Is the H still a viable choice?

[wrench567]

Hi guys.
I've been sitting on the fence for a few years about buying an H pro. I'm coming from some RC helicopter experience and built an F450 quad from parts with an old Tarot flight controller. I'm considering one of the refurbished Typhoons off eBay. Half the price of the H plus.
Does Yuneec still support them with upgrades and firmware/ software support? Or should I just get something newer. The H+ seems really expensive for what you get. I think I would get the Autel Evo2 6k pro for less money and better camera. To be honest, the camera is not the deciding factor. Spare batteries for the H are around $100. The Evo2 battery goes for north of 2 bills!.
I'm not sure if I can fly a UAS around here. I have a regional airport and the Cape Cod national seashore all around me. My helicopters don't have GPS and my drone doesn't recognize NFZ. I've flown at the beach and some local sport fields for years with no problems. I just don't want to spend money on something I can't fly local. My son in law has a Phantom 4 and can only fly it in a few locations.
Thanks for your input and knowledge.
Pete.

 

[Steve Carr]

The Cape Cod National Seashore is a National Park. So you cannot fly within the boundaries of the Park. However there are significant areas outside of the Park boundaries that are not restricted.
There are also a couple of airports with restricted airspace as shown on the FAA website:


Are you looking at new kits or used? There are some very good deals on used kits for both the H and H Plus.
Given the location you plan to fly wind can be an issue with smaller drones. The H Plus is one of the most wind capable drones on the market. Even the H is respectable in the wind but with shorter flight times.

Yuneec does not often update firmware. Once the firmware is determined to be stable they stop issuing any updates. That is the case with the H and the H Plus.

 

[wrench567]

Thank you Steve.
The map you posted does not look like the map I have seen from other NFZ maps. They all seem different. Other maps list Chatham airport, Monomoy state park and the whole east side or ocean side as an NFZ. I believe that DJI lists Provincetown a NFZ also due to the little landing strip and Warf. Nickerson state park is also considered an NFZ for some odd reason. My neighbor is the retired Chatham airport manager and has given me written permission to fly my helicopters and quad inside the airport NFZ that has kept the local constables from bothering me at the local sport fields. I rarely go above tree level and never out of sight. With a camera drone, I would love to see if I can spot the big sharks hunting the local seal population. My son inlaw got a video of two sharks swimming against the lighter sandy bottom with seals congregating on the shore. But he was in a fixed wing aircraft and not drone footage.

I am looking at a refurbished Typhoon H with a CGO3 for a start into the camera drone hobby. I'm retired and don't have a ton of hobby dollars. Plus I'm suffering from Workshop Induced Financial Exhaustion. (W.I.F.E.)I'm afraid it's terminal and non curable. So keeping it under a grand with a couple of flight batteries is better than waiting for more hobby dollars to grow on the tree. If you know what I mean.

Thanks a bunch.
Pete.

 

[Steve Carr]

I'm suffering from Workshop Induced Financial Exhaustion. (W.I.F.E.)

Many of us have the same affliction.
You should be able to pick up a good used H in the $500-600 range with 2 batteries. You don't need the RealSense so save your money and don't bother with it.

The map is a screen shot from the official FAA website. It's the one that really counts. Other maps create NFZ's where none exist including DJI. So use the FAA map.

ArcGIS Web Application

faa.maps.arcgis.com

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

Plus I'm suffering from Workshop Induced Financial Exhaustion. (W.I.F.E.)I'm afraid it's terminal and non curable.

Obtaining a restraining order specifically keeping (W.I.F.E.)100 yards from the bathroom, will likely prove most effective... ?

 

[wrench567]

Obtaining a restraining order specifically keeping (W.I.F.E.)100 yards from the bathroom, will likely prove most effective... [emoji848]

Like the old Warren Zevon song, " Lawyers Guns and money can't get me out of this" [emoji41]

 

[Richie]

Hi guys.
I've been sitting on the fence for a few years about buying an H pro. I'm coming from some RC helicopter experience and built an F450 quad from parts with an old Tarot flight controller. I'm considering one of the refurbished Typhoons off eBay. Half the price of the H plus.
Does Yuneec still support them with upgrades and firmware/ software support? Or should I just get something newer. The H+ seems really expensive for what you get. I think I would get the Autel Evo2 6k pro for less money and better camera. To be honest, the camera is not the deciding factor. Spare batteries for the H are around $100. The Evo2 battery goes for north of 2 bills!.
I'm not sure if I can fly a UAS around here. I have a regional airport and the Cape Cod national seashore all around me. My helicopters don't have GPS and my drone doesn't recognize NFZ. I've flown at the beach and some local sport fields for years with no problems. I just don't want to spend money on something I can't fly local. My son in law has a Phantom 4 and can only fly it in a few locations.
Thanks for your input and knowledge.
Pete.

Autel may say its 6k camera is better but you should look at video from both. I think the H camera takes more beautiful pics and video, especially over water. The blues really pop on the Typhoon

 

[Chris Koch]

Good evening, I have a H pro, and love it also have the F450 and F550, I am no expert but for now theses are my current choices.If i and the mulla I will go for the 520E but can't do at present, have a great weekend from a hot and humid UK