Hello, again, from Vantage HQ! If you’ve been following our progress closely, you know that we competed in the Extreme Tech Challenge. Now that everything has wrapped up, we wanted to give you a recap, but first of all, we won!
Here’s the full story:
Last fall, Vantage Robotics, along with over 1300 other startups, entered the XTC competition. XTC is a tech challenge that allows young companies to be recognized and attract investment from leading tech luminaries. In November of 2016, the top twenty-five contestants were announced. We made it to this round, and were further interviewed by a panel of XTC judges.
Of those twenty-five, Vantage was selected to be one of the top ten companies invited to come to CES in Las Vegas last month. Our co-founders flew out and presented to another panel of judges (you can read up about this and watch the video on an earlier blogpost, https://vantagerobotics.com/news/off-necker-island). We qualified as one of the top three companies out of these ten. We were invited to the final round, where we would present to a panel of industry leaders on Richard Branson’s private island in the Caribbean! The list of judges included Sir Richard Branson himself, venture capitalist, founder and CEO of Breyer Capital, Jim Breyer, Veteran software entrepreneur and founder of C3 loT, Tom Siebel, Managing Partner of Aspect Ventures, Theresia Gouw, CTO for the Hillary for America campaign, Steph Hannon and COO of the iTutor Group Jerry Huang.
Last week Tobin and Joe made the trip to Necker Island, and presented with two other incredible companies, ReDeTec and Cresilon. ReDeTec makes a device that recycles plastic to create 3d printing filaments, while Cresilon has created a gel that can stop massive bleeding in seconds. You can watch the whole presentation, along with a shorter recap from all of the 10 qualifiers from CES here:
https://www.facebook.com/extremetechchallenge/videos/1219381101449435/
After the presentations, the judges went away to deliberate. The judges used the following criteria for their decision:
-Is the company well timed for competing in a large and fast growing market?
-Does the team have the track record and experience to achieve their goals?
-Can this venture create an exceptional capital return for investors?
ReDeTec came in third place, leaving the top two remaining contestants neck and neck. That is when the man himself, Sir Branson, took the mic. Here is some of what he said about Vantage:
[The judges] felt there was a fantastic intensity around the Vantage team. They thought is
was wonderful the way they [Vantage] have driven toward simplicity. Obviously in my opinion
actually, I think the market is very large. And I just love the product. And the fact that it
won’t cut your head off is an advantage as well.
We must admit, hearing one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world say, “I just love the product”, sent tingles down our spines!
In the end, we edged out Cresilon with a score of 202-200, to take home first prize! After a short speech from Tobin, the whole party was surprised with a performance by Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys. You can watch the award ceremony and Tobin’s speech here (sorry, no Mix Master Mike performance though).
https://www.facebook.com/extremetechchallenge/videos/1219452494775629/
So, what did we win? According to XTC, their mission is to “empower entrepreneurs and their companies with visibility, resources and a rolodex that together, bring a company more visibility, the ability to scale at low to no incremental cost, and to surround entrepreneurs with mentors that can help them build on product success with business success“. We’ve already started to experience the power of connecting to this super hero squad of the business world. Richard Branson and Virgin have been a personal hero and role model for us and the opportunity to engage with him like this is a dream come true. With the backing that comes from our XTC win, we have a suite of connections, and vetted validation to our name. This helps immensely with fundraising, hiring, and partnerships, the key elements needed to continue to improve Snap and create an amazing experience for you.
We are deeply honored and excited to take home that flamingo trophy, and want to give a huge shout out to all the other contestants as well as a massive thank you to the whole Extreme Tech Challenge team.
After the event, Tobin and Joe didn’t have too much time to lounge around on the island (no kiteboarding for either of them this time). We spent our last day in the Caribbean tuning the virtual wire and free form tracking modes from the best office location we think we’ll ever experience – a small beach outside of our hotel. You can see all of them on our new vimeo channel, but here are some of the highlights.
We set this shot up using an upward angled virtual wire. The upward wire angle and crossing back and forth under the wire creates a bit of movement between camera and subject, which adds more visual variation than straight tracking shots. This was shot in 4k 30, raw footage from camera. There were fairly strong offshore winds, so water was flat, but Snap was getting hit hard by gusts. Thanks to gimbal, there’s no sign of the wind or Snap’s rapid attitude changes to maintain position.
This next video is shot in some seriously high wind – enough to kiteboard! We still see a bit of yaw movement in these extreme wind conditions; we are making steady progress on this and expect it to continue to improve.
The rest of the team continues to power through getting Snap ready to ship. We will be sending out a post later this week with updates on our manufacturing ramp and shipping timing.
As always, thank you for following our progress and all the great words of encouragement and feedback we hear from so many of you. This journey has taken us to more places than we ever expected, but the destination remains unwavering – creating the world’s best flying camera that you can take with you anywhere, use anytime, and see the world in an entirely new way. Thank you for being a part of this journey.
Until soon,
Tobin, Joe, and the rest of the Vantage team
© 2024 Vantage Robotics
I know you pulled this post early but could you not also have resurrected the comments we all made?.
Sorry Gizmo, a bunch of comments were lost due to a wordpress bug.
When you say “4K 30, raw footage” does that mean 4k 30frames per second in the raw unprocessed format?
Can this drone take raw format photos and video?
If so then my excitement has just got up to level 11.
‘raw’ as in unedited, not ‘RAW’ as in the file type. Snap will take RAW photos, but not RAW video.
Also Sorry to be a pain guys & girls but when are we going to have the update re the end of Beta testing & the supposed pre orders starting to be shipped on 01st March as I’m sure that most of us hanging in there want to know please?.
This is not a negative post but rather the opposite as I’m desperate to get flying like yourselves & get in on the fun for myself!.
We are drafting a shipping update now.
Are you raw images recorded in 8, 12, or 14bit?
12
Thanks James, fingers crossed!.
I just thought of a very important simple addition to your flight software (if not already there). In regards to automated missions (out and back, wire, and such) can you add a user defined count down timer before the mission starts. This way instead of getting footage of us messing with a phone in the bush we can setup our mission, put the phone away, carry on with the relevant activities then the flight mission begins. I believe this would be an indispensable function for self filming.
Cool suggestion. We don’t have this feature now, but have talked about this before and totally agree. Right now, the best you can do is setup your mission, get ready for your shot, then hit the one ‘start flight’ button as you casually put your phone in your pocket. We have done this maneuver before and it works pretty good. But a basic countdown seems like a good idea.
Pre-Ordered in September of 2015. STILL, no delivery as of February 2017.
very nice that you guys won !
Congrats!
But one question:
When can I finally expect my very own drone which I’ve orded almost a year ago ?!?!?
Thanks Jan! We are scaling up production now, and will post another update about this next week.
I ordered Snap when I was 69 in March I will be 71 I’d like to get Snap before I have Alzheimer s And forget I ordered it and what it is for.
I’ll be on the road traveling for the summer starting in March I would like to have it to document My travels I already missed last summer and the Fall colors in the mountains last year that I had planned on.
Are we going to be able to send Snap off in Autonomous to do Multi waypoints around a few Points of interest and tell it when and where to point the camera as it goes by the POIs?
Looking forward to the videos and photos I can get with it in out of the way places.
Right now, we are trying to make our autonomous flights as simple and easy to use as possible. They will only have one POI. We may decide to unlock more complicated flights in the future though.
Since previous comments got deleted, I will say congratulations again guys! Well deserved. To develop a consumer drone that offers unique features in this day and age is amazing and clearly the judges at XTC also agree. I still believe that Snap is far superior to Mavic in many ways. Here is hoping that Snap will come to market in the next few weeks / next month so that it can show the world was it is truly capable of. I keep saying this but I think that this next update is a real crucial one.
Kevin
Thanks Kevin!
Thanks for the reply.
I am hanging in there for Snap I think it will be a very capable machine. But you seem to be falling way behind the competition on Software for it. I am sure you will improve on that once they are shipping. Or maybe you can let Litchi make a 3rd party control App for it. Their App for Mavic is far better the DJI’s.
Looking forward to flying Snap.
Thanks Gary
We like hackers, and have talked about opening up our software to third parties in the future. Right now though, we are just focusing on our own software and not opening it up to other parties.
You guys mentioned how necker island would be second to the priority of getting snap out and fulfilling the “70% chance” of snap shipping March 1. Also, you claimed to keep us more updated on if this would change. Well, 3 weeks later, and all you have done is talk about Necker Island. My money says your next update will say something along the lines of “we are sorry we didn’t meet the March 1 projection, but there was a 30% chance this would happen…. however, we are just a few short weeks away from shipping!”
And my money is still on a fall shipping date.
Congrats!! amazing win for you guys & Snap – I just knew RB would love the safety aspects (& just maybe Snap’s red & white colouring was an unintended master stroke!!) and you do have a great product that not only looks great but also appears so convenient to take on adventures and solves the ongoing ‘breaking of bits’ problems when the inevitable crashes happen.
I’m sure the fellas back at the office aren’t just sipping lattés and eating smashed avo all day, so keep up the great work and to borrow an Americanism, we’re all rooting for you over here in Australia 😉
Cheers Russell
Thanks Russell!
You won! That is great and it says a lot about what snap should be when it ships. Yet this doesn’t seem like the time for celebrating the fact that your idea has merit and viability, after all, we have reached the same conclusion quite some time ago.
Since the last time you skillfully (or at least good humoredly) avoided my rant I have been waiting for your promised regular updates. Yet it has been over three weeks since the end of January (read beginning of February) update. Until my last post I had been good tempered, though direct, in my previous messages. I have enjoyed your vimeo channel and it has kept me off your. However you have pushed us to the limit and beyond with your repeated inability to be honest and transparent with your progress.
– We are still non the wiser as to what is actually causing your delays.
– We still have no idea about beta progress
– We still have no realistic idea when you will be shipping
– We still have not had a comprehensive list of what specs will be ready on shipping.
– you have failed to demonstrate in any way that you intend to handle this situation better in the future.
What is going to change? How are we meant to trust you? I have asked plenty of questions over these blogs that would have allowed for an open and frank answer that would develop trust, yet you always seem to have marketing over-ruling common decency. You have yet to give us, your supporters, the simple respect of admitting that you guys have screwed up (any admission always has a suitable excuse). Messing up isn’t unusual, neither for big nor little fish especially when it comes to schedules and responsibilities (I challenge anyone reading this to honestly claim they have never screwed up). So I am left wondering why am I still waiting around faithfully?
Spring is coming, I have intended to use snap for both work and pleasure, yet I have embarked on several new projects since snap was meant to be around and my kids certainly haven’t stopped growing up. As you happily point out, the best camera is the one you have with you, which makes Snap sound fairly crap right now. Instead of getting some thing else, I have wasted my money and time on you guys. I don’t want to hear that I can get my money back, we have a faith contract. I have put up my money, you have promised to deliver a great product. Ok, so you had delays, that is fine. Then a few more problems, no problem for me, I can wait. Then some other issues (now I’m starting to have some issues too). Then some more issues (same here)! And now we are here, still waiting, admittedly, with a promise of an extra battery (At least those who have been waiting the longest). Yet you have not delivered anything! You don’t even get the updates out before being harangued.
I have tried writing this message several times in the last week, however every time I get near the end I can’t finish it. I don’t feel positive about seeing snap soon, I don’t expect a decent answer, I certainly won’t feel better after publishing this (I cant convince myself that 900$ is the right price to pay for feeling like an angry dick) and I don’t want to end with anything rude.
I don’t believe that you guys are bad people, I understand you are on a learning curve, I even understand the reasoning for the tone and limited responsibility in your posts (assuming I am guessing right) and I don’t believe you were out on Necker island learning how to launder all our money.
I get that you guys are human, but it seems that maybe you have forgotten that we are human too.
I don’t need a big fancy reply. I just need an update that has some kind of meaning. I want to know how you are progressing, where you are heading, why things are what they are and how you are solving them. I know that we are not your investors, but we are invested in this project too.
If it helps Marcus they said they will start production this Wednesday the 1st. They also said a shipping update is coming this week.
My money is on the new update being on Wednesday stating that Beta is over and in production phase. If they were not on track they would have told us already as bad news doesn’t get better with time.
Thanks Chris, I wish it helped and I couldn’t agree more with your sentiments, however a quick look at the blog history shows that vr are of a different opinion. I am impressed that you still have faith in them. I still have faith in the product, but the teams refusal meet their own update deadlines leaves me thinking that they have just got used being late and aren’t bothered anymore. March 1st would be nice and it even fits with my own calculations as feasibly realistic however, from experience, vr will be coming back with yet another “short delay” happily pointing out that yet again they did say there was a chance.
This isn’t unreasonable, you only have to look at their posts and replies to see a list of broken promises, unrealistic expectations and a lot of talk that doesn’t really say much at all.
If production is to start March 1st, then there could have been a recent post to reassure us, there could at least be some feed back from beta testers if they are out of beta and about to start shipping, maybe some more photos of manufacturing equipment, a hint at the packaging or even some reviews as the product is obviously ready.
But no, almost a month since their last promise to keep us updated and all we really hear about is how great they did at xtc (even that took sometime until this blog was first posted).
Thanks Chris, I wish it helped and I couldn’t agree more with your sentiments, however a quick look at the blog history shows that vr are of a different opinion. I am impressed that you still have faith in them. I still have faith in the product, but the teams refusal meet their own update deadlines leaves me thinking that they have just got used being late and aren’t bothered anymore.
March 1st would be nice and it even fits with my own calculations as feasibly realistic however, from experience, vr will be coming back with yet another “short delay” happily pointing out that yet again they did say there was a chance of delaying further.
This isn’t unreasonable, you only have to look at their posts and replies to see a list of broken promises, unrealistic expectations and a lot of talk that doesn’t really say much at all.
If production really is due to start March 1st, then there could have been a recent post to reassure us, there could at least be some feed back from beta testers if they are out of beta and about to start shipping, maybe some more photos of manufacturing equipment, a hint at the packaging or even some reviews as the product is obviously ready.
But no, almost a month since their last promise to keep us updated and all we really hear about is how great they did at xtc (even that took sometime until this blog was first posted).
Hello Marcus,
By no means did the XTC pause our drive. No vacations are being had before pre-sale units are shipped. I know we have gone back and forth on different blog comments for some time, but cannot remember your last post, so cannot speak to any skillful avoidance there.
Your note gives the impression that we have had zero contact with our customers, and have given no hint about what is going on. Last month, we sent out a comprehensive email with a ton of detail regarding all of these questions that you just posted. We addressed issues regarding delays, the status of our beta program, our best guess regarding shipping, all the major features that will and won’t be ready, and answered several other questions you did not ask. “However, the responsibility for maintaining the schedule is ultimately ours and we accept full responsibility” is a direct quote from that entry, acknowledging our shortcomings. Further, we opened up a private vimeo channel for people to see our progress.
The fact is that there is a lot going on, and its more important to solve problems than to write about each one. We have tried to be open and honest with our customers while also keeping healthy relationships with our partners, and staying predominantly focused on our main task of getting these units ready. Drafting a letter to our customers that we post on our blog takes time and energy away from other projects. We try to post something once a month. We posted something on XTC mid month, but have not made any promises regarding a schedule for this. We are drafting another update now, and should be posting it in the next day or two. The gist of it will say that production is up, but not at 100%.
It is understandable that you are tired of waiting, and are frustrated. And if you want to vent, then go ahead. We do listen. But, in the last week, you accused us of not respecting or caring for our customers, lacking common decency, being untrustworthy, and happily excusing ourselves from broken promises. We clearly disagree with all of these accusations, but assume that most of that is trying to harangue us into a response. Responding to these accusations will not lead to any productive conversation, and will not be addressed here. We do really appreciate hearing your thoughts though. Thanks for taking the time to share them.
You nailed.
Their history of disrespect and lame excuses leaves me with the same expectation as yours. On Wednesday they will write yet another blog post speaking of tiny tiny delays. We are almost there.
Just for a fun fact. I traveled in oct/ Nov 2016 and was given great confidence by VR, that the product will be delivered on time. That’s 4 months ago. Since then always the same story.
What really drives me nuts: how unprofessional VR handles their PR. Last week a post was supposed to be published and of course they failed. I draw the conclusion, that they handle production as good as PR and that’s why Snap won’t see the day of light soon.
I have a personal deadline. In case they cross that line, im taking my refund a buy a MAvic. Those things just fly awesomely and I can buy them w/o any hassle with customs online or at Apple.
Sorry you are upset Dirk. The information we are given has changed, and unforeseen problems are hard to schedule. We post blog update about once a month. With XTC, we posted one a bit early this month, but will still send out an update regarding shipping soon.
This was an answer that James gave on the End of Jan post stating that production would start on 01st March but not full blown.
Hopefully the next post will confirm this so we can all start having fun with our very own Snap’s!.
Fingers crossed.
James Squires Post author
February 22, 2017 at 1:20 pm
REPLY
Sorry Tim. We just sent out an update on the XTC, and are working on another update regarding shipments. We are scaling up our production and are shipping out more units every week. Might not be at 100% production by the first, but still plan on filling the bulk of pre-orders in March/April.
VR,
Simply, I warned you guys to keep us better updated. You even noted my statement. However, you obviously have failed… and you are reaping some pissed off people. Like stated above, all you had to do was post a simple update prior to March 1. You said you would. BUT YOU HAVENT. How do you expect people to have faith in a complex product if you can’t keep a simple promise?
My money is still on a fall shipment (hopefully, unless you guys are another lily). And if you are another lily, oh boy, all those false promises are gonna come back to bite you hard…..
Scott,
We understand that you want more updates, and are frustrated. We will be sending out another update shortly. But the fact is that posting blog updates takes time that can be spent on crucial development issues. Sending out one update a month takes up substantially less time than smaller, weekly updates would. That may not be what you would prefer, but it the reality at this time. In the end, people will be happier if we can ship faster, which is where we are focused. Believe it or not, Snap will be shipping before Fall, and this is an exciting time. It will be more exciting for all of us when you are flying. Until then, we thank you for your patience.
Hey, I don’t want to take away from everyone’s frustration. I support and empathize with all of you. Did you guys see the tracking video of the mountain biker going down hill. OMG! That is the most amazing drone tracking that I have ever seen like ever. Go on youtube and search for “DJI Mavic follow me”, “DJI Phantom Follow me” or “DJI active track” and you will not find anything that comes close to that. Eeeeeeeeeeek. So exciting! Go team go! Go team go!
This one: https://vimeo.com/205729294
I agree kevin. Ever since they posted the video of them walking up and down the hill showing off the elevation change I wondered how it would work with a faster moving subject. These are the kind of shots, in my opinion that make snap awesome and worth waiting for. Yea, I have been waiting a year to get it, but after seeing all the vimeo videos and what it’s capable of I think it is well worth the wait. Keep up the good work and can’t wait for the update this week. Hopefully some good shipping news!?
Thanks Joe!
And of course no responses. Pretty cowardly VR. Unfulfilling all these promises. As stated above, how can someone trust your complex product if you can’t even keep the promise of a simple update.
Sorry Scott. I would like to spend some time in order to make a thoughtful and productive response to your comments, but have had my plate full with several other pressing issues. We will be sending an update and I will try to respond to any questions you have asap.
Scott, we’re all in the same boat with regards to being frustrated about the delays. However, James has continued to promptly answer my email questions even during this time when there hasn’t been any replies on the blog. What I’ve noticed with VR is, there’s about a week of no replies on the blog when they’re working on a big update… as they’ve already said there’s an update coming I’m taking this ‘silence’ to mean there’s news coming any day now.
ok Paul, i like ur take on the James post, i too really enjoyed the boat tracking videos. Before i forget James…will a iphone 6 work for operating Snap when it ships? or so i need the larger iphone 6 plus 5.7 inch screen? just wondering, its not shipping with android yet right? welp, here’s to hearing something positive for us holder-onner’s (Note: VR Guys—its getting harder for me to brag about something that i dont have in my hands, im just sayin).
Thanks Chuck. iPhone 6 will be fine.
ok Paul, i like ur take on the James post, i too really enjoyed the boat tracking videos. Before i forget James…will a iphone 6 work for operating Snap when it ships? or so i need the larger iphone 6 plus 5.7 inch screen? just wondering, its not shipping with android yet right? welp, here’s to hearing something positive for us holder-onner’s (Note: VR Guys—its getting harder for me to brag about something that i dont have in my hands, im just sayin).
Thanks Chuck. iPhone 6 will be fine.
You took the time to respond to my post, but yet provided no substance to why you guys YET AGAIN MISSED A SHIPPING DATE. Granted, you claimed it would be a “70% chance” it would ship, but I called it a 100% chance you were bsing based on past posts. You guys deserve to be called out on this. It is March 1st. Almost one year since you said this would ship. Yet another missed shipping date.
I’ve been reading these posts for over a year now. I too was one of you that invested in the Snap. I ordered mine over a year ago after seeing it and holding it in my hands at the CES show. It was impressive and was quite promising to be like no other. I bit and ordered mine a couple of weeks after the CES show. Even back then, over a year ago now, these delays were happening. I had my doubts that it would happen in the spring, summer, fall, etc. I worked in the R&D manufacturing and high volume manufacturing business for over ten years at HP. I questioned them about the delays. They always answered. I knew there was no way they would meet the schedule based on the information they were putting on the table. Design revs take a lot of time. Each rev on a plastic part means the mold used in the injection mold process has to be modified if not totally redesigned. That’s not an overnight process. There is a lot of testing and QA inspection that has to be performed before it can go into production. The electronics can be a nightmare.
I think a lot of you need to realize this is a small startup company. They are not an HP or DJI with huge manufacturing abilities.
I threw in the cards around June of last year knowing I wouldn’t see a finished product for some time. They (VR) were credible in the sense that they gave me a refund within a day or two.
I’ve since owned a couple of other MRs. Notably the 3DR Solo. That is a fantastic machine. It does the smart shots, follow me etc. I don’t think the Snap offers any mode the Solo doesn’t do. The Solo however has its shortcomings.
What I’m amazed at is the folks on here that are nearly threatening VR because the product isn’t ready yet. Really?? If I were VR I would cancel your order immediately. That is rediculous. If that is how you present yourself then I wouldn’t want you to display my product to anyone. You sound like spoiled little kids.
Yeah, maybe they are taking to long in your opinion. They took to long for me. What did I do? I canceled my order. Done!
If your not happy and don’t like the way it’s being handled then cancel. Don’t threaten the folks.
You can always buy it later if it does finally release for production. Chances are you will move on to something different.
This isn’t the only product out there. It certainly won’t be the last.
Don.
I’ve been reading these posts for over a year now. I too was one of you that invested in the Snap. I ordered mine over a year ago after seeing it and holding it in my hands at the CES show. It was impressive and was quite promising to be like no other. I bit and ordered mine a couple of weeks after the CES show. Even back then, over a year ago now, these delays were happening. I had my doubts that it would happen in the spring, summer, fall, etc. I worked in the R&D manufacturing and high volume manufacturing business for over ten years at HP. I questioned them about the delays. They always answered. I knew there was no way they would meet the schedule based on the information they were putting on the table. Design revs take a lot of time. Each rev on a plastic part means the mold used in the injection mold process has to be modified if not totally redesigned. That’s not an overnight process. There is a lot of testing and QA inspection that has to be performed before it can go into production. The electronics can be a nightmare.
I think a lot of you need to realize this is a small startup company. They are not an HP or DJI with huge manufacturing abilities.
I threw in the cards around June of last year knowing I wouldn’t see a finished product for some time. They (VR) were credible in the sense that they gave me a refund within a day or two.
I’ve since owned a couple of other MRs. Notably the 3DR Solo. That is a fantastic machine. It does the smart shots, follow me etc. I don’t think the Snap offers any mode the Solo doesn’t do. The Solo however has its shortcomings.
What I’m amazed at is the folks on here that are nearly threatening VR because the product isn’t ready yet. Really?? If I were VR I would cancel your order immediately. That is rediculous. If that is how you present yourself then I wouldn’t want you to display my product to anyone. You sound like spoiled little kids.
Yeah, maybe they are taking to long in your opinion. They took to long for me. What did I do? I canceled my order. Done!
If your not happy and don’t like the way it’s being handled then cancel. Don’t threaten the folks.
You can always buy it later if it does finally release for production. Chances are you will move on to something different.
This isn’t the only product out there. It certainly won’t be the last.
Don.
Don,
Well said. Good advice.
V/r
Tibor
Don,
Well said. Good advice.
V/r
Tibor
Thanks Don, I needed that, will keep on keeping on, difference i’ll not be cancelling, goona ride this one out, its gonna be sooow worth, again, tks Don!
Thanks Chuck!
Thanks Don, I needed that, will keep on keeping on, difference i’ll not be cancelling, goona ride this one out, its gonna be sooow worth, again, tks Don!
Thanks Chuck!
Don,
If it’s a given that there is no way this product would be released when they claim it will be released, then why do they get away with false claims? They deserve the criticism.
Don,
If it’s a given that there is no way this product would be released when they claim it will be released, then why do they get away with false claims? They deserve the criticism.
Don,
Great post.
James,
Thanks for the courteous replies as normal, also it was nice for you to put a teaser into your reply to Marcus about delivery “The gist of it will say that production is up, but not at 100%.”.
I’m looking forward to the full update, I’ve put a very nice bottle of Plonk put to one side to celebrate with should it be the news we are hoping for & if not no issues.
OK so maybe I’m lying as we would all be over the moon to get our Snap this month, however I would rather wait a little longer to make sure I receive a stable platform rather than rush things through now when we are so close to the end.
Or should I rephrase that & say so close to you getting back on the treadmill after a brief pause to pat yourselves on the back & working hard on the future accessories which made me excited about the Snap from when I first became aware of it!.
Thanks Gizmo!
Don,
Great post.
James,
Thanks for the courteous replies as normal, also it was nice for you to put a teaser into your reply to Marcus about delivery “The gist of it will say that production is up, but not at 100%.”.
I’m looking forward to the full update, I’ve put a very nice bottle of Plonk put to one side to celebrate with should it be the news we are hoping for & if not no issues.
OK so maybe I’m lying as we would all be over the moon to get our Snap this month, however I would rather wait a little longer to make sure I receive a stable platform rather than rush things through now when we are so close to the end.
Or should I rephrase that & say so close to you getting back on the treadmill after a brief pause to pat yourselves on the back & working hard on the future accessories which made me excited about the Snap from when I first became aware of it!.
Thanks Gizmo!
I was just watching the newest 6 vimeo videos. I noticed a significant amount of wobble/shuddering side to side in these, it look heinous. Has this issue or will this issue be fixed before shipping?
I was just watching the newest 6 vimeo videos. I noticed a significant amount of wobble/shuddering side to side in these, it look heinous. Has this issue or will this issue be fixed before shipping?
Going off what Chris said, I know snap has a 2 axis gimble plus electronic stabilization. Is the electronic stabilization turned on in these vimeo videos? I agree with Chris about some significant side wobble and was just wondering if the electronic stabilization would fix this. Hopefully it wasn’t on and once on it will fix this issue. Thanks
The EIS was not enabled on these videos.
Is there any benefits of having EIS disabled over always having it enabled?
Is there any benefits of having EIS disabled over always having it enabled?
There is a small cropping margin when you use EIS, so it won’t be possible in 4k. We have been tuning our EIS as well as our motor controller, so haven’t been shooting with EIS.
So I’m in New Dehli now, about to go see Taj Mahal and the Pink City… if only I had a people safe 4k drone to document these trips ?
Even an update would be nice, hows last weeks update? Any update on the update?
Sounds like a awesome trip, and just in time for Holi! Sorry we are missing out here.
So I’m in New Dehli now, about to go see Taj Mahal and the Pink City… if only I had a people safe 4k drone to document these trips ?
Even an update would be nice, hows last weeks update? Any update on the update?
Sounds like a awesome trip, and just in time for Holi! Sorry we are missing out here.
March 6. Captians log. No words from VR about shipping updates.
March 6. Captians log. No words from VR about shipping updates.
1 week since the latest release date and you haven’t even produced a simple excuse as to why you have delayed again.
1 week since the latest release date and you haven’t even produced a simple excuse as to why you have delayed again.
it is really shocking the way VR deals with this issue – in public ! If I would be an investor in VR I would really let them be either much more open and responsive to their potential buyers – or we would be dealing with a really bad situation….
Friday is my deadline – a refund would be next (but perhaps too late) -9/9/15 was my payment made – but a last reliable email from VR seems almost that long ago too…
Don,
I am sorry you feel that we are whining. I would suggest that expecting a company to start communicating thoroughly as they them selves have repeatedly said they would is not unreasonable. The fact that a chain of delays is always accompanied by another set of unrealistic timetables implies that vr is either not learning it’s lessons or are deliberately being over optimistic.
James,
If you would actually provide an update in a timely manner, you might have a leg to stand on. Apologies for delays mean nothing when you are still running late and not keeping in touch.
The majority of negative comments are coming long after an expected update. If you feel we are being unfair I would suggest that you read through your posts and your replies to see where you are repeatedly failing to meet your own expectations.
Where is the update you keep on promising?
If you have started production but are not yet at 100%, how many units are you currently making a day?
Previous comments are not simply venting frustration, vr have consistently failed to meet their commitments and you should be making the effort to keep us updated about progress as you have promised. As you are not doing so it seems reasonable that your customers remind you about it. Not surprisingly we will highlight the areas where we feel you are not providing enough information reliable and regularly enough.
We appreciate your enthusiasm and involvement over these last few months Marcus. However, this conversation we are currently in is not being productive. I could try to pick apart each comment you made, and either defend or apologize as I go down the list, but doubt that any of it would surprise you or change your opinion. We acknowledge that you are upset and would like more information on several issues related Snap. We apologize for any delays and are working as hard as we possibly can to get you flying ASAP. Another update will be coming out shortly. If you have more to say on this topic, please email us at contact@vantagerobotics.com.
Don,
I am sorry you feel that we are whining. I would suggest that expecting a company to start communicating thoroughly as they them selves have repeatedly said they would is not unreasonable. The fact that a chain of delays is always accompanied by another set of unrealistic timetables implies that vr is either not learning it’s lessons or are deliberately being over optimistic.
James,
If you would actually provide an update in a timely manner, you might have a leg to stand on. Apologies for delays mean nothing when you are still running late and not keeping in touch.
The majority of negative comments are coming long after an expected update. If you feel we are being unfair I would suggest that you read through your posts and your replies to see where you are repeatedly failing to meet your own expectations.
Where is the update you keep on promising?
If you have started production but are not yet at 100%, how many units are you currently making a day?
Previous comments are not simply venting frustration, vr have consistently failed to meet their commitments and you should be making the effort to keep us updated about progress as you have promised. As you are not doing so it seems reasonable that your customers remind you about it. Not surprisingly we will highlight the areas where we feel you are not providing enough information reliable and regularly enough.
We appreciate your enthusiasm and involvement over these last few months Marcus. However, this conversation we are currently in is not being productive. I could try to pick apart each comment you made, and either defend or apologize as I go down the list, but doubt that any of it would surprise you or change your opinion. We acknowledge that you are upset and would like more information on several issues related Snap. We apologize for any delays and are working as hard as we possibly can to get you flying ASAP. Another update will be coming out shortly. If you have more to say on this topic, please email us at contact@vantagerobotics.com.
These guys are pretty much playing the same game that lily did. Repeated delays. Promised bogus updates. Posted videos, but no substantial truth behind them. And now, total silence…..
Scott, we look at the comment section of our blog every day. It seems as though you post about as frequently. The fact is that we HAVE posted updates in the past, and WILL post more in the future. We are not malicious liars, and there is no great deception in play here. Everyone here is working incredibly hard to get this very complicated piece of new tech off the ground. If you have anything new or constructive to comment, please do. But I have run out of ways of telling you that we are not Lily and we will be shipping before Fall.
These guys are pretty much playing the same game that lily did. Repeated delays. Promised bogus updates. Posted videos, but no substantial truth behind them. And now, total silence…..
Scott, we look at the comment section of our blog every day. It seems as though you post about as frequently. The fact is that we HAVE posted updates in the past, and WILL post more in the future. We are not malicious liars, and there is no great deception in play here. Everyone here is working incredibly hard to get this very complicated piece of new tech off the ground. If you have anything new or constructive to comment, please do. But I have run out of ways of telling you that we are not Lily and we will be shipping before Fall.
Please give us an update today!
Thanks for your patience here Paul. Update is coming.
Please give us an update today!
Thanks for your patience here Paul. Update is coming.
They have to have a Good Product if Richard Branson gave them first place. So they had to show and tell him more than they are telling us. So I am going to stick with it for a little bit longer. I paid over a year ago so I hope I’ll be among the first to get mine. About 2 more weeks May be my limit. I need a fast and hard date on when I will get SNAP.
Thanks Gary.
I have been reading all the blog posts about progress and all the comments over the past year. I try to keep patient and was expecting significant delays with a start up company and its first product. I didnt worry about that because for a variety of reasons I had confidence on this company’s ability to deliver the product at some point, and I liked the product they were promising.
James Squires must have a difficult job trying to reassure but not over promise. I totally understand that. And really he has done a very good job all around. But by setting specific expectations about even something a easy to deliver as an update at a specific time, and then failing to do so is starting to erode my confidence.
Some examples in this post alone:
James Squires Post author
February 22, 2017 at 1:26 pm
We are drafting a shipping update now.
—
James Squires Post author
February 23, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Thanks Jan! We are scaling up production now, and will post another update about this next week.
—
James Squires Post author
March 1, 2017 at 2:10 pm
We are drafting another update now, and should be posting it in the next day or two. The gist of it will say that production is up, but not at 100%.
Thanks for the comment Thomas. Seems a very reasonable post to call me out here. Let me try to explain.
While the overall development of Snap is constantly snowballing in a positive, linear direction, there is much more of an ebb and flow with regards to specific parts/features. Perhaps a part is expected to come in tomorrow, and one of our engineers wants to inspect it before commenting on a specific yield rate. Then, that part is 2 days late. Maybe QC will find a bug that we want to dig into a bit in to determine if it is hardware or software related.
When situations like these come up, it is important to get to the bottom of it, and fully understand whats going on, before we announce to the world. Then we have to actually write and edit the post, which usually goes through several drafts. We first started writing this update several weeks ago. I originally thought that it was just about ready to publish a while back, but we were held up exploring a few important questions. In fact, we had to re-write the entry a couple times to keep up with all the different decisions and changes happening. I apologize for that.
I have been reading all the blog posts about progress and all the comments over the past year. I try to keep patient and was expecting significant delays with a start up company and its first product. I didnt worry about that because for a variety of reasons I had confidence on this company’s ability to deliver the product at some point, and I liked the product they were promising.
James Squires must have a difficult job trying to reassure but not over promise. I totally understand that. And really he has done a very good job all around. But by setting specific expectations about even something a easy to deliver as an update at a specific time, and then failing to do so is starting to erode my confidence.
Some examples in this post alone:
James Squires Post author
February 22, 2017 at 1:26 pm
We are drafting a shipping update now.
—
James Squires Post author
February 23, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Thanks Jan! We are scaling up production now, and will post another update about this next week.
—
James Squires Post author
March 1, 2017 at 2:10 pm
We are drafting another update now, and should be posting it in the next day or two. The gist of it will say that production is up, but not at 100%.
Thanks for the comment Thomas. Seems a very reasonable post to call me out here. Let me try to explain.
While the overall development of Snap is constantly snowballing in a positive, linear direction, there is much more of an ebb and flow with regards to specific parts/features. Perhaps a part is expected to come in tomorrow, and one of our engineers wants to inspect it before commenting on a specific yield rate. Then, that part is 2 days late. Maybe QC will find a bug that we want to dig into a bit in to determine if it is hardware or software related.
When situations like these come up, it is important to get to the bottom of it, and fully understand whats going on, before we announce to the world. Then we have to actually write and edit the post, which usually goes through several drafts. We first started writing this update several weeks ago. I originally thought that it was just about ready to publish a while back, but we were held up exploring a few important questions. In fact, we had to re-write the entry a couple times to keep up with all the different decisions and changes happening. I apologize for that.
Well ever since Ive been able to watch videos Ive been checking comments less. Im actually quite ok watching the videos and seeing the quality and stability progress rather than stressing about updates and comments. Granted Id rather be flying in person rather than watching but meh…..I know your not deceptively delaying Snap by any means ! Actually…. Well Done guys at V/R !
Thanks for the support!
Well ever since Ive been able to watch videos Ive been checking comments less. Im actually quite ok watching the videos and seeing the quality and stability progress rather than stressing about updates and comments. Granted Id rather be flying in person rather than watching but meh…..I know your not deceptively delaying Snap by any means ! Actually…. Well Done guys at V/R !
Thanks for the support!
I’m with Gary above & willing if to wait longer but I don’t have a steadfast cut off date but I’m hoping for May(my 50th Birthday).
I think we easily forget the XTC challenge & how monumental this win is for VR amongst the other competitors, if Richard Branson & others believe in Snap then he is much more business savvy than I am so I’ll bow to his business acumen & continue to wait for the day my Snap arrives.
This does not mean that I’m happy with the delays but rather that I’m as frustrated as others but to keep on knocking VR & James is not productive, James has always been polite & responsive to questions & I believe that no one will be happier than him when he eventually can post the news that we all wish for.
I’m with Gary above & willing if to wait longer but I don’t have a steadfast cut off date but I’m hoping for May(my 50th Birthday).
I think we easily forget the XTC challenge & how monumental this win is for VR amongst the other competitors, if Richard Branson & others believe in Snap then he is much more business savvy than I am so I’ll bow to his business acumen & continue to wait for the day my Snap arrives.
This does not mean that I’m happy with the delays but rather that I’m as frustrated as others but to keep on knocking VR & James is not productive, James has always been polite & responsive to questions & I believe that no one will be happier than him when he eventually can post the news that we all wish for.
Well ever since Ive been able to watch videos Ive been checking comments less. Im actually quite ok watching the videos and seeing the quality and stability progress rather than stressing about updates and comments. Granted Id rather be flying in person rather than watching but meh…..I know your not deceptively delaying Snap by any means ! Actually…. Well Done guys at V/R !
Well ever since Ive been able to watch videos Ive been checking comments less. Im actually quite ok watching the videos and seeing the quality and stability progress rather than stressing about updates and comments. Granted Id rather be flying in person rather than watching but meh…..I know your not deceptively delaying Snap by any means ! Actually…. Well Done guys at V/R !
The long delay in the update is because it’s going to be really really good news right! Right? Eeeeeeeeeek.
Please give us an update today! It is a week past March 1. Anything, please.
Please give us an update today! It is a week past March 1. Anything, please.
ok…whoa! the troops are getting restless, hang in there guys and gals, its gonna be sooo worth it, u hang in too james, nice job of operating the complaint…ah..er….info department, big thanks
Thanks Chuck
ok…whoa! the troops are getting restless, hang in there guys and gals, its gonna be sooo worth it, u hang in too james, nice job of operating the complaint…ah..er….info department, big thanks
Thanks Chuck
Please give us an update today! One week and one day past March 1. Please, please just tell me what you had for lunch.
Please give us an update today! One week and one day past March 1. Please, please just tell me what you had for lunch.
Well, it’s the end of the work week…
Where is the promised update this week?
It is March 10…. 10 days after you said you would start shipping….
4 months after you said you were real close to shipping…
Nearly one year after you initially said you would ship.
You always use the excuse of being “busy getting ready,” but this is absurd. IT DOES NOT TAKE THAT LONG TO PRODUCE AN UPDATE.
There are legal ramifications to your misleading posts.
Well, it’s the end of the work week…
Where is the promised update this week?
It is March 10…. 10 days after you said you would start shipping….
4 months after you said you were real close to shipping…
Nearly one year after you initially said you would ship.
You always use the excuse of being “busy getting ready,” but this is absurd. IT DOES NOT TAKE THAT LONG TO PRODUCE AN UPDATE.
There are legal ramifications to your misleading posts.
Scott, I think you need to ask for your money back and get something else. I think that most people here are very tired of hearing from you every day with the same complaints. Believe me, I am not particularly happy about the wait for my Snap either, or for an update, but I know that building something as complex as this drone is going to be isn’t a simple thing to do. I check the blog most times several times a day and I am disappointed several times a day most of the time. I also know that complaining all the time won’t make things happen any faster and only tends to piss people off. Vantage Robotics want to send out a product that has few or no problems and obviously a few little glitches have come up that need to be taken care of and once they are, they will update their update and post it. They are a small team and it looks like it is all of them trying to work out the final little problems. I do believe will get a superior production the end.
Thanks for your support and patience Scott
Scott, I think you need to ask for your money back and get something else. I think that most people here are very tired of hearing from you every day with the same complaints. Believe me, I am not particularly happy about the wait for my Snap either, or for an update, but I know that building something as complex as this drone is going to be isn’t a simple thing to do. I check the blog most times several times a day and I am disappointed several times a day most of the time. I also know that complaining all the time won’t make things happen any faster and only tends to piss people off. Vantage Robotics want to send out a product that has few or no problems and obviously a few little glitches have come up that need to be taken care of and once they are, they will update their update and post it. They are a small team and it looks like it is all of them trying to work out the final little problems. I do believe will get a superior production the end.
Thanks for your support and patience Scott
ok, im ready for my update now . . .
Hi James, I am still here waiting happily for the Snap. No rush, as I went and bought a cheap $60 drone to keep me amused and to get a handle on how to fly it. I have been flying for a while now and I am getting very good at it. This training will assist me for when I fly the Snap manually.
Personally, I would like to hear about the Snap’s glitches and the steps and processors to resolve those issues, like you had mentioned before about the sonar and gps. This feedback helps me understand the problems that you encounter during the building process.
This may not help those hanging out for what I feel is going to be the best drone out but for those who can’t wait, I suggest to ask for a refund. Then later, you can always come back to buy the best.
Looking back, I remember Microsoft starting out the same way, wow, did they have some issues and we paid $thousands back then and it only had one CPU. The Snap is handling 7 cpu’s !
Good work guys, carry on…
Rgs Michael
Australia
Thanks Michael! Listing each bug we resolve is a bit more complicated than it sounds, but we will try to get something together.
Hi James, I am still here waiting happily for the Snap. No rush, as I went and bought a cheap $60 drone to keep me amused and to get a handle on how to fly it. I have been flying for a while now and I am getting very good at it. This training will assist me for when I fly the Snap manually.
Personally, I would like to hear about the Snap’s glitches and the steps and processors to resolve those issues, like you had mentioned before about the sonar and gps. This feedback helps me understand the problems that you encounter during the building process.
This may not help those hanging out for what I feel is going to be the best drone out but for those who can’t wait, I suggest to ask for a refund. Then later, you can always come back to buy the best.
Looking back, I remember Microsoft starting out the same way, wow, did they have some issues and we paid $thousands back then and it only had one CPU. The Snap is handling 7 cpu’s !
Good work guys, carry on…
Rgs Michael
Australia
Thanks Michael! Listing each bug we resolve is a bit more complicated than it sounds, but we will try to get something together.
Still no news about delivery for an order placed on Dec. 3rd 2015. That does not smell good, the more I wait the more I think about Lily bankrupcy.. You gave “good reasons” explaining the delay and in the meantime one of your competitors DJI released MAVIC and very recently SPARK. Time flies and you are very close from being old-fashioned in other word DEAD.
Hi Petitjean, Snap is real, Snap is amazing, Snap is shipping starting June 9th and we plan to ship orders in the order placed. Snap is not “old fashioned”. Snap has some truly remarkable features and a level of ease of use, safety, and awesomeness that other drones can only dream about.
Still no news about delivery for an order placed on Dec. 3rd 2015. That does not smell good, the more I wait the more I think about Lily bankrupcy.. You gave “good reasons” explaining the delay and in the meantime one of your competitors DJI released MAVIC and very recently SPARK. Time flies and you are very close from being old-fashioned in other word DEAD.
Hi Petitjean, Snap is real, Snap is amazing, Snap is shipping starting June 9th and we plan to ship orders in the order placed. Snap is not “old fashioned”. Snap has some truly remarkable features and a level of ease of use, safety, and awesomeness that other drones can only dream about.
That’s what you say, but it has to be proved…
That’s what you say, but it has to be proved…