Hello Fellow Yuneec Pilot!
Join our free Yuneec community and remove this annoying banner!
Sign up

400 foot ceiling

Joined
Jun 11, 2021
Messages
7
Reaction score
2
Age
23
Hello all

I am seeking assistance and I dont want to hijack a thread. I have used the search function and see several discussions but no solution has worked. I am looking into whether this is a me issue or if others are having the same problem.

I have a Typhoon H that I recently did the NFZ mod (Thanks John). B4UFly says I am not in the control zone, but when I started up, the ST16 said I was. With the mod, I can fly, but still limited to 400 feet, (I just stop climbing). I tried the following actions in different forms several times:

Reset to various heights in the GUI (yes, I did convert english/metric to input settings)
cleared parameters
reset firmware
cleared settings on ST16
went to different locations further away from the control zone
used recovery firmware (did not fly it) and reflashed with NFZ . Still no joy at passing 400 feet.

I talked to John at Yuneec Skins and he did not have an answer. My next step is tp get out an assembler and start reviewing code. However, since I would rather fly than reinvent the wheel, He suggested joining this thread to see if our collective heads can come up with a solution.
Note: Except for the autopilot, (v1.30) the firmware versions are all current. If I move the autopilot to v1.35. the NFZ drops

Any thoughts?

BTW: When I use the GUI, it shows the higher altitude I input, but the bird will not fly it. Makes me wonder if the limit is built into the bird or box.
 
I also noted that behavior with the NFZ removal firmware installed in my Typhoon H. The aircraft maxes out at 397 ft above launch site even when outside of a known NFZ. Max altitude in the GUI was set to 250 meters (~830 feet). A return to the 1.35 firmware allowed exceeding 400 feet above launch (but still < 400’ AGL), but loss of NFZ removal.

This is definitely a problem for a 107 certified pilot that is allowed to fly up to 400’ above an obstacle (within 400’ radius) in Class G airspace, as well as the same in controlled airspace with proper clearance via the FAA DroneZone.
 
I'm suprised to hear about a special NFZ firmware for Typhoon H. Isn't it so that you get a code which enables the button for NFZ in GUI. And isn't it so that this should work for all firmware versions?
YTH_GUI2.png
I do not have a no-fly zone here somewhere, so I could never test this (And by the way I would not fly there, no need for me).

br HE
 
The code for NFZ removal as you describe limits you to 20 meters and within 1.6km of the center of an NFZ zone will not allow motors to arm.

The other that uses the code plus a firmware change via the GUI is the permanent unlock that allows the arming of the motors anywhere (intended for licensed sUAS operators), but it seems to have a limitation of 120 meters in altitude anywhere you fly regardless of the height settings in the GUI.
 
The NFZ code when installed definitely removes the NFZ limitation but from my experience, not the 400 foot ceiling. I suspect that the ceiling limitation is controlled in another area of firmware not effected by NFZ. Because of that, it may take a firmware mod similar to NFZ to remove it. What is truly strange is the GUI allows you to input a higher altitude, but the Typhoon ignores it. As an experiment, I put in a 20 foot ceiling to see what would happen and my typhoon went to 398 feet. That's odd! Does anyone know if the 400foot limitation exist in Europe? We may be able to extract snippets of code and swap them in USA firmware.
 
There is no difference in drone firmware between US and Europe. Both files have the same checksum.
The only difference is the camera FW regarding the WiFi channels and radiation power.
FW_diff.png
br HE
 
Last edited:
@h-elsner, my question is when I had the EU firmware loaded into my H pro the boot up time was sometimes up to 3 minutes (clear day and no interference) the I uploaded the US version and my total boot up time is now only 1 and 1/2 minutes approximately, also I have no video lost with the US and lots of video issues with the EU
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mike Irish
The boot up time of the drone is the same. You can fly without video downlink.
But it takes longer until the WiFi connection for the video is established. There are some rules by regulation authorithy that WiFi has to check channels for sometime before use it. Also the radiation power is lower in Europe and there are some channel not available. All this makes that with CE firmware the video connection is really poor.
RC connection is not affected.

br HE
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris Koch
There is no difference in drone firmware between US and Europe. Both files have the same checksum.
The only difference is the camera FW regarding the WiFi channels and radiation power.
Interesting. Does the 400 foot limit exist in the European software? It sort of makes sense that NFZ would not effect the 400 limit, but it is unusual that the GUI which was specifically designed to make the change has no effect. I wonder if the limit is built into the ST16 and not the Typhoon. The behavior of the GUI suggest that this may be the case (since no matter how low or high the altitude is set on the Typhoon, it flies up to 400 ish). The GUI settings may be getting ignored by the ST16.
 
Interesting. Does the 400 foot limit exist in the European software? It sort of makes sense that NFZ would not effect the 400 limit, but it is unusual that the GUI which was specifically designed to make the change has no effect. I wonder if the limit is built into the ST16 and not the Typhoon. The behavior of the GUI suggest that this may be the case (since no matter how low or high the altitude is set on the Typhoon, it flies up to 400 ish). The GUI settings may be getting ignored by the ST16.
The GUI only sets parameters in the Flight Controller on the aircraft. I was a little surprised when my H480 would not go above 398 feet with the Permanent unlock firmware installed even outside of an NFZ area. Reinstalling the v1.35 firmware in the aircraft allowed the aircraft to exceed 400 feet when the GUI raised the altitude geofence.
 
  • Like
Reactions: h-elsner
Correct. Based on the operation of the GUI, it would not set parameters for the ST16. If it did, we wouldn't have the 400 foot limit if set higher in the GUI. However, based on your experience with v1.35, I am going to try an experiment similar to your setup. When I originally tried v1.35, it was stuck at 400. I am doing a full system clean and reinstalling v1.35. if it works this time, then the limit is in the autopilot. At that point it becomes dissembling and comparing the two versions to see where the code differs, or seeing if John's NFZ can be done on v1.35.

Stay tuned and keep the props on top!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DoomMeister
Hello all

I am seeking assistance and I dont want to hijack a thread. I have used the search function and see several discussions but no solution has worked. I am looking into whether this is a me issue or if others are having the same problem.

I have a Typhoon H that I recently did the NFZ mod (Thanks John). B4UFly says I am not in the control zone, but when I started up, the ST16 said I was. With the mod, I can fly, but still limited to 400 feet, (I just stop climbing). I tried the following actions in different forms several times:

Reset to various heights in the GUI (yes, I did convert english/metric to input settings)
cleared parameters
reset firmware
cleared settings on ST16
went to different locations further away from the control zone
used recovery firmware (did not fly it) and reflashed with NFZ . Still no joy at passing 400 feet.

I talked to John at Yuneec Skins and he did not have an answer. My next step is tp get out an assembler and start reviewing code. However, since I would rather fly than reinvent the wheel, He suggested joining this thread to see if our collective heads can come up with a solution.
Note: Except for the autopilot, (v1.30) the firmware versions are all current. If I move the autopilot to v1.35. the NFZ drops

Any thoughts?

BTW: When I use the GUI, it shows the higher altitude I input, but the bird will not fly it. Makes me wonder if the limit is built into the bird or box.
I dont have NFZ and Ive accidently gone over 400ft many times without even a warning
 
The story so far for those following along....

The 400 limit appears to definitely be located n the Autopilot firmware. I believe v1.30 has the limit, v1.35 does not. I also found that once the license is entered into the GUI, the NFZ disable/enable appears in the menu. This is an odd one because the selection is not there all the time. The GUI menu behavior is interesting as well, with v1.30 installed, the NFZ disable works, but the 400 foot reset does not however, with v1.35 on board, the NFZ dosent work, but the 400 foot reset does. Selecting disable will generate a successful message,

Note: Interesting development: with v1.35 installed and GPS off, NFZ is bypassed. You can fly, but no GPS

Stay tuned...
 
  • Wow
Reactions: DoomMeister

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
20,952
Messages
241,579
Members
27,284
Latest member
csandoval