- Joined
- Dec 17, 2019
- Messages
- 40
- Reaction score
- 24
Skydio support finally got back to me with the expected disappointing response:
Regarding your crash, Thank you for uploading the logs and sending the video. We are glad that your Skydio 2 survived that tumble. I'm sure you have gone back seen how many close calls you had with thin branches. While Skydio 2 is a giant leap forward in autonomous tracking there are still limitations. While that type of collision would not have been covered under the warranty, there are steps you can take to avoid future crashes. For example, if you had set the Skydio 2 to a higher altitude and maybe further away it would have avoided most if not all the thin branches completely. While I don't think you should have to anticipate every trail you're flying in, It's always beneficial to take some time to consider the situations you are placing your Skydio 2 in. It's always better to err on the side of safety when it comes to co-piloting with the Skydio 2. You do have some incredible footage on your channel and we really hope that Skydio 2 can continue to help you capture amazing footage.
Skydio support also mentioned that they don't even have the means to repair Skydio 2 drones at this point, so even if I was willing to pay them, they wouldn't be able to fix my drone at this point. So right now, if your camera lens is scratched, well, please buy another $999 drone or just live with it.
The most annoying part about that is that in case my Skydio 2 crashed again and it's not thin branches or anything they blame me for, they will simply say that it crashed because my cameras were scratched due to the first crash and therefore, they won't cover it under warranty, either.
Fail #2 is that my Skydio 2 didn't record any flight logs since 12/21/2019 and as it crashed on 12/22/2019, it didn't have any flight logs for my crash. It almost looks like the drone intentionally forgets flight logs from crashes, so it's easier for Skydio to blame to user. But... that would not be nice at all, right? Must be just a coincidence.
After Skydio support instructed me to factory reset my Skydio 2, it is now recording flight logs again.
Also, interestingly, they have stopped to re-post my Instagram photos and stories since the crash. Before the crash, they reposted about every Skydio 2-related Instagram photo and story I would post. So not only do Skydio ignore issues in their obstacle avoidance and leave users with damaged drones hanging, no, they also take it personally and stop supporting their supporters on social media. So if your Skydio 2 crashes and you want to continue to receive social media support from Skydio, better don't tell anyone and keep pretending and telling people that Skydio 2 obstacle avoidance is bullet-proof!
Here's my response to Skydio support:
Hi John,
got it. Thanks for confirming the disappointing but expected response. I won't even comment on it. Could you please just convey the following to your product development team?
In all the situations that we've seen Skydio 2 crash so far, would the R1 have crashed? Are you really making a step forward in usable (!!!) drone autonomy?
I sincerely hope that you don't seriously believe "innovation" is to sell a drone whose significant limitations require you to enforce a customer-unfriendly warranty statement that rules out about 50% of the areas that people would like their autonomous drone to be able to fly in.
Failure to acknowledge deficiencies in a product is the beginning of the end of that product, I hope you realize that. People are less and less capable, expect more and more and the world consists of thin branches and power lines, so please make your drone able to cope with those situations, otherwise is pretty much worthless to me and many other people who use Skydio 2 for what it's made for.
Stefan
Crash videos:
(part 1)
(part 2)
Regarding your crash, Thank you for uploading the logs and sending the video. We are glad that your Skydio 2 survived that tumble. I'm sure you have gone back seen how many close calls you had with thin branches. While Skydio 2 is a giant leap forward in autonomous tracking there are still limitations. While that type of collision would not have been covered under the warranty, there are steps you can take to avoid future crashes. For example, if you had set the Skydio 2 to a higher altitude and maybe further away it would have avoided most if not all the thin branches completely. While I don't think you should have to anticipate every trail you're flying in, It's always beneficial to take some time to consider the situations you are placing your Skydio 2 in. It's always better to err on the side of safety when it comes to co-piloting with the Skydio 2. You do have some incredible footage on your channel and we really hope that Skydio 2 can continue to help you capture amazing footage.
Skydio support also mentioned that they don't even have the means to repair Skydio 2 drones at this point, so even if I was willing to pay them, they wouldn't be able to fix my drone at this point. So right now, if your camera lens is scratched, well, please buy another $999 drone or just live with it.
The most annoying part about that is that in case my Skydio 2 crashed again and it's not thin branches or anything they blame me for, they will simply say that it crashed because my cameras were scratched due to the first crash and therefore, they won't cover it under warranty, either.
Fail #2 is that my Skydio 2 didn't record any flight logs since 12/21/2019 and as it crashed on 12/22/2019, it didn't have any flight logs for my crash. It almost looks like the drone intentionally forgets flight logs from crashes, so it's easier for Skydio to blame to user. But... that would not be nice at all, right? Must be just a coincidence.
After Skydio support instructed me to factory reset my Skydio 2, it is now recording flight logs again.
Also, interestingly, they have stopped to re-post my Instagram photos and stories since the crash. Before the crash, they reposted about every Skydio 2-related Instagram photo and story I would post. So not only do Skydio ignore issues in their obstacle avoidance and leave users with damaged drones hanging, no, they also take it personally and stop supporting their supporters on social media. So if your Skydio 2 crashes and you want to continue to receive social media support from Skydio, better don't tell anyone and keep pretending and telling people that Skydio 2 obstacle avoidance is bullet-proof!
Here's my response to Skydio support:
Hi John,
got it. Thanks for confirming the disappointing but expected response. I won't even comment on it. Could you please just convey the following to your product development team?
In all the situations that we've seen Skydio 2 crash so far, would the R1 have crashed? Are you really making a step forward in usable (!!!) drone autonomy?
I sincerely hope that you don't seriously believe "innovation" is to sell a drone whose significant limitations require you to enforce a customer-unfriendly warranty statement that rules out about 50% of the areas that people would like their autonomous drone to be able to fly in.
Failure to acknowledge deficiencies in a product is the beginning of the end of that product, I hope you realize that. People are less and less capable, expect more and more and the world consists of thin branches and power lines, so please make your drone able to cope with those situations, otherwise is pretty much worthless to me and many other people who use Skydio 2 for what it's made for.
Stefan
Crash videos:
