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H520 dropped out the sky from 100ft without warning!

So, there I was flying as normal on a friday morning, taking lots of images of the pier and having a nice relaxing flight. Returned to my take off spot, chnaged batteries, quick check and away again. All was fine, no issues, no warnings, slightly increase the speed dial and without warning, beeps, messages or anything, and without a drop in connection or satelites and with not a bird in a 5 mile radius it dropped from the sky into the River Garnock. Thanks to the Coastwatch crew I was out there within 20 minutes in a small boat but with the incoming tide and the extremely poor visibility there was no chance of finding it. Even at its shallowest point of 8ft there was no sign of it.
So, Anyone fancy buying the following.....

ST16s controller. 2 months old.
2 x batteries. 2 months old.
1 x spare ST16s battery. 1 month old
E90 camera. 2 months old
CGOet camera. 2 months old.
Multiple packs of unsealed props.

and a shoulder to cry on.

Also, any idea how I retreive flight records etc without the actual drone?

Really having a nightmare day.

Beer??

I am interested in some of these items. Let me know if you still have them buddy
 
If you counting me as the 3rd one it is not exactly correct. My battery was correctly installed and sat secured inside and I think my problem was that I took off after swapping batteries on some kind of "residue" for GPS position left from the first battery, As I mentioned I landed ok, reconnected my H520 and flew the whole second battery after that without any single problem.
 
UPDATE ---- Thanks for the advice and the guidance. The forum really does help when the proverbial hits the fan, or in my case the sea. Perry at Yuneec reached out to me and asked me to send all my stuff back to him. I sent the ST16s and the packaging etc last Wednesday and today I rceieved a full replacement H520, ST16s, a brand new E50 plus replacement blades and a battery. The report attached to it states there was a complete IMU failure in flight and was not caused by pilot input or other errors. My concern is if this happened over land, during an inspection, or generally anywhere that could cause damage to property or injury. A professional grade inspection drone should have proper safeguards that prevent this from happening. Whilst Im happy ive had a full replacement in a very quick time and without much fuss, im extremely concerned that such an occurence could happen again and is this something I can honestly rely on? Public perception is important in our industry and a crash during a flight is something that can seriously damage reputations. Whilst ive been given a replacement im still out of pocket due to costs of returning items, the cost of hiring a boat to try and recover the H520 from the water and generally just the fact I now cant guarantee I will be able to use the H520 with full confidence.

I think there is something fundamentally wrong with the H520. Constantly getting the settings error on the screen, cameras not connecting, maps not loading, android system crashing, and severe lack of 3rd party apps or programmes that work with the pre programming of maps and flights.

So, thanks for the help, sorry I wont be selling anything from my Yuneec cupboard, and heres hoping the next update has lots of fixes.
 
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I am glad that Yuneec acknowledged the equipment malfunction and got you a new set of equipment to replace the faulty one.

Equipment failure is part of the industry and something to be incorporated in your contingency plan. Companies have extensive FMEAs for their main equipment since equipment downtime equates to loss of money.

The problem with the drone industry is it’s infancy. There are less jobs and thus less choices when it comes to equipment so you are limited to DJI, Yuneec and specialty vendors. That is the risk that pioneers in the field will have to absorb - recovery expenses, high insurance, repair when out of warranty, etc.

As for having to trust your HS520 again, it will be up to you. You got a new system, run it in a break-in phase to convince yourself it is good for the job intended. If you go with another vendor, the same situation may happen in another time, or flyaways or not-even takeoff leading to no flights for the day. You need a 2nd or maybe a 3rd drone if the job requires.

We trust our aircrafts in a way, that’s why we fly them and expect them to return to home after 20-30 minutes.
 
Im an experienced drone pilot and fully CAA approved in the UK. Ive flown and owned the Phantom 3+, 4, Mavic Pro, Mavic Air, Inspire 1, Inspire 1 Pro,
Inspire 2. I met the guys from Yuneec at a few trade shows and was impressed at what they had in the pipeline. This turned out to be the H520.

Personally I think the UI is very basic and not ideal for professional users

I get that the transition period will be strange but when you buy a drone designed and advertised for professionals you expect a decent level of stability. Too many loss of signals and false returning to homes arent confidence builders. Especially when the thing is only 100 ft away in direct line of sight.

My back up drones are all DJI products. The H520 and the 3 cameras I purchased for it were and are specifically for a limited area of my work.

The H520 lacks sensors, it would benefit from an FPV camera, and the UI could be more user friendly.

Just my humble opinion. After seeing it tumble into the sea and the controller saying absolutely nothing isnt a scene i want to see again.
 
Power Failures-Battery

Although I'm not at this time a big fan of the 520, as it uses precisely the same battery security method as the Typhoon H I would like to comment on power loss/battery failure issues. I'm not going to point a finger at anyone but will be making a general statement that with the Typhoon H a very large percentage of power failures in flight were directly caused by the operator's lack of familiarity with battery security and failure to add a secondary check for battery security during the pre-flight process. In flight failures due to battery separation have been much too common as the cause. Haste to get airborne is also a very common malady, and causes some things to be over looked prior to launching the aircraft. Typically such failures occur with people new to the aircraft type or new to multirotors in general. Far too many fail to read an instruction manual or review video tutorials. Their excitement in having a new aircraft overwhelms common sense so charging the battery (if they even charge it) and going out for that first flight take priority over system/aircraft familiarization and flight safety. Most don't have a full understanding of their aircraft and its capabilities/limitations until they have accumulated 20 or more flights on a new aircraft.

Both the 520 and Typhoon H batteries are quite easy to verify they are properly inserted and secured. When inserting the battery you should hear two "clicks" if the battery is inserted correctly and secured. Hearing only one and the battery may be inserted far enough to enable a power connection but not far enough to engage the locking mechanism. A second method is to visually verify the end of the battery is aligned with the back of the fuselage. If it sticks out at all it is not engaged. The latch may also be slightly raised if the catch has not been engaged. If the battery is not properly latched in place there is a high probability it will vibrate aft during flight and disengage from the power pins inside the fuselage. It may or may not exit the fuselage upon impact. If it is not set firmly inside the battery well after impact you can be sure it was not secured properly prior to initiating the flight. Push it in, then push it in again to make certain it can be inserted no further.

Your pre-flight actions are everything to the successful outcome of a flight. Fail to double check everything, with heavy emphasis on the power supply, flight controller, and camera functions, leaves you wide open, perhaps even inviting, failure, both for the mission data and for the aircraft. Develop a standard pre-flight checklist, be it written with check boxes or a written checklist that you memorize and always follow to the letter. Having checklists for each phase of flight operations is SOP for full scale aviation and has prevented countless accidents. Our little aircraft share complexities similar with full scale, and those operating them are not nearly as well trained in their operation as full scale commercial pilots. Because of lack of training and structure we can expect a much higher accident rate, something that I'm certain will be addressed at some point by federal agencies with regulatory requirements.
 
Since the new law was passed in December, we have been asked to carry out a maintenance programme and, depending on the weight, more than 2 kg, and other companies have been asked to do so in order to have it cleaned.

As PatR rightly says, the pre-flight process is essential to avoid many problems. Having it in writing is fundamental, and that's because the H520 is very small what you have to do, if I tell all the process that I have to do with the drones that I build myself many would be scared, it is not automated many of the steps that for example in the H520 are.

Yuneec's first answer is that the IMU has failed, things that are better than thinking that you can release the battery alone or that it has not been proven to be in place. On the one hand it is bad news because a component has failed prematurely, a component that should not fail but on the other hand it is good news because it has not failed a fundamental part which is the power system.

Thx @Ayrshire UAV for the news, Now to enjoy the new drone ;)
 
Thanks @arruntus.

Part of the commercial process in the UK includes the submission of a full Operations Manual as part of your PfCO. This manual details everything from company details, the necessary training documents, proof of ability which includes a written examination based on UK air navigational law, weather, charts, safety etc and a practical examination that requires you to conduct certain flight methods, conduct pre flight checks, mid flight checks and also includes emergency procedures, including the ability of co pilot or ground staff to take over the flight if the pilot becomes ill or incapacitated etc. Only after successfully completing all of this can you apply to the Govt agency for commercial approval.

Lots of hoops to jump through, a lot of money to complete, and massive amounts of paperwork to maintain.

My safety procedures include double checking everything that either I do as pilot or my co pilot/ground-crew does for mean relation to the drone.
This includes the props, the camera, the SD cards, the battery, and a general once over prior to flight. During any changeover of batteries this process is redone. We check for prop damage, we change SD cards, we check camera and gimbal, and clean any bugs that may have gathered in the sensors. Like before this is double checked by a second person prior to any take off.

Every take off involves hovering at around 12ft, stopping, double checking all connections are functioning on the controller, double checking response to stick inputs, rechecking the gimbal and camera control etc. Once happy we then rise to a safe height before going forward to our first point or specific area.

Once in the air the ground crew/co-pilot monitor the surrounding airspace, maintain the security of the landing/take-off area and provide the pilot with updates on weather or movements of birds etc.

We have safety procedures for mostly all scenarios, including over water, flyaways, collisions in air, collisions with property, pilot error, and in relation to our landing/take-off area. By planning for the worst and ensuring all crew are trained we ensure we react in the appropriate manner to mitigate injury and damage to any property.

We have commercial drone insurance with £10 million liability cover.

This is whats required of all legally approved drone companies in the UK. It's the reason why so many cowboys work commercially without approval, without proper training, any qualifications, and any liability insurance. It's also the reason why there is so many negative stories in the media regarding near misses and dangerous flying.

I live on the west coast of Scotland and therefore I regularly fly over water whether its rivers, lochs (Scottish Lakes), reservoirs, and over our beaches. This is included in my commercial insurance policy as a result.

My procedures for flying over water doesn't change depending on the type of water. We stop prior to flying over the water, we then move over the water and stop again. We check for any changes in elevation, errors in GPS readings, basically any changes that would effect our ability to fly safely. Once happy with the results we then conduct whatever project we have to do during which both the copilot and I continually check for any changes regarding GPS etc.

I hope this helps to explain what commercial pilots in my country have to do to stay within the rules and regulations. Im happy to answer any questions anyone from outside the UK has on them.

Thanks

R
 
You do what all commercial operators should do, and then some. I must agree it’s the “fly by nighter’s” that form the majority of our negative press. Also the most faults and failures as well. A well prepared commercial operator has too much to lose to allow complacency to enter their operations.
 
Third person to report the same mistake in a few days. This cannot be by chance or simply because the battery is not tightened properly. This is starting to give off a really bad vibe.

If in such a short time we've already learned of 3 drones that have apparently crashed with the same symptoms........................... :mad::mad::mad:

I'm so sorry about that @LongIslandSurveydrone, tell us what news you have from Yuneec.
Is there any possibility that after inserting the battery repeatedly the terminals either on the battery or the drone become electrically loose?
I see this issue often in the automotive industry especially on connectors that are plugged in and removed many times. Again , just a thought
 
So, there I was flying as normal on a friday morning, taking lots of images of the pier and having a nice relaxing flight. Returned to my take off spot, chnaged batteries, quick check and away again. All was fine, no issues, no warnings, slightly increase the speed dial and without warning, beeps, messages or anything, and without a drop in connection or satelites and with not a bird in a 5 mile radius it dropped from the sky into the River Garnock. Thanks to the Coastwatch crew I was out there within 20 minutes in a small boat but with the incoming tide and the extremely poor visibility there was no chance of finding it. Even at its shallowest point of 8ft there was no sign of it.
So, Anyone fancy buying the following.....

ST16s controller. 2 months old.
2 x batteries. 2 months old.
1 x spare ST16s battery. 1 month old
E90 camera. 2 months old
CGOet camera. 2 months old.
Multiple packs of unsealed props.

and a shoulder to cry on.

Also, any idea how I retreive flight records etc without the actual drone?

Really having a nightmare day.

Beer??

Sorry to hear about your drone sinking. Do you have any prices figured out for anything? You can email me with anything you have at [email protected]
 
Is there any possibility that after inserting the battery repeatedly the terminals either on the battery or the drone become electrically loose?
I see this issue often in the automotive industry especially on connectors that are plugged in and removed many times. Again , just a thought


Certainly possible. It lacks a failsafe system.
 
Is there any possibility that after inserting the battery repeatedly the terminals either on the battery or the drone become electrically loose?
I see this issue often in the automotive industry especially on connectors that are plugged in and removed many times. Again , just a thought

Certainly possible. It lacks a failsafe system.

If you look inside the drone, where the connectors are attached, it's not too strong, it's not bad, but it can actually cause an error or fatigue that can cause the male connectors that are inserted into the battery to fall off. The system I think is well designed because it fits these connectors firmly but is made of plastic or metal materials that are not too thick. In theory, they will have done stress tests of that important part that is subjected to forces every time we take out or put in a battery, that is many times. Anything is possible.
 
Since December the SORA methodology has been adapted, the same methodology that will be used in the common European regulation that has a deadline of 2018-2020 to enter into force and be common throughout Europe and eliminate the state regulations of each country. This will unify criteria and make it easier for us to fly throughout Europe with a common set of rules that will make it easier for us not to have to ask for permits in each of the different countries we want to fly to, which is a great advantage.

Last week I was at a presentation by AESA where they explained this and other things, such as that they are going to be based mainly on flight safety and all this on the basis of the current legislation that already applies to manned flights.

In the end they will force us to know as much as the pilots of manned aircraft and this is the path they are taking since we share the same environment.
 
I have to say my commercial permission route was difficult. The classroom work, studying and exams arent something I like. Air Navigation, laws, charts, weather, manual flight planning etc. We were taught and examined by a current airline pilot and my practical flight examination was conducted by a very experienced drone pilot who had just returned from filming for world broadcasters at the Rio Olympics. It wasnt just a tick box multichoice online form. It was expensive and took nealy 5 months to complete.
 
IMG_6332.jpg
I thought this was relevant.
I loss connection to my drone, the bird went quiet, like she died in the air.
There was no return to home initiation by the H520 as a fail safe.
She fell from about 80m and is now completely a write off.
Also the final tlog will not load up when I use the uavtoolbox.com.
So right now I’m pretty pissed about this. This was my 2nd weekend with the drone and I’d only done a handful of missions.
 
I loss connection to my drone, the bird went quiet, like she died in the air.
There was no return to home initiation by the H520 as a fail safe.
She fell from about 80m and is now completely a write off.
Also the final tlog will not load up when I use the uavtoolbox.com.
Please start a new thread. After you do so, I will delete this post. It's always better to create a new post of a problem rather than tag on to an older one.
 
I know own two H520's that both have experienced this. I have many hours with DJI and Yuneec drones and this is by far the worst issue I have come across. My new H520 flying in a rural area got to 60 feet then powered off and fell like a rock. I am not confident that I can use this drone as we use them for building inspections.
I believe it is either a physical design issue with the battery locking mechanism or a software issue, and if YUNEEC doesn't correct it they will not stay in the commercial drone business.
As soon as they repair this one I'm selling both.
 
I believe it is either a physical design issue with the battery locking mechanism or a software issue
Many pilots are not aware of the two clicks you generally hear when the battery fully locks into place. If the battery isn't perfectly flush with the airframe, the battery isn't locked even though you may have heard a click. A second push will complete the lock. This has been reported on the H as well in many threads.
 
We have to be careful with this sort of thing. Yesterday I did 2 flights, it is not a matter of battery but in the end is the same failure that do not introduce the battery correctly, and whenever I put the propellers, turn them in the opposite direction to check that it has been fixed, well secured. I started engines and a propeller flew away, it was on land and I didn't even get to take off, but for me it's another reminder that despite doing a double check, I made a mistake. The propeller, which works correctly and I can assure it correctly, works well, it was not well placed.

The one who doesn't walk, doesn't stumble :rolleyes:
 
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