New Drone, new camera? ION L1 Pro For Yuneec H3

[Mrgs1]

The Typhoon H was updated until all of the functionality and features were there and; all of the bugs were gone. It is operating at the peak of its existence which as stated came about in 2017. What; may I ask is left to update? As far as support goes, we can still get batteries and parts can we not? - it is still supported in that respect. The fact that it was being sold 3 years after introduction speaks volumes.

I am one of the original Plus owners and I do not feel cheated at all about the release of the H3, in fact I am kinda glad and look forward to seeing it first hand. If anything my only thoughts are perhaps a little frustration in the way that these are released, but hey it is a free market, we can take our business elsewhere if we choose. Personally I am a still a big fan of the Typhoon layout; controller and aircraft, it fits what I need to a tee. The new H3 tells me that Yuneec is still in the game and to me that is a good thing.

I suspect with it being not too revolutionary the control and the system will become familiar very quickly and that's a consideration for original users of the previous models.

 

[Panther6834]

The Typhoon H was updated until all of the functionality and features were there and; all of the bugs were gone. It is operating at the peak of its existence which as stated came about in 2017. The fact that it was being sold 3 years after introduction speaks volumes.

Yes, we can still get batteries & parts (tho, in regards to OEM parts, for how much longer remains to be seen)...but, if you truly believe "all bugs have been worked out", you obviously have been reading about the things that still happen to numerous other people, such as runaway drones, crashes with no reason, etc. These are caused by "bugs.

 

[Mrgs1]

Yes, we can still get batteries & parts (tho, in regards to OEM parts, for how much longer remains to be seen)...but, if you truly believe "all bugs have been worked out", you obviously have been reading about the things that still happen to numerous other people, such as runaway drones, crashes with no reason, etc. These are caused by "bugs.

Dji or any other manufacturer haven't ironed them out either. Plenty of those episodes on their forums too. Anything that flies has s potential to malfunction I'm afraid.

 

[Ty Pilot]

Yes, we can still get batteries & parts (tho, in regards to OEM parts, for how much longer remains to be seen)...but, if you truly believe "all bugs have been worked out", you obviously have been reading about the things that still happen to numerous other people, such as runaway drones, crashes with no reason, etc. These are caused by "bugs.

I think you mean I "Haven't" been reading but I get your point and actually I have been reading the 480 forum. So you've investigated each and every crash going back some period of time and made a determination they were all bugs? ?

I have been reading this forum for years and while there have been legitimate equipment failures, 9 times out of ten it is user error. Its a hard pill for some to swallow but there it is. I purchased my Typhoon H right after the last update and flew it for 2 and a half years - ZERO problems. I sold it and to the best of my knowledge it is still flying.

And again; we are talking about two separate but parallel issues - Updates and Equipment. If someone has a crash or a flyaway that is proven not to be their fault, it is far more likely to be a failure of a component, or an environmental issue. Updates will not fix or contain; either of these.

As I said if we can still get parts three years down the road in this industry, I'll call that a win.

 

[PatR]

The TH was a stable platform after it's updates, I was referring to 3 years as a model and now superseded by plus and now H3. You can support a model with repairs and advice too, it doesn't have to be firmware updated all the time.

Once a platform achieves performance equaling all that it was designed to provide and the soft/firmware is bug free and stable there’s just no reason to mess with it further.

Although the H-480, with just a few FC and firmware tweaks could do much, much more than it does it pretty much reached a maximum level of performance due to weight limitations. I doubt very many people can find fault with what it does, with the largest complaint likely attributed to inability to load maps and build flight plans. Those limitations are solely due to use of an artificially restricted FC and available memory.

In my mind the big failure has been with the H Plus. Although it can handle a little more wind, has improved stability, and can shoot a great picture, all due to slightly better hardware, the original and current firmware fell and falls well short of what the machine is capable of. As the new H3 is intended to supplant the H Plus I seriously doubt the H Plus will ever achieve the level of performance it could and should have.

What is happening was fairly accurately predicted, and those that could read the writing on the wall avoided both the 520 and H Plus as they were two peas in the same pod. If Yuneec wants to start making money they need to stop upping model version numbers and build just one base platform that employs plug and play accessories. Properly configured, the FC will handle most anything thrown at it. Sell the accessories and accessory operating firmware separately. If you want a mapping drone, buy an H with mapping hardware and software. If you want to map and do cinema work, buy the base platform, applicable accessories and associated firmware. If you need RTK, buy the base platform and add an RTK accessory module and firmware. All the different model releases incurs warehousing and shipping errors, while making the service department more difficult to manage.

 

[Adamg1180]

Is this a precursor to the “new” H920? Will we see a Leica MFT or full frame sensor camera available? It sure is an exciting time to be a drone enthusiast!

 

[PatR]

What makes putting the Leica brand name on the payload such a monumental benefit? Leica has no or very little developmental history with CMOS sensors, and their “wonder years” are 30+ years in the past. They were fading when Pentax was on the upswing.

Looking hard at the world of creative photography, how many artists use a Leica? Same can be said for wedding, news, sports, and other forms of journalism photography. Three brands dominate the market; Canon, Sony, and Nikon, with Fuji and Lumix picking up the slack.

If I had a choice of camera brands for the 920 the preference would be heavily weighted towards Sony and Lumix. I don’t know of anyone using a Leica for video.

 

[Mrgs1]

Once a platform achieves performance equaling all that it was designed to provide and the soft/firmware is bug free and stable there’s just no reason to mess with it further.

Although the H-480, with just a few FC and firmware tweaks could do much, much more than it does it pretty much reached a maximum level of performance due to weight limitations. I doubt very many people can find fault with what it does, with the largest complaint likely attributed to inability to load maps and build flight plans. Those limitations are solely due to use of an artificially restricted FC and available memory.

In my mind the big failure has been with the H Plus. Although it can handle a little more wind, has improved stability, and can shoot a great picture, all due to slightly better hardware, the original and current firmware fell and falls well short of what the machine is capable of. As the new H3 is intended to supplant the H Plus I seriously doubt the H Plus will ever achieve the level of performance it could and should have.

What is happening was fairly accurately predicted, and those that could read the writing on the wall avoided both the 520 and H Plus as they were two peas in the same pod. If Yuneec wants to start making money they need to stop upping model version numbers and build just one base platform that employs plug and play accessories. Properly configured, the FC will handle most anything thrown at it. Sell the accessories and accessory operating firmware separately. If you want a mapping drone, buy an H with mapping hardware and software. If you want to map and do cinema work, buy the base platform, applicable accessories and associated firmware. If you need RTK, buy the base platform and add an RTK accessory module and firmware. All the different model releases incurs warehousing and shipping errors, while making the service department more difficult to manage.

Didn't they have that opportunity with the 920? Or even could now?

 

[OnTheRopes]

What makes putting the Leica brand name on the payload such a monumental benefit? Leica has no or very little developmental history with CMOS sensors, and their “wonder years” are 30+ years in the past. They were fading when Pentax was on the upswing.

Looking hard at the world of creative photography, how many artists use a Leica? Same can be said for wedding, news, sports, and other forms of journalism photography. Three brands dominate the market; Canon, Sony, and Nikon, with Fuji and Lumix picking up the slack.

If I had a choice of camera brands for the 920 the preference would be heavily weighted towards Sony and Lumix. I don’t know of anyone using a Leica for video.

They still make pretty good glass though

 

[PatR]

They do, but there are more than a few great glass makers out there. Zeiss, Schmidt & Bender, Swarovski, Sigma, and a bunch of others. Using an adapter to use a Canon lens on a Sony a6300 would not turn the camera into a Canon...[emoji6]

Something I’d like to see that won’t ever happen would be a breakdown of the lens to review the elements. Some info on coatings to help establish refractivity. And an honest assessment of its speed. From the spec sheets we can presume it lacks adjustable aperture as the camera has ISO and shutter priority modes, but not aperture.

 

[Mrgs1]

They do, but there are more than a few great glass makers out there. Zeiss, Schmidt & Bender, Swarovski, Sigma, and a bunch of others. Using an adapter to use a Canon lens on a Sony a6300 would not turn the camera into a Canon...[emoji6]

Something I’d like to see that won’t ever happen would be a breakdown of the lens to review the elements. Some info on coatings to help establish refractivity. And an honest assessment of its speed. From the spec sheets we can presume it lacks adjustable aperture as the camera has ISO and shutter priority modes, but not aperture.

I don't think you'll get a variable aperture in that price range?

 

[PatR]

To be positive for a moment, if they do things right they have a chance to make a positive lasting impression on the market. The trade show video implies the H3 will have multiple payload options.

IF they elect to market the H3 as an expandable platform and actually produce and make available multiple payloads, IF they elect to continue to mature the H3 platform for a period of years, IF they elect to employ a better means to export live imagery to multiple destinations, IF they contract battery manufacturing to a high quality vendor, IF they elect to design a vastly better battery conditioning system for the kit, IF the firmware is bug free out of the gate, they would have a good chance of achieving success.

But they have to make this one a base platform that becomes the foundation of an aerial system. To continue obsoleting one platform after another while never achieving parity with the market leader will force customers to wonder why buyers continue to repeatedly buy new aircraft but never be able to do what the other guy can do flying smaller aircraft that cost a lot less.

The primary competition is still the Mavic and P4 and if Yuneec can’t blow that out of the water with superior features and functions in a single platform there’s no justification for a $2,200.00 expenditure.

 

[Fred Garvin]

I don't think you'll get a variable aperture in that price range?

Mavic 2 has it.

 

[Adamg1180]

Mavic 2 has it.

So does P4P, I’m not advocating for DJI, I will not utilize their products until the data is secure.

 

[PatR]

Mavic 2 Pro actually if we want to do a 20mpx comparison. Kit prices run from $1,705 to $2,100 via Amazon. All the kits provide a lot more for the money than the H3 kit.

The killer is having flight planning without needing to buy a second drone. Yuneec cannot continue to protect the 520’s flight planning and have any hope of offsetting that feature with optional cameras in other platforms. Sooner or later they need to accept they screwed the pooch with that concept. Photographers use flight planning too, and multiple means of setting up flight plans were provided in all versions of Pixhawk.

I’ll go on to say I have yet to be impressed with the Hasselblad though.

 

[Mrgs1]

Mavic 2 has it.

I thought bad language wasn't allowed!

 

[Mostbestus]

For me the gravitation to the 520 is the controller. If DJI was to provide a similar controller for the Mavic (or Inspire) it would be more attractive.

 

[Mostbestus]

I am impressed with the mods TY Pilot has done with his controller ...

 

[georgero]

The aircraft is the same as H+ or H520 as EU model shows. They don't even include the Intel Realsence because as I read intel do not do business with Yuneec anymore. So basically the extra money goes towards the camera. €2,399.00 for a H+ is still too much.
Maybe the camera is better than Others but the question is, is that worth the money? Don't know let's wait and see.

 

[rdonson]

Specs...

View attachment 18540

Those camera specs tell me little about the camera. Most of those specs could be implemented on the C23.

- does it have a glass lens?
- what is the dynamic range?
- what ND filter threads are required?
- is it the same Sony 1” sensor as the C23? Mavic Pro 2?