I need some convincing

[ElCid79]

Good evening,

I decided upon a budget of $1500 for a drone, for mostly hobby uses but also occasional professional footage.

The for hire work will be pretty simple stuff like real estate, cars on race track, and boats on the lake.

I will not be doing studio production quality stuff, for movies and such. (Obviously with a $1500 Budget this isn't possible.)

Basically this will be for hobby purposes, occasionally making a few dollars to go towards equipment and software.

So I am torn between the DJI Phantom 4 Pro, and the Typhoon H.

Based upon my intended uses these are my thoughts.

The DJI Phantom has arguably better software, but unquestionably better camera. Which I think is pretty important. I also like the fact that I know people who have experience with the other Phantom drones.

The Typhoon H - I like the 360* Gimbal, the wizard wand, curved cable cam, etc. I also like the fact that the camera can be independently controlled. The fact that it comes with an extra battery and a case @ 1500 is a plus as well.

In your opinion is the real sense module worth the price premium? Or would I be better off buying the Regular Typhoon H, without the real sense?

Lastly, this will be my first drone, but I am experienced with other RC equipment including non gyro non collective helicopters and airplanes. So simplicity of use would be a plus. Or should I wait until after CES to see what new goodies Yuneec announces?

Thanks in advance,

Lastly, - I am not trolling, I am not trying to get you to defend your decisions. I am asking for your legitimate opinions and input. I have the FAR 107 Cert.

 

[rwgt0su]

I was torn between those two drones as well. So I met with my local hobby drone club and got a chance to fly both of them. The software and the speed of the phantom 4 was impressive, but I found it to be more expensive by the time you add all the accessories (plus you have to get a tablet or smartphone to view the camera). I also don't like how the Phantom is mostly fixed compared to the modular design of the Typhoon H.

Another big thing for me was the support. Yuneec had a much faster response time compared to DJI when I called their phones. It seems like DJI is constantly coming out with a new drone every month, yet they seem to be having issues getting the them released on time. The guy I test flew with told me fly aways were more likely with a DJI than with the Yuneec. Yuneec test flies their drones once at the manufacturer and then again at the distributor before going to a retailer. Yuneec in my opinion has better quality.

Also if you want to fly commercially in the US, then you need to get your FAA Part 107 remote pilot license.

Black Friday this week has some good deals on either drone you decide.

 

[David Wilson]

If getting good photos and videos are what you are after, and double the flight times, then the Phantom 4 Pro is the way to go, no comparison. Most people already have a phone or tablet to use. If you need dual control or the 360 gimbal (which I never use) and the security of 6 motors vs 4, then the H is your best bet. The retractable landing gear not only looks cool but is a nice feature the Phantoms don't have. Don't forget each H battery takes nearly two hours to charge, this is one thing that just drives me nuts about the Typhoon. Also, there is a much steeper learning curve with the H, especially with the ST-16 radio. I'm learning new things all the time.

 

[ElCid79]

Thanks for the quick response. I look forward to reading more of your responses. I updated the original post, to include that I have the required certification. Also, a huge pet pieve is choppy camera work. That's one of the things I was hoping the Yuneec would alleviate. Perhaps not?

 

[PatR]

Most with any decent amount of previous flight experience won't make a lot of use of either RealSense or any other OA system. However, those that fly indoors a lot would find IPS beneficial.

Make your decision based upon what you need and will use a lot, not by the number of different features available. If you want solid, steady video and not have to edit whenever the aircraft changes direction, or want to fly in a good wind and still maintain smooth video, the H wins every time.


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[Steve Carr]

PatR is exactly on point. You need to decide what is most important to you and what your expectations are.
From my experience the H is smooth, the gimbal is rock solid and produces great video once you learn how to set the camera. I have taken video in winds that I thought surely would be unusable and when I reviewed the footage I couldn't tell it was windy. For my part I have no use for IPS and I've never turned on the OA that's built in.

 

[cokeaddict]

Have to say without any doubt at all with what you said are the requirements for your needs, the P4 PRo is the only option really. 1 inch sensor - 20 mp - 4k 60fps - mechanical shutter (eliminates rolling shutter) @ 100mbs - F2.8 - F11 - better battery life - sensors on the side and rear. If your looking for speed video then this is what you need. The 360 rotating gimbal is no use to you if chasing race cars on the track, unless of course your planning to have a second operator. I love the H but the P 4 pro has just started a new war between drone companies. either way, it will just get better from here.

 

[Tuna]

At this stage, it's worth pointing out that there hasn't been a UAV launch that hasn't thrown up problems. It took a few months before the Typhoon ironed out the bugs, the Mavic has some interesting issues and so on. Buying a 'newly available' drone for commercial work is going to open you to some risk. DJI in particular are not known for their support - either short term (repairs etc.) or long term (they ditch older models very quickly with no upgrade path).

At the same time, since DJI have released their new models we're all waiting to see what Yuneec do in response.

So right now if those are the two you a choosing between, I'd wait. If your budget was around the $1K mark, the Typhoon would win (for me personally). It's a better air frame, the design is smart and the camera is a good match for any other drone in it's price bracket. If you have that bit extra to spend your choice is between the better camera of the P4Pro and the Real Sense option of the Typhoon.

Of course your other option is to keep the spend down on the drone itself, and save some money towards extra batteries, a decent case and so on. If you're doing commercial work, you need to have more than just a drone and a battery.

 

[CraigCam]

Panorama feature for real estate seems to make the H a better choice for what you will be doing. The first time you have an issue and realize how having 6 props instead of 4 saved your job you'll be glad you got the H. I'm really surprised the discounting of the 360 gimbal. It's so useful for setting angles that keep your shadow out of the shot and with 6 motors craft orientation is relative so you don't get your landing gear or motor pods in key turns or transitions. To me, that's way more important than the fancy camera specs right now. I'm very satisfied with how the CGO3 holds up in post and I think it's a more expressive and dynamic camera and I'm sure with a minor investment in 3rd party glass I can get it better down the road if I choose to. Plus the customer support that while this forum is full of stories, most of them are ending in YUNEEC coming through for them. As for the battery complaint... I guess everyone wants it all now...but I bought a high voltage charging lead from Carolina Dronz and with my HiTec charger get what I would consider normal charge times to properly charge and balance a 4 cell battery and it's typically about 70mins.

 

[Tuna]

DJI drones hands down whether you pick the Phantoms, Mavic or Inspire are the best choice IMO.

Yuneec H drone still has many issues and are just not reliable enough to trust.
Firmware updates have taken us backwards with more issues than they have fixed.

Obvious troll is obvious. I guess you don't have a Typhoon if you're saying that.

 

[CraigCam]

DJI drones hands down whether you pick the Phantoms, Mavic or Inspire are the best choice IMO.

Yuneec H drone still has many issues and are just not reliable enough to trust.
Firmware updates have taken us backwards with more issues than they have fixed.

The Mavic is not a camera solution. Check yourself. It's a toy. Does not even offer proper video range resolutions. Inspire is crazy expensive. The man said $1500.00 budget so toss the Inspire and P4 pro as out and that leaves what?

 

[PatR]

I've flown my H along side an Inspire in 15-18mph winds. The Inspire could not provide video as stable. Both the Inspire operator and his friend made the same observation. They also mentioned they thought my video quality over all was better than theirs. This was straight from the SD card. I reviewed some of his video shot for a real estate job during low/no wind conditions and noted that every change of aircraft direction and camera angle via yaw or pan required the video to be edited to remove "jumpy" video. Not so with the H.

Superior video and stills quality is obtained more from the operator's understanding of his camera and the camera's functionality, along with skill developed over time and practice. If you know how to use what you have effectively you will produce good product. This was well demonstrated by AV8Chuck using an Autel in Costa Rica. If you are hoping a point and shoot camera in auto settings is going to overcome your lack of photographic knowledge and skill you will end up buying a lot of different cameras hoping for better results and never obtain them. A multirotor camera, regardless of who makes it, is only a point and shoot camera if the user does not understand how to use it. The difference between a photograph and a snap shot is the photographer, not the camera. If you are reasonably good you will do much less editing in post with the H. Personally, I can't stand spending a hour or more editing 5 minutes of footage to make it lo good..


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[CraigCam]

I've flown my H along side an Inspire in 15-18mph winds. The Inspire could not provide video as stable. Both the Inspire operator and his friend made the same observation. They also mentioned they thought my video quality over all was better than theirs. This was straight from the SD card. I reviewed some of his video shot for a real estate job during low/no wind conditions and noted that every change of aircraft direction and camera angle via yaw or pan required the video to be edited to remove "jumpy" video. Not so with the H.

Superior video and stills quality is obtained more from the operator's understanding of his camera and the camera's functionality, along with skill developed over time and practice. If you know how to use what you have effectively you will produce good product. This was well demonstrated by AV8Chuck using an Autel in Costa Rica. If you are hoping a point and shoot camera in auto settings is going to overcome your lack of photographic knowledge and skill you will end up buying a lot of different cameras hoping for better results and never obtain them. A multirotor camera, regardless of who makes it, is only a point and shoot camera if the user does not understand how to use it. The difference between a photograph and a snap shot is the photographer, not the camera. If you are reasonably good you will do much less editing in post with the H. Personally, I can't stand spending a hour or more editing 5 minutes of footage to make it lo good..


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Agreed 100%. The TH as I've stated before is far superior in post and I shot ten minutes for an indie film ending credits without one wiggly moment. My client said last night it's one of the best shots in the whole **** film and which they had me and this machine two years ago. The lock solid steadiness of their gimbal and camera is more than amazing and most people think my hovers are stills if there is no detectable motion in the frame. I have yet to be disappointed in a shot over what the camera captured and keep learning how many amazing perspectives I can achieve with this flying camera platform.

 

[CraigCam]

And yet the Mavic has a better camera than the H.

Better camera that's jerky... not

 

[Graham]

I would advise a degree of caution and treat some of the manufacturers' claims with scepticism.
I have found the Typhoon to be well-made and reliable and the camera produces sharp, detailed images. The ST16 is large and I find the stick spacing more comfotable than a normal RC TX. Once the controls become familiar, it's a pleasure to use.
One of the best features of the Typhoon H is the ability to control speed and direction with the D-pads as shown in the Captain Drone video. This means that coupled with the 360 gimbal it is very easy to make beautifully smooth video at extremely slow to fast speeds.

Since the introduction of the Typhoon, firmware updates have significantly improved performance. The camera especially. (I did have some compass errors after the September update, but there was no deterioration of flight).
Some of the features in the updates have been in response to customers' comments and I'm willing to bet Yuneec haven't finished yet.

 

[CraigCam]

No point in you getting ignorant and name calling.

I am not about to blow smoke and mislead someone on what to buy.

I said it was my opinion in the ten months I have owned the H that
it has been many problems. It flew the best when I first received it
and every firmware for me has gotten worse.

I will probably send it back to Yuneec again and let then sort it out
but there fixes don't seem to last.

I wish I had never bought the H and as soon as it is flying good enough again will sell it.

You are when you ignore the price point question and his parameters.

 

[Steve Carr]

Reminder!!!!

Please remain civil in these discussions. It's alway a hot topic when we get into the comparison arena. Those who have had problems are understandably upset. However, over 99% of the H's out there fly perfectly. It's a pain to have to return a unit for repair, but it happens with every brand. To conclude the H is flawed because of this would mean every brand is flawed. Most of the people in this forum are here because they wish to learn more and fly better. Let's continue that pursuit.

 

[ElCid79]

Thanks for the valuable information in this thread so far. I am glad to hear about your successes with the gimbal and the wind stability. How good is the camera at tracking the wizard wand? And can you switch between the ST16 and the wizard follow at will? Or even better have the controller fly the drone and the camera track the wizard?

My thought with this is on certain parts of the racetrack, have the drone stationary, or me flying it along a cable route. Then have the camera automatically acquire the car as it makes its laps? Will the wizard automatically reaquire if the signal is lost? If so, will the camera recenter on the wand?

Basically we could just throw the wand on one of the cars.

 

[Steve Carr]

Thanks for the valuable information in this thread so far. I am glad to hear about your successes with the gimbal and the wind stability. How good is the camera at tracking the wizard wand? And can you switch between the ST16 and the wizard follow at will? Or even better have the controller fly the drone and the camera track the wizard?

My thought with this is on certain parts of the racetrack, have the drone stationary, or me flying it along a cable route. Then have the camera automatically acquire the car as it makes its laps? Will the wizard automatically reaquire if the signal is lost? If so, will the camera recenter on the wand?

Basically we could just throw the wand on one of the cars.

I have not tried team mode, but I believe you can use the Wizard for follow me mode and control the camera with the ST16. I think once you bind the H to the Wizard and bind the camera to the ST16 you cannot change that combination inflight.

 

[Vegasrobbi]

Follow is where the H blow's the P's away. The P4 camera, flight time, and other attributes mentioned are better sorted than the H; however, my P4 stays parked most of the time.

The H is a powerful tool with the Wizard and 360 degree camera. The Wizard uses GPS tracking which is robust even in the tree's. To be frank visual tracking sucks.

The H can follow at any clock position and altitude, the P4 is limited in altitude and follow angle. The P yaw movements are robotic, the H with the 360* gimbal is smooth.

The Wizard contains a barometer for dynamic altitude control, the P VPS altitude control again sucks.

Once in team mode the H watches or follows the Wizard and you have control of the camera and gimbal with the ST16, you cannot switch controllers in flight.

In this video the H follows low and fast with dynamic altitude while the P4(at the end) can only follow from the rear and gain's 150 feet of altitude because VPS can only correct up not down.

I will say SDK's work much better than the Go app but still suck in comparison. Dynamic altitude works well with my P4 using Litchi and a barometer equipped Mini 4 but still is limited compared to the H.