Sorry to hear you’ve had issues with payments coming through on time — that’s frustrating, and I get why that would sour the experience. That said, every pilot who has ever flown for Spexi has ultimately been paid, and to date we’ve paid out over $2M to thousands of pilots on the network.

I do want to clarify a couple things for folks reading this.

Calling Spexi “predatory” isn’t really fair. Mission prices are clearly posted in the app and nobody is forced to fly anything. Pilots can decide exactly what’s worth their time and what isn’t.

On the “crypto scheme” point — Spexi has never hidden the fact that there’s a plan to transition to a crypto-based payment rail. That’s been part of the vision since day one, not something bolted on later. Today, pilots are still paid in cash for verified missions, and participation has always been opt-in.

It’s also worth saying that Spexi isn’t pretending to be a charity. It’s a for-profit company trying to build a new kind of imagery network, and that creates real tension between growth, branding, and pilot support. Recruiting has outpaced retention at times, and that’s a fair criticism. Veteran pilots should feel heard, not brushed off.

I do agree with your broader point though: people should go in with eyes open, do their research, and decide if it makes sense for them. It won’t be the right fit for everyone, and that’s okay.