H520 Maximum Flight Time

[Solostarian]

So I am having a real dickens of a time finding where the actual max flight time for the H520 is. The closest I can come is the generic specs that google returns, but nothing on its actual max flight time. In theory as long as it gets a constant supply of power and data it will just hover away until either the props fall off (20 hours?) or the engines die. The maintenance manual for the H520 gives it a replacement per number of hours/flights, however. I does not say how long it can ACTUALLY stay up before either showing distress or its endurance fails outright.

Say I attach a tether with a constant stream of power, and I want to watch a multi hour event without landing, lets say racing for 6 hours, it is sunny but below the recommended atmospheric temperature, low wind. Just hovering there, would this be possible; or maybe keeping it up for even longer, days? Does the drone or its engines ever need to come down and cool off, has this been tested, if so where are the numbers published, and has anyone personally tested this?

Lol,help.

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Try a search on HoverFly with and without including H520.

If memory serves, a HoverFly system was used with an H520 last year. Reportedly, the H520 was up for a couple days.

I remember making a crack about the 20 hour interval for prop changes, wondering how “they” did that without interrupting the flight.

Jeff

P.S. if I find it while using my laptop instead of the smartphone YuneecPilots app, I will come back and post the link.

I think this link will work for the aforementioned tether conversation:

Tethering solution for h520 or H

Actually: this is the link the the original post about tethering. Mentions five days continuous flight. The post above referenced the one below:

Indefinite flight time with Hoverfly

 

[Tuna]

I suspect it depends on so many variables that you'll never get a definitive answer.

Temperature is probably the most significant issue - and that will depend on ambient (air) temperature, direct solar warming, altitude above sea level, how hard the motors are working (wind speed) and additional loading (weight of tether).

The motors should be able to run for an extended period - I believe they're self-lubricating and are certainly good for hundreds of hours flight in good conditions.

Your best bet is to speak to Hoverfly or other tethering experts and see what results they're getting in the field. That should at least give you a ball-park estimate for your own purposes.

 

[Solostarian]

It is kind of what I figured. Though it just seems a bit shocking that a machine designed to work in commercial settings and with fire/rescue/law enforcement would not publish a stress test. Much the way you test a piece of equipment to the point of failure, so that the people using it in the field never have to find out the hard way.

Another thought, it also seems strange that it has a maximum recommended ambient temp of 95 degrees Fahrenheit. I live in Texas and this is a problem. It’s like saying three months out of the year you’re out of work lol.

Thanks for the response.

I suspect it depends on so many variables that you'll never get a definitive answer.

Temperature is probably the most significant issue - and that will depend on ambient (air) temperature, direct solar warming, altitude above sea level, how hard the motors are working (wind speed) and additional loading (weight of tether).

The motors should be able to run for an extended period - I believe they're self-lubricating and are certainly good for hundreds of hours flight in good conditions.

Your best bet is to speak to Hoverfly or other tethering experts and see what results they're getting in the field. That should at least give you a ball-park estimate for your own purposes.