Federal Trade Commission to investigate Plexidrone and Indiegogo

Federal Trade Commission to investigate Plexidrone and Indiegogo

Mark Johnson of the Plexidrone Coalition, a group stood up to find answers about the long-delayed, crowd-funded multirotor has informed sUAS News of a new initiative to find answers and refunds. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in America has stood up an investigation.

Last we heard from Plexidrone, back in March of this year was that orders were about to be dispatched.

If you were a US-based Plexidrone backer and would like to get behind this initiative you need to make your voice heard using the following instructions.

Andrew Smith, the Director of the Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation of DreamQii and Indiegogo. We have very high hopes that the FTC will enter an enforcement order that will require refunds for those who want them. The FTC is very responsive to congressional offices and we’ve asked all members of the Coalition WHO ARE U.S. CITIZENS to send a simple e-mail to their congress members asking them to urge the FTC to enter an enforcement order. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A COALITION MEMBER TO HELP US IN THIS CAUSE. Simply go to this site and put in your zip code:

https://www.house.gov/representati…/find-your-representative

You’ll be given a link to your representative’s website and there you will find a CONTACT or EMAIL tab. All you have to do is send an e-mail advising your representative that the Plexidrone Coalition has an investigation pending with the FTC Division of Advertising Practices and that you, as a constituent, are in support of the investigation and that you’d like your representative to encourage the FTC to complete its investigation. 

Every constituent e-mail helps greatly.

2) For those of you who are U.S. Citizens willing to buy a stamp and take the effort to send an old-fashioned letter, PLEASE help us by sending a simple letter to:

Mr. Devin W. Domond
Chief of Staff
Division of Advertising Practices
Federal Trade Commission
Washington DC, 205080

You simply need to tell him that you are one of many who are supportive of the FTC investigation and enforcement against both DreamQii and Indiegogo.

3) We do have two civil actions prepared that will be used to conduct discovery in support of our efforts to enforce refunds. The first action should be filed by November 1st and the second before December 1st. We will report both filings when they occur.

4) We are aware that DreamQii has ignored several inquiries by state agencies and those agencies will be doing a followup. The process can be slow, but we have enough arrows in the quiver to reasonably expect success at the state level. Nevertheless, the FTC cudgel is, by far, the most powerful and the one we are pushing the hardest on currently.

Gary Mortimer

Founder and Editor of sUAS News | Gary Mortimer has been a commercial balloon pilot for 25 years and also flies full-size helicopters. Prior to that, he made tea and coffee in air traffic control towers across the UK as a member of the Royal Air Force.