Why I choose the yuneec Q500 as my first drone?

If you are shopping your first drone, or you are searching a drone which is easy to fly and has a noticeable camera. Then I’d like to recommend you the Yuneec Typhoon Q500, just as I choose the Typhoon Q500 as my first drone.

When we choose drones, one model rules the skies. DJI’s Phantom drone, the Phantom 4 in particular.

Though similar in size, weight, and price, the Typhoon is no Phantom knockoff. It’s not a Phantom killer, either. Both have their strengths, and which one is best for you depends largely on what you plan to do with it. The Typhoon’s camera produces excellent results, and while the drone is slower and more sluggish than others, it’s remarkably easy to pilot. It’s a drone for people nervous about trying to control a $1,200 piece of flying equipment.

The Typhoon Q500 looks a bit more aggressive than DJI’s shining happy drones, with sleeker lines and a back end that resembles the head of the space-creatures in Alien. It’s also larger than the more familiar Phantoms, and made of plastic far flimsier than I’m used to seeing. That’s partly due to the fact that the Typhoon Q500 landing gear (and gimbal) can be snapped off with no special tools and stored in a much flatter package.

Unlike DJI’s offerings, the Typhoon’s base controller ships with a built-in screen in the form of a small Android device sporting 480p resolution. On one hand, it’s nice not to have so many different parts to keep track of. But there’s no way to add a bigger, clearer screen when, for example, a new iPad mini is released (the mobile device I currently use with the Phantom 3).

The screen is bright, though flying in direct sunlight remains difficult. To be fair, that’s true of every screen I’ve ever used to fly a drone. Yuneec helpfully includes a sunshade that attaches, awkwardly, to the controller with suction cups. It doesn’t completely solve the problem, but it does help.

I found the controller familiar enough to all but eliminate a learning curve. First-timers should have an easy time with it. The Typhoon’s video and still image capture buttons are chunkier than anything I’ve used, but that makes them easier to find without looking down at your hands. The included app is intuitive enough that I never cracked the manual. The touch screen is responsive as well, which is good because some of the menus and buttons are really tiny.

The Typhoon’s flight control system is great overall, it makes flying dead simple and trumps everything I’ve used save the new controller for the Phantom 3.

If you are a green hand, Yuneec Typhoon Q500 is quite a good choice.It might take a fairly skilled pilot to take advantage of all these options and features, but at the end of it all, it’s more than worth it.

 

 

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Indoor flights with Typhoon Q500 4K gps off

Some experienced pilot that’s able to properly control the Typhoon Q500 4K in Angle (Pilot) Mode, and they do not exceed any altitude/distance limits or fly in any ‘no fly zones’ in your area, they are willing to disable/turn off Typhoon Q500 GPS. So how?

WARNING: Smart Mode and Home Mode, along with their corresponding features, only work when GPS is active and the Q500 has a suitable GPS signal/lock. If you disable/turn off Typhoon Q500 GPS the drone can only be flown in Angle (Pilot) Mode. And if you cannot properly control the Q500 in Angle (Pilot) Mode the aircraft may crash or even ‘fly away’.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Yuneec drone Crash damage and ‘fly aways’ are NOT covered under warranty.We do not typically recommend disabling Typhoon Q500 4K GPS for any reason, especially if you’re a first-time or low-time pilot. However, if you’re an experienced, you could try.

And do NOT disable/turn off Typhoon Q500 4K GPS unless you accept ALL responsibility and liability for crashes or ‘fly aways’.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Every time you turn the Q500 on it will default to having Typhoon Q500 4K GPS active/on (even if you disabled GPS the last time is was powered on).

Step 1) While the ST10 and Q500 are powered on and linked (and the motors are NOT running), move the Proportional Control Rate Slider on the right side of the ST10 to the uppermost (rabbit) position.

Step 2) Move the right-hand stick all the way to the right and hold it there until step 3 is completed.

Step 3) Move the Flight Mode Selection Switch from Smart to Home and Home to Smart mode 4 times in 3 seconds.When GPS has been disabled successfully the Q500 will emit an audible indication and the Typhoon Q500 4K GPS status on the ST10 screen will show ‘Disabled’.

Also, the Main LED Status Indicator will flash purple and the Below Motor LED Status Indicators will flash three times per second then will stay off for one second.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Follow me feature wobbly on Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K drone as GPS flickers

Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K drone shows wobbly response if satellite numbers drop.

More than a few drone pilots have noted the wobbles in the “Follow Me” mode as the Yuneec GPS struggles to stay connected to enough satellites. The issue centers on all Yuneec drone models, but has particularly frustrated first-time drone buyers unware of the complexities.

First off, the insert in the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K drone box that explains how “Follow Me” is supposed to work needs more attention to detail. But the most important aspect to note is that the Q500 must be connected to at least seven satellites. This can be a problem for any Yuneec drone, especially in some parts of the world where access to the satellite network it relies on is patchy, or non-existent.

At this point, the first-time user needs to know the difference between a fix and a lock. So for example, in a lock, it means I have a solid signal from three or more satellites, while a fix means the location is established. So a drone pilot could have a lock on 10 satellites, but the Yuneec GPS receiver board may not have a fixed location.

For the Yuneec drone models, that could mean that a flashing green light doesn’t equal a good position estimate, just a good Yuneec GPS lock. Understanding this difference is crucial in “Follow Me” as you have to position a Q500 at the height and angle at which you want it and switch from Angle Mode to Smart Mode.

The Yuneec GPS is used in all of the flight modes for the Q500, but you can manually turn off the Yuneec GPS by finding an online guide. But remember, the drone defaults to “on” for the Yuneec GPS, so you will need to repeat the process each time if you want the Yuneec GPS off.

But setting the drone into Smart Mode for “Follow Me” produces a series of imprecise stop and start moves, making it impractical unless you’re in a wide open space with no other people or objects around.

On the other hand, in a Yuneec vs DJI comparison on the number of satellites available across the world, DJI has a far wider network and the GPS and GLONASS uses sonar assistance.

And that brings up whether the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K drone is meant to compete with the DJI Phantom, as the advertised Q500 parallels to a Phantom are obvious. It’s true the Q500 is a bulkier drone, but it does attempt to employ features such as a landing gear and the custom camera/gimbal combination found on the DJI drone.

The Yuneec drone however lags in R&D and quality in the propellers. The plastic and other features are a bit flimsy. Those design flaws coupled with the prospect of the Yuneec GPS dropping mean it’s not a good idea to attempt to fly it indoors as it lacks the more sophisticated autonomous communication features of the Phantom.

That brings us back to the Yuneec GPS green light on the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K drone – it produces mixed results.

Sometimes the green light for the Yuneec GPS leads to the drone working perfectly, or it shows satellites in place and the drone does not respond at all. This leads to furious efforts to recalibrate the compass, or investigate other potential problems such as those with the internal WiFi card, which has had problems with a poorly soldered antenna. So a warning of Yuneec GPS loss on the ST10 controller could be caused by several issues.

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3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k: when neither machine succeeds in matching the excellence of DJI drones

3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k is a debate that revolves around two different sets of considerations – cost and quality. While 3DR Solo isn’t a bad machine given its low price and the reasonably well-built design, the 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k price advantage soon becomes irrelevant when you consider the price of the camera and the gimbal. Yes, you heard it right – 3DR Solo is a drone that doesn’t come with a built-in gimbal; you have to pay separately to get one! On the other hand, when the 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k debate concentrates on the quality aspect of the flying machines, both RC quadcopter models frustrate the pilots almost as much as each other.

3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k comparison isn’t always an easy one. 3DR made its Solo drone as a carrier for GoPro and as such their drone and the gimbal are designed to work with GoPro Hero cameras. That could be a great advantage given that the Q500 4k’s camera performance in a 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k comparison isn’t always the greatest. The more recent models in the GoPro Hero series are pretty nice and surely shoot better footage than the Yuneec Q500 4k does.

So, if you don’t own one of the compatible GoPro cameras, the total cost to own a 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k gets very close to the price of the Yuneec drone. In fact, for that much money, you should ask yourself why you are not opting for the far better and more established DJI Phantom 4. There’s no winner in 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k to that end.

On the other hand, 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k does reveal some unique features and qualities that make the Solo stand out. Comparing 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k, UAV drone manufacturers like 3DR give you the option to swap out cameras for the Solo.

Focusing on the Yuneec Q500 4k and forgetting the 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k debate for a minute, the Yuneec Q500 4k quadcopter is way behind against a DJI Phantom 4 comparison. In terms of overall quality and flying experience, DJI Phantom 4 review scores are way more positive, and stand as a testament to DJI’s superior R&D capabilities.

The two factors go in favour of the Yuneec Q500 4k in the 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k debate. For starters, the Q500 4k has two unique features called Follow Me and Watch Me. And then comes the basic difference between the 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k – you don’t get a camera when you buy the 3DR Solo. And therefore, you lose out on the advantages of integration and synchronisation.

And, perhaps the other important differentiation between 3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4k is the after-sales service and customer support. A lot of reviews on sites like dronecompares or yuneecpilots suggest that the Q500 4k, much like its sibling Yuneec Typhoon H, is prone to signal loss and crash landings. Unfortunately, Yuneec China doesn’t cover crash landing damages in its warranty and service.

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3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500

3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500,which one would you buy?

If you’re going to get the 3DR Solo, you probably already have or like a GoPro, you’re new to quadcopters, you like open source.

For starters, the Solo is the drone that boasts not one, but two dedicated 1GHz Cortex-A9 Linux computers. There’s one in the controller, and one onboard the drone itself that handles all high-level flight scripting, freeing Solo’s Pixhawk 2 autopilot to focus solely on keeping the copter in the air. This configuration makes the drone incredibly reliable, as there’s a much lower chance of a firmware freeze.

Second of all, you won’t find a camera on this drone. You’ll need to bring your own GoPro to the party, and it’s only compatible with Hero models 3, 3+ and 4. Obviously, the downside of this is that if you don’t already own a GoPro, you’ll need to drop an extra $400 or $500 before you can film anything from the air. The upside? You’re not married to the same camera forever, and can upgrade to a nicer model when better tech becomes available. And if you’ve already got a GoPro handy, you’re golden.

Third, this drone can fly like a bat out of hell. 3DR doesn’t boast about it very much, but Solo can hit over 55 MPH if you take the training wheels off. That’s 10 MPH faster that DJI’s new Phantom 4, and it’ll go even faster with a good tailwind behind it. If you need a drone that can keep up with a car, motorcycle, snowboard, mountain bike, or anything else that moves fast, Solo would be a fantastic choice.

Solo’s autonomous flight modes, which include Selfie, Cable Cam, Orbit, and Follow, are designed to make it easier to get professional-looking aerial video. The drone handles all the flight, which allows you to focus solely on capturing a great shot.

If you’re not keen on keeping up with every new iPhone release, Yuneec’s Q500 Typhoon 4K is a solid option.

Rather than relying on a smartphone as half of the controls, the Yuneec’s Android-based remote controller has a built-in touchscreen for flight monitoring. This design not only expedites the setup process but also removes the pressure on you to sport the latest and greatest mobile device.

As the name implies, the Yuneec Q500 4K shoots 4K video, which is gradually replacing 1080p, and captures raw-format still images. It does offer useful navigation features such as Waypoints and Follow Me, and its camera is removable and replaceable (a bonus if it ever sustains damage or if Yuneec releases a better model). And though this model is monstrous in comparison with the others we tested, its stealthy gunmetal-gray design is aesthetically pleasing.

Both of drones come with smart controls designed to ease the learning curve for beginners, an intuitive control scheme. Your choice between the two may come down to the camera and price.

 

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What a bad Yuneec customer service

I am an experienced pilot, both full-size fixed- and rotary-wing and RC. This Yuneec Typhoon Q500 flies wonderfully, both with and without GPS lock, and functions as advertised EXCEPT: BE ADVISED YOU CANNOT CONTROL A GOPRO WITH THIS UNIT.

Took a 30-minute phone call with Yuneec to even determine this, because it’s not documented at all.

In addition, there were missing parts (no SD card in the package) and even after the phone call to Yuneec, and after they told me they would send me the card, nothing happened. I also ‘ordered’ the 4K camera to mount on the hard point, so as to ‘convert’ my unit to the Typhoon quadcopter, but apparently my order got lost by the tech I spoke with and ten days later I still have that crappy GoPro gimbal, which itself doesn’t hold camera steady under ANY conditions.

Disappointed…

Later,I heard so many complaints about Yuneec customer service, just one example here.

“I elected to go with Yuneec because of the customer service reputation.I was very pleased with the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter, so much so that I purchased another Yuneec drone as backup should anything go wrong.

It did, big style. First I installed the camera off the new one to test it out and the copter behaved independently crashing and breaking one side of the slide mount off the gimbal.

I ran the GUI and everything checked out. So, the next flight it again goes off at a tangent and took a notion to take a swim and drowned. It behaved as if a rotor was missing but I could see that all were still in place so I am guessing a motor packed up.I’m wary of using the new one until I can determine what actually happened.

Yuneec promised to send a new one or replace at a “deep discount” dependent on the cause.Now they say the telemetry files are unreadable (I can read them????)They also promised to email me a return form to have the second camera (the first is still with the fish) repaired.

The Yuneec return form email promise was over a week ago.The post office would have been quicker i am sure. Beginning to think my desire to obtain an Yuneec drone Typhoon H is not a good idea after all.”

Yuneec customer service and warranty are a joke.

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Bulky, problem-prone Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter ready for a phase out?

DJI’s Phantom 3 and Phantom 4 have clearly won the RC quadcopter war with the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter to the point that it may be time to wonder if newer model launches are an attempt by the company to move on.

The basic Yuneec Q500 model has been adapted a few times from a pre-4K camera variant to one that can hold a GoPro, but Yuneec has faced a lot of blowback over flaws in the overall model.

The top complaints on the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter center on communications between the controller and the drone on two fronts – poor GPS fix and lock in many cases and access to fewer satellites overall in a DJI vs Yuneec comparison. The other communication aspect is the weak internal WiFi card of the Yuneec drone and the badly soldered antenna that needs a trip back to the factory to fix.

Reviewers of the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter had initially expressed hopes that these issues were production line bugs that could be fixed in subsequent sales, but the talk is that there is such a repair backlog for the RC quadcopter from Yuneec that a logjam has been created in a rush to get new models of the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter into the market and deal with units sent back at the same time.

This flawed R&D approach to testing products rigorously in the design phase and in beta is evident in the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter and has flowed through to newer models such as the Yuneec Breeze “selfie” drone aimed at a potential large market that wants some fun for under $500 – a penny under, in this case.

But these new buyers then have to deal with a drone that has less than a dozen minutes of battery life, less than 80 meters of range, poor connections to a smartphone or tablet and that can be easily blown around by even mild gusts of wind.

On top of that, Yuneec has tried to go high-end with a massive hexacopter – the Yuneec Typhoon H – and compete with a far superior Phantom 4 model from DJI that regularly receives rave reviews. The Yuneec Typhoon has been faulted for cheap plastic in key parts such as the joints holding together the folding arms – and for the landing gear that is nominally retractable, but regularly seizes up in flight.

But maybe if Yuneec looks to streamline offerings it can at least cut the backlog of repairs enough to concentrate on the newer entries into the market. As it is, the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter just keeps logging complaints over flight hours with issues such as a burning smell during batter recharges and flight times less than 20 minutes, far below the 25 minutes advertised.

Of course DJI is coming out with some new models too, the Mavic Pro, which runs off an APP on a smartphone or controller and flies for up to 27 minutes at just a few hundred dollars above the Yuneec Breeze, and which has the ability to live-stream full HD video to Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube.

 

 

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Some tips for your Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter flight

Maybe you have some issues with your Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter when flight.We have consolidated the answers to some of our customer’s most common questions and listed them here.You could also learn more about the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter.

Yuneec shipped an upgraded version of the Q500 Yuneec drone dubbed the Q500+. This version includes a custom case, an improved camera with new lens and a microphone, and a larger 5.5″ tablet display built into the ST10.

The 3-axis anti-vibration CGO3 gimbal camera and the optimized fixed focus lens capture silky smooth videos and crisp images, which are stored to the internal memory card and streamed in real time to the ST10+ screen. The camera features a 115 degree wide-angle no-distortion lens and the ability to shoot slow motion video at 1080p 120 FPS.  All the controls expected by professionals are standard. For instance, video resolution and white balance can be adjusted, while light exposure can be controlled automatically or manually, including ISO and Shutter Speed. The camera also allows users to take pictures while recording video, and the still images are available in RAW (DNG) and JPEG format.

Smart Mode

• This is the recommended mode for beginners as it enables a geofence (enforces a maximum distance of 300 feet from the operator) and the controls will operate relative to the pilot, regardless which way the nose of the Yuneec drone is pointed.
• In smart mode, the follow-me feature is automatically enabled if the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter has acquired GPS data from 6 or more satellites. This will be indicated by the LEDs blinking white every 3 seconds. When follow-me is active the drone will maintain a constant position relative to the ST10 controller as you move it around.
• If you take off in smart mode, make sure you are at least 26 feet away from the Q500. In smart mode the Q500 maintains a safe distance from the operator to prevent injury. If you need to take off or land within 26 feet of your position, you must switch to angle mode.

Angle Mode

• Recommended for intermediate and experienced pilots, this mode will orient controls relative to the position of the Yuneec drone.This will require the operator to keep track of which way the drone is pointing as pushing up on the right stick will result in the Yuneec drone moving forward in the direction of its nose.
• If you ever lose orientation in angle mode, you can switch to smart mode and pull down on the right stick to bring the Yuneec drone back to you. You can also activate Return to Home mode and let the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter do the work.
• The follow-me feature is not available in angle mode but the Q500 LEDs will still blink white once it has acquired 6 or more satellites to let you know that it is available. To activate follow-me you will need to switch to Smart mode.

Return to Home (RTH)

• Activate this mode to have the Q500 return to its home point and land automatically.
• If follow-me is active (6 or more satellites), the home point will be within 26 feet of the ST10.
• If follow-me is not active the home point will be the take off point.

Disabling GPS (Advanced)

Warning: Smart Mode and Return to Home only work when GPS is enabled.
Note: It is not typically recommended to disable GPS, especially for beginners. GPS will be enabled by default each time you power on the Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter.

In later firmware versions, GPS can be disabled by selecting the Gear icon in the lower right hand corner, accepting the warning, and scrolling to the bottom of the list. Then select GPS Off.

For earlier firmware versions the following procedure will disable GPS:

• While the ST10 and Q500 Yuneec drone are powered on and linked (and the motors are NOT running), move the Proportional Control Rate Slider on the right side of the ST10 to the uppermost (rabbit) position.
• Move the right-hand stick all the way to the right and hold it there until the next step is completed.
• Move the Flight Mode Selection Switch from Smart to Home and Home to Smart mode 4 times in 3 seconds.

When GPS has been disabled successfully the Q500 Yuneec drone will emit an audible indication and the GPS status on the ST10 screen will show ‘Disabled’. Also, the Main LED Status Indicator will flash purple and the Below Motor LED Status Indicators will flash three (3) times per second then will stay off for one (1) second.

No-Fly Zones

With a suitable GPS signal/lock it will not be possible to start the motors, takeoff or fly the TYPHOON in the ‘No-Fly Zones’ within a 4 mile (6.4 kilometer) radius of most major airports.

Stay tuned to us,we will keep updating for more info of Yuneec Typhoon quadcopter.

 

 

 

 

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3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500 4K: Who is for you?

3DR Solo vs Yuneec Q500,which one would you buy?

Your choice between the two may come down to other factors such as:

FEATURES & SPECS

Easy to use yet sophisticated, the Yuneec Q500 grants even amateur photogs the ability to produce professional-grade images and video. The fully controllable 3-axis gimbal camera can shoot straight ahead to capture the horizon, or pivot up to 90 degrees down to capture overhead footage.

Aside from its optical fortitude, the drone packs two unique autonomous modes “Watch we” and “Follow me” to give beginner pilots a hand. And the ST10+ gives you a front row seat to exactly what the drone sees as it flies.

While,the 3DR Solo is the drone that boasts not one, but two dedicated 1GHz Cortex-A9 Linux computers. There’s one in the controller, and one onboard the drone itself that handles all high-level flight scripting, freeing Solo’s Pixhawk 2 autopilot to focus solely on keeping the copter in the air. This configuration makes the drone incredibly reliable, as there’s a much lower chance of a firmware freeze.

Solo’s autonomous flight modes, which include Selfie, Cable Cam, Orbit, and Follow, are designed to make it easier to get professional-looking aerial video. The drone handles all the flight, which allows you to focus solely on capturing a great shot.

In addition, Solo also has a number of flight modes that provide advanced pilots with full (or only slightly assisted) manual control over the drone’s flight.

CAMERA

With the term 4K part of this quadcopter’s name, it should come as no surprise that the Q500 boasts a hell of a camera. Mounted directly underneath the craft, the CGO3 packs a 115-degree field of view, 1080p full HD, and 4K ultra-high definition at 30 frames per second. The ST10+ controller allows for advanced tinkering with the camera’s video settings, or novice flyers can rely on automatic settings.

If shooting 4K video isn’t quite your speed, the Yuneec Q500 also allows users to capture 1080p/120fps slow motion video, granting videographers added flexibility. Switching to slow motion on the ST10+ controller requires minimal navigation, and makes it a snap to switch modes when the need arises.

On the other hand, you won’t find a camera on the 3DR Solo. You’ll need to bring your own GoPro to the party, and it’s only compatible with Hero models 3, 3+ and 4. Obviously, the downside of this is that if you don’t already own a GoPro, you’ll need to drop an extra $400 or $500 before you can film anything from the air. The upside? You’re not married to the same camera forever, and can upgrade to a nicer model when better tech becomes available. And if you’ve already got a GoPro handy, you’re golden.

For the time being, that’s all you can get — but 3DR allegedly has a lot more in the pipeline. An open SDK allows third-party developers to design custom apps and integrations for the drone. And it’s not just open to new software either — Solo is also equipped with an open accessory bay, which allows users to attach aftermarket hardware onto the drone as well. The Solo does scores high marks for upgradability.

FLIGHT PERFORMANCE

The flight performance is arguably where Yuneec Q500 shines brightest. Not only do its smart modes allow for some of the simplest flying we’ve ever experienced, but we also found the controller’s easy-to-use dual joysticks make even the free-flying Angle mode incredibly natural — especially for novices. Because of this, very little prior experience is needed to get the Typhoon quadcopter into the air after unboxing.

When it comes to 3DR Solo, it boasts one of the easiest, most straightforward piloting experiences we’ve ever encountered. There are two reasons for this. First, the controller was built from the ground up to look, feel, and operate more like a video game controller, which makes piloting feel very familiar and intuitive for users that are new to hobby aircraft. Second, the drone’s numerous autonomous flight modes allow you to perform maneuvers that would otherwise take lots of practice and skill.

Unlike traditional controllers that feature a dizzying array of buttons, knobs, and switches; Solo is stripped down to the bare essentials. All the other settings and controls (including GoPro settings) are handled inside the accompanying mobile app, which keeps the main controller interface very uncluttered and easy to navigate. The only downside? You can only fly if you’re connected to a smartphone or tablet, which is yet another thing that you have to worry about keeping charged up. The fact that you typically need to keep the screen on full brightness only exacerbates the problem. A couple of our flying expeditions were cut short due to a rapidly-drained smartphone battery, but so long as you’ve got everything charged up and running smoothly, the Solo is a breeze to fly.

BATTERY LIFE,PRICE

As much of a downer as it is to have to stop enjoying the Yuneec Q500 after just 20 minutes, an extra battery allows you to get the drone right back up into the air. It is now priced at $799.

As for the battery, 3DR equipped this badboy with a rechargeable 5,200 mAh 14.8Vdc lithium ion battery, which allegedly gives it 25 minutes of flight time without the camera, and about 20 minutes with it. As the 3DR are no longer making Solo drone,now it comes in at a price of about $349,that price doesn’t include the camera gimbal or the camera itself.

 

 

 

 

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Yuneec 4K Typhoon – the drone sold at a premium price point

An upstart among Chinese UAV drone manufacturers, Yuneec marketed its high-end 4K Typhoon model as the best-value 4k system available in the market. For the Yuneec drone, it’s a big and bold claim – one that needs to be backed by first-hand reviews from experienced users. DroneCompares and other online reviews– including feedback from real users who tried the Yuneec drone – are far less impressive than what the manufacturer would have hoped for.

The Yuneec 4K Typhoon comes with an android-based touch-screen controller, which is supposed to be an all-purpose unit. The reality is, it slows down the entire setting up process for the Yuneec drone. To make it worse, this Yuneec drone is not supported by any smartphone app like DJI Go. The biggest problem arises when its connection with the Q500 is lost due to poor GPS connectivity.

The Yuneec 4K Typhoon has experienced recurrent GPS connectivity problems ever since it was launched – an issue that has caused tens of hundreds of UAV drones from the Chinese manufacturer to either crash, or to make fatally hard landing. Large numbers of the first buyers have had to send their Yuneec drone units back to the manufacturer for repair. And many of these damages and malfunctions were not covered under the Yuneec drone warranty agreement. Yuneec China warranty, unfortunately, does not cover crashing.

The Yuneec drone’s internal WiFi card has had its problems too.

Among a large of pilots who have submitted angry and frustrated reviews of this Yuneec drone, one particular user how her second flight with the Yuneec 4K Typhoon saw the camera losing connection and never recovering it back. Her Yuneec drone started rolling around out of control, switched to the ‘return home’ mode, and made a very hard landing that almost took away her fingernails.

The Yuneec 4K Typhoon version of the Yuneec drone has a QHD camera which captures 1080p slow motion video at 120 frames per second. But experienced videographers have already declared the camera to be sub-par and not up to the level of its DJI counterparts.

In an open area the range of the Yuneec drone is closer to about 1,200 feet. The Phantom 4 is clearly the better drone – it flies longer, higher and farther. As far as range goes, in the suburbs there should no real problem for this Yuneec drone when controlling the aircraft at distances of up to around 900 feet before the pilot starts getting intermittent ‘RC Control lost’ messages.

The Yuneec 4K Typhoon is a good UAV if you’re not a long-range flyer. When being flown in the Smart Mode, this Yuneec drone is severely restricted in its flying ability – no further than 295 feet from the remote. On the contrary, DJI Phantom 4 reviews confirm that the DJI drone has a much larger operating range and altitude ceiling.

 

 

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Yuneec Q500 4k GPS problems

Launched earlier in 2016, the DJI Phantom 4 is recognised as the “best-in-class” RC quadcopter, contrasting with the year-old and problem plagued Yuneec Q500 4K.

DJI Phantom 4 reviews make it very clear that the DJI RC Quadcopter is the definitive winner in the DJI vs Yuneec contest.

A DJI Phantom 4 comparison against its competition becomes pretty straightforward when the Phantom’s collision avoidance feature is taken into account. Almost any Typhoon H review, evaluating the drone that Yuneec China produces, mentions that Yuneec drones are prone to connectivity problem. And one of the reasons for that is its reliance on Yuneec Q500 4k GPS tracking only.

On the contrary, Phantom 4 flight tracking is done through GPS as well as GLONASS. Launched in 1982, GLONASS is a Russian-led satellite network intended to work for weather positioning, velocity measuring and timing anywhere in the world or near-Earth space. Access to the US-led GPS system and to GLONASS makes the Phantom 4 a much better connected drone. All of this can be credited to DJI’s superior R&D capability.

DJI Phantom 4 signal loss incidents are extremely rare. And that’s at least partially due to the dual-support the drone gets. When used alone GLONASS doesn’t necessarily have a stronger coverage than GPS. But when both are used together, GPS+GLONASS certainly increase accuracy as well as coverage. And it is more useful in northern latitudes as Russia started GLONASS originally for Russia.

DJI Phantom 4 has a clear advantage over the Q500 4K or even any intel UAV Typhoon H. Accuracy is an advantage of using GLONASS with up-to 2 metre of accuracy. GPS+GLONASS allows the DJI drone to be pin pointed by a group of over 55 satellites all across the globe.

 

 

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How will Yuneec fare in getting Typhoon H Pro features up to speed?

Yuneec has set out to provide a host of delicate new features on the Typhoon H Pro and that has more than a few users worried that the initial cost will only grow quickly as the inevitable need for third-party accessories and replacements for damaged parts comes into play.

Already reports are out that the retractable landing gear has had issues and at times halts, making the flying profile more awkward. Other problems stemming from the landing gear mean moving around placements for the Intel Realsense module and figuring out an entire new production line sequence.

Of course UAV drone manufacturers normally go through teething issues to bring models up to scratch and invite a feedback loop from beta, or early, users who can help tweak R&D efforts.

Forums say Yuneec is along in that process, but as seen in the past with its internal WiFi card and related issues with GPS, fixing problems means sending units back to the head office where they pile up in need of attention as engineers in the company try and move ahead on new models.

At stake in that back-and-forth on the old and new is the real prospect of quality getting sidelined as a user, Andrew Z., in an August video posting showed.

“Just got my Yuneec Typhoon H Pro last week and took it to my overseas trip. 1.5 hours into flying it crashes into lake with no warning. There was a message on screen about 5 engine failures or something like it.”

And the feedback from fellow users then highlighted other probable causes, including issues that harken back to the Yuneec Q500.

“You know, that looks much like a battery failure, flying fine then no warning falls from sky then lights up the ST16,” said Batfire.

“Seen this myself with my copters but fortunately was only 2 foot off ground when failed. There is a lag time from bird to transmitter. The Yuneec batteries are not good batteries from the get go … check the resistance of a new one verses other brands and you will see. That’s why I replace them as soon as I get a high resistance battery. I saw this with the Q500 batteries and only use them in my land drones, no flying with those batteries due to this very issue.”

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DJI Phantom 4 completely outperforms Yuneec Q500

Yuneec strives really hard to take on DJI – the world’s largest UAV drone manufacturer – with a number of models aimed at different segments. As the competition between the two companies intensified, the Yuneec Q500 was launched in 2015 to compete with the DJI Phantom series.

Initially, Yuneec may have set out to challenge the overwhelming popularity of the Phantom 3 with the Yuneec Q500. That hasn’t quite happened. In fact, the Yuneec hopes of capturing the market with the Yuneec Q500 received a massive blow through the launch of the DJI Phantom 4.

Yuneec Q500 reviews have not been very positive so far. Launched as an expensive drone in the US$700, it was supposed to ‘wow’ pilots and experts. Unfortunately for Yuneec, the underlying R&D behind the Yuneec Q500 hasn’t been sound enough to match virtually no – mostly positive – DJI Phantom 4 review. A lot of pilots have already declared the Phantom 4 as the best ever consumer drone in the under US$2,000 price range. On the other hand, Yuneec Q500 reviews have questioned whether its price tag justifies its actual performance.

Among other issues, the problem that has bothered the Yuneec pilots more than anything else is the GPS issues with the Yuneec Q500. Not only does it take an excruciatingly long time to establish GPS connections when the Yuneec Q500 boots up, a lot of pilots have experienced connection loss. Some users posted on drone forums that the Yuneec Q500 UAV is prone to lose its satellite lock for a few seconds.

The backpack for the Yuneec Q500 – launched to cater to a niche segment of pilots who want to travel along with their drone as a carry-luggage – was also criticised by some customers who thought the soft backpack did not provide the best protection for their drones. Not so surprisingly the Yuneec Q500 backpack edition was quickly pulled back from the market.

In a DJI Phantom 4 comparison, the Yuneec Q500 never really offered any formidable challenge. Compared to the Yuneec Q500, there is an awful much to like about the DJI Phantom birds. DJI Phantom 4 signal loss is rare, because DJI drone connects to larger network of satellites, including some Russian satellites, which provide pilots with GPS and GLONASS connectivity, and augments those with a solid Obstacle Avoidance System.

DJI Phantom 4 also comes with ActiveTrack – a feature not found in the Yuneec Q500 or any other current Yuneec drone models. It’s a feature that allows drones to recognise a subject and follow it with absolute ease and stability. ActiveTrack works in combination with a state of the art Obstacle Avoidance System in the Phantom 4, this means that even inexperienced pilots can perform complex manoeuvres that were once only possible for the most experienced pilots. Plus, the Yuneec Q500 doesn’t have DJI’s TapFly – the option to just tap on your target on the screen, and let your drone fly there.

The Yuneec Q500 has missed the bar by a long margin, it seems.

 

 

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Q500 Yuneec quadcopter: lagging behind in design and performance

Yuneec China first hit the headlines with its efforts to challenge consumer UAV market leader DJI when it launched its Q500 4k Yuneec quadcopter model.

That was in 2015, well before the launch of a Yuneec drone with an Intel RealSense module. Even if you discount the absence of a serious obstacle avoidance feature, just the mere product design of the Yuneec quadcopter left a lot of unanswered questions.

There were a number of things to question about the quality of the build.

First was the inconvenient size and layout of the flight controller. And through the layout of the control unit, you can draw a conclusion that the Yunec quadcopter was essentially using the same control unit that Yuneec China, a former OEM manufacturer, had used in manufacturing the Horizon Hobby.

Second, the Yuneec quadcopter build design and placement of the joints and shoulders looked odd.  These, along with the random wiring and sensor placement, for those who truly know, made it clear that Yuneec was trying to seize market share without paying great attention to quality.

And you can’t forget the fact that the Q500 Yuneec quadcopter went through two large-scale recalls in North America and Europe. The root cause, according to reviews on sites like DroneCompares, was that the Yuneec quadcopter was experiencing an unacceptable level of vibration of the gimbal. Luckily, the Yuneec quadcopter development team found a way to fix this product failure, but it shouldn’t have occurred in the first place. The firm has ceased production of the Q500 Yuneec quadcopter, with total sales reaching around 100,000 units.

According to people familiar with this Yuneec quadcopter launch events in the US, retailers received a handsome shares of the revenue from each unit sold to carry and push the Yuneec drone.

Taking a close and systematic look at what’s inside this particular Yuneec quadcopter, such a strategy surely brought initial success in opening up a distribution network for Yuneec, but it’s fair to say the Q500 was a premature product. What sounded like an early challenge in the DJI vs Yuneec contest, turned out to be a failed attempt thanks to the poor design and inept performance of this Yuneec quadcopter.

The fact that Yuneec claims to have a large R&D team and regularly tries to poach engineers from other UAV drone manufacturers, doesn’t resonate with the unacceptably low build quality of the Q500 Yuneec quadcopter. The poor performance of this Yuneec quadcopter was simply a warning sign that it could never match the DJI Phantom 3, either from the standpoint of exterior design or internal layout. And, of course, after DJI launched the latest version of the Phantom series, virtually every DJI Phantom 4 Pro review made it clear that it was simply a much better product, burying with it any hopes for Yuneec to offer a formidable challenge.

The key to success in the UAV drone industry lies in the details. That’s where the Yuneec quadcopter Q500 – or its successor hexacopter the Typhoon H – lags behind, as it is clear in any DJI vs Yuneec comparison.

 

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DJI Phantom 3 has cost advantages over Yuneec Q500 in roof inspections

The Yuneec Q500 has had many problems, not the least of which is that it is not the most affordable option for some jobs.

It could be that Drone Girl has too much time on her hands. Or maybe she is better than the rest of us at thinking about the known unknowns-, like whether our roofs have holes and need repair.

Either way, she has done a public service by alerting us on the most cost-efficient way to inspect roof tops. Not to mention, she has now helped many a person avoid a trip up a rickety ladder and a possible dangerous tumble off of a garage roof.

Through her work, Drone Girl confirms what many might not know, that an RC quadcopter or hexacopter to inspect your roof doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. She did a comparison of DJI Phantom vs various models from other UAV drone manufacturers to arrive at her conclusions.

The figures speak clearly. A Yuneec Q500 will set you back $699 to buzz above the shingles on your roof and beam back pictures of any trouble spots. But in DJI Phantom 3 comparison, she finds that one of the most popular drones ever will do the same job but cheaper.

“This drone (DJI Phantom 3) is incredibly wallet friendly,” Drone Girl tells us. “The video streams through your smartphone or tablet, which you can use to get real-time video.”

By “wallet friendly” Drone Girl means $499, hundreds of dollars less than the Yuneec Q500.

And just to show we are not making light of using a drone to see what is on your roof, we leave you with some insight from Drone Girl on the matter.

“Roof inspections can get fancy,” Drone Girl tells us. “You could add a thermal camera (particularly if you have solar panels on your roof). If you had a huge roof and needed to fly the exact same route every time, you might want to use Skycatch, which could even generate a map for you.”

“But for most roof inspectors, all you want is a relatively small drone that is stable, easy to fly, can get close to the roof, is safe, and offers both a live video feed and generates high qualities images or video that can be saved.”

Indeed, food for thought.

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Getting a Yuneec Q500 4K GPS lock might take a while

Yuneec Q500 reviews caution on flying without GPS despite issues.

Using GPS to fly a Yuneec Q500 means waiting for a satellite lock and that can take quite a while and also fail, as a strong signal remains elusive in many parts of the world because of the limited satellite coverage available.

For owners of a Yuneec Q500 this frustrating process can drain precious battery time and raise questions mid-flight about the status of a connection. Some Yuneec Q500 pilots might even consider flying without GPS assistance, despite suggestions to the contrary.

DJI vs Yuneec comparisons suggest these issues, common on the Yuneec Q500 4K and almost every type of Yuneec drone, are a rarity in every single RC quadcopter model manufactured by DJI, the market leader. That, at least, is what Jim Fisher says in a review of the Yuneec Q500 in PCMag.

The Yuneec Q500 4K“won’t take off until it achieves a GPS lock,” Fisher says.

“You can manually override this requirement if you want to fly without the aid of GPS, but I don’t recommend it. Indoor flight is certainly possible, but there’s no positioning system like you’ll find with the DJI Phantom 3 Professional … so you’ll have to take great care. Even a minor bump indoors can destroy a propeller.”

While a propeller might seem like minor and easily replaceable part of the Yuneec Q500 4K and any other drone but at US$15 each from Yuneec that can quickly add up if the issues are recurrent. And experience suggests that the issues are frequent with the Yuneec Q500.

And, as Fisher notes, the loss of a satellite lock can happen when the Yuneec Q500 is in mid-air.

“During my first run I had some thick trees between me and the Q500, which caused it to lose signal more quickly than I expected. The Q500 didn’t automatically return to home at that point, and the signal was too weak for the manual Home function to work. I was able to walk closer to the unit and regain control, but it was a scary moment in the air.”

He added the second time out was not a charm.

“The craft lost GPS lock momentarily and started to fly erratically,” he said of a test flight with the Yuneec Q500 4K, adding that the Yuneec drone “does wobble a bit in the air, which is somewhat disconcerting when compared with the absolute stillness of the Phantom 3 Professional.”

And finally, he said that even with the GPS issues he stayed with the system because of concerns on stability if it was disabled.

“I did all of my flying with the GPS enabled. If you’ve got a lot of experience flying remote control aircrafts without GPS assistance, you can disable it. When it’s turned off the Q500 4K can fly fast—nearly 60mph—and it can perform steep banks and turning maneuvers. But it’s also unstable in the air, and drifts down when moving forward. I don’t recommend it unless you’re a pro.”

 

 

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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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Yuneec drone lost control-Episode 2

This Yuneec drone lost control discussions come from Yuneec groups.

“I just got my Yuneec Q500 and I was so happy for it. I take out like four times before the nightmare begins.

The first time I take out in a University Campus to flight, everything was ok, but suddenly like 5 minutes after take off the Quad start to descend really fast and kind of drift. I lose control and I couldn’t take it back until the drone bounce on earth. Two minutes after that I land and move away.

Three days later I go out to a parking lot to take a flight and everything looks fine , but around minute 7 it happens again, this time I retake control on the second bounce and speed up, I was in control for about 45 seconds and “this thing” happens again. I landed change the battery and take a new flight and everything works perfectly.

Last week I was in a public park and this happens again with my second battery flight, but this time I only lose control for about 3 seconds and before it hit the ground I regain control.

I flight all the time in SMART Mode and with at least 15 satellites for the drone and 9 satellites for the base.”

“Second flight of my Yuneec Q500 wound up with a crash…why? Yuneec Q500 was about 100 yards from me and maybe 30 feet high when everything came tumbling to the earth. Fortunately, not much damage but all I could find was three of the 4 props (all broken). Apparently the fourth prop came off causing the crash. I never found it. I thought these props were self tightening. I assume I did not have the runaway prop tight enough when taking off.”

“Yesterday I lost my Yuneec Q500 4k drone, it took off normally but after a couple of minutes at 150 ft the drone lost GPS signal and stopped responding to the ST10, I hit the HOME switch but nothing happened I just lost visual contact and after a few minutes all camera signal.”

“I lost mine a month or so ago. I saw it go down so I had a general idea of where I needed to start looking. But even then it took a good bit of two days and part of a night to find. I did not have an SD card in the ST10, a big no-no I have learned. I have one now plus I most all the time I attach a Trackimo to my Q500. The remote, and “home” arrow didn’t help me. Not much anyway, but I had only been flying 3 or 4 days so it’s pretty certain I didn’t know what I was doing trying to follow the arrow to where it went down.”

 

 

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If you’re an experienced,you could try

Some experienced pilot that’s able to properly control the Q500 in Angle (Pilot) Mode, and they do not exceed any altitude/distance limits or fly in any ‘no fly zones’ in your area, they are willing to disable/turn off Typhoon Q500 gps. So how?

WARNING: Smart Mode and Home Mode, along with their corresponding features, only work when GPS is active and the Q500 has a suitable GPS signal/lock. If you disable/turn off Typhoon Q500 gps the Q500 can only be flown in Angle (Pilot) Mode. And if you cannot properly control the Q500 in Angle (Pilot) Mode the aircraft may crash or even ‘fly away’.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Yuneec drone Crash damage and ‘fly aways’ are NOT covered under warranty.We do not typically recommend disabling Typhoon Q500 gps for any reason, especially if you’re a first-time or low-time pilot. However, if you’re an experienced,you could try.

And do NOT disable/turn off Typhoon Q500 gps unless you accept ALL responsibility and liability for crashes or ‘fly aways’.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Every time you turn the Q500 on it will default to having Typhoon Q500 gps active/on (even if you disabled GPS the last time is was powered on).

Step 1) While the ST10 and Q500 are powered on and linked (and the motors are NOT running), move the Proportional Control Rate Slider on the right side of the ST10 to the uppermost (rabbit) position.

Step 2) Move the right-hand stick all the way to the right and hold it there until step 3 is completed.

Step 3) Move the Flight Mode Selection Switch from Smart to Home and Home to Smart mode 4 times in 3 seconds.
When GPS has been disabled successfully the Q500 will emit an audible indication and the Typhoon Q500 gps status on the ST10 screen will show ‘Disabled’. Also, the Main LED Status Indicator will flash purple and the Below Motor
LED Status Indicators will flash three (3) times per second then will stay off for one (1) second.

 

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