Yuneec Q500 4K: not advanced enough, not agile enough either

In the consumer-level-drones market, DJI is the boss. A short time after its launched, the DJI Phantom 3 became one of the biggest selling drones ever. Yuneec China tried to capture a piece of that market pie with the Yuneec Q500 4K – with specs that sought to appeal to professional videographers, drone enthusiasts, and increasingly, mass-market consumers.

Unfortunately for the Yuneec Q500 4K , even before it gained some foothold in the market, the DJI Phantom 4 arrived and impressed everyone with its superior R&D and advanced features.

Yuneec had marketed the Yuneec Q500 4K as an “easy to fly” RC quadcopter even for those who’ve never laid eyes on a drone before. In reality, it takes quite a while to initiate the drone and get it airborne, with the longest amount of time being required for the GPS lock to be established. Plus, unlike the Phantom, the Yuneec Q500 4K isn’t supported by a mobile control platform – so tje convenience of an app like the DJI Go app is absent.

Big, heavy and slow. That’s the three-word summary of first impressions of the Yuneec Q500 4K. While the slower speed and lower altitude may make it a safer choice for beginners, it makes the Yuneec Q500 less attractive for those used to the nimbleness of similar high-end drones in that price segment. The battery life is limited and so is the maximum operating range against a DJI Phantom 4 comparison.

Though similar on paper, in terms of their specs and features, the Yuneec Q500 is no real match to the Phantom. Both have their strengths, and which one is best for you depends largely on what you plan to do with it. The Yuneec Q500 camera produces some reasonable results, albeit with slightly washed out colors and a bit blurry edges of the frames. While the Yuneec Q500 4K is slower and more sluggish than others, it’s reasonably easy to pilot. It’s a toy for people nervous about trying to control their first drone.

The Yuneec Q500 looks a bit bulkier and more ‘stocky’ than the sleek drones DJI produces. It’s also larger than the more familiar DJI drones, and made of plastic far flimsier than drone experts would usually prefer. That’s probably partly why the landing gear and gimbal has been known to break off the Yuneec Q500 upon a hard landing.

Testing the Yuneec Q500 4K, one of several models available, confirms that it’s capable of shooting 4k video. But almost any DJI Phantom 4 review suggests that the Phantom’s footage is crisper and sharper. The control unit has a bright screen; though flying in direct sunlight remains difficult. The Yuneec Q500 box helpfully includes a sunshade that attaches, awkwardly, to the controller with suction cups. It doesn’t completely solve the problem, but it does help.

Flying drones can be an intimidating experience, especially if you are operating an expensive and complicated model. The result is that, unless you’re so rich you don’t care, you spend most of your learning time in a nervous sweat. At least that’s experience with the Yuneec Q500 4K reported by most pilots on on-line forums.

If you’re just learning to fly, the Yuneec Q500 sluggishness is a plus. If you’re already comfortable flying drones, the Yuneec Q500 will likely feel like a step backward.

 

 

 

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