AeroTech Open Thread

the model rocket show
SilicdyneTRF
rocket sok
The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Hey @AeroTech , a little bit of feedback and some questions here:

It appears that there has been some weird changes in the ordering system that have me a little bit concerned about my information security. Specifically the Shop app seems to want quite a lot of my personal information, such as access to my Google Account, to track my order and perhaps even to even ship it in the first place (The dive that I did to try to find the tracking issue was kind of a blur). In any case, that seems a bit excessive to me.

I ordered the UPS Ground shipping, advertised (presumably by Shop) as a two-business-day option but it seemed that my order was only just now confirmed by my creating a Shop account, installing the Shop app, granting it Google access, etc. This appears to be supported by getting no shipping confirmation or anything like that.

I couldn’t figure out where to even track my order on the Shop app anyway so I’m considering revoking access and changing my email password in the next day or so.

This is really different from the ordering experience I’ve come to enjoy from AT and basically everyone else, where I could:

1.). Place an order by providing little more than my billing and shipping information. Most places that wanted more info just wanted me to create an account directly with them, or supply an authentication code.

2.). Get a tracking number or link sent directly to my email

3.). Not have an online storefront asking to for my primary email login, which is also tied to some rather sensitive stuff elsewhere.

Main inquiry:

Is AeroTech aware of this change or taking a stance on it or anything? Is there any realistic chance of the situation improving soon? Is there anything I should know about Shop in order to make a wise cybersecurity decision, that I appear ignorant of?

I totally understand a hobby company needing a logistics partner, I just think this one is rather suspicious.

Any answers or recommendations I can get regarding my order would also be appreciated, although I also understand if that’s more a customer service inquiry.

Thanks in advance.
 
smstachwick said:
Hey @AeroTech , a little bit of feedback and some questions here:

It appears that there has been some weird changes in the ordering system that have me a little bit concerned about my information security. Specifically the Shop app seems to want quite a lot of my personal information, such as access to my Google Account, to track my order and perhaps even to even ship it in the first place (The dive that I did to try to find the tracking issue was kind of a blur). In any case, that seems a bit excessive to me.

I ordered the UPS Ground shipping, advertised (presumably by Shop) as a two-business-day option but it seemed that my order was only just now confirmed by my creating a Shop account, installing the Shop app, granting it Google access, etc. This appears to be supported by getting no shipping confirmation or anything like that.

I couldn’t figure out where to even track my order on the Shop app anyway so I’m considering revoking access and changing my email password in the next day or so.

This is really different from the ordering experience I’ve come to enjoy from AT and basically everyone else, where I could:

1.). Place an order by providing little more than my billing and shipping information. Most places that wanted more info just wanted me to create an account directly with them, or supply an authentication code.

2.). Get a tracking number or link sent directly to my email

3.). Not have an online storefront asking to for my primary email login, which is also tied to some rather sensitive stuff elsewhere.

Main inquiry:

Is AeroTech aware of this change or taking a stance on it or anything? Is there any realistic chance of the situation improving soon? Is there anything I should know about Shop in order to make a wise cybersecurity decision, that I appear ignorant of?

I totally understand a hobby company needing a logistics partner, I just think this one is rather suspicious.

Any answers or recommendations I can get regarding my order would also be appreciated, although I also understand if that’s more a customer service inquiry.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
The AeroTech store is built on Shopify and hasn’t changed. Shopify uses Google Pay, that’s why it goes through your Google account. You can also use Apple Pay if you have an iPhone. I’ll run your comment by our Admin.
 
Last edited:
smstachwick said:
Hey @AeroTech , a little bit of feedback and some questions here:

It appears that there has been some weird changes in the ordering system that have me a little bit concerned about my information security. Specifically the Shop app seems to want quite a lot of my personal information, such as access to my Google Account, to track my order and perhaps even to even ship it in the first place (The dive that I did to try to find the tracking issue was kind of a blur). In any case, that seems a bit excessive to me.

I ordered the UPS Ground shipping, advertised (presumably by Shop) as a two-business-day option but it seemed that my order was only just now confirmed by my creating a Shop account, installing the Shop app, granting it Google access, etc. This appears to be supported by getting no shipping confirmation or anything like that.

I couldn’t figure out where to even track my order on the Shop app anyway so I’m considering revoking access and changing my email password in the next day or so.

This is really different from the ordering experience I’ve come to enjoy from AT and basically everyone else, where I could:

1.). Place an order by providing little more than my billing and shipping information. Most places that wanted more info just wanted me to create an account directly with them, or supply an authentication code.

2.). Get a tracking number or link sent directly to my email

3.). Not have an online storefront asking to for my primary email login, which is also tied to some rather sensitive stuff elsewhere.

Main inquiry:

Is AeroTech aware of this change or taking a stance on it or anything? Is there any realistic chance of the situation improving soon? Is there anything I should know about Shop in order to make a wise cybersecurity decision, that I appear ignorant of?

I totally understand a hobby company needing a logistics partner, I just think this one is rather suspicious.

Any answers or recommendations I can get regarding my order would also be appreciated, although I also understand if that’s more a customer service inquiry.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Our office manager wrote:

“That is an option for “Express Pay”. It’s not required. He still can checkout with the “traditional” method he mentions, it says OR and he will get notification of shipping and still be able to track it.”

1710084387437.png
 
AeroTech said:
Our office manager wrote:

“That is an option for “Express Pay”. It’s not required. He still can checkout with the “traditional” method he mentions, it says OR and he will get notification of shipping and still be able to track it.”

View attachment 634745
Click to expand...
I see. I’ll look very closely for the traditional option when I place my next order, I’m not liking the Shopify option.

My girlfriend immediately recognized Shopify when I showed her your response this afternoon, yet I didn’t see that name anywhere on the app or any of the web pages they run. Shop, Shop, Shop.

EDIT: The catalog is uploaded to shopify(dot)com. I don’t know how I missed that.

Tech brands are getting really generic and confusing now. Between Shop, X, and Max, I’m starting to feel like a grumpy and confusable old man, which I shouldn’t for at least another decade. Thanks for staying classy and old-school.

For this particular order I might reach out to Jenn around Tuesday and see if this particular order has made it back to the folks in charge of getting it packed up and sent, it didn’t seem like it did until I poked around yesterday.
 
Last edited:
Alrighty, I ordered a 2-pack of Q-Jet E26-7Ws. I noticed that I can opt out of providing an authentication code to Shopify (there’s an X button in the corner) and I got a confirmation once I hit the order button.

I don’t know what was up with all that, that’s pretty wild.
 
I probably already know the answer to this but with these recent changes to hazmat fees, does it affect international customers in any way at all? Or could it lead to changes for them in the future? In Australia, buying AP propellant has become bonkers expensive and a large part of it can be attributed to the shipping, and that's caused anyone importing propellant to have to pass on the costs and in some cases just not bother with importing anything that isn't high power.

e.g, I have an RMS24/40 case here that I absolutely love but can no longer get reloads for at all because the price will have gone from $27 aud for 3x D15 reloads to something like $150, which defeats the purpose of using reloads to reduce cost per flight. the people importing know that no one in their right mind is going to buy AP D motors at $50 a pop, so they don't offer them on order forms.

I'd love to help find a way to get AP propellant to international customers, like lobby someone for a policy change or whatever, but I guess the reality is that markets like Australia are so tiny, and as soon as it leaves US soil, the US DOT policy changes probably don't affect the costs for the rest of the shipping journey.

There was mention of someone making AP here in Australia with the intention of selling to Australians which could have reduced costs dramatically but I don't think that's happening because I've heard nothing for over 6 months on that.
 
4regt4 said:
I'm really confused about the different shipping categories. Most of the 29mm High Power RMS were USPS ship able according to the Master Motor Matrix. But many do not appear on this new list

??

Hans.
Click to expand...
This is the list that can be shipped via limited quantity UPS or FedEx. The USPS shippable list is here:

https://d11fdyfhxcs9cr.cloudfront.net/templates/170652/myimages/usps shippable 3-7-23_1705101545011.pdf

There is significant overlap but they are not the same. Specifically, limited quantity UPS and FedEx allows shipment of motors and reloads with up to 62.5 grams of propellant per motor or separately inner packaged propellant grain. USPS is only up to 30 grams propellant per motor or propellant grain.

Limited quantity via the 7887 special permit requires the inner packaging of reload grains while USPS does not, that complicates things further. We have repackaged certain reloads to enable limited quantity shipping but it is not currently practical beyond a certain size.
 
Last edited:
cfb_rolley said:
I probably already know the answer to this but with these recent changes to hazmat fees, does it affect international customers in any way at all? Or could it lead to changes for them in the future? In Australia, buying AP propellant has become bonkers expensive and a large part of it can be attributed to the shipping, and that's caused anyone importing propellant to have to pass on the costs and in some cases just not bother with importing anything that isn't high power.

e.g, I have an RMS24/40 case here that I absolutely love but can no longer get reloads for at all because the price will have gone from $27 aud for 3x D15 reloads to something like $150, which defeats the purpose of using reloads to reduce cost per flight. the people importing know that no one in their right mind is going to buy AP D motors at $50 a pop, so they don't offer them on order forms.

I'd love to help find a way to get AP propellant to international customers, like lobby someone for a policy change or whatever, but I guess the reality is that markets like Australia are so tiny, and as soon as it leaves US soil, the US DOT policy changes probably don't affect the costs for the rest of the shipping journey.

There was mention of someone making AP here in Australia with the intention of selling to Australians which could have reduced costs dramatically but I don't think that's happening because I've heard nothing for over 6 months on that.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately the international shipping costs have become astronomical (especially since Covid) and I don’t know if that will ever change. The limited quantity provision is surface only, I’m not sure if it would apply to international sea cargo shipments.
 
Last edited:
I love the inclusion of the I218R in the list! What is the special packaging that allows this? When is this going to be rolled out?
It would be great is this could also be done on the I285R also.
 
terryg said:
I love the inclusion of the I218R in the list! What is the special packaging that allows this? When is this going to be rolled out?
It would be great is this could also be done on the I285R also.
Click to expand...
It should be available now as far as I know. The grains need to be in separate bags so that means we have to use a longer yellow packaging tube.
 
@Jmhepworth What is the date on the motor?

Understand that older versions had the Medusa nozzle, however, all of the K1000's I have flown recently were a traditional single throat.
 
AeroTech said:
I hear you Tom, but we don’t want to go back to bag packaging for a number of reasons. Maybe “box packaging” would be better, but that has its issues too.
Click to expand...
Just use longer tubes. I guess they would be a lot longer.
 
I hope that’s not right (although it looks like it is). I’ve already bonded the grains to the liner so there’s very little chance I can get the nozzle off and drilling with the propellant in place seems like an extraordinarily bad idea.
 
Theory said:
You glued the nozzle in the liner as part of the grain bonding process?

If so, recommend against that in the future, not a necessary step
Click to expand...
I don’t know how to avoid it. You have to apply the glue to the grain and then slide it into the liner. That leaves some glue on the liner where the nozzle goes. You then have to stack the grains on the nozzle. Granted, I’ve only bonded the grains to the liner 3-4 times, but I really don’t see how to keep the nozzle from getting bonded to the liner in the process.
 
Jmhepworth said:
I don’t know how to avoid it. You have to apply the glue to the grain and then slide it into the liner. That leaves some glue on the liner where the nozzle goes. You then have to stack the grains on the nozzle. Granted, I’ve only bonded the grains to the liner 3-4 times, but I really don’t see how to keep the nozzle from getting bonded to the liner in the process.
Click to expand...

I've used kitchen plastic wrap as a buffer between the nozzle and any epoxy contact when gluing in grains. It's a pretty simple solution but seems to work.
 

Similar threads

Valkyrie Recovery Systems
Valkyrie will be going to NSL 2024!
Replies
2
Views
268
Valkyrie Recovery Systems
Valkyrie Recovery Systems
overklock
Aerotech G-force Build Thread - WIP
Replies
12
Views
2K
gldknght
gldknght
Dane Ronnow
Build thread: Aerotech HV Arcas
2
Replies
43
Views
5K
Dane Ronnow
Dane Ronnow
Bruiser
RIP IQSY Tomahawk
Replies
3
Views
1K
waltr
W
fyrwrxz
  • Locked
The end of the Never Ending Story
2
Replies
46
Views
4K
OzHybrid
OzHybrid

Latest posts

Back
Top