Update on FT Aviator - Shipping Date Information

Prismatic · May 21, 2019

Not A Speck Of Cereal said:
Is it me?

Yes. Yes, it's you.

Seriously, the FT Aviator won't be everyone's cup of tea. I get what you're saying, though. I have strong reasons for preferring the FT-A approach, fully aware that it adds complexity in one dimension even while it reduces complexity in another. It's that other dimension I care about.

Not A Speck Of Cereal · May 22, 2019

Prismatic said:
Yes. Yes, it's you.

Seriously, the FT Aviator won't be everyone's cup of tea. I get what you're saying, though. I have strong reasons for preferring the FT-A approach, fully aware that it adds complexity in one dimension even while it reduces complexity in another. It's that other dimension I care about.

You missed my point: I'm not arguing against the FT-A approach or other people's controller preferences.

I wonder why are they calling this a single-hand controller, when it's not.

Chris

Smalls · May 22, 2019

Oh boy

Prismatic · May 22, 2019

Not A Speck Of Cereal said:
I wonder why are they calling this a single-hand controller, when it's not.

I expect it's because all flight controls are on one hand. The gimbal (and other settings) are camera controls, which are distinct. That said, of course, gimbal control is every bit as essential in your video as the aircraft flight controls, and this may be at the heart of your concern. I want to fly intuitively, not by mastery of arcane and arbitrary (i.e., Mode 1, Mode 2, Mode 3) thumb movements. With that in hand (so to speak), gimbal control should be much less taxing. We'll see!

Not A Speck Of Cereal · May 22, 2019

Prismatic said:
I expect it's because all flight controls are on one hand. The gimbal (and other settings) are camera controls, which are distinct. That said, of course, gimbal control is every bit as essential in your video as the aircraft flight controls, and this may be at the heart of your concern.

Point taken about non-flight controls on the flight controller. I suppose that technically, they could use that aspect to legally define this as a one-handed "flight controller" (which requires 2 hands if you do anything more than navigate in flight).

I want to fly intuitively, not by mastery of arcane and arbitrary (i.e., Mode 1, Mode 2, Mode 3) thumb movements. With that in hand (so to speak), gimbal control should be much less taxing. We'll see!

Arcane and arbitrary?

You just touched on another thing about this controller that bugs me: that it is NON-STANDARD (a new) method. If it takes off (pardon the pun) and becomes commonplace, then I'm all for it.

But the current standard controls (mode 1, mode 2, etc.) are anything but arcane -- they are standard. And they're hardly arbitrary -- there is a history of RC flight that defined them. The very fact that they're grouped into modes means they are well defined across the space of flight (having a largely understood and widely accepted definition is part of what a standard is).

So while it may seem arcane / arbitrary to a brand new user, I would ask you "would you rather learn how to fly these things using modes that all common controllers use? Or do you want to learn a unique controller, which means you will be wholly unqualified to fly any craft with a standard controller?

Chris

FromPriusToJeep · May 28, 2019

Back to the original topic...

I got an email from them on May 17th, telling me that my order will ship the week of June 24th.

Here's the content of the email I received:

Information Regarding Your FT Aviator Order

Thank you for your FT Aviator order. We are pleased to inform you that your Fluidity FT Aviator will ship the week of June 24, 2019. Once your order has been shipped from our warehouse, you will receive an email notifying you that it has shipped, along with FedEx tracking information. As a reminder, cases will be shipped separately, and you will receive a separate communication for your case, if you ordered one.

Mark your calendar, and thanks for your support and patience - you are an official member of our FT Aviator Pioneer Pilot crew!

Chopperphil · May 30, 2019

I got a shipping date on mine. Week of June 24. I can't wait.

ChazzMonkey · Jun 25, 2019

Bummer no email yet. The suspense is killing me. Guess I won't get it early enough to do an unboxing/review.

Prismatic · Jun 25, 2019

ChazzMonkey said:
Bummer no email yet. The suspense is killing me. Guess I won't get it early enough to do an unboxing/review.

"Anticipation, it's keepin' me waitin' ..." --Carly Simon

I'm thinking of wearing pajamas in my video, and sitting on the floor in front of a Christmas tree with a giddy grin like I did a hundred or so years ago. Honestly, I think I'm more excited for this delivery than I was for my Mavic Air 16 months ago!

If anyone receives (or has received) a shipment notification, please speak up! ? ? ⬆

And those who are first to get their FT.A, please relay your initial experiences, probably in a new thread with a good title, like, say, "FT Aviator: first impressions". (I'd start that thread in a heartbeat if I had mine in hand! ?)

Prismatic · Jul 1, 2019

Just got this from Fluidity: "The FT Aviator has started shipping, and due to an overwhelming response, we are sending via rolling shipments in the order they were received. We estimate your order (#FTAxxxx) will ship between July 19 - July 22, 2019. Once your package leaves our fulfillment center, you will receive an email notification with your shipping information."

Yay! Should be here just in time for my birthday! ?

ChazzMonkey · Jul 1, 2019

Prismatic said:
Just got this from Fluidity: "The FT Aviator has started shipping, and due to an overwhelming response, we are sending via rolling shipments in the order they were received. We estimate your order (#FTAxxxx) will ship between July 19 - July 22, 2019. Once your package leaves our fulfillment center, you will receive an email notification with your shipping information."

Yay! Should be here just in time for my birthday! ?

Me Too. If there isn't already a slew of unboxing and reviews, I'll do one.

Chopperphil · Jul 2, 2019

Just got an update. I ordered mine 3-2-19 and it will ship 7-19-19 to 7-22-19. Looking forward to it.

Prismatic · Jul 2, 2019

Not A Speck Of Cereal said:
Arcane and arbitrary?

“Standard” ain’t always “Optimal”, as your QWERTY keyboard layout lavishly illustrates. I won’t be flying any drone but my own, and I truly don’t give a fig about radio control history.
A device based on a deep understanding of how humans process information and integrate muscle movements in response makes for a better neuro-ergonomic solution than a device that originated based on what parts were available to analog RC hobbyists 60 or more years ago.
I had to master QWERTY; I don’t have to master the, yes, arcane and arbitrary thumb sticks that, like QWERTY, are just a bad hangover from a different era.

ChazzMonkey · Jul 2, 2019

Not A Speck Of Cereal said:
You missed my point: I'm not arguing against the FT-A approach or other people's controller preferences.

I wonder why are they calling this a single-hand controller, when it's not.

Chris

I take it to mean that the flight controls, up/down/forward/backward/yaw are all controlled with one hand as opposed to two thumbs. The camera controls are handled the non-dominate hand. This makes sense, especially since the flight controls will be very more intuitive allowing for greater camera control in the end. It's always taken two hands to handle a Whopper.

parkgt · Jul 2, 2019

Seems like it is going to be awkward with the tablets many use, plus having to having the controller properly oriented while strapped on somewhere.

ChazzMonkey · Jul 2, 2019

parkgt said:
Seems like it is going to be awkward with the tablets many use, plus having to having the controller properly oriented while strapped on somewhere.

This is a concern. I was thinking I might have to lug two controllers if I want to use my Epson glasses. The FT software does not work with the Epson Android box at this time. They say maybe in the future. But since I mainly use the Mavic as a flying camera I will have to at least try control through the FT-A and visual through the glasses. That's why they call in the bleeding edge. lol

¬Nomad · Jul 7, 2019

I Still believe it feel awfull, mostly due to the leverage ratio mismatch between the grasped base and the actual stick, I await an objective review..a few must have had delivery now.