First Impressions of the H520

[Tuna]

Here's my article on Medium with some first impressions of the H520

Shhh.. the Yuneec H520 is coming – Andy Toone – Medium

Feedback welcome!

 

[arruntus]

Interesting article. Thx.

I think there's a flaw when it comes to speed. I think I have read that with Angle mode it reaches 30mph and manual 45mph. I think it looks like the H480. Can anyone confirm that?

 

[Murray Martz]

Here's my article on Medium with some first impressions of the H520

Shhh.. the Yuneec H520 is coming – Andy Toone – Medium

Feedback welcome!

Very well done Tuna. It looks as though you covered as much as you could with what you had.

 

[Rayray]

I also agree, factual and very clear. Good job. As for naysayers, they never change, only the object of their focus changes.

 

[Tuna]

Interesting article. Thx.

I think there's a flaw when it comes to speed. I think I have read that with Angle mode it reaches 30mph and manual 45mph. I think it looks like the H480. Can anyone confirm that?

Not true. I'm not sure what the top speed with GPS off is, but it's at least the same as the Typhoon H - around 60mph. The H520 has significantly higher power output, so I'd expect to see higher values when we can get it in testing.

Here's a picture of the two machines' motors side by side, you can see that the H520 motors are quite a bit bigger.

 

[Tuna]

It's also worth pointing out that the GPS unit is upgraded. I've yet to get an absolute confirmation, but it appears to give altitude as meters above sea level (ie GPS altitude) rather than meters above the takeoff point - so the H520 isn't just relying on barometric pressure for altitude hold. This makes for more accurate (and faster) positioning.

 

[arruntus]

I appear to have read it somewhere, I was last night looking for where and I can't find it. I don't know if it was on the official website or where. But I couldn't match the figures. However, if you get more speed for when you need it, it's always good news. We still don't have a lot of official data, we keep scratching from where we can

Thank you for the article and what envy you give

See if you can soon blow up at least an entire battery and we.........

 

[Steve Carr]

I think I have read that with Angle mode it reaches 30mph

I saw the same spec and it was an error. I think it said 33 mph with GPS on or off, which is nonsense.

 

[arruntus]

I saw the same spec and it was an error. I think it said 33 mph with GPS on or off, which is nonsense.

Yeah, something like that. Something didn't add up, but since the amounts were similar to the H480, I considered them correct. In any case, I do not consider anything good until I see verified information. Now we are speculating a lot and I imagine that everything that is coming out is correct but it can change from one moment to another with an update for example.

Although the product is officially available, we suffer from a lack of official information. Searching for it is like a drug... I want more... I want more...

 

[Kev Waite]

There way too much conflicting information in their own press releases at the moment, like the E90 on one page it says the lens is all glass on another it says 9 elements, 7 glass, 2 plastic!
Anyone know why they have gone back to a clover leaf type video rx antenna on the st16 instead of the patch on the current H480?

 

[Tuna]

The patch that comes with the ST-16 for the Typhoon H is optional - you can use either that or the original cloverleaf depending on how you're flying. Essentially one is much more directional, but gives better distance coverage.

I've tried to avoid giving any information that I couldn't check - including running that article past the developers! The way the machines are developed means that the distributors and dealers may only get rough guidelines about what is to be released at first, and that leads to confusion further down the line. When I can get my hands on the first production machines, I'm hoping to do a follow up review that gets a bit more technical. Please let people know (including Yuneec representatives) if you found the article helpful as it will help me to get more detailed information in future.

 

[Kev Waite]

The patch that comes with the ST-16 for the Typhoon H is optional - you can use either that or the original cloverleaf depending on how you're flying. Essentially one is much more directional, but gives better distance coverage.

I've tried to avoid giving any information that I couldn't check - including running that article past the developers! The way the machines are developed means that the distributors and dealers may only get rough guidelines about what is to be released at first, and that leads to confusion further down the line. When I can get my hands on the first production machines, I'm hoping to do a follow up review that gets a bit more technical. Please let people know (including Yuneec representatives) if you found the article helpful as it will help me to get more detailed information in future.

The ST16 in the Typhoon H Pro with Realsense only comes with the patch antenna. The Standard Typhoon H comes with both.

 

[arruntus]

The patch that comes with the ST-16 for the Typhoon H is optional - you can use either that or the original cloverleaf depending on how you're flying. Essentially one is much more directional, but gives better distance coverage.

I've tried to avoid giving any information that I couldn't check - including running that article past the developers! The way the machines are developed means that the distributors and dealers may only get rough guidelines about what is to be released at first, and that leads to confusion further down the line. When I can get my hands on the first production machines, I'm hoping to do a follow up review that gets a bit more technical. Please let people know (including Yuneec representatives) if you found the article helpful as it will help me to get more detailed information in future.

Of course it is useful, it is information and this will always be well received. And yes, it's better not to give out information that might be incorrect so as not to drive people crazy, you've done very well.

With more data and more time to test the H520 I'm sure you would have been able to do a good review. From where there is little, little can be drawn....

 

[Bob520]

There way too much conflicting information in their own press releases at the moment, like the E90 on one page it says the lens is all glass on another it says 9 elements, 7 glass, 2 plastic!
Anyone know why they have gone back to a clover leaf type video rx antenna on the st16 instead of the patch on the current H480?

The 520 comes with both antennas.

 

[Haydn]

Well I get mine next week and hope to test it thoroughly.
Great article however Tuna.
Was totally fan boy wasn't totally anti. So I guess you could say or was nanny bear... Just right.

 

[BobW55]

Tuna,
Great write up.
Good to see they made turning the GPS Off/On very easy to do. (still wish they would switch it to the AUX for the H)
Waiting to see if they offer a 20X or better zoom camera for SAR work. Still have the 520 on my wait and see list.

 

[Tuna]

Tuna,
Great write up.
Good to see they made turning the GPS Off/On very easy to do. (still wish they would switch it to the AUX for the H)
Waiting to see if they offer a 20X or better zoom camera for SAR work. Still have the 520 on my wait and see list.

I've heard anecdotally that 20x zoom doesn't work very well with drones. The problem is with a moving platform and a high zoom you are constantly loosing track of what you're looking at - so operators spend their entire time zooming out to get context and zooming in again. Then, vibration becomes a big issue. Resolution and lens sharpness may be more useful in that area perhaps?

 

[Rayray]

Various features have been mentioned, the autonomous capabilities, the GPS switch, low noise, etc.
Sometimes small things are helpful in practice. With the 520 it's no longer necessary to remove the camera micro-card to download the pics/videos to a computer. This has long bugged me about the TH.

 

[PatR]

I've heard anecdotally that 20x zoom doesn't work very well with drones. The problem is with a moving platform and a high zoom you are constantly loosing track of what you're looking at - so operators spend their entire time zooming out to get context and zooming in again. Then, vibration becomes a big issue. Resolution and lens sharpness may be more useful in that area perhaps?

Tuna,

You are very much on point about high magnification factors in surveillance work. One of the most common errors made by new UAV operators is the use of 20-70+ zoom to keep the camera on target. They quickly lose the target unless the system has a very sophisticated target lock. Even those can break contact and end the observation effort. Once the target is lost operators will spend considerable time trying to locate the target again after getting lost in surrounding scene clutter. Quite often the target is lost. Better to maintain a longer stand off view to maintain situational awareness and use zoom only for brief periods in positive identification.

 

[arruntus]

The problem of keeping the camera pointed at the target, especially when using zoom, can be attenuated or even disappeared if the camera automatically knows where to aim.

When I studied the characteristics of the Thypoon H and the Wizard I thought it was already fixed. The Wizard didn't have that feature when it was 90% done. With a device with GPS, which can be half the size of the Wizard or even smaller, linked to the H520 and whose mission is to target its own location the problem would be solved. The power, possibilities and power that the system would have are very big.

I've already posted this video but let me put it back on so that you understand what I'm talking about. And by the way, want Yuneec to echo it and implement it on the H520.

Knowing the position of the drone, it has gps, the relative position of the camera and knowing the position of the device that also has GPS makes the camera point to the position of the device automatically should not be very difficult in principle. Forgive me, I don't want to be presumptuous, implement it I don't know what level of difficulty I would have but I do know that it is feasible as the video shows.

And after throwing this idea again and wishing that Yuneec echoes it , I have a doubt. Anybody know anything about the H520 and Wizard? Will there be a combination for the new platform? It is possible to link two remote stations as in the Thypoon H and with one to control the camera? double operator??