Commercial ops???
- Thread starter Sonic Pilot
- Start date
I believe a lot of people use the H Plus commercially. More for video/pics rather than mapping. It can be done using UAVToolbox. But if mapping is the main use most people will use the H520 which has software designed for that use.
Hello Steve...thanks for your reply.
I can see where the H520 is better suited for mapping right out of the box. Aren't there a number of aftermarket Drone Mapping software packages available that could be used with the H Plus?
In general is the H Plus a reliable system? I have noticed that many posts in the forum involve people experiencing technical difficulties. I also realize that it is probably a relatively small portion of the total number of users. Most people aren't going to post if their experience is as "expected."
Lastly, any advice on what to look for if one is considering the purchase of a previously owned H Plus?
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Yes there are a lot of packages out on the market, but few if any address controlling the flight of the H Plus and triggering the camera. There is a workaround using UAV Toolbox (developed by @Tuna ), but even it has no way to trigger the camera at the appropriate times. You have to fly with it taking photos every 2 seconds thus speed has to be controlled precisely to get the proper overlap.
The H Plus used the same airframe as the H520, but the Mainboard and F/C are different. The H Plus was designed as a professional level photography and cinematography drone. Where the H520 and H520E are designed for mapping and inspection.
I not saying that the H Plus can’t do mapping and inspection work, it is just that your workflow will be less efficient.
"In general is the H Plus a reliable system?"
Yes. The H Plus is a mature platform. It is starting to replace the Q500 in reputation of reliability and longevity.
There are two areas that generate a large share of the difficulties:
1.) Firmware updates - Most folks buy a new drone, and try to update it as soon as they unwrap the package. Don't do it. Drone updates are not as reliable as updates on other things. It is best to see if the drone does all the things you need it to do, and leave it alone unless you have a specific need to update.
2.) The camera - Every drone by every manufacturer has a weakness somewhere that rises to the top. For the C23 (and the identical E90), the weakness is the conductor ribbons in the camera. They can be damaged by any type rough handling of the camera. Do not do things like compass/accelerometer calibrations unless the camera is removed or secured by the gimbal lock. And never store the drone in it's case without the gimbal lock.
"Lastly, any advice on what to look for if one is considering the purchase of a previously owned H Plus?"
Lots of new batteries would be great. But you ain't gonna find that.
Buying anything used is more dependent on the character of the seller than anything else. Read the reviews. If you see one that uses any variation of the phrase "untested", RUN! It's been tested.
Hey guys...thank you all for responding. Some real good and practical advice here. I appreciate it!!
A little about me...I am a retired Commercial Helicopter Pilot looking to get into the drone business. So, as I continue my research, I anticipate coming here quite a bit!
Regarding assessing the condition of a used H Plus, are the flight hours totaled up perhaps in the controller so that I may be able to determine how much use ( wear-n-tear) it has on it?
The H+ is all it was dressed up to be, and then some, the new DJI m3 has just caught up to the plus camera wise from what I've seen, sure theres some better things as in zoom, but picture quality finally caught up ? Another factor is the H can lose a motor and fly back safely.
I like the ability to fly (land safely) in the event of a motor failure, but it doesn't seem to be a selling feature so much. Aren't the motors pretty reliable? Just haven't heard of many random motor failures. I suppose if you fly and hit something, but an otherwise random motor failure in flight seems rare. Am I wrong?
I know a summary of the total flight time is available in the Flight2log file of the controller. At least for the flights that are in the record. Many sellers would not know how to access it or read it. And I think the data gets reset to zero if the controller is ever "factory reset". Someone else may know a way to get more reliable data from the drone itself.
Bird strikes happen. Especially during nesting season. If you are going to be doing relatively low altitude shots around trees, this becomes something of importance.
Motor failure is rare! Usually the issue is a bird strike that takes out a prop or arm. Striking a tree and taking out a prop will usually be to low an altitude for 5 rotor mode to kick in, but it does work at altitude.
Adding to the last post by @WTFDproject about total hours on the aircraft. The flightlogs may show all the flights if it was not flown much and the ST16S was not factory reset. The aircraft’s F/C can be accessed using QGroundControl and the last .ulg file (ulog) will contain the total time on the aircraft provided the F/C was never changed.
Adding to the last post by @WTFDproject about total hours on the aircraft. The flightlogs may show all the flights if it was not flown much and the ST16S was not factory reset. The aircraft’s F/C can be accessed using QGroundControl and the last .ulg file (ulog) will contain the total time on the aircraft provided the F/C was never changed.
Cool! Are the extended life batteries offering much in additional flight time? I see some on Amazon that are over 8,000mAh!
Don't even get me started. I personally have great qualms believing a battery of the same chemistry and same weight has any significance difference in actual capacity. My skeptical nature leans more to suspecting somebody playing games with the measuring standards to make more sales. My opinion. No proof. Opinions vary.
You know...I feel exactly the same. I think this is done rather frequently with replacement cell phone batteries. But that's why I thought I would ask if there were any users here that have any experience with the batteries advertised as "Extended Life."
The OEM batteries for the Typhoon H (not Plus) were rated at 14.8V 4S 5400mAh and many found them equivalent to 3rd party batteries rated at 6300mAh. That was back in 2016 when the ORM batteries were very good. I am running batteries that are rated at 8050mAh and while a bit heavier than the OEM they are only giving marginally better flight times. They are well balanced and show no signs of puffiness. If I fly cinematically I get about 20 minutes. If I am out just flying for fun I get about 15 minutes.
That said the H Plus is a bit better in the flight time department and the OEM batteries when new were giving very good flight times. The Plus uses 15.2V 4S LiHV battery packs and reliable users found they do not have the lifetime longevity of the lower voltage LiPo packs used in the H480. @Ty Pilot can elucidate on that subject as he was one of the first H Plus users in the forum.
That said the H Plus is a bit better in the flight time department and the OEM batteries when new were giving very good flight times. The Plus uses 15.2V 4S LiHV battery packs and reliable users found they do not have the lifetime longevity of the lower voltage LiPo packs used in the H480. @Ty Pilot can elucidate on that subject as he was one of the first H Plus users in the forum.
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Just saw this thread, sorry I missed it. I've read through the thread and will give you my opinion as well as try to address some of your question however, as in @DoomMeister 's post as well as others, I am pretty much gonna say the same thing.
BATTERIES.
Initially, when I got the Plus, I found I could get three (3) extra minutes on the H Plus when brand new, as compared to the standard H when it was brand new - (21 vs 18 minutes respectively), and both these numbers were to the first 'Low Battery' warning. Ultimately for that extra time you pay a price in longevity. The Standard H lost about 5 to 6 minutes over 200 or so flights while the H Plus batteries (I have had three), have lost about nine minutes of flight time over about 125 flights. That said I can still fly my three year old H Plus batteries for about 12 minutes. PS - I used and maintained my batteries the way they should have been.
The trade off (to me) while not optimal, is acceptable - The H Plus is such a better flyer and has such a superior camera that: I just accept the fact that my flights will need to be shorter or: I need to buy batteries more often. On that note: Yes, you can still find new stock of factory Yuneec H Plus batteries - B&H.
When it comes to buying a used drone, whether it is an H Plus, standard H or anything that uses LiPo's - I treat 'used' batteries, the same as I would a half-eaten hamburger - you have no idea what you got unless someone can prove their condition.
So a used Typhoon H Plus with six used batteries is worth no more to me than one with only two used batteries.
RELIABILITY.
My experience with the H Plus is that it has been very reliable - I have had only a few things happen that were out of the ordinary - one time a dirty pot on the sticks caused the aircraft to rise un-commanded - a simple cleaning fixed this. And on another time, the Yuneec app seemingly restarted while I was in flight - I let it restart while the aircraft hovered and then once control was re-established it never happened again.
Having experience with Yuneec as well as DJI I can say this - The Yuneec drones are less forgiving of (how shall I put this?), those who do not learn their aircraft and all of it's nuances. Familiarity with all controls, flight modes, switches, battery use and everything that I call 'operational' is mandatory.
As an example: DJI has what they 'call' a 'smart' battery - after 5 days it will begin to discharge and continue to do so until the battery is at 'storage' level. Yuneec batteries have no such feature. In reality, any time a LiPo spends above or below storage level - degrades that battery to some degree. Leaving a LiPo fully charged or fully discharged - will degrade that battery at a much higher rate. With this in mind, the ideal way to use a LiPo, is have it reach fully charged as close to the moment that it is to be flown. For this reason, I would never rely on the 'smart' battery to make up for my lack of basic procedures or forgetfulness.
There is more of this 'Nanny-ware' as it is called on the supposedly more advanced drones but for me it is kind of gimmicky.
BUYING USED.
If I were to buy a used Typhoon H Plus, I might ask for the flight log folder. From this you will see the number of flights, unless it has been wiped clean in which case I would pass. Also you could take a look at how that drone has been flown by viewing a number of flights. I would also ask for either an in person demonstration or, just a video of an entire flight and even sample photos. Like mentioned above, you can tell a lot from the seller and how they present the drone. If they can't or won't answer questions - pass.
FINAL THOUGHTS. finally
The H Plus has a fantastic camera that is still pretty good compared to anything in it's price range and; as a flyer is superb. It is bigger and bulkier that some of the smaller drones so if portability is a must you might want to investigate further. Batteries can be found - they're expensive compared to the old Typhoon batteries but not too much more than what a similar drone battery would cost. I have used (and still do) use my H Plus for real estate photography and in my opinion it not only delivers imagery that is unbeatable - it looks like a commercial drone and clients notice. I could take a Mavic 3 on my shoots and get photos that are just about as good but I still take the Plus.
BATTERIES.
Initially, when I got the Plus, I found I could get three (3) extra minutes on the H Plus when brand new, as compared to the standard H when it was brand new - (21 vs 18 minutes respectively), and both these numbers were to the first 'Low Battery' warning. Ultimately for that extra time you pay a price in longevity. The Standard H lost about 5 to 6 minutes over 200 or so flights while the H Plus batteries (I have had three), have lost about nine minutes of flight time over about 125 flights. That said I can still fly my three year old H Plus batteries for about 12 minutes. PS - I used and maintained my batteries the way they should have been.
The trade off (to me) while not optimal, is acceptable - The H Plus is such a better flyer and has such a superior camera that: I just accept the fact that my flights will need to be shorter or: I need to buy batteries more often. On that note: Yes, you can still find new stock of factory Yuneec H Plus batteries - B&H.
When it comes to buying a used drone, whether it is an H Plus, standard H or anything that uses LiPo's - I treat 'used' batteries, the same as I would a half-eaten hamburger - you have no idea what you got unless someone can prove their condition.
So a used Typhoon H Plus with six used batteries is worth no more to me than one with only two used batteries.RELIABILITY.
My experience with the H Plus is that it has been very reliable - I have had only a few things happen that were out of the ordinary - one time a dirty pot on the sticks caused the aircraft to rise un-commanded - a simple cleaning fixed this. And on another time, the Yuneec app seemingly restarted while I was in flight - I let it restart while the aircraft hovered and then once control was re-established it never happened again.
Having experience with Yuneec as well as DJI I can say this - The Yuneec drones are less forgiving of (how shall I put this?), those who do not learn their aircraft and all of it's nuances.
Familiarity with all controls, flight modes, switches, battery use and everything that I call 'operational' is mandatory.As an example: DJI has what they 'call' a 'smart' battery - after 5 days it will begin to discharge and continue to do so until the battery is at 'storage' level. Yuneec batteries have no such feature. In reality, any time a LiPo spends above or below storage level - degrades that battery to some degree. Leaving a LiPo fully charged or fully discharged - will degrade that battery at a much higher rate. With this in mind, the ideal way to use a LiPo, is have it reach fully charged as close to the moment that it is to be flown. For this reason, I would never rely on the 'smart' battery to make up for my lack of basic procedures or forgetfulness.
There is more of this 'Nanny-ware' as it is called on the supposedly more advanced drones but for me it is kind of gimmicky.BUYING USED.
If I were to buy a used Typhoon H Plus, I might ask for the flight log folder. From this you will see the number of flights, unless it has been wiped clean in which case I would pass. Also you could take a look at how that drone has been flown by viewing a number of flights. I would also ask for either an in person demonstration or, just a video of an entire flight and even sample photos. Like mentioned above, you can tell a lot from the seller and how they present the drone. If they can't or won't answer questions - pass.
FINAL THOUGHTS. finally
The H Plus has a fantastic camera that is still pretty good compared to anything in it's price range and; as a flyer is superb. It is bigger and bulkier that some of the smaller drones so if portability is a must you might want to investigate further. Batteries can be found - they're expensive compared to the old Typhoon batteries but not too much more than what a similar drone battery would cost. I have used (and still do) use my H Plus for real estate photography and in my opinion it not only delivers imagery that is unbeatable - it looks like a commercial drone and clients notice. I could take a Mavic 3 on my shoots and get photos that are just about as good but I still take the Plus.
Good morning Ty Pilot...and thank you for your informative response! I am liking the H Plus more and more as I continue to learn about it. What is the consensus on Customer Support from Yuneec on the H Plus....and in general? I asking specifically for the U.S. market.Just saw this thread, sorry I missed it. I've read through the thread and will give you my opinion as well as try to address some of your question however, as in @DoomMeister 's post as well as others, I am pretty much gonna say the same thing.
BATTERIES.
Initially, when I got the Plus, I found I could get three (3) extra minutes on the H Plus when brand new, as compared to the standard H when it was brand new - (21 vs 18 minutes respectively), and both these numbers were to the first 'Low Battery' warning. Ultimately for that extra time you pay a price in longevity. The Standard H lost about 5 to 6 minutes over 200 or so flights while the H Plus batteries (I have had three), have lost about nine minutes of flight time over about 125 flights. That said I can still fly my three year old H Plus batteries for about 12 minutes. PS - I used and maintained my batteries the way they should have been.
The trade off (to me) while not optimal, is acceptable - The H Plus is such a better flyer and has such a superior camera that: I just accept the fact that my flights will need to be shorter or: I need to buy batteries more often. On that note: Yes, you can still find new stock of factory Yuneec H Plus batteries - B&H.
When it comes to buying a used drone, whether it is an H Plus, standard H or anything that uses LiPo's - I treat 'used' batteries, the same as I would a half-eaten hamburger - you have no idea what you got unless someone can prove their condition.
RELIABILITY.
My experience with the H Plus is that it has been very reliable - I have had only a few things happen that were out of the ordinary - one time a dirty pot on the sticks caused the aircraft to rise un-commanded - a simple cleaning fixed this. And on another time, the Yuneec app seemingly restarted while I was in flight - I let it restart while the aircraft hovered and then once control was re-established it never happened again.
Having experience with Yuneec as well as DJI I can say this - The Yuneec drones are less forgiving of (how shall I put this?), those who do not learn their aircraft and all of it's nuances.
As an example: DJI has what they 'call' a 'smart' battery - after 5 days it will begin to discharge and continue to do so until the battery is at 'storage' level. Yuneec batteries have no such feature. In reality, any time a LiPo spends above or below storage level - degrades that battery to some degree. Leaving a LiPo fully charged or fully discharged - will degrade that battery at a much higher rate. With this in mind, the ideal way to use a LiPo, is have it reach fully charged as close to the moment that it is to be flown. For this reason, I would never rely on the 'smart' battery to make up for my lack of basic procedures or forgetfulness.
BUYING USED.
If I were to buy a used Typhoon H Plus, I might ask for the flight log folder. From this you will see the number of flights, unless it has been wiped clean in which case I would pass. Also you could take a look at how that drone has been flown by viewing a number of flights. I would also ask for either an in person demonstration or, just a video of an entire flight and even sample photos. Like mentioned above, you can tell a lot from the seller and how they present the drone. If they can't or won't answer questions - pass.
FINAL THOUGHTS. finally
The H Plus has a fantastic camera that is still pretty good compared to anything in it's price range and; as a flyer is superb. It is bigger and bulkier that some of the smaller drones so if portability is a must you might want to investigate further. Batteries can be found - they're expensive compared to the old Typhoon batteries but not too much more than what a similar drone battery would cost. I have used (and still do) use my H Plus for real estate photography and in my opinion it not only delivers imagery that is unbeatable - it looks like a commercial drone and clients notice. I could take a Mavic 3 on my shoots and get photos that are just about as good but I still take the Plus.
