Flip and Burn

Az Nick · Jan 1, 2016

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this with the Q500

Yesterday I Powered on the Bird and the Controller, got all my beeps and green lights flashing, pressed the Red button and the Q500 4K went up about 2.3 / 3 feet and flipped-over straight into or closes to the spot it took off from! Naturally the props are gone, a few battle scars on the fuselage but the 4K camera just popped off, at the rubber mounts. Camera look fine except the 3 wires were torn off the contracts, no connector – solider joints. I called Yuneec and their cool, they asked be for a copy of the Invoice to prove that I am the buyer an when I purchased the Q500 – make sense, told the Tech rep Jay that I was attending the AMA conference next week and he recommend that I just had deliver the Q500 to them! Anyway: has anyone else had a similar experience with a Flip-over? I use my Drones for Home Inspections; I have had latterly 100’s of flights last year with my Phantom II (GoPro) and not one flyaway or anything similar to this.
Safety of course has to be my number one concern, not sure if it was just a fluke or a problem – thanks for reading.

wedbster · Jan 1, 2016

Az Nick said:
Naturally the props are gone...

Really gone or only broken ?
Possible if your props was not fixed correctly the copter gone out of control.

Az Nick · Jan 1, 2016

As I said the props were damaged and a scratches on the fuselage, camera snapped off. All 4 Props or at least the remains of the props were still attached, two were only the center hubs, one was a 3” section on on side and scratches on the other side and the 4th one was in-tack but small chip on one blade and light scratches o the other blade. I just wondering if this was a Fluke or has anyone else experienced a similar mishap.

bshaker Air4c 1 · Jan 1, 2016

did you try firing up without the props to see if maybe you had a motor failure.

BEE · Jan 1, 2016

I have heard of this same thing happening on another forum, solution is still being determined but advise you to hook it up to the GUI and see what it says ...!!

NRRTRAINS · Jan 3, 2016

were you in safe mode and inside the geo fence area .

Az Nick · Jan 4, 2016

Geo force - is that like a flip me over forc. I had the right hand toggle switch in the center position. I was about 25 feet away.

bshaker Air4c 1 · Jan 4, 2016

NRRTRAINS said:
were you in safe mode and inside the geo fence area .

I think what NRRTRAINS was trying to ask is that if you try to take off in safe mode there is a safety zone (geo fence) that you need to be aware of. If your'e to close to your quad sometimes they will do weird things that you won't have control over. Happened to me, took off about 2' and flew right into my car. Always try to take off and land in angle mode

Az Nick · Jan 4, 2016

I was confusedon NRRTRAINS questions, but ya iI am awareof the rrestrictions. As iImmentioned i was a good 20plus feet away. I think 7 to 10 feet should be the safsafety ddistance but who am i. Anyway thanks for your input

NRRTRAINS · Jan 4, 2016

yes bshaker that is my question , on page 22 of the manual shows the proper distance 26 feet from the TX . open the file , read the text , look at the photo . just to be safe make your distance over 30 feet ( when starting in safe mode )the Q has been known fly either too you or away from the TX , what it's trying to do is get out of the geo fence . what Yuneec should have done is make the geo fence in safe mode a no arm zone ( inside the geo fence ) this would have eliminated a lot of new people crashing before they reed the manual and understanding what safe mode is all about .

Additional Smart Mode Features:
*SMART CIRCLE
In most cases the Smart Circle will keep the TYPHOON from coming within
approximately 26 feet (8 meters) of you (as long as you position yourself at
least 26 feet/8 meters behind the TYPHOON.
GEO-FENCE
The geo-fence is a virtual ‘barrier’ that will keep the TYPHOON from traveling
further than 300 feet (91 meters). Although this limit can be adjusted
using the USB interface/programmer and software we strongly recommend
using the default limit at all times.
WARNING: Smart Mode only works when the TYPHOON has a suitable
GPS signal/lock. If you take off in Smart Mode and the TYPHOON loses
GPS signal/lock it will switch to Angle (Pilot) Mode automatically. This is
why we strongly recommend learning to fly in Angle (Pilot) Mode as soon
as possible. Otherwise, if you lose GPS signal/lock and are not able to
properly control the TYPHOON in Angle (Pilot) Mode the aircraft may
crash or even ‘fly away’.
fly safe

AErcen · Jan 4, 2016

Especially when the manual recommends flying in The Safe Mode for beginners.

Az Nick · Jan 4, 2016

yeah unfortunately you're correct, they seem to advertise to the intermediate level let's set the flight controls up for beginners. you should be a way to go behind the program and reset default to the more experienced users leve. that's one thing I miss about my phantom 2 is the control over the radio controller

AErcen · Jan 4, 2016

Beginner like me who is dependent on ALL the help I can get are happy to read there is something called "smart mode" that will do this and do that thus making my initial flights safer and easier. Unfortunately as a beginner I am also probably the one who is clueless in understanding the implications of Geo-Fence.
An experienced flyer not only understands the limitations and consequences of Smart Mode, he doesn't even need it. He is good to go with the Angle Mode. That is where I and other beginners should start at not at Smart Mode. Angle Mode is more predictable however more difficult it may be. Just my thoughts.

Az Nick · Jan 4, 2016

I truly appreciate your point, SAFTY FIRST and the easier it is to Fly the better off we all are! I found that if I’m within 20 feet of the Q500 in Safe mode, the props won’t spin-up, the aircraft simply does not turn-on – it beeps at you!!. I’m trying to determine why my Q500 increased rotor rpm as requested, started to take off but flipped over and landed upside down. One other problem I have is the safety distances; to me it would be unsafe for me to be that far from my Aircraft. Anyway – thanks for all your questions and responses. Sounds like there have been a few people with similar experiences; seems like Yuneec is wanting to look-in-to the problem that I experienced and maybe help me out with the repairs. One of the biggest reasons I’m not looking at another DJI (Phantom) product – No customer support, at all!