First Flight Impressions of the Plus

[Ty Pilot]

I think the Plus is going to cover a large crowd much the Phantom 4, everything from first-timers to pros like @Mickeyboo will find it a good middle ground; not so over the top in terms of cost, while at the same time capable of pro level work - well, like we see above.

 

[Mickeyboo]

You're absolutely right about that. Soon after I retired from my mechanical engineering career, I wanted to do consulting work for my former employers. So, I got my business license and set up shop at home. I needed the expensive CAD software to do the work for them. At the hourly rate I could charge, the software paid for itself quickly and earned me a tidy income to supplement my Social Security. Recording video was always a part of my engineering career and I was tempted several times to drop the design work and become a professional videographer but decided to keep it a hobby. So, for me, it is more difficult to justify spending another $1800 on a better camera and aerial platform. Will it make me a better videographer? Or, will it take my "work" to the next level?
Everything I've seen so far from the C23 has blown me away! Look at that Iceland photo from Mickeyboo! Is the Plus for professionals only? Maybe not.

I promise to do an unboxing as soon as my 8K Arri arrives. If you're doing an unboxing properly it has to be shot in 8K with surround sound anything less is not sufficient in my opinion because of all that must be seen. I was wondering if you could do a demonstration of the backup camera on your car VS an Arri Alexa. I don't know whether to buy a car or an Arri. Ty Pilot I thought of you today. with the retracts up the H is 19 x 23 can't you come up with a way to transport it in that manner so we an carry it in the field more easily? I travel with a hard case but once I land I would like to be able to carry it in something less bulky than the supplied backpack. This sensor is a more compact version of an H+ would be so sweet.

 

[Mickeyboo]

I think I'll start editing a 4K video from Iceland instead of an unboxing video unless Ty Pilot objects. The unboxing video I promised is when you send me a new handle for my tray...I will shoot an unboxing of it and perhaps another hour long one of how to attach it to the tray. Cheers lads calm winds to all.

 

[Ty Pilot]

I promise to do an unboxing as soon as my 8K Arri arrives. If you're doing an unboxing properly it has to be shot in 8K with surround sound anything less is not sufficient in my opinion because of all that must be seen.

Yes 8K is the only way to see it come outta dat box and with the cinematic symbol crashes in digital Dolby 5.0 to get the point across.

Ty Pilot I thought of you today. with the retracts up the H is 19 x 23 can't you come up with a way to transport it in that manner so we an carry it in the field more easily? I travel with a hard case but once I land I would like to be able to carry it in something less bulky than the supplied backpack.

Stick a battery in, turn it on and let it follow you? Easy

 

[PatR]

I'm thinking that with a little creativity a lower landing gear modification for an H or H plus could allow fitting in a hard, protective tube dimensionally easier to carry than current carry cases. As the props are removable they can come off and store in a dedicated pouch. If the lower, horizontal gear legs could be quickly and easily removed and replaced the aircraft with camera and gimbal attached could be folded and slide into the tube. An option would be to cut off the vertical gear legs at some distance above the horizontal legs and add a coupler to allow reattachment. If one was to do that they could construct a long "U" shaped tube support dimensioned appropriately to slide over the cut off vertical legs still attached to the aircraft to prevent the gimbal from making contact with the bottom of the storage/carry tube when it was being transported. Such a "U" device would need to be long enough to extend lower than the camera when mounted on the aircraft. The diameter of the storage tube would be only marginally larger than the diameter of the aircraft with folded booms.

 

[Peggy]

I’ve never been able to “redownload” the same firmware on the H+. Which I’ve remarked about a couple of times. If firmware is or gets corrupted you have no way that I can see to reinstall. So hearing you say that you think you were able to do that or unwittingly did that is interesting.

Firstly thanks @Ty Pilot for confirming firmware dates.

I have backed up the H Plus downloaded firmware so should I need to reinstall it in theory can be done. I will try this out after the next update overwrites the current one.

Here’s what I did.

Plug in the st16s to a pc and navigate to Yuneec OTA folder, open it and you will see current downloaded files, save these into a folder on pc.
Now in theory should you need to replace updated firmware it’s a simple drag and drop to downgrade.

I was speaking to Haydn earlier and he screwed his H+ up because he does like to tinker.
He restored back using this method.
On another note he is showing there is an update build 722 20180706 I am not seeing this or cannot find release notes.

 

[PatR]

Good work Peggy. Yuneec process improvement as executed by their customers. Business as usual.

 

[Barton]

On another note he is showing there is an update build 722 20180706 I am not seeing this or cannot find release notes.

View attachment 10379

Just checked - this update not rolled out yet at my location...

 

[Barton]

Satellites count is roughly the same as with 480 - I normally see 16 to 18 on the aircraft and 7 to 10 on the controller and I am running right about there with the Plus. Also, the icons on the top right of the screen for Battery and Satellites has the colors - Red, Yellow and Green. Now at first I thought that was maybe a little distracting of what the actual number is but it does allow a quick glance across your screen and see if everything is green.

@Ty Pilot Thank you for posting about satellite count - I missed this the first time reading through the posting. I have been a little concerned because I'm typically seeing 7-9 on the ST16S at start-up (13-16 on H+). The colors for the ST were yellow (green for H+). I think the color coding goes something like 0-5 Red, 6-10 Yellow, 11+ Green.

My guess on why the sat count is different is due to a better antenna and antenna placement on the H+ compared to the ST. One of my hobbies prior to getting involved with UAVs was speed windsurfing using a GPS as the measuring instrument (the most recent GPS being a watch using doppler speed for accuracy). For that watch, antenna orientation is critical and the speed accuracy (error values) change significantly if you are sailing with an overhand or underhand grip (antenna pointing up or to the side/down).

I'm going to make the assumption (warn me if I'm wrong!!) that as long as I fly with 7 to 8 sats (high yellow) for the ST and 11+ (Green) for the H+ I should be in the 'safe' zone. My thinking is that it is more important for the H+ to have a high sat count than for the ST. As I become a more proficient pilot my reliance on GPS assistance will hopefully decline (I will probably seldom violate the LOS guidance).

 

[oliver]

Firstly thanks @Ty Pilot for confirming firmware dates.

I have backed up the H Plus downloaded firmware so should I need to reinstall it in theory can be done. I will try this out after the next update overwrites the current one.

Here’s what I did.

Plug in the st16s to a pc and navigate to Yuneec OTA folder, open it and you will see current downloaded files, save these into a folder on pc.
Now in theory should you need to replace updated firmware it’s a simple drag and drop to downgrade.

I was speaking to Haydn earlier and he screwed his H+ up because he does like to tinker.
He restored back using this method.
On another note he is showing there is an update build 722 20180706 I am not seeing this or cannot find release notes.

View attachment 10379

I'm curious about this build 722, I can not find it on mine

 

[Peggy]

The 722 build shows if you go into hidden menu and press ota. It would seem it’s showing I would presume for beta testers as it won’t download for ya mere mortals. (The real beta testers) [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

[oliver]

The 722 build shows if you go into hidden menu and press ota. It would seem it’s showing I would presume for beta testers as it won’t download for ya mere mortals. (The real beta testers) [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Thank you Peggy

 

[Ty Pilot]

Finaly got some time to put together a video, nothing too deep just initial thoughts about the new aircraft and so fourth.

 

[Mickeyboo]

Finaly got some time to put together a video, nothing too deep just initial thoughts about the new aircraft and so fourth.

Great job, love how you take the time to produce things right and making it a joy to watch....Bravo Once Again!

 

[Ty Pilot]

Thanks @Mickeyboo glad you like it. I think I have to do something to make up for the fact that I don't have some of the scenery like we've seen from you and other Plus owners all over the world - all I got is swamps, gators, bugs, heat and rain.

 

[YuKay]

Finaly got some time to put together a video, nothing too deep just initial thoughts about the new aircraft and so fourth.

Thanks - a great job and some top-notch footage (not in Safari). Looking forward to the next. I'd love to see swamps and gators.

 

[Ty Pilot]

You got it @YuKay The funny thing is; you don't really have to go to the swamp to see an alligator, around here, if you have a body of water near by there is a good chance there is one there. In that little pond I fly over, every now and then I'll see a six to eight footer. When I get on scene they usually just go under. But with the Plus I think I can sneak up on one.

 

[YuKay]

You got it @YuKay The funny thing is; you don't really have to go to the swamp to see an alligator, around here, if you have a body of water near by there is a good chance there is one there. In that little pond I fly over, every now and then I'll see a six to eight footer. When I get on scene they usually just go under. But with the Plus I think I can sneak up on one.

Do you have to keep looking behind you? Could one walk in if you left the door open at night? Would it eat the dog's food or amble up to your bed for a tasty arm or leg? As you can tell, living in England, I can't comprehend what it's like to live with such predators. The most dangerous animals we have are pet dogs.

 

[wings]

Do you have to keep looking behind you? Could one walk in if you left the door open at night? Would it eat the dog's food or amble up to your bed for a tasty arm or leg? As you can tell, living in England, I can't comprehend what it's like to live with such predators. The most dangerous animals we have are pet dogs.

Gators love to eat dogs here in Florida!

 

[Ty Pilot]

Do you have to keep looking behind you? Could one walk in if you left the door open at night? Would it eat the dog's food or amble up to your bed for a tasty arm or leg? As you can tell, living in England, I can't comprehend what it's like to live with such predators. The most dangerous animals we have are pet dogs.

Most gators fear humans - that is good. Some Don't, and those are the ones to watch. There are laws against feeding them and most who live here know that because once that happens the associate us with food - bad. There are cases of people being attacked, but usually as mentioned above it is the pets that get eaten. I have seen a dog attacked and the problem is; a dog does not have a natural fear of the portion of the eyes and the snout that are above water as it approaches them. They will stand and bark defiantly at the waters edge as the gator approaches and the attach is fast, usually too fast for the dog to react.

Most who live near water put up fences to keep gators out and pets in but its a regular thing to turn on the news and see a gator in a pool.