Well, I went down a path for building a business around flying, my passion. Today is a milestone. I received my FAA 333 exemption!!! Wo Hoo!
But, I listed the Inspire 1 based on promises of autonomous flight. I tried to change the parameters as things eveloved to DROP the S900 include in original submission to no avail.
I also tried to include the 3dR X8+ and S1000 into my portfolio to no avail (last minute). I abandoned my initial convictions due to DJI "whatever" (won't go there now).

Now, I'm stuck! No autonomous flight capabilities and an amendment process (FAA) that will surely put potential clients aside. Thanks DJI for your empty promises!

I agree with you.  And it's the reason why I won't be buying any more DJI products.   I have had the frustration of dealing with phone support and email support 9 hours later with no phone support for online sales.  I'll enjoy what I have if possible and then wait for an american company.  I'm really floored as to why the inspire doesn't have ground station.  Wasn't this on the list since last November?

I don't understand - what happened with S900?

Please enlighten me - I read a lot on different forums about the lack of ground station support for Inspire 1. It seams like ground station support is a matter of life and death for some of your firms. Enlighten me - I have been flying ground station with my Phantom 2 Vision + V3. I do not miss it at all on my Inspire 1.

( besides this I for sure agree that DJI should keep that they promised)

nilsblix@gmail. Posted at 2015-6-12 01:03
Please enlighten me - I read a lot on different forums about the lack of ground station support for  ...

for mapping and photogrammetry autonomous flying is a must

I know its only a Beta version but you may want to scour the forums for the company that had an open list for testers to their SDK software for the I1 and P3.  In one thread they promised way points but that may not be deployed in the 2.0 Beta they are testing.

DJI hasn't unlocked this in the SDK from what I read.  Please tell me I am incorrect.

FoxSTI Posted at 2015-6-12 00:58
I don't understand - what happened with S900?

http://forum.dji.com/thread-16274-1-1.html
The above thread explains why I dumped the S900. I instead went with 3DR X8-M for mapping purposes since it is REQUIRED to have autonomous flight captures for Pix4D.
I also stated my commitment to AirialMediaPros for when I do decide to move on another business machine.
I do love the Inspire 1 BUT also demand the promised functionality NOW. They lost a single purchase to an X8-M (>$5k) due to their culture. I MAY consider them next time depending on their change for the better.As a foot note: There is NO way I would ever consider a Phantom of ANY flavor

InspireAggie Posted at 2015-6-12 02:03
DJI hasn't unlocked this in the SDK from what I read.  Please tell me I am incorrect.

No! read the fine print in the development and beta threads. The only elements under development are simple camera tricks to compete with the Solo, and only on iOS.
Autonomous flight is "mission" based and should have been available from day one had they not "modified" the A2 FC for the Inspire.

luismmorales@gm Posted at 2015-6-12 01:38
for mapping and photogrammetry autonomous flying is a must

Thank you

I know nothing about mapping and photogrammetry - but at least I now know why some are so keen to get autonomous flight.

I can't understand the rush. Lots of people complain about products being rushed out, and then in the same breath want things like Ground Station yesterday! If it didn't work and there were a load of flyaways as a result those same people would be on the forums complaining. If DJI does't offer what you need, then there are other UAVs available with controllers like Pix Hawk 2, but you'll have to build them yourself. Mapping etc is usually best done with a fixed wing anyway.

SimonMW Posted at 2015-6-12 02:28
I can't understand the rush. Lots of people complain about products being rushed out, and then in th ...

Did you read my post? I went and bought an X8-M running Pixhawk and arducopter. You are also mistaken in your belief that fixed wing is preferred. A quarry at 60m needs a copter to capture.
The Inspire 1 was marketed to have this from the beginning and they did not deliver. That forced me to purchase the X8 now because they did not deliver. The other part of the post deals with the fact that I now need to amend the original docs to add the X8 as an approved UAV since the Inspire will not perform the duties required.

skyvideoct Posted at 2015-6-12 02:06
http://forum.dji.com/thread-16274-1-1.html
The above thread explains why I dumped the S900. I inste ...

You don't need automonous flight for Pix4d to work.  I have used my I1 with it a few times for testing purposes.

skyvideoct Posted at 2015-6-12 02:06
http://forum.dji.com/thread-16274-1-1.html
The above thread explains why I dumped the S900. I inste ...

So I am guessing the reason you gave up the S900 / S1000 was due to the fact that you are disappointed (Iike many of us) with the company.

I have been considering a S900 for a few weeks for mapping too but I read somewhere that the waypoint system of photogrammatry tool will not take pictures between way points... not sure how true this is.

gds3d@comporium Posted at 2015-6-12 03:33
You don't need automonous flight for Pix4d to work.  I have used my I1 with it a few times for tes ...

Me too, but I have to admit (maybe because I am a new) that it is hard to fly in a straight line at a constant speed and take pictures. (nadir) - unless I am going something wrong.

The Inspire 1 was marketed to have this from the beginning and they did not deliver.

I'm not sure that's completely true. My recollection is that they have said from the beginning that this would come later. However they did say that it could replay a route that you had previously flown. If you rushed out to buy it or to build a business around something without having done the full research or tested the product to make sure it did what you wanted, then I am afraid that that was your risk to take.

FoxSTI Posted at 2015-6-12 04:10
Me too, but I have to admit (maybe because I am a new) that it is hard to fly in a straight line a ...

I fly a short distance, stop and take shot, fly, stop, shoot, fly, stop, shoot.  Really easy.  I keep the flight path on to see where I have been.

SimonMW Posted at 2015-6-12 18:20
My recollection is that they have said from the beginning that this would come later.

It was marketed as "coming soon," using their brand name, "Ground Station."  "Coming Soon" means a company has committed to producing it, not that they're considering doing so and may change their mind later.  So it would have been reasonable to read it as: DJI will be adding Ground Station capability to the Inspire within a short time (not throwing it out there via the SDK to the third-party development community).  Since this "Coming Soon" announcement was made in November when the Inspire became available to preorder but was not yet shipping (meaning the Inspire itself was "Coming Soon"), it was clearly intended to be relied upon for purchasing decisions in placing preorders.  Walking away from it now may not be actually unlawful (I think it is in some countries) but it's not good business, and that's putting it charitably.

In addition to the Ground Station, it was also marketed with a camera and gimbal that allowed for future camera developments such as Thermal Cameras etc. like what we have seen recently on the new M100 marketing videos, yet we still await these options for the Inspire.  I too purchased and pre-ordered on the back of Ground Station for surveying purposes and possibility of interchanging cameras, so I am like others waiting patiently.  

DJI did release a statement last month or was it April saying that it may only be a few months away.  I guess if they didn't deliver this there would be a raft of disgruntled customers looking for some recourse.  I just hope that when the Ground Station is released and I believe it will eventually, there isn't any hidden costs to acquire it.

"Coming Soon" means "Coming Soon". I didn't read it as meaning that it would be available at the time of release. I read it as meaning that it would be available some time down the line after a firmware update. You simply cannot blame DJI because they didn't release a feature based upon the timetable that was inside your head. There's absolutely no evidence at all to suggest that DJI have abandoned it other than people moaning on a forum. Enjoy what your Inspire can do now.

SimonMW Posted at 2015-6-14 02:36
"Coming Soon" means "Coming Soon". I didn't read it as meaning that it would be available at the tim ...

No one expected it at time of release.  We expected it "soon."  "Soon" typically means in a couple of months.  When something is expected to take longer, you generally get a forecast along the lines of "coming in May," "coming in the summer of 2015," "coming in 3Q 2015" etc.  In no PR lexicon anywhere does "soon" ever mean "we won't even be TALKING about this seven months from now."

Adobe did a presentation on Creative Cloud 2015 at NAB in April.  It was due out "soon."  We now know it is being released this coming week.  That's "soon."  Seven months without an announced release date is not "soon."  I don't know how many other ways to say this.

Pete,

I think thats about all you can say.  Those are the facts and we are simply at the mercy of DJI whilst they concentrate on new releases and continue to keep us hanging on indefinitely.

I agree with what you say, they first marketed this aircraft around October/ November 2014 and informed the public then of its intentions in regard to the possibilities and outline specifications and many placed their pre-orders on those statements and promises.  

I remember clearly after placing a pre-order that the release date was deferred until January after the first release batch had some flight issues and DJI said then they would prefer to hold off full release until they had resolved the issues then.  I think it was in regard to the camera and gimbal originally.  Perhaps in hindsight they should have deferred the release date further, but then it is a very competitive market and they wouldn't want their competitors taking over their hold on the market.

All we can do is wait patiently, as we have no control where this ship is heading.

It is still a risk that you take. There are so many other companies, from Blackmagic to Red who have promised things "soon" only to have them appear over a year later! The ball isn't in DJI's court. We don't know what sort of issues are going on behind the scenes (I very much doubt that the delay is simply due to DJI rubbing their hands trying to work out how best to make their customers angry!)

The scenario is simple. If you take a risk of a purchase based upon vapourware, knowing how many camera companies have promised features and haven't delivered in the past such as the examples above, then that is your risk. Pure and simple. You buy a product based on whether it will do what you need it to right now. If you purchase a product beforehand then it clearly doesn't do what you need it to. So why the hurry? Can't you wait until the feature is enabled and then make the purchase? That would seem to me to be the best business sense!

I too like many others purchased the Inspire based upon the GS and POI, if I had known coming soon meant 7-8 months I wouldn't have purchased it. Now that I know this I won't buy another DJI product. The Solo for half the price has more than the Inspire or the Phantom 3. Colin Guinn is making a statement and I can understand his motivation.

SimonMW Posted at 2015-6-14 17:08
So why the hurry? Can't you wait until the feature is enabled and then make the purchase?

You are leaving out the other side of the risk equation.  If you wait on acquiring the new product until all the announced features are in place, but your competition preorders and is already using the product when a firmware or software update enables the new features, they eat your lunch.

Hey Guys and Gals,

Not to sound like some conspiracy nut but, the whole thing, in my humble opinion, stinks of false advertising. The higher ups understand that there are still those consumers who are chomping at the bit yet, still on the fence of making the purchase. Some of those professionals and/or wannabes are waiting for one or more of the promised features to appear. Its seems they keep updating with "Coming Soon," "Coming Soon...we promise," "Coming Soon...maybe," to "Coming Soon...what's coming soon?"
It reminds me of the quirky sign you see in your favorite adult beverage hang out that reads, "FREE BEERS- TOMORROW".

Sorry to hear how bad news has trumped what should've been excellent news in your case, skyvideoct. A real shame. Hopefully, the process will be quicker than expected and things will be right soon.

-S.N.

My friend ordered a Solo, this is the confirmation he got. I have ordered so many things from DJI, never got any confirmation like this, nor a thank you, can't even get an answer except "I don't know" or "coming soon" when I keep asking about the GS or the POI for the Inspire, see below:
Great News!

Your Solo is being hand cared for by 1000 white-gloved workers, carefully placing Solo into it's package for a short nap before arriving on your doorstep. They are singing their departure lullabies, each worker feeling like they are sending their children off to college. Some even have tears in their eyes. Your Solo will ship between 6/15 to 6/25 and will arrive 4 to 5 days after shipment. Your Solo is ready for you and the wonderful adventures you'll have together! Thank you for being so patient with us, don't forget to visit and please write to us every once in awhile. We'll be thinking of you.

Happy Flying,
Your Solo team
#Fly3DR

That's great.   It's a lot better than we can't help you Best Regards