A Droner's Guide to Surviving Virginity

[Eagle's Eye Video]

NOTE: This reply was in another thread, and references are made to the Typhoon H and H Plus... however the following can be applied to any new pilot, with little or no RC experience and they've just jumped in the deep end of the pool.

I was exactly where you are now, 2 years ago... just purchased a Typhoon H Pro... NO experience with RC controlled aircraft. Experienced in photography/video, but not a gamer at all... so no "stick" time previous to my Yuneec purchase. To give some perspective, the last game I spent any time on, was in a bowling alley and required quarters. It was the really new one all the cool kids were playing... called Galaxian... WHAT? You can hold down the button and shoot continuously?

This forum will become your university and there is a wealth of information to be found. Familiarize yourself with the search function on this board... many, many answers are already posted.

First, a bit of advice:

Below is a link to a very good yet cheap nano drone and can be flown around your home or apartment. It will give you a very good basic feel for the sticks, particularly since you must learn how to maintain a steady hover and compensate for factors like wind drift. The Plus and H are easier to fly, because of the GPS assistance on these bigger aircraft... unless something goes wrong. You do not want to watch a $1500-$2000 aircraft drift off with the wind, and if GPS is lost, that's not the time to learn how to fly fully manual.

A great starter quad for under $125 is the Blade Nano QX... $60 for the quad and I recommend getting a 4 port charger and 4 batteries, so you can get some decent flying time in... these little batteries only give 5 minutes flight time... you should be able to pick one up in a local hobby store if you don't want to wait for shipping.

Side note... sold my original Typhoon H Pro a few weeks ago, and it will be a few weeks before I pickup the Plus... in the meantime, I'm buzzing the apartment again with the Nano QX... anyone want to send their dog over so I can practice some strafing runs?

Blade Nano QX

Fly the crap out of it... take advantage of being able to bounce it off the ceiling, walls and big screen. Read everything on the board that you can about the Plus and it's predecessor, the Typhoon H.

What I'm going to recommend may be hard, but when you get your new Plus, leave it in the box for a couple of weeks. Take the time now, to fly the Nano QX and to order some accessories, that up until now you never knew you needed:

1) Batteries... start your LiPo (Lithium-Polymer) education below:

LiPo Battery Care

Our little power bricks may be small, but there's enough stored energy to jumpstart your car. They are expensive to replace... charging and storing them properly will extend their life. If you have no RC experience, these batteries can expose you to fire hazards if not properly handled. Stay informed and therefore safe.

Courtesy of Jeff Sibelius

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2) To properly care for your batteries, you will need a better charger than the Yuneec OEM charger provided. See this thread:

DY5 Charger

The corresponding DY3 charger for Tyhpoon H and H Pro

DY3 Charger - Terrestrial Imaging

It took me a year and giving 3 H batteries the salt water bath, to finally go ahead and purchase the DY3 charger I still have for the H batteries. It became financially necessary to pay enough attention to this aspect of our hobby. Several levels of magnitude greater attention needed, if operating commercially.

3) The microSD card that comes with the Plus will not be good enough for quality video... CAUTION! Samsung microSD cards will not work in the Plus. See this thread for known compatible memory cards for the C23:

Plus Compatible microSD Cards

Note: There are no currently known Samsung compatibility issues with the CGO series of cameras.

4) A common and extremely important issue is maintaining Visual Line of Sight (VLOS). Do as full scale aircraft do and utilize mountable strobes on your landing gear.

Strobes:
Cree Self Contained Dual Strobes
(For God's sake, please someone talk to Firehouse Technologies about their website page naming conventions... ) IMHO, just get 2 white...

Mounts:
Cree Strobe Mounts - Typhoon Series

5) Get some minor crash parts, so when something minor does happen, you can replace these yourself without having to wait on shipping:

Typhoon H Plus A Props

Typhoon H Plus B Props

Typhoon H Plus Landing Gear Strut

You will eventually need ND filters for smooth cinematic video... see this thread for the current situation with ND filters that will fit the Plus camera:

Freewell ND filters for the Plus

The best choice for ND filters for the Typhoon H are;

PolarPro ND Set - Typhoon H

The OEM manual for the Typhoon H Plus is as inadequate as the OEM manual for it's predecessor. The manual generously written by @ogrench can be found here:

Typhoon H Plus Manual - Unofficial/Comprehensive Version

A Better Manual - Typhoon H

Watch this thread, as I will continue to update...

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Nice, Eagle.

@Steve Carr and crew... can this be made a sticky thread in all the H forums?

Thanks!

Jeff

 

[rdonson]

Well said, EEV it wouldn’t hurt to have a similar post in the H discussion.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

What was I thinking??? ALL pilots using the Typhoon platform... make your flying life easier...

ST-16, ST-16+ and ST-16S Transmitter Tray

One other invaluable training tool that is available for the Q series as well as the Typhoon H, H Pro and H Plus.

Yuneec UAV Pilot USB Wireless Dongle

Download the software here:

UAV Pilot Simulator Program

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You can use this program with the ST-10 and ST-16 and have all controls except for camera since you are not hooked up to an aircraft during use. Unfortunately only available for Windows. But the best part is you can use this simulator and run it in GPS off mode... with NO risk to your bird. That part of the video (6:28) is linked here:

This link is how to disable GPS in the simulator

EDIT: One other aspect in the GPS off mode, is the ability to preset the amount of wind present, and from what direction... cause you'll never lose GPS in dead calm conditions.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

New Pilots!

Make sure to double check your batteries, to be sure they are properly inserted and locked:

It happened to me also...

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

OK... the next step in surviving virginity... proper condom use...

If you have not already, you will eventually do a YouTube search on "lipo fires"... yes, our little power bricks, if abused... can catch fire, and the specific chemical processes involved create a fire that is particularly hard to put out with common household fire extingushers.

You want to safely store your LiPo batteries in these safety bags:

Derblue LiPo storage bags

Like many other aspects of this little obsession of ours, it comes down to how deeply into each aspect you want to dive. People will keep their batteries sitting in the backpack the aircraft came with. Others will store their LiPo batteries in an ammo box... (if you do this, drill vent holes, or risk making a homemade grenade).

The post has been lost to the sands of time (so go the days of our lives)... but one industrious member purchased a 2 drawer office filing cabinet. He cut out the bottom of the top drawer, and replaced it with chicken wire fencing. He subsequently, placed a 50 pound plastic bag of sand in the top drawer on the chicken wire. He stored his LiPo batteries in the bottom drawer. In a future scenario of a LiPo fire the heat would melt the plastic of the sandbag, dropping the sand quickly on the fire.

 

[Wingnutz]

OK... the next step in surviving virginity... proper condom use...

ROTFLMAO... sorry folks. I couldn’t get past this even after reading all of the above. I’ll now spend some time reading the rest of the post, all of which I think is great advice for the new pilot, be it drone, heli or any other RC.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

Familiarize yourself with the search function on this board... many, many answers are already posted.

So... a couple of points about using search on this board... the search icon is the little magnifying glass next to the "search forums" text. Here's the little annoying quirk of this forum... when you scroll down the page, that search icon scrolls off the page and is not locked at the top... and disappears.

So if you want to use search, remember to scroll back to the top.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

My H will not descend! How do I get it to land?

This scenario has happened to many pilots at some point (myself included)... but the thread above, is the first one that I have seen that specifically has 6 different solutions given. Other than a crash, little in this hobby is more stressful than seeing this rig of ours, in the sky, non-responsive to commands to descend... and out of reach.

Red Button Landing Method

NOTE: The red button technique will not work with the Typhoon H Plus and ST-16S. DO NOT ATTEMPT.

Ultimately there are better choices, than one that might be attempted in a panic... pressing the red button to stop the motors, and hoping to catch in free-fall.

Regarding hand catching... I do not give a recommendation for or against... it is a personal decision... but for myself, I have practiced this technique enough in non-emergency circumstances, that I have no hesitation in availing myself of this option... with a level of safety that I am comfortable with, given certain conditions. Generally the last option, so used little... but when needed...

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

The ST-16 and Google Playstore - Just another doomed relationship... a blind date suggestion from a DJI fanboy... don't fall for it!

Another step toward surviving UAV virginity, specifically with advanced in-screen controllers. If a search is done you will find several posts spread throughout the Typhoon H sub-forum on making the PlayStore functional and allow installing of apps on the ST-16.

** DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER! **

You do not want to attempt this. The version of PlayStore on the ST-16 is a limited version that makes an Android based interface possible. You do not want other apps installed that might interfere with the only function of the ST-16 to be concerned with... the flight control system.

You do not want Facebook on your ST-16 to try and upload pretty video from the sky... what if you are flying and in the background, Facebook decides it wants to auto update... disconnecting the RC WiFi in favor of connecting to the internet?

The singular exception to this rule, is the only app that has been specifically designed for the ST-16 series of controllers... UAV Toolbox by our own @Tuna

UAV Toolbox

Yuneec has approved this app and it's use will not void your warranty.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

OK... you've taken your baby steps, and actually have started to fly the Typhoon H... and it gets to a distance that you can still see it, but you are having difficulty in determining the orientation of the aircraft. Is it facing away from you or toward you? There are methods and tools that can help, both low tech and high tech.

Low tech has a couple of choices... This first one was first suggested by @CraigCam ... painting each of the landing gear struts a different fluorescent color... right Red and left Yellow, when the aircraft is facing away from you. I jumped on this idea immediately. Craig also painted the rear shell of his camera a fluorescent Red... being a wuss and not wanting to take apart my camera, I opted to paint the rear cover of the H batteries... at first green, but in later batteries I opted for orange.



The other low tech method is something that all pilots should practice until mastery. And the very best instruction of this, is by our own @Ty Pilot ... he will show how, with 2 movements of the sticks, to determine your aircraft orientation:

Visual Flight Training

One high tech method was mentioned in my original post in this thread... Dual CREE High Intensity Strobes and mounts. They are easily placed on the H, are self contained and will run for about an hour on a full charge. I've been able to visualize them in full sunlight to about the limit that I can honestly say I still have VLOS... about 1200+ feet.

The other high tech assistance is programmed right into the ST-16... it is called the Green Arrow and is also something all H pilots should take advantage of. An excellent thread that has a tutorial of this tool is here:

Green Arrow Explained

One caveat... if you fly without the camera or lose video signal, you lose the Green Arrow.

Also to if you attempt re-orienting yourself, by picking out landmarks from the camera viewpoint... make sure to put the pan switch (middle switch, left side) fully up, so the camera faces forward.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

This next chapter in surviving virginity is an extension on the discussion above on landing difficulties... specifically, tipping when landing, usually resulting in one or more damaged props.

The following thread discusses the issue at length and like the Green Arrow Explained thread, it is bookmark worthy... (****** we need a "I'm Not Worthy" smiley... )

Flipped my H 3 Times - Enough!

it is well worth the time to go through entirely.

*** Fly Smart and Don't Cheap Out on the Small Stuff ***

Any physical damage to a prop is too much... and props aren't that expensive... there have been posts on this board from individuals, all impressed of how they were able to repair a prop... and avoid having to pay for new ones. Well done, on sweating out all the wrong details there, Einstein.

An excellente video by our own @PatR

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[Eagle's Eye Video]

Cool beans... you're out there flying, getting used to the camera. You have a great flight... do some good camera work, both in getting manual camera settings and camera controls, to actually have footage you're proud of... and the weather and lighting cooperate!

Landing's a little funky, but you pull it off... power down the H, however unbeknownst to you, that landing distracted you and you forgot to stop the recording on the camera, before powering down. You pack up and when you get home, you pop the microSD card with your aerial masterpiece to bask in your success... and the last file cannot be opened, and shows as corrupt.

All is not lost... at least most of the time you can recover that file... but do not try and use a third-party file recovery utility. Simply put the microSD card back in the camera... boot up the controller first and aircraft as per normal startup. Once camera connects, press the video button to start recording... stop at 5 seconds. Shutdown aircraft and controller as normal.

When you put your microSD card back in your computer, the video file fairy has magically made your aerial masterpiece reappear!

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

OK... there is no escape... it WILL happen. That annoying Newton and his laws! Especially that one that he developed with the Borg that states, that resistance to gravity is futile... or something like that. On this board there are 2 indisputable facts:

1) The behavior of drones and interactions with trees, proves the existence of black holes.

2) One reason or another... equipment failure or pilot error... at some point you will crash.

So what now? Well I've had both minor and major crashes, so the following is on my experience... your mileage may vary.

Wisdom on this board and specifications in the owners manual, caution on cell phone use when operating. However you should always have a cell phone (turned off, but available)... that way you can document the damage.

Always check to see if there is still power to the aircraft, and document. This provides information to eliminate common causes, such as not completely inserting and locking the battery.

Recover all pieces not matter how small or seemingly insignificant.

Your next steps depend on 2 main factors... extent of the damage & whether or not the warranty is still in place.

If the crash is minor... a tipover might break a prop, graze and spin event that takes out 2 or more props causing the craft to fall, sometimes breaking a landing strut or knocking the camera off at the gimbal mount.

All of these parts are under $25 each, and are self replaceable. Not worth involving the company.

When the damage is more involved, the next steps depend on warranty status. Just know that if you elect to pursue a warranty claim, you need to provide Yuneec with information on the crash. Fortunately much of that information is in the telemetry files on the ST-16... so if your aircraft suffered a "flyaway" or dropped out of the sky into that pretty lake you wanted to take sunset photos of... so recovery of the bird is not required for warranty claim submission. I also recommend copying the telemetry files to your computer, so they can be posted here... there are several members well versed in reading those files. However Yuneec will make the final decision on coverage.

To access your telemetry on the ST-16 series of controllers:

Insert an SD card in the ST-16 →
Power up and enter Pad mode and tap OK →
Enter menu by pressing circle with six dots →
Select File Manager and scroll to the FlightLog folder, then tap arrow at the right of FlightLog folder →
Now select Compress and add the date to the file name suggested →
Scroll to bottom and find the zip file you just created, tap the arrow at the right and select Copy →
At top left, tap the icon that looks like two SD cards to swap to the SD card inserted in the first step →
You will then see the file structure on the SD card, select Paste at the bottom to add the file you just copied →
Now press the ‘Back arrow’ at bottom right of the screen to exit File Manager and select Settings →
Tap on Storage, scroll down to SD CARD and select Unmount. Press the Home icon and power off the ST-16 →
Remove the SD card and use your PC to upload the zip file here by using the Attach files button below the Reply box.

You initiate the warranty process, by contacting Yuneec Customer Service. See the following thread:

Getting in Touch with Yuneec Just Got Easier

The most effective method is via telephone... historically, Yuneec's record with email response has been poor. Customer Service opens at 8:00 AM PT. Call within 15 - 20 minutes after they open to ensure being able to get a callback appointment and bypass long hold times.

Once you get a hold of them, you will be given a case number and instructions on retrieving log files. You will provide them with any documentation they request including all log files. They will review... and let you know the determination of whether there was a system failure in either the hardware or firmware.

If they decide the incident is covered, you will be given instructions regarding repair and/or replacement. If they determine that pilot error was the cause, you will be given a repair and/or replacement estimate which you can make a decision on to accept or not.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

So you're buzzing along, and enjoying your aircraft... but since it took a few months to get that 3rd party charger, you notice some swelling in your original batteries... what to do? Well, you want to safely dispose of them, so you do not have to find out if your homeowners insurance has any clauses regarding LiPo fires. A repost below from our own @NRRTRAINS:

LiPo Battery Disposal
Before disposing of your LiPo, check to make sure the warranty has expired. Some companies have one-year replacement warranties that you can take advantage of, but most warranties will be voided if you perform the following steps before seeking a warranty replacement.

So you have a bad LiPo battery? No one really wants to keep them around (fire hazards that they are). So what is the process to get rid of a bad LiPo battery safely? Let's go through it.

1. Discharge the LiPo battery as far down as you safely can. You can do this a number of ways. Most computerized LiPo chargers have a discharge feature in them. If you don't have a charger with a discharge feature, you can run down the battery in your vehicle - keep in mind that you risk a fire and potentially damaging your vehicle doing this, so take care to have the necessary safety equipment around. Alternatively, you can build your own discharge rig with a taillight bulb and some wire. Simply solder a male connector of your choosing to the tabs on a taillight bulb, and plug the battery in. Make sure to have the battery in a fireproof container while doing this.
2. Place the LiPo in a salt water bath. Mix table salt into some warm (not hot) water. Keep adding salt until it will no longer dissolve in the water. Ensure that the wires are all entirely submerged. The salt water is very conductive, and it will essentially short out the battery, further discharging it. Leave the battery in the salt water bath for at least 24 hours.
3. Check the voltage of the LiPo. If the voltage of the battery is 0.0V, great! Move onto the next step. Otherwise, put it back in the salt water bath for another 24 hours. Continue doing this until the battery reaches 0.0V.
4. Dispose of the battery in the trash. That's right - unlike NiMH and NiCd batteries, LiPos are not hazardous to the environment. They can be thrown in the garbage with no problem.

Alternatively, if you don't feel like going through this process yourself, you can bring the battery in to us and we will dispose of it for you at no cost. If you're not in our area, check with your local hobby shop to see if they offer a similar service.


go to this site , A Guide to Understanding LiPo Batteries

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

It's been a while since I posted in this thread and there is one last subject to cover in the sleighride that is this hobby. That would be the sale of your equipment. Specific reasons behind the sale are irrelevant whether leaving the hobby or changing models.

As with everything in this thread, all is IMHO only.

So you are selling your equipment... some things to know... like any modern electronic devices, it's not worth as much as you think, so disavow yourself of whatever amount you invested in it... no one cares. Go on any number of sites to see what new units are selling for and depreciate 40 - 50% off of the top... or plan to not sell your equipment for quite a while.

Opinions vary on this next point, and the level of equipment being sold is a factor.

If you are selling a model at the level of the Typhoon H or higher, you should be prepared to provide some information... specifically flight logs, battery history (if including batteries in the sale) and sample footage from the camera both in photo and video formats.

Since very few online transactions are going to be local... (giving the buyer the opportunity to actually operate the equipment before committing to purchase) the logs give the buyer the chance to see how the aircraft has been flown before... check for evidence of previous crashes... check what voltage the batteries have been flown to. The logs are this hobby's version of a Carfax report.

As far as camera footage, you are ultimately selling a flying camera. I'm sure that many would not care, but if you are selling to an experienced photographer, they will insist on these files... just take a one battery flight and shoot 3 minutes of video and a half dozen photos. Make sure to shoot DNG format to give the maximum quality photo media to the buyer to judge the camera output on. Please make notations on settings used including any ND filters. Do no post production at all... the entire point is to see the raw camera resolution.

For models such as the Q500 series, the Breeze or the Mantis, much of the information becomes less relevant. There are few serious photographers that would be coming in at that level... average consumers of those models will need less documentation (or none) to commit to a purchase.

Finally, remember that you have an audience of buyers here with knowledge (hopefully gained from this forum), that is far superior to the average consumer walking into Best Buy. Do not expect a flood of interest in your sale if you use BS tactics... do not post boilerplate text from retail sites, making claims of 25 minute flight times and 1 mile range.

Do not list all of the original components that come in a bundle package as "extras"... "You're including the OEM charger... and the 10 props that came with the H? WOW!" An extra is going to be an item purchased separately from the original bundle... strobes and mounts... or a 3rd party charger with adapter cables, to allow for proper battery maintenance... for example.

 

[Sureshot]

Be careful when charging the ST16.
The USB jack is easy to damage if you accidentally jerk the cable or bump the plug.
(I have proof.)
I now have to charge my battery outside the ST16 using a bench power supply.

 

[Dcane6]

NOTE: This reply was in another thread, and references are made to the Typhoon H and H Plus... however the following can be applied to any new pilot, with little or no RC experience and they've just jumped in the deep end of the pool.

I was exactly where you are now, 2 years ago... just purchased a Typhoon H Pro... NO experience with RC controlled aircraft. Experienced in photography/video, but not a gamer at all... so no "stick" time previous to my Yuneec purchase. To give some perspective, the last game I spent any time on, was in a bowling alley and required quarters. It was the really new one all the cool kids were playing... called Galaxian... WHAT? You can hold down the button and shoot continuously?

This forum will become your university and there is a wealth of information to be found. Familiarize yourself with the search function on this board... many, many answers are already posted.

First, a bit of advice:

Below is a link to a very good yet cheap nano drone and can be flown around your home or apartment. It will give you a very good basic feel for the sticks, particularly since you must learn how to maintain a steady hover and compensate for factors like wind drift. The Plus and H are easier to fly, because of the GPS assistance on these bigger aircraft... unless something goes wrong. You do not want to watch a $1500-$2000 aircraft drift off with the wind, and if GPS is lost, that's not the time to learn how to fly fully manual.

A great starter quad for under $125 is the Blade Nano QX... $60 for the quad and I recommend getting a 4 port charger and 4 batteries, so you can get some decent flying time in... these little batteries only give 5 minutes flight time... you should be able to pick one up in a local hobby store if you don't want to wait for shipping.

Side note... sold my original Typhoon H Pro a few weeks ago, and it will be a few weeks before I pickup the Plus... in the meantime, I'm buzzing the apartment again with the Nano QX... anyone want to send their dog over so I can practice some strafing runs?

Blade Nano QX

Fly the crap out of it... take advantage of being able to bounce it off the ceiling, walls and big screen. Read everything on the board that you can about the Plus and it's predecessor, the Typhoon H.

What I'm going to recommend may be hard, but when you get your new Plus, leave it in the box for a couple of weeks. Take the time now, to fly the Nano QX and to order some accessories, that up until now you never knew you needed:

1) Batteries... start your LiPo (Lithium-Polymer) education below:

LiPo Battery Care

Our little power bricks may be small, but there's enough stored energy to jumpstart your car. They are expensive to replace... charging and storing them properly will extend their life. If you have no RC experience, these batteries can expose you to fire hazards if not properly handled. Stay informed and therefore safe.

Courtesy of Jeff Sibelius

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

2) To properly care for your batteries, you will need a better charger than the Yuneec OEM charger provided. See this thread:

DY5 Charger

The corresponding DY3 charger for Tyhpoon H and H Pro

DY3 Charger - Terrestrial Imaging

It took me a year and giving 3 H batteries the salt water bath, to finally go ahead and purchase the DY3 charger I still have for the H batteries. It became financially necessary to pay enough attention to this aspect of our hobby. Several levels of magnitude greater attention needed, if operating commercially.

3) The microSD card that comes with the Plus will not be good enough for quality video... CAUTION! Samsung microSD cards will not work in the Plus. See this thread for known compatible memory cards for the C23:

Plus Compatible microSD Cards

Note: There are no currently known Samsung compatibility issues with the CGO series of cameras.

4) A common and extremely important issue is maintaining Visual Line of Sight (VLOS). Do as full scale aircraft do and utilize mountable strobes on your landing gear.

Strobes:
Cree Self Contained Dual Strobes
(For God's sake, please someone talk to Firehouse Technologies about their website page naming conventions... ) IMHO, just get 2 white...

Mounts:
Cree Strobe Mounts - Typhoon Series

5) Get some minor crash parts, so when something minor does happen, you can replace these yourself without having to wait on shipping:

Typhoon H Plus A Props

Typhoon H Plus B Props

Typhoon H Plus Landing Gear Strut

You will eventually need ND filters for smooth cinematic video... see this thread for the current situation with ND filters that will fit the Plus camera:

Freewell ND filters for the Plus

The best choice for ND filters for the Typhoon H are;

PolarPro ND Set - Typhoon H

The OEM manual for the Typhoon H Plus is as inadequate as the OEM manual for it's predecessor. The manual generously written by @ogrench can be found here:

Typhoon H Plus Manual - Unofficial/Comprehensive Version

A Better Manual - Typhoon H

Watch this thread, as I will continue to update...

Thanks for the info!

 

[GooG6695]

Learn to use the Wizard should be included in this. The wizard is awesome but there were zero instructions with the bird. I had to find the company's YouTube video on it to learn just how to pair the thing!