Top critical review
1.0 out of 5 starsDrone let down by dismissive and generally poor Customer Service
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024
To be clear, this is a NEGATIVE review of Potensic and their ATOM SE - but in order to provide some balance, let me start with the good.
On the face of it, the Atom SE is a fun drone, great for beginners and Potensic Customer service is responsive. OK, that's the good. All of it.
Here's the reality - and if you're a potential customer, you should consider it carefully.
On buying this drone and flying it for the first time, it took off fine but then started flying in ever increasing circles, struggling to hover in one place. It had numerous satellite connections, was calibrated successfully but was if it was continuously trying to maintain one location.
While this led to a steep learning curve in control of the drone, it shouldn't be like this.
At the same time not a week after purchase in Nov 2023, Potensic removes - with no notice or explanation, Headless mode - an included feature that contributed in me choosing this drone over others and which I had paid.
Clearly by not mentioning it, Potensic hoped nobody would notice.
On contacting Potensic Customer service, to their credit replied promptly. However they maintained removing of headless mode was not their fault - was it mine? - or was I just the sucker that paid for it - and they could do nothing about it. They also dismissed the failure to hover issue by saying it was me being unfamiliar with the controls. The point of hovering is that you don't need to be familiar with the controls - do nothing and it should stay where it is.
They offered a measly set of replacement propellers in lieu of removing a paid for feature and a lack of proper control. I refused the insufficient gesture.
As I got used to its lack of hovering issue I did start to enjoy flying the drone. It was fun and the drone itself had great potential.
Fast forward to now. On going to open the rear prop arm, a resistance was felt, which bulged the rear fuselage before a loud click and it opening but not as securely as before. This drone has never been crashed does not have a scratch or so much as a grass stain on it but out of nowhere, the rear arm won't open securely.
Since it was within warranty I reach out to Potensic Customer Service. As before a prompt reply. They requested images, log files and I offered a video. Unsurprisingly, as before they wriggled and squirmed and blamed it all on me.
Everything I provided showed no evidence of user error. The original lack of hover control was likely linked to problems with the fully secured positioning of the rear prop arm - which eventually failed, yet Potensic did nothing but offer a discount on a customer-returned drone.
It's clear Potensic confuses Customer service responsiveness with effectiveness. It's clear Potensic CS will do everything in their power to blame the customer. It's also clear, that they are not interested in supporting their product or the customers.
... and this is all a pity. The drone has great potential but this is all undone by terrible customer service.
For the sake of honoring their warranty - which states they will replace with a USED drone - which should at least get one flying again, they have alienated a potential lifelong customer.
Be smarter than me - DON"T TRUST POTENSIC, sooner or later you'll likely end up regretting it.