Is 2024 the 12 months of a 3DR return? It looks like the reply may be very a lot “sure.”
3D Robotics, the American drone firm identified for constructing the Iris and later Solo shopper drones, spectacularly crashed and burned. It had raised practically $100 million, solely to construct an preliminary flagship drone that acquired scathing evaluations upon its 2014 launch, together with a comparability to a “massive, mechanical insect” by PC Magazine. The supposed new and improved follow-up, the Solo (which got here out in 2015), suffered an identical destiny that included missed product deadlines and buggy elements. By 2016, the corporate had shut down manufacturing operations to pivot to drones as a service.
Then in 2021, Kitty Hawk (which was an air taxi firm backed by Google co-founder Larry Web page) bought the remaining belongings. That included bringing on 3D Robotics co-founder Chris Anderson as Kitty Hawk’s chief working officer. And by September 2022, Kitty Hawk, too, had shut down.
In response to his LinkedIn, Anderson is now “engaged on one thing new.” In the meantime, 3D Robotics’ different co-founder, Jordi Muñoz has said on his LinkedIn web page that he’s nonetheless at 3D Robotics, the place he’s been for the previous nearly-16 years.
Whereas a number of merchandise and folks have left 3D Robotics, it appears to be like like Muñoz by no means did. In actual fact, it appears as if Muñoz is perhaps constructing 3D Robotics into a brand new sort of firm. And that very seemingly means 3DR has returned.
What we all know in regards to the 3DR return
A comparatively-new web site has popped up over at 3DR.com. On the high in colourful letters is the truth that the corporate’s merchandise are made in California, with the phrases “Proudly Californian” in daring letters. The web site signifies that the brand new 3DR is headquartered in a enterprise park in Chula Vista, California, which is the second-largest metropolis within the San Diego metropolitan space positioned south of downtown San Diego (nearer to Tijuana).
The brand new firm additionally calls itself 3DR Inc, relatively than 3D Robotics as the previous firm was known as. The area can also be 3DR.com (versus the outdated 3DRobotics.com area). In actual fact, 3DRobotics.com redirects now to kittyhawk.aero, which at present takes you to a easy web page stating that Kittyhawk has ceased operations.
So far as 3DR’s homepage, it’s apparent that the 3DR return is official and alleged to be celebrated. In large, daring letters are the phrases “The Return” which then level to a store web page.
And the 3DR store is already operational, and most gadgets seem obtainable to ship (with 2-day transport instances, sometimes). For now, all of the merchandise are for the DIY crowd. There are quad frames, brushless motors, sensor and energy modules. Not like corporations like DJI that promote ready-to-fly, off-the-shelf drones, the merchandise are very a lot not that.
It appears as if 3DR’s purpose is to embrace these sorts of merchandise. “We give attention to the perfect identified open-source and open hardware-based autopilots,” in accordance with an announcement on 3DR’s web site.”
The corporate can also be closely leaning into its made-in-America ties.
“Having the manufacturing capabilities in-house permits for holding the standard at a high stage in addition to a secured pipeline in US soil from the availability chain all the best way to product testing and transport,” the 3DR web site states.
Different methods to comply with together with the brand new 3DR
The brand new 3DR return web site has placeholder pages for Instagram and X accounts, in addition to for a weblog, e-newsletter and occasions web page, which ought to all provide info sooner or later in regards to the 3DR return.
For now, although, one of the best ways to comply with alongside is thru the 3D Robotics Discord group server. That server was first created in October 2023, although it doesn’t seem to have begun being marketed and have began accruing members till the tail-end of November 2023. It’s nonetheless very small (as of publication, it has fewer than 100 members), however it appears to be like to be a supply for sources, bulletins, tutorials and random chatter.
What to find out about Jordi Muñoz
3D Robotics was initially co-founded in 2009 by Chris Anderson, who previously was editor-in-chief of Wired Journal and founding father of DIYDrones.com. Whereas Anderson introduced the advertising and communications expertise, his co-founder introduced engineering experience. Jordi Muñoz, who studied at CETYS Universidad, was thought of an engineering prodigy the place he lived in Ensenada, Mexico.
Whereas 3D Robotics was headquartered in Berkeley (close to Anderson), the corporate had engineering services in San Diego and manufacturing operations in Tijuana, Mexico, all nearer to Muñoz.
Distancing itself from the outdated 3DR
Whereas the brand new firm is sustaining a really comparable identify to 3D Robotics, the 2024 incarnation may be very a lot distancing itself from the outdated in its 3DR return. There’s a big disclaimer on the 3DR web site, which is copied under right here:
Please notice that 3DR Inc was a definite entity earlier than the 12 months 2023. In consequence, any merchandise that had been bought previous to 2023 underneath the earlier firm identify aren’t coated by our current phrases of duty or guarantee. We kindly request your understanding that our enterprise shouldn’t be offering any assist for bought merchandise underneath the 3DR label previous to 2023.
For any inquiries, considerations, or points associated to merchandise bought underneath the previous firm identify earlier than 2023, we advocate referring to the phrases and situations that had been relevant at the moment. We respect your consciousness of the distinctions in our firm’s historical past and the implications this will have on product-related issues.
-Disclaimer web page on the new 3DR web site
Even the space is obvious on the 3DR Neighborhood Discord server. When members make posts with phrases like Solo, it seems there’s a bot prepared to reply. For instance, a person posted a query in November 2023 referencing the Solo drone, and was as an alternative met with this bot response:
“It looks like you’re asking in regards to the Solo: a product from 3DR’s earlier days. Only a heads up, we discontinued assist for the Solo as of 2023. Whereas we’re keen on its legacy, our focus has shifted to newer & thrilling developments.”
What’s subsequent, and what are you able to anticipate from the 3DR return?
As for what to anticipate from the 3DR return, we’ll be following alongside. The Drone Lady reached out to 3D Robotics via their e-mail type for remark for this story, however didn’t obtain a response.
I’ve additionally transparently launched myself over within the Discord, the place I used to be greeted by the Server’s proprietor, named Toton. A number of posts on the Discord server point out that the corporate intends to formally launch in 2024.
Come 2024, although, the world can be watching. Particularly given considerations round Chinese language-made drones, prospects have sought a drone that’s made in America. Even price-conscious hobbyists demanded American-made shopper drones (although there actually isn’t any good shopper digital camera drone made within the USA).
Skydio was America’s finest shot at a home-grown shopper drone. That was, till Skydio introduced this summer season that it could shut down its shopper drone arm to as an alternative give attention to constructing drones and associated merchandise for enterprise and protection industries. Nowadays, the corporate appears to be largely specializing in its Skydio X10 drone, which is an enterprise-range drone identified for its high-resolution cameras.
So will the 3DR return fill that void in 2024? We’ll be watching. To make sure you don’t miss a beat, enter your e-mail under so you may obtain e-mail updates by way of our each day e-newsletter.
In the meantime, what do you concentrate on the 3DR return? Depart your individual feedback under!