SkyDrop (Smart Irrigation): Difference between revisions

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|Description=In 2014, SkyDrop launched a smart sprinkler controller. In 2019 they forced a change to a cloud subscription model, which led to consumer backlash.

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SkyDrop was a smart sprinkler controller company, founded in 2013 in American Fork, Utah, by Bret Cloward and Clark Endrizzi. The company launched its smart sprinkler controller with a focus on using weather data to create automated, water-efficient watering schedules. In 2019 they forced a change to a cloud subscription model, which led to consumer backlash. The subscription controversy and various technical problems led many users to switch to competitors like Rachio or Orbit B-Hyve. Around 2019, the company effectively ceased operations or was in bankruptcy proceedings, leaving many users with controllers that could no longer function as intended without the supporting cloud services. This serves as a common cautionary tale in the home automation community about the reliance on cloud-based services for connected devices.

SkyDrop was a smart sprinkler controller company, founded in 2013 in American Fork, Utah, by Bret Cloward and Clark Endrizzi. The company launched its smart sprinkler controller with a focus on using weather data to create automated, water-efficient watering schedules. In 2019 they forced a change to a cloud subscription model, which led to consumer backlash.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/bufzto/skydrop_introduces_a_new_monthly_subscription_to/|title=Skydrop introduces a new monthly subscription to control your device from the Web or App.|access-date=23 October 2025}}</ref> The subscription controversy and various technical problems led many users to switch to competitors like Rachio or Orbit B-Hyve. Around 2019, the company effectively ceased operations or was in bankruptcy proceedings<ref>{{Cite web|URL=https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/comments/c2oyt1/skydrop_is_ceasing_operations/|title=Skydrop is ceasing operations|access-date=23 October 2025}}</ref>, leaving many users with controllers that could no longer function as intended without the supporting cloud services. This serves as a common cautionary tale in the home automation community about the reliance on cloud-based services for connected devices.

==Consumer-impact summary==

==Incidents==

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 |Description=In 2014, SkyDrop launched a smart sprinkler controller.  In 2019 they forced a change to a cloud subscription model, which led to consumer backlash.
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-SkyDrop was a smart sprinkler controller company, founded in 2013 in American Fork, Utah, by Bret Cloward and Clark Endrizzi. The company launched its smart sprinkler controller with a focus on using weather data to create automated, water-efficient watering schedules.  In 2019 they forced a change to a cloud subscription model, which led to consumer backlash.  The subscription controversy and various technical problems led many users to switch to competitors like Rachio or Orbit B-Hyve. Around 2019, the company effectively ceased operations or was in bankruptcy proceedings, leaving many users with controllers that could no longer function as intended without the supporting cloud services. This serves as a common cautionary tale in the home automation community about the reliance on cloud-based services for connected devices.
+SkyDrop was a smart sprinkler controller company, founded in 2013 in American Fork, Utah, by Bret Cloward and Clark Endrizzi. The company launched its smart sprinkler controller with a focus on using weather data to create automated, water-efficient watering schedules.  In 2019 they forced a change to a cloud subscription model, which led to consumer backlash.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/bufzto/skydrop_introduces_a_new_monthly_subscription_to/|title=Skydrop introduces a new monthly subscription to control your device from the Web or App.|access-date=23 October 2025}}</ref> The subscription controversy and various technical problems led many users to switch to competitors like Rachio or Orbit B-Hyve. Around 2019, the company effectively ceased operations or was in bankruptcy proceedings<ref>{{Cite web|URL=https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/comments/c2oyt1/skydrop_is_ceasing_operations/|title=Skydrop is ceasing operations|access-date=23 October 2025}}</ref>, leaving many users with controllers that could no longer function as intended without the supporting cloud services. This serves as a common cautionary tale in the home automation community about the reliance on cloud-based services for connected devices.
 ==Consumer-impact summary==
 ==Incidents==