New Enterprise drones from Anzu Robotics with DJI hardware and Aloft software. Not Blue, not Green, but a way to skirt a possible DJI FCC ban.

[jaja6009]

Randall Warnas is behind the Raptor drones people have been talking about recently.
They are made with DJI hardware, built in Malaysia and use American software from Aloft.

They are around 40% more expensive than the DJI version, but at least if the DJI FCC ban happens, you can still have access to solid DJI Enterprise drones.

ANZU ROBOTICS

www.anzurobotics.com

If this works out I wouldn't be surprised if a M30 clone comes out too.

 

[adm_geomatics]

News of this started flying around our organization yesterday as we currently operate a large fleet of M3E's and M350's with RTK and a ban would put us in a really bad spot in Surveying and Construction. I also operate my own services company so I'm not so excited about the pricing but at least there's an option. We're currently trying to get a peek at the software platform as we already use Aloft for mission and fleet management so maybe there's an extra carrot there.

 

[Harley1905]

What needs to happen is them focus on implementing the software onto the already in use DJI drones. If DJI is working with them on using their technology this should be an easy implementation. Thus we can all breathe easy knowing our expensive drones don’t become paper weights.

 

[adm_geomatics]

What needs to happen is them focus on implementing the software onto the already in use DJI drones. If DJI is working with them on using their technology this should be an easy implementation. Thus we can all breathe easy knowing our expensive drones don’t become paper weights.

I would put money on the fact that unless DJI is secretly behind this venture that there is no way in hell they are going to share their proprietary code and in effect is why Aloft is involved. If you look at the situation in another way and the US govt were involved it could almost be reverse espionage.

 

[Harley1905]

I would put money on the fact that unless DJI is secretly behind this venture that there is no way in hell they are going to share their proprietary code and in effect is why Aloft is involved. If you look at the situation in another way and the US govt were involved it could almost be reverse espionage.

If I’m not mistaken now tho, third party software is already able to utilized on the DJI hardware, this would just be a more stable and suitable software from aloft. I also wouldn’t put it past DJI and Anzu creating a larger partnership to ensure the potential ban the us seems dead set on implementing doesn’t hurt them in the long run. There has to be a solution in the event the us grounds DJI and just selling a rebranded DJI at double to triple the cost to people who already spend thousands on a Dji isn’t a good idea.

 

[adm_geomatics]

If I’m not mistaken now tho, third party software is already able to utilized on the DJI hardware, this would just be a more stable and suitable software from aloft. I also wouldn’t put it past DJI and Anzu creating a larger partnership to ensure the potential ban the us seems dead set on implementing doesn’t hurt them in the long run. There has to be a solution in the event the us grounds DJI and just selling a rebranded DJI at double to triple the cost to people who already spend thousands on a Dji isn’t a good idea.

It seems that the US govt is serious enough about this that there will be controls in place to monitor Anzu activity with a high level of scrutiny. As far as access to the code goes 3rd party developers only have access to what DJI releases in the form of SDK's which is why more than 50% of internet traffic about DJI's is "can I map with x, or when will I be able to do such and such?" DJI played a risky game releasing their hardware and the currently available SDK's to that specific piece of hardware are already known and can easily be reverse-engineered if needed. I think the majority of us would rather that the USG and DJI come to some kind of agreement but it is what it is.

 

[jaja6009]

I am both happy and unhappy. On one hand we have an option of getting DJI's drones in the event of an FCC ban. This will allow for us to get the great DJI hardware.

On the other hand, the pricing will have us paying more. Also will the new software integrate into everything as it does now. I also hope that Flighthub 2 will still allow for integration as our organization uses and loves Flight Hub 2 with its free options and also for its pay per use structure.


On an off note, but not too far off, did the Tik Tok bill just get passed by being packaged in with the military aid package? This is what scares me with the FCC ban bill, that it will just get packaged in with other items and passed.

I have not purchased a needed M30T due to this FCC ban shadow lurking over us.

 

[adm_geomatics]

I am both happy and unhappy. On one hand we have an option of getting DJI's drones in the event of an FCC ban. This will allow for us to get the great DJI hardware.

On the other hand, the pricing will have us paying more. Also will the new software integrate into everything as it does now. I also hope that Flighthub 2 will still allow for integration as our organization uses and loves Flight Hub 2 with its free options and also for its pay per use structure.


On an off note, but not too far off, did the Tik Tok bill just get passed by being packaged in with the military aid package? This is what scares me with the FCC ban bill, that it will just get packaged in with other items and passed.

I have not purchased a needed M30T due to this FCC ban shadow lurking over us.

Totally agree. We use FH2 at work and I started using it for my personal business about 8 months ago and just now feel comfortable with it and having access to the new modes has been great. I'd use DroneDeploy but they just don't have their RTK workflow down yet and the inability to use my local base cuts it. On a brighter side I use Aloft in both places so there may be a silver lining.

 

[EhmayWuntee]

Just wanted to add this here in case others are not aware of some fairly decent points being brought up that may make it worth holding off on trusting Anzu to last long-term if you do work for government clients.

Letter at the bottom of this website.

Letter to Commerce Department and Anzu Robotics Exposing PRC Drone Company Masquerading as U.S. Firm

Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party wrote to the CEO of Anzu Robotics, demanding answers about his company’s relationship with People’s...

selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov

 

[adm_geomatics]

Just wanted to add this here in case others are not aware of some fairly decent points being brought up that may make it worth holding off on trusting Anzu to last long-term if you do work for government clients.

Letter at the bottom of this website.

Letter to Commerce Department and Anzu Robotics Exposing PRC Drone Company Masquerading as U.S. Firm

Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party wrote to the CEO of Anzu Robotics, demanding answers about his company’s relationship with People’s...

selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov

This is like 3 months old news and a joke. It's lobbyists freaking out because it appears to be the same hardware but the thing is that they took care of internal components if you take the time to look up their patent filings. The main point is the PCB which cannot be made in specific countries of origin, in this case China and they have already replaced that. Fact is this has the be the case to be NDAA or Blue. A PRC military drone company. F'g idiots.

 

[EhmayWuntee]

Some points such as the software callouts being still tied to DJI code and not 100% fresh like they claimed seems to be a good point and shady if true.

I'm just passing along info that wasn't posted in this thread that clearly applies. Obviously if a reply is provided by Anzu and other things develop, then they should be added too to keep it current.

 

[adm_geomatics]

Anzu's ownership is very active on LinkedIn for those that are interested in the latest. The founder actually lives in Austin and is a really nice guy but I don't know what is behind the curtain.

 

[Dave Pitman]

Just wanted to add this here in case others are not aware of some fairly decent points being brought up that may make it worth holding off on trusting Anzu to last long-term if you do work for government clients.

You have to understand that the article lists a lot of claims that are not supported by evidence. No official US entity has ever demonstrated that DJI drones are spying, period.

These elected representatives are politically, and lobbyist $$ motivated. I'm not saying that they won't succeed. But if enough politicians that are not on the payroll of DJI's competitors actually investigate the facts, this nonsense might end. Think about the hypocrisy in how they are happily engaging with the world through their phones made in China. The new iphone 16 is, by many reports, the most intrusive, snooping device ever. Apple is diversifying their assembly outside of China, but likely most of the parts are still manufactured in China . You don't see this CCP group going after Apple, or Google for that matter. Heck, Samsung should be trying to get these idiots to ban all the phones with significant manufacturing in China. Apparently, Samsung phones are mostly made in Vietnam.

 

[adm_geomatics]

You have to understand that the article lists a lot of claims that are not supported by evidence. No official US entity has ever demonstrated that DJI drones are spying, period.

These elected representatives are politically, and lobbyist $$ motivated. I'm not saying that they won't succeed. But if enough politicians that are not on the payroll of DJI's competitors actually investigate the facts, this nonsense might end. Think about the hypocrisy in how they are happily engaging with the world through their phones made in China. The new iphone 16 is, by many reports, the most intrusive, snooping device ever. Apple is diversifying their assembly outside of China, but likely most of the parts are still manufactured in China . You don't see this CCP group going after Apple, or Google for that matter. Heck, Samsung should be trying to get these idiots to ban all the phones with significant manufacturing in China. Apparently, Samsung phones are mostly made in Vietnam.

Apple Intelligence is some scary ****. We have become so desensitized to the idea that our phones are listening to us that the company now has the balls to market the fact that the phone is performing reconnaissance in order to profile not only us, but those around us and the devices will be working together. If that’s not Skynet, I don’t know what is.

As if this isn’t bad enough phones are not even the number one import from China although they account for $50 billion of it. The number one import is the umbrella of digital automation systems, which mostly includes computers and servers. We’re worried about a piece of hardware that can easily be outsourced having the firmware and software rewritten and controlled, and we are buying full-blown computers that connect directly to the Internet on purpose because we can’t afford to produce at scale domestically. This is what happens when you combine capitalism with greed.

 

[Dave Pitman]

Apple Intelligence is some scary ****. We have become so desensitized to the idea that our phones are listening to us that the company now has the balls to market the fact that the phone is performing reconnaissance in order to profile not only us, but those around us and the devices will be working together. If that’s not Skynet, I don’t know what is.

Absolutely. The idea that folks are paying for this is bizarre. Apparently, the iphone 16 continues to surveil it's surroundings even when it is "turned off"; crazy.

 

[adm_geomatics]

Additional information from DJI's perspective.

Get The Facts: DJI’s Relationship with Anzu Robotics

Dispel misconceptions about DJI and the ban bill in the US. Learn about the potential impact on operators and businesses, and how DJI addresses false allegations.

viewpoints.dji.com