Group Buy: L'Aigle Exoskeleton

[Terry VerHaar]

To be fair, we can't really call ourselves "investors." This is a company that's been in business for more than a decade. They developed this concept a great deal before even showing it. We were given a chance to buy the product at a very steep discount and were asked to put down a 20% deposit. I don't think we can get too haughty about the significance of our collective role in the success of this product or the company.

And, yes, I am eager to get mine, too. I am #22 on the list! :smiley:

 

[rod hartzog]

Werent us early investors supposed to be the first to get our units? Seems like some distributors and retailers got theirs first?

I'm with you Josh; early on we were promised to be the first users of the exo and were going to be the first to receive it but I think that is a long gone idea. Not surprising as we did buy them at a good rate and that is the only reason I have not pulled out of this GB.. The almighty dollar wins again! At the very least I'm a bit shocked by the lack of updates from L'Aigle. I think Carey has done an awesome job so no complaints there but Pierre, if these units are shipping to users paying full price outside the group buy, please give us a heads up about OUR ship dates..WTF?

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Again, in all fairness to L'Aigle, getting a few units out to distributors and re-sellers is simply a smart move to make sure the business can thrive. These entities need to help pre-sell units to their customers so sales can be healthy when they become available. And, chances are these units may not even be the final finished units that you and I are eventually getting; those may end up going back when the final units are available. For that matter, how many units are likely out there? 5? 10? Maybe 20?

I urge calm and patience. I see that some disagree with this approach but I just wanted to voice the other side.

 

[Bérenger Brillante]

The distributor who shared the link has said they had the exo only for a little while.

And I'm sorry but mails have been sent to everyone who paid the balance.
I have received a mail, 2 days after the money left my account, informing me of the delivery window, for me before Nab.
The invoicing system didn't give me the bank account information so I sent a message from the very same webpage, and got a answer straight away.
Even got an answer in PM here, and by email.

There have been a lot of bad attitude in this thread, and it's unfair.
I don't understand why some of you are unhappy.

The product is not out yet, distributors will of course have one unit each for demonstration purpose and more later at a signigficantly higher cost than ours.
This is the way companies are runned, demo of protytypes/pre-order of prototype/release as Terry said above. I suspect the distributor will have theirs at the same time as us.

And as Terry said, this was not an kickstarter campaign. This is a trusted company, with several working units that undergone a revision of its product at the initiative of the groupbuy member.
This is not the Besteady 4 groupbuy where we paid deposit 2 years ago in a few month, and full balance 8 month later. The groupbuy has been open since late september, closed, and open again
to let us have a lower price.

I'm sorry for all the yelling Carey, but like you, I find this attitude annoying and I couldn't stay quiet anymore.

 

[Pierre Davezac]

Pierre, if these units are shipping to users paying full price outside the group buy, please give us a heads up about OUR ship dates.

Rod, why so paranoid??
Terry, you’re right. We did of course run a sample production of 20 units to test the suppliers, the quality, the methods - and the product!
These are in the hands of resellers now to show them around and start building interest – outside of Redusers!
But we will treat orders on a first come first served basis, so yes, you will get your exo before everybody else.

We chose the “BMW” method, designing very difficult parts to copy. Right after IBC, we already had 3 companies on our heels, some were “inspired”, other just slavishly copied.
So our suppliers are having a hard time making those difficult parts with the highest quality standards required by us and you.
If it was easy, someone would have done that before, right?
Be sure we are pushing them every single day...

Bérenger, thanks for your support! Merci!

 

[Pierre Davezac]

Fun fact:

Not only do you get a useful tool to preserve your health and enhance the stability of the shots,

But you make a hell of a bargain,

But also you get a museum piece of design!:

EXHAUSS on view in the “Cité du Design” in Saint-Etienne, France!

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Congrats Pierre!!

 

[Wil Wong]

That's AWESOME Pierre!! Work of Art!

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Fun fact:

Not only do you get a useful tool to preserve your health and enhance the stability of the shots,

But you make a hell of a bargain,

But also you get a museum piece of design!:

EXHAUSS on view in the “Cité du Design” in Saint-Etienne, France!

That's so cool! :thumbup:

 

[Jens Jakob Thorsen]

French design is fabulous, as is their arrogance. They parade down Champs Elysees with all their homemade weapons. Its both impressive, funny and sad, just as they are. Its good to see that Pierre fits al of those stereotypes. Now deal with YOUR problems instead of making the usual french excuses.(and yes I have worked in france extensively as a DP, and yes I hold a grudge because I was left out of the GB due to Pierres faulty website and the way he handled it)

 

[Poi Boy]

Jens, pretty hostile dude ! I saw someone on the list that wanted to sell their position, maybe that would be a better approach.

 

[Wil Wong]

He's actually not French, Jens (nor should it matter if he was). Agree with Poi Boy. There are buyers that might be backing out now that Weapon is coming to NAB.

 

[rod hartzog]

Rod, why so paranoid??
Terry, you’re right. We did of course run a sample production of 20 units to test the suppliers, the quality, the methods - and the product!
These are in the hands of resellers now to show them around and start building interest – outside of Redusers!
But we will treat orders on a first come first served basis, so yes, you will get your exo before everybody else.

We chose the “BMW” method, designing very difficult parts to copy. Right after IBC, we already had 3 companies on our heels, some were “inspired”, other just slavishly copied.
So our suppliers are having a hard time making those difficult parts with the highest quality standards required by us and you.
If it was easy, someone would have done that before, right?
Be sure we are pushing them every single day...

Bérenger, thanks for your support! Merci!

I don't think I'm being paranoid at all. I just want some communication about what is going on with the GB. I do not feel I am asking all that much; to be kept informed about what is going on. Everyone is correct that has mentioned L'Aigle as a well respected, well established company. I agree wholeheartedly, which is exactly why I'm a bit surprised by the lack of communication about ship dates. I work very hard for my money and I am more than happy to spend it on something I believe will benefit me and my clients. I just want information that is factual and timely; neither of which seems forthcoming. At least not until theres a bit of an uproar. Its about being proactive instead of reactive. Thats it. If thats asking too much, please accept my apology.

 

[vincent van schijndel]

Vincent your a good man. Thank you for that video! So could you hold your Ronin at a 90 degree angle, sideways, to your body to shoot someone in their profile while both walking forward? Ive only seen it facing kinda forward. Could you post a video walking thru a doorway too? If not thats fine. Appreciate what you've done so far. Thanks

to be honest, i have not tried that. i think it might be possible. it could help to set the ronin in 90 degree offset to the side and than i think it is possible

Nice one Vincent! Some questions, because I dont understand it fully. When doing eye level shots, how do you pan? There was also some feature for passing over the rig to another operator, do you insert your arms into the loops then instead?

panning is just as usual, moving your armes you can either hang it in the loops, or you can grab the loops and that the ronin. in the last case, its easy to put in the stand, and you can hand it over. but if walking with it for a long time, its easier to hang it in the loops:

Vincent, can you also adjust the rods that seems to dig into your armpit at around 00:54 in the video? I can see if wearing a jacket etc that might be a problem? I hope its possible to adjust these further out from your body. How is the viewing angle on the monitor when you have the gimbal in highest position? Im trying to make a proper comparison to the runner. I hope to be able to try both at NAB however your video shows better how it works than other I've seen.

yes you can, i actually adjusted them after the video, and than they wouldn't touch anymore. for the monitor, just angle the monitor down, and its no problem to see. just as you would point the monitor up if you would use it very low. this product can't be beaten

Have you tried to get through a doorway?

have not tried it, but as it is smaller than most doorways, it should be no problem.

Werent us early investors supposed to be the first to get our units? Seems like some distributors and retailers got theirs first?

joshua, as i noted this is just a preproduction version. we are one of the very few lucky people to help pierre try them and test them. this is not a final version, so don't worry

 

[Peter Karlsson]

panning is just as usual, moving your armes

Thank you for the answers Vincent.. I might have be unlclear though. I was looking at around 00:41. How to you pan 90 degrees to the right, can you move out the arms giving clearance to the battery?

you can either hang it in the loops, or you can grab the loops and that the ronin. in the last case, its easy to put in the stand, and you can hand it over. but if walking with it for a long time, its easier to hang it in the loops:

I guess I will see it later on. I mean passing over as between a operator holding it with the exo, to another operator through a window, to another having the Exo. But I guess it will be clear once I see it better in action..

Thank you for the video!

 

[Pierre Davezac]

No comments on racist prejudice about people, countries or races. This doesn’t deserve one more word.

About communication: we communicate directly via email with everyone, rather than shouting on public forums.
And I think the 27 buyers of this Groupbuy until now were well received, with friendly, fast, efficient and gentlemen manners.

Abour lead time, we need to get the 85+ orders confirmed and paid to deal with this GROUP-buy. Otherwise, it would be individual purchases at a silly price!

So 27 orders confirmed. 60 missing.

 

[vincent van schijndel]

Thank you for the answers Vincent.. I might have be unlclear though. I was looking at around 00:41. How to you pan 90 degrees to the right, can you move out the arms giving clearance to the battery?



I guess I will see it later on. I mean passing over as between a operator holding it with the exo, to another operator through a window, to another having the Exo. But I guess it will be clear once I see it better in action..

Thank you for the video!

passing on is not a problem if you grab the loops instead of hanging the ronin in there.

 

[Kwan Khan]

Abour lead time, we need to get the 85+ orders confirmed and paid to deal with this GROUP-buy. Otherwise, it would be individual purchases at a silly price!

So 27 orders confirmed. 60 missing.

Smh

 

[Curran Giddens]

How about a list of who has paid in full instead of just deposits?

I'm #1 on the list. You can change my status from (PAID DEPOSIT) to (PAID IN FULL). I haven't heard anything other than a confirmation that my bank transfer was received. If this GROUP-buy isn't happening I will need a refund soon. I'm leaving in 3 weeks....

 

[Bérenger Brillante]

I was doing that list while you were writing this. Updated on post #6 first page.