H520 + E50 camera shake

[David Jorissen]

Hi all

In January I received my Yuneec H520 with the E50 camera.

When flying with the camera level, it records smooth, but from the moment the camera is tilted down, it starts shaking. I contacted the retailer regarding this issue and was told I should check the gimbal dampers if they were all solid or if they were dent. As I noticed they were dent I confirmed it and I was told that it was a big chance that would be the cause. I replaced the dent dampers with new once, but as soon as the camera's weight is hanging on the dampers, the dents are pulled in the damper immediately again, also with the new dampers.

It also looks like the shaky moves the camera makes, are depending on the angle the camera is used. E.g. on 25 degrees, the shaking is hard, on 45 degrees it is still there but not always that hard. To me it looks like the gimbal is fighting with itself. It has been like this from the start and I immediately notified my retailer, as I didn't hear back from them I send them a video of the camera being used level, 25 - 45 - 90 degrees down. A week ago they replied they are waiting for an answer from Yuneec, so far no news.

Does anyone here have similar experiences with the E50 camera and knows how to solve it? Or any idea how long Yuneec usually takes to respond and solve such issues? As I spend a lot of money on mandatory courses and exams to get my RPAS pilot license (Belgium), I need to start practicing with my drone to use it for what it is meant to do instead of having an expensive high-tec paper weight. The short test clip can be seen on Vimeo, the test footage is recorded in HD, 50 frames per second, shutter 1/100 second and has not been colour corrected or graded.

Click here to see the video on Vimeo
Password: E50shake

Thanks for your input.

Cheers
David

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Hi all

In January I received my Yuneec H520 with the E50 camera.

When flying with the camera level, it records smooth, but from the moment the camera is tilted down, it starts shaking. I contacted the retailer regarding this issue and was told I should check the gimbal dampers if they were all solid or if they were dent. As I noticed they were dent I confirmed it and I was told that it was a big chance that would be the cause. I replaced the dent dampers with new once, but as soon as the camera's weight is hanging on the dampers, the dents are pulled in the damper immediately again, also with the new dampers.

It also looks like the shaky moves the camera makes, are depending on the angle the camera is used. E.g. on 25 degrees, the shaking is hard, on 45 degrees it is still there but not always that hard. To me it looks like the gimbal is fighting with itself. It has been like this from the start and I immediately notified my retailer, as I didn't hear back from them I send them a video of the camera being used level, 25 - 45 - 90 degrees down. A week ago they replied they are waiting for an answer from Yuneec, so far no news.

Does anyone here have similar experiences with the E50 camera and knows how to solve it? Or any idea how long Yuneec usually takes to respond and solve such issues? As I spend a lot of money on mandatory courses and exams to get my RPAS pilot license (Belgium), I need to start practicing with my drone to use it for what it is meant to do instead of having an expensive high-tec paper weight. The short test clip can be seen on Vimeo, the test footage is recorded in HD, 50 frames per second, shutter 1/100 second and has not been colour corrected or graded.

Click here to see the video on Vimeo
Password: E50shake

Thanks for your input.

Cheers
David

Hi David.

Had this exact same problem with my H520/E50 combo last year. Took delivery January, 2018.

First two cameras had the shake, more pronounced or began vibrating when tilted down past 30 degrees or so. The dampers were replaced with CGO3+ style ones. Fixed the issue.

Subsequently, I had other issues with the H520 and controller. Firmware related, mostly. Anyway, the whole kit was replaced, including the E50. No vibration issues with this third camera, even with the gel-filled dampers.

This third camera had apparent transmission issues (Video received by ST16s poor, even when only 20 feet away).

Fourth camera has a bit better transmitted video quality, but not much. The bigger issue is it also does not have vibration issues, even with the gel filled dampers.

I am thinking either faulty cameras or firmware.

Jeff

P.S. I should also mention this: in cold temps (freezing or lower) I get a flight or two before the whole gimbal gets stuck. Tilt, that is. I have no proof as I have not had time to dig in, but I believe the gel filled dampers may play a role in THIS scenario.

 

[arruntus]

Hi David.

Had this exact same problem with my H520/E50 combo last year. Took delivery January, 2018.

First two cameras had the shake, more pronounced or began vibrating when tilted down past 30 degrees or so. The dampers were replaced with CGO3+ style ones. Fixed the issue.

Subsequently, I had other issues with the H520 and controller. Firmware related, mostly. Anyway, the whole kit was replaced, including the E50. No vibration issues with this third camera, even with the gel-filled dampers.

This third camera had apparent transmission issues (Video received by ST16s poor, even when only 20 feet away).

Fourth camera has a bit better transmitted video quality, but not much. The bigger issue is it also does not have vibration issues, even with the gel filled dampers.

I am thinking either faulty cameras or firmware.

Jeff

P.S. I should also mention this: in cold temps (freezing or lower) I get a flight or two before the whole gimbal gets stuck. Tilt, that is. I have no proof as I have not had time to dig in, but I believe the gel filled dampers may play a role in THIS scenario.

Stories to keep you awake ?

I thought you had solved it already, bad news to hear that it is not so. Cheer up, mate ?

 

[David Jorissen]

Hi Jeff

Thanks for your reply.

Well I hope they check and solve it soon and I don't have to go through several cameras before getting a good one. I can understand one has bad luck, but reading here and apparently the guy that bought an H520 with the E90 camera at the same day and retailer as I did, had to have his E90 camera checked and replaced already too because of issues with it. This really shouldn't be the case for a drone and camera which is targeting the professional / commercial market. It doesn't give me a comfortable feeling to take-on jobs with it.

Since the last firmware update I also have issues with the Datapilot app crashing, sometimes during flight, every time when changing the battery of the H520. The quality of the the video received by the ST16S has never been great, always a bit chunky, not really clear. I certainly expected better because if I would connect an external monitor for the client to be able to follow the screen, it would not be really representable. 100% sure they would ask the question if the quality of the footage they get will be better or not. When I compare it to the quality my brother gets on his DJI Crystal Sky screen (Mavic 2 pro), it doesn't even come close. If that would improve with a new camera, that would be great.

I really hoped to have a reliable and professional system with the H520, but I am starting to be afraid I'll have to get a DJI as main drone asap and keep the H520 as backup.

I flew a couple of times in -2 degrees C, each time 4 batteries, but didn't have any issues with the gimbal getting completely stuck.


Cheers
David

 

[arruntus]

The quality of the the video received by the ST16S has never been great, always a bit chunky, not really clear. I certainly expected better because if I would connect an external monitor for the client to be able to follow the screen, it would not be really representable. 100% sure they would ask the question if the quality of the footage they get will be better or not. When I compare it to the quality my brother gets on his DJI Crystal Sky screen (Mavic 2 pro), it doesn't even come close

If we're fair you're comparing watching video at 720p versus 1080p. Besides, how much is the Crystal Sky screen worth? It has a 2048X1536 resolutión.........There is a lot of difference, first in image quality, and second, in device quality. You will never be able to see it with the same quality because they can be compared under equal conditions, this is not the case...........

Anyway, at 720p, if the monitor or TV where you want to play the link is not very large, the quality is acceptable, but as always, it depends on what you're looking for. Anyway, of course it would be better if we had 1080p

 

[David Jorissen]

If we're fair you're comparing watching video at 720p versus 1080p. Besides, how much is the Crystal Sky screen worth? It has a 2048X1536 resolutión.........There is a lot of difference, first in image quality, and second, in device quality. You will never be able to see it with the same quality because they can be compared under equal conditions, this is not the case...........

Anyway, at 720p, if the monitor or TV where you want to play the link is not very large, the quality is acceptable, but as always, it depends on what you're looking for. Anyway, of course it would be better if we had 1080p

It's true both devices can not really be compared to each other due to several differences between the two, my words were not chosen wisely in this case, sorry. But as you mention, at 720p the quality could and should still be good on a small monitor. On the ST16S I don't really feel it's clear the footage. Of course if you stretch it on a big monitor, you can't expect it to be good at 720p, but on a 7 inch monitor it should still be clear. My findings are based on what I saw on the ST16S monitor, I didn't connect my external monitor yet, will do that next time I'll fly. I plan to use an Atomos Ninja Inferno as second monitor. I didn't check at which bitrate the footage is send to the ST16S but if it's low, it will anyway not give good quality.

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Stories to keep you awake ?

I thought you had solved it already, bad news to hear that it is not so. Cheer up, mate [emoji30]

arruntus,

If you are referring to my cold weather issues, no real worries here. I blame the gel and the cold.

Of course, I seem to fly in temps others don’t even think to venture out in, let along with one of our UAS.

[emoji41]

 

[NorWiscPilot]

It's true both devices can not really be compared to each other due to several differences between the two, my words were not chosen wisely in this case, sorry. But as you mention, at 720p the quality could and should still be good on a small monitor. On the ST16S I don't really feel it's clear the footage. Of course if you stretch it on a big monitor, you can't expect it to be good at 720p, but on a 7 inch monitor it should still be clear. My findings are based on what I saw on the ST16S monitor, I didn't connect my external monitor yet, will do that next time I'll fly. I plan to use an Atomos Ninja Inferno as second monitor. I didn't check at which bitrate the footage is send to the ST16S but if it's low, it will anyway not give good quality.

Not sure you need to leave Yuneec to find better controller video. My two H480 machines are crystal clear. That’s what makes this more frustrating; Yuneec has already proven they can do it. Just not sure why not for the H520 (at least not my H520). Do not know about anyone else’s experience.

Perhaps higher base resolution of the cameras themselves? It appears to be a transmission issue. Hopefully something fixable via firmware. (Ugh)

Haven’t heard about controller video quality, or lack of it, for the H Plus.

Jeff

 

[arruntus]

What is the monitor of the ST16S is not very good, it is true, the same may also be because it is tactile, I do not know, but I still have not even removed the plastic protector and see well enough. Have you tried raising the brightness of Android? It's a device to see enough and fly safely, it's not meant to give supreme quality.

What I can say is that I have connected the video output to a 42 inch TV and I see everything very well. In my opinion it is enough quality for customers to see it and also now they can see the image without the GUI and we in the ST16S can see the GUI, something we asked to be precisely like that to distinguish between client and pilot.