“ We don’t want no smart batteries”!!

Flying eyeball · Feb 22, 2019

Guess what happens when you’re Smart Battery has a brain fart and tells your craft that it’s @ zero%...... [ Immediate emergency landing] , over water , Area 51 ,Volcano, Nude Beach, not to mention the wifey telling you , “That’s it no more toys “ It is simply just one more thing that could go wrong . This story comes from a friend with a DJI product that got very lucky, he just started the flight @ 90% and was in his backyard . The technical fact is the battery contains a PCB.( printed circuit board )

Northern guy · Feb 22, 2019

Lol
The reason his battery did that is he took off without a full battery . The smart battery has a discharge feature that will lower the battery to storage voltage . Using a battery that has started into the discharge throws the smart battery fuel gauge out to lunch .
Start with a battery that has not entered into the discharge cycle and it should not happen . Freak accidents can and will happen but 95% of the time the smart battery is a good system . I have 15 smart batteries in my fleet and they require way less work to make sure you don’t have a swelled pack .

PatR · Feb 22, 2019

If you can’t use all of the useful charge in a battery that battery isn’t worth 1/2 what you paid for it. Pretty dumb design that requires a fresh battery for every power cycle. As dumb as it is it’s obviously smarter than the people buying it. It puts a lot more money in the manufacturer’s pocket.

Flying eyeball · Feb 22, 2019

Northern guy said:
Lol
The reason his battery did that is he took off without a full battery . The smart battery has a discharge feature that will lower the battery to storage voltage . Using a battery that has started into the discharge throws the smart battery fuel gauge out to lunch .
Start with a battery that has not entered into the discharge cycle and it should not happen . Freak accidents can and will happen but 95% of the time the smart battery is a good system . I have 15 smart batteries in my fleet and they require way less work to make sure you don’t have a swelled pack .

The battery reported a 91% charge before flying . Safer aviation would dictate that a PIC would not rely on a PCB for battery charge , either a smart charger like the DY5 or the good old voltmeter .

Phaedrus · Feb 22, 2019

For me the bottom line is at least one ( I won't name names but their initials are DJI) manufacturer thinks its users are inept morons. Therefore they have overly aggressive geofencing because they cannot be trusted to know and follow the rules and they provide "smart" batteries which means the users are relieved of having to properly care for them.

I like Yuneec's approach. They provide the tools and it is up to the user to know how to properly use them. Like the guy who initiated an autoland over a tree. Clear user error, and I hope Yuneec never changes that feature based on the inability of some to know how their $#!t works!

Flying eyeball · Feb 22, 2019

Phaedrus said:
For me the bottom line is at least one ( I won't name names but their initials are DJI) manufacturer thinks its users are inept morons. Therefore they have overly aggressive geofencing because they cannot be trusted to know and follow the rules and they provide "smart" batteries which means the users are relieved of having to properly care for them.

I like Yuneec's approach. They provide the tools and it is up to the user to know how to properly use them. Like the guy who initiated an autoland over a tree. Clear user error, and I hope Yuneec never changes that feature based on the inability of some to know how their $#!t works!

Yuneec got their start in maned aviation their( safety mindset ) is one of the best in the drone manufacturing business.

Northern guy · Feb 22, 2019

Flying eyeball said:
The battery reported a 91% charge before flying . Safer aviation would dictate that a PIC would not rely on a PCB for battery charge , either a smart charger like the DY5 or the good old voltmeter .

The dji system works well on there battery. It’s not to difficult to know if you battery is in its discharge cycle . I have over 400 flights with zero battery problems with my dji batterys . I also have not had grief with my yuneec stuff also . All a person needs to do is understand the system your using . But that’s asking too much these days sadly

Flying eyeball · Feb 22, 2019

Northern guy said:
The dji system works well on there battery. It’s not to difficult to know if you battery is in its discharge cycle . I have over 400 flights with zero battery problems with my dji batterys . I also have not had grief with my yuneec stuff also . All a person needs to do is understand the system your using . But that’s asking too much these days sadly

Duly noted my good man.

Fred Garvin · Feb 22, 2019

Phaedrus said:
.......manufacturer thinks its users are inept morons.........

Judging by what I’ve seen on YouTube, forum posts and news reports, that’s probably 90% accurate.

PatR · Feb 22, 2019

Considering the majority of people involved with drones use the internet to obtain product pricing and place orders it’s inconceivable to think they lack the ability to obtain comprehensive user and performance information if they truly desired it.

SeeHigher · Feb 22, 2019

Absolutely, there no advantages from so called intelligent batteries from a users point of view, manufactures yes as it allows them to control the market and decide when to obsolete their drones

Phaedrus · Feb 22, 2019

PatR said:
Considering the majority of people involved with drones use the internet to obtain product pricing and place orders it’s inconceivable to think they lack the ability to obtain comprehensive user and performance information if they truly desired it.

But Dude!! It's all about getting the KEWL shot for my Instagram!!!!

RPR · Feb 22, 2019

Flying eyeball said:
Guess what happens when you’re Smart Battery has a brain fart and tells your craft that it’s @ zero%...... [ Imediate emergency landing] , over water , Area 51 ,Volcano, Nude Beach, not to mention the wifey telling you , “That’s it no more toys “ It is simply just one more thing that could go wrong . This story comes from a friend with a DJI product that got very lucky, he just started the flight @ 90% and was in his backyard . The technical fact is the battery contains a PCB.( printed circuit board )

Smart batteries are now implemented in other drones aside DJI. If Yuneec adds this feature we can see how much time we have left into our flight, temperature, self discharge, hibernation as well as preflight visual check. If you are traveling, TSA is accustomed to DJI packs, where are with YUNEEC packs, you have to bust out a voltmeter. I believe this will be a great addition.

Phaedrus · Feb 22, 2019

A battery that gives you information is not a bad thing. But it should not over ride the user. So a battery that then takes the next step to decide what it allows you to do is not a good thing in my mind.

PatR · Feb 22, 2019

TSA only cares that batteries meet the shipping requirements set forth by the air carriers and UN safety standards. Generally that means the terminals are capped, they aren't going into belly baggage, quantities are within spec, and that watt/hour maximums are not exceeded.

Yes, other makers have incorporated "smart" batteries. They saw DJI getting away with fleecing their customers and figured if DJI people would stand for it, theirs might too. It didn't take long to establish their customers were less intelligent than the batteries they were being sold so they might as well take the contents of their wallets. Plus there's the added advantage of deciding when you wanted to obsolete their products. All they have to do is stop making and selling batteries for them. Fools that so many are they lack the ability to figure out their systems aern't going to wear out, they become grounded because the batteries have died of old age and they can't buy any more.