I just read this:

Autel Robitcs

filed a lawsuit against DJI

Wow.  they are claiming infringement on everything from waypoint missions, to body style and prop engagement.  It will be interesting to see this play out.

Did Dji not come out with these feature first Will be interesting to see the outcome.

Claim of infringing on Patent #7,979,174 seems pretty lame.  The drawing on page #5 is planning flow-chart that is generic to point of being common knowledge for people working with automated movement.  Kind of surprised Patent office ever granted a patent on it.

Claim of infringing on Patent #9,260,184 will be a tough battle on one-way locking mechnism.  The images show different kind of locking system than Mavic Pro has.  And idea of one-way locking mechnism is hardly unique, again common knowledge.  For example: Gas caps, jar lids, radiator caps.  
Same, when it comes to rotation helping to keep something attached (tightened).  Drill press chucks often work that way, lawn mower blades with single center bolt use same prinicple.   

3-D Posted at 2018-5-19 08:04
Wow.  they are claiming infringement on everything from waypoint missions, to body style and prop engagement.  It will be interesting to see this play out.

To me it looks like Patent Trolling.  Company patents a bunch of stuff in as vague a terms as possible, or company buys up such patents; then starts waiting for or hunting for possible infringements.

Yes. Either Patent trolling or maybe a risky publicity stunt? (we are talking about Autel now) Also, this happens in the context of the trade war with China that has already killed ZTE (although for very different reasons, ZTE is to blame there, I believe)

HedgeTrimmer Posted at 2018-5-19 08:32
To me it looks like Patent Trolling.  Company patents a bunch of stuff in as vague a terms as possible, or company buys up such patents; then starts waiting for or hunting for possible infringements.

I agree that it feels like patent trolling.  I'll be watching this one though...  Getcha popcorn!

They seem to spend all their time suing each other.

https://dronelife.com/2016/10/06 ... t-drone-competitor/

Is this a frivolous lawsuit by Autel or do they have information that DJI will release Mavic Pro 2 simultaneously once they release the Evo?

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-5-19 10:37
Is this a frivolous lawsuit by Autel or do they have information that DJI will release Mavic Pro 2 simultaneously once they release the Evo?

It could be a defensive strategy by Autel to fend off DJI from releasing Mavic Pro 2 upon Evo debuting, perhaps Autel doesn't want to get burned the same way GoPro did with its Karma versus the original Mavic Pro.

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-5-19 08:47
They seem to spend all their time suing each other.

https://dronelife.com/2016/10/06/dji-files-patent-suit-drone-competitor/

That kind of explains why they don't have the time and resources to fix their software (or free software that they use infringing its licenses).

asaw Posted at 2018-5-19 12:04
That kind of explains why they don't have the time and resources to fix their software (or free software that they use infringing its licenses).

The Chinese suing over copyright where will it all end.

Having skimmed through the lawsuit I can't help saying that it is no more than laughable. I'll be very surprised if Autel manages to gain something from it. Will be a bad sign for the American judicial system. Autel (or anyone else) shouldn't have been granted such patents at all, so trivial, uncreative, and general they are.

i think they are just patent trolls.  i looked over it and not really much here i attempted to read it as if they are a struggling company but nothing there to indicate such.    they may win or get a settlement just on basis they got the patents however impossibly vague they maybe.  like the prop attachment patent, is hardly worth a patent and has been around forever.   but they somehow own them and thus they do have a small head start in this case...

bit like Mercedes Benz trying to patent the way a wheel attached to the hub with 5 lug nuts.. or BMW trying to patent the airbox filter using a shielded oil impregnated filter cone.    yea in each case, both could probably make a case for a patent since no one owns those designs directly...if they win the patents you know full on and well they will go after anyone with anything similar..

Hmmm… quit pi$$ing around and launch the EVO already!!!

Autel is a joke. I hope they go down like go pro .

MavicFit91 Posted at 2018-5-19 19:24
Autel is a joke. I hope they go down like go pro .

In my opinion, competition in the marketplace is best for everybody involved. Even if you are a big fan of DJI (which I am), I would love to see Autel be very successful so as to help push DJI to be the best version of itself that it can be.  With no competition in the marketplace, it allows a company to stagnate and not push the boundaries of technology and help to drive prices down.

MavicFit91 Posted at 2018-5-19 19:24
Autel is a joke. I hope they go down like go pro .

Don’t think Autel is a joke, I think Autel May surprise us all and introduce EVO with 1 inch sensor which might just get many interested in this new machine, but we will have to wait and see...

Autel are pathetic - why don’t they try to make money by producing exceptional drones rather than through courts. They won’t win and I hope DJI counter sue on grounds of defamation

KlooGee Posted at 2018-5-19 23:31
In my opinion, competition in the marketplace is best for everybody involved. Even if you are a big fan of DJI (which I am), I would love to see Autel be very successful so as to help push DJI to be the best version of itself that it can be.  With no competition in the marketplace, it allows a company to stagnate and not push the boundaries of technology and help to drive prices down.

I agree with that.  besides, every hero needs a nemesis, right?

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-5-20 04:23
Don’t think Autel is a joke, I think Autel May surprise us all and introduce EVO with 1 inch sensor which might just get many interested in this new machine, but we will have to wait and see...

The specs are already on autels website. 1/2.3 cmos sensor. 4K 60 FPS. They are desperate,  the evo
is nothing special.

MavicFit91 Posted at 2018-5-20 06:29
The specs are already on autels website. 1/2.3 cmos sensor. 4K 60 FPS. They are desperate,  the evo
is nothing special.

I’m just thinking they need to have something up their sleeve or they could get a whooping, and hopefully they will have learned from other bad launches.

A CW Posted at 2018-5-20 04:55
Autel are pathetic - why don’t they try to make money by producing exceptional drones rather than through courts. They won’t win and I hope DJI counter sue on grounds of defamation

Let's not forget that DJI started this patent lawsuit back in 2016 by suing Autel. DJI claimed that Autel "copied the look and feel of DJI's UAVs when it designed its X-Star." Autel was trying to make money by producing exceptional drones until DJI sued them for patent infringement a few years ago - not the other way around. Autel is simply fighting the battle now that DJI started it.

It’s DJI...

And as I said, Autel won’t win! Now if you don’t mind I really don’t want to bore myself debating it! Bye!

MavicFit91 Posted at 2018-5-19 19:24
Autel is a joke. I hope they go down like go pro .

LOL..  GoPro DRONES.. not their camera.  I like their camera..

Brad Bilger Posted at 2018-5-20 06:54
LOL..  GoPro DRONES.. not their camera.  I like their camera..

Yeah, their cameras make people happy. But it wouldn’t take much to best their camera technology

KlooGee Posted at 2018-5-19 23:31
In my opinion, competition in the marketplace is best for everybody involved. Even if you are a big fan of DJI (which I am), I would love to see Autel be very successful so as to help push DJI to be the best version of itself that it can be.  With no competition in the marketplace, it allows a company to stagnate and not push the boundaries of technology and help to drive prices down.

I agree with you. Hopefully some day we will see a company competitive enough to break through the barrier to entry DJI has set into place. However, Autel is not that company.

A CW Posted at 2018-5-20 06:52
It’s DJI...

Thanks - I mix up DGI and DJI all the time. Can't seem to keep it straight for some reason.

Fascinating to read the "other side" of this forum, over on the AutelXPilots discussion here: https://autelxpilots.com/threads/autel-files-lawsuit-against-dji.1993/

I found this interesting video about DJI on that forum, specifically related to this patent issue:

Danger Lampost Posted at 2018-5-20 08:29
Fascinating to read the "other side" of this forum, over on the AutelXPilots discussion here: https://autelxpilots.com/threads/autel-files-lawsuit-against-dji.1993/

I found this interesting video about DJI on that forum, specifically related to this patent issue:

Very interesting video.
Very informative.
Danger Lampost:  Thanks for posting.

I shall be watching this story for developments. Not entirely convinced that Autel are winding up DJI. They may have substance to this...

Just so everyone's on the same page here, DJI originally filed a patent infringement case against Autel in 2016. Here is the original complaint from DJI for patent infringement: https://insight.rpxcorp.com/litigation_documents/12105917. Ironic that a Chinese company initiated claims of patent infringement against an American company. What Autel just did is the latest volley in a fight that's been going on for a few years.

Danger Lampost Posted at 2018-5-20 13:01
Just so everyone's on the same page here, DJI originally filed a patent infringement case against Autel in 2016. Here is the original complaint from DJI for patent infringement: https://insight.rpxcorp.com/litigation_documents/12105917. Ironic that a Chinese company initiated claims of patent infringement against an American company. What Autel just did is the latest volley in a fight that's been going on for a few years.

Autel is not an American company, think you will find they are Chinese.

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-5-20 15:59
Autel is not an American company, think you will find they are Chinese.

Thanks - I was going based on their CrunchBase report (https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/autel-robotics). And their LinkedIn page which says "Autel Robotics USA is headquartered in Bothell, WA."

Guess that's just their USA division. Just read that they laid off their US sales and marketing staff a few months ago too.
And actually even more interesting to me in a way that both companies are Chinese.

KlooGee Posted at 2018-5-19 23:31
In my opinion, competition in the marketplace is best for everybody involved. Even if you are a big fan of DJI (which I am), I would love to see Autel be very successful so as to help push DJI to be the best version of itself that it can be.  With no competition in the marketplace, it allows a company to stagnate and not push the boundaries of technology and help to drive prices down.

Fully agree with your statement...This market need 3 to 4 serious, big manufacturers to everyone's benefit...

Autel seems to be claiming they invented auto-pilot and counter rotating props. Thats insane

Danger Lampost Posted at 2018-5-20 08:29
Fascinating to read the "other side" of this forum, over on the AutelXPilots discussion here: https://autelxpilots.com/threads/autel-files-lawsuit-against-dji.1993/

I found this interesting video about DJI on that forum, specifically related to this patent issue:

THIS.  This is the video that i was looking for when I ran across this thread the first time!
Thank you for sharing this!!

Easily done .     

wow, again