints managed from the controller device. Onboard waypoints would mean that the drone can fly autonomously according to an onboard waypoint plan without intervention from the controller. New DJI drones generally do not have this capability.
On the other hand waypoints as part of a mission plan (eg, DroneLink or Litchi) us the controller-based waypoints to manage the flight path with virtual stick movements from the controller. If disconnected from the controller then the drone will follow the designated loss-of-signal action.

 

[netling]

Or another spin -- offering the SDK allows other companies to add more value to DJI products -- thus increasing their sales.

Why would somebody buy a $10,000 drone, if they can get the prosumer $3000 drone and do mostly what the $20,000 drone can do via SDK?

Case in point, I’m doing PPK with a $5,000 setup. We are talking drone, base, rover, etc. Justify why I would buy a M30T or something else if I can do PPK with a M2P.

 

[netling]

"caramelize" seems to be a new approach for marketing.
As for waypoints I think there is confusion about onboard waypoints and waypoints managed from the controller device. Onboard waypoints would mean that the drone can fly autonomously according to an onboard waypoint plan without intervention from the controller. New DJI drones generally do not have this capability.
On the other hand waypoints as part of a mission plan (eg, DroneLink or Litchi) us the controller-based waypoints to manage the flight path with virtual stick movements from the controller. If disconnected from the controller then the drone will follow the designated loss-of-signal action.

Haha, thanks and updated.

Again, and I agree that the SDK doesn’t do everything or exactly what a high end DJI does but if I can do the job, with a M2, Air or Mini, why spent the extra money and why would DJI benefit from it?

 

[JoelP]

The question DJI should be asking is whether or not their competitors will offer a consumer or prosumer level drone with an SDK that the likes of Litchi can use to offer this feature to erode DJI’s consumer and prosumer customer
base. Can it really be true that DJI doesn’t care about loss of this market segment? Are they so
confident or arrogant to think that their competitors are unable to make a quality drone?

 

[netling]

The question DJI should be asking is whether or not their competitors will offer a consumer or prosumer level drone with an SDK that the likes of Litchi can use to offer this feature to erode DJI’s consumer and prosumer customer
base. Can it really be true that DJI doesn’t care about loss of this market segment? Are they so
confident or arrogant to think that their competitors are unable to make a quality drone?

I honestly believe they are in a position with such market lead they are going to have to sacrifice either on the consumer or the enterprise. I think, they will sacrifice consumer end and focus on enterprise. Partly because the margins on enterprise drones are significant compared to the consumer drones. Combine that with the addition of other Chinese drones that you can get for significantly less on Amazon, why try to compete with smaller margin cheap consumer drones, that the FAA is trying to already control and limit? Thus, no SDK for consumer drones, as it’s been proven that companies will utilize the SDK to allow the consumer drones to do a LOT more than DJI intended to do.

 

[msinger]

Partly because the margins on enterprise drones are significant compared to the consumer drones.

Perhaps. One thing is for sure though, their focus is currently on making available and/or improving the SDK for enterprise-level products before consumer products (as they mentioned here).

 

[Meta4]

The question DJI should be asking is whether or not their competitors will offer a consumer or prosumer level drone with an SDK that the likes of Litchi can use to offer this feature to erode DJI’s consumer and prosumer customer
base. .... Are they so
confident or arrogant to think that their competitors are unable to make a quality drone?

Competitors?
DJI dominate the market and have no effective competition.

 

[netling]

Perhaps. One thing is for sure though, their focus is currently on making available and/or improving the SDK for enterprise-level products before consumer products (as they mentioned here).

Exactly! No more SDK for Mavic 3, Air 3, etc but only M3E and above. Either spend big bucks and get SDK or go consumer and no SDK.

That’s my prediction.

 

[netling]

Competitors?
DJI dominate the market and have no effective competition.

There are but they are all considerably smaller than DJI. Ie. Walmart sells an off brand and Amazon has tons on smaller unknown (compared to DJI) brands that are half or more less expensive than DJI.

 

[Meta4]

There are but they are all considerably smaller than DJI. Ie. Walmart sells an off brand and Amazon has tons on smaller unknown (compared to DJI) brands that are half or more less expensive than DJI.

There are other drone makers, who have to share the small slice of the drone market pie that DJI doesn't own.
But none are close to having the range, quality or technical innovation to provide any competition for DJI.

 

[Cymru]

Its no secret this is where its headed.
The SDKs made the cheaper consumer drones good enough for many users who now dont need to buy an enterprise spec drone. Thats not good for sales.
By software crippling them its forcing the purchase of a more expensive product.

You can get away with it if theres no effective competition.

Canon did product differentiaion via software cripple for years in its DSLRs. Yes it was infuriating. Still is.

 

[netling]

There are other drone makers, who have to share the small slice of the drone market pie that DJI doesn't own.
But none are close to having the range, quality or technical innovation to provide any competition for DJI.

Agreed. For the average consumer, wanting to fly for pleasure, the technical innovations (other than obstacles avoidance), isn’t worth the additional for a DJI level drone, hence WalMart selling an off brand. Further reason for DJI not to offer an SDK for non-enterprise drones and for that matter for DJI to focus on enterprise drones more and less on consumer drones.

Let’s also acknowledge the fact that the FAA is driving away the average consumer by requiring, albeit a basic, test and license to fly even a consumer drone.

 

[netling]

Its no secret this is where its headed.
The SDKs made the cheaper consumer drones good enough for many users who now dont need to buy an enterprise spec drone. Thats not good for sales.
By software crippling them its forcing the purchase of a more expensive product.

You can get away with it if theres no effective competition.

Canon did product differentiaion via software cripple for years in its DSLRs. Yes it was infuriating. Still is.

Yep. It’s the fact that I’m seeing so many people saying “I’m waiting for the SDK for the M3, Mini3, etc…”

It’s not happening folks! At least that’s my prediction.

Enterprise, yes it will happen but even than it’s going to be a much more controlled and if not costly access.

 

[SkyeHigh]

Its no secret this is where its headed.
The SDKs made the cheaper consumer drones good enough for many users who now dont need to buy an enterprise spec drone. Thats not good for sales.
By software crippling them its forcing the purchase of a more expensive product.

You can get away with it if theres no effective competition.

Canon did product differentiaion via software cripple for years in its DSLRs. Yes it was infuriating. Still is.

Software ‘crippling’ is hardly a fair term to imply on any manufacturer. The fact that a lower priced product, by whatever means, has fewer features means it can be sold at a lower price point. It doesn’t matter that a feature difference is a software only procedure or not. If you want a product with all bells and whistles then you pay for it - there’s nothing unfair about that.

If you were to buy one of two identical appearing cars for example but one had a turbocharger, would it be unfair to charge more for that added feature even though the extra hardware would have cost very little to the manufacturer?

Any manufacturer who is heavily invested in R&D needs a return on that investment and spreading that over a wide range of price point products is the best way to recoup the costs and expand the market. Without that we would not have the aircraft which we all enjoy at whatever level we chose to enter the hobby.

 

[JoelP]

Competitors?
DJI dominate the market and have no effective competition.

Doesn’t Autel offer an SDK for their consumer/prosumer drones? From what I see, some are worthy of a look if this is the case? Some even do active track as well or better.

Yes, DJI is dominant today, but will
they retain this? The M3 remained half baked many months after launch. That lack of attention to quality control isn’t the mark of an industry leader. There will be some who value those aftermarket apps requiring an SDK that may fly the coup next time we upgrade. It is my feeling that load capacity, IR, etc are enough to differentiate an enterprise product without denying prosumers an SDK.

 

[Cymru]

Software ‘crippling’ is hardly a fair term to imply on any manufacturer. The fact that a lower priced product, by whatever means, has fewer features means it can be sold at a lower price point. It doesn’t matter that a feature difference is a software only procedure or not. If you want a product with all bells and whistles then you pay for it - there’s nothing unfair about that.

Its a perfectly fair description.
In Canon's case the code was already in firmware and disabled by a flag.
In DJIs case the SDK exists, is written and works (its used by Fly etc) and is almost no different to the enterprise ones.

So yes the devices hardware and features are crippled by deliberate software off switches.

 

[JoelP]

Perhaps it might be possible for DJI to sell M3 owners a firmware tool that enables my individual drone to work with an app that uses the SDK. Wouldn’t that be a reasonable middle ground to achieve lost margin while enabling those of us who value the SDK to access the SW tools that were promised by agents of DJi when we bought the M3. This would alleviate the detrimental reliance that DJI has created with the early purchasers of the M3.

 

[msinger]

Exactly! No more SDK for Mavic 3, Air 3, etc but only M3E and above. Either spend big bucks and get SDK or go consumer and no SDK.

Well, that's not exactly what DJI stated in the link I shared. Anything is possible though.