Hi everyone I'm Alan a photographer from the UK, I'm about to purchase my first drone (Yuneec H520) for building inspections and site surveys etc. and came across this forum while looking for some info.
New here
- Thread starter Alan C
- Start date
Welcome to YuneecPilots Alan!
You will find a lot of information in the sticky threads at the beginning of the H520 forums to get you started on the right foot.
One thing in your favor is that Yuneec Customer Support in the U.K. is still good.Be sure to get on Yuneec’s website and download all the manuals for your H520 setup. Those for the 520 are actually quite good.
You will find a lot of information in the sticky threads at the beginning of the H520 forums to get you started on the right foot.
One thing in your favor is that Yuneec Customer Support in the U.K. is still good.Be sure to get on Yuneec’s website and download all the manuals for your H520 setup. Those for the 520 are actually quite good.
Welcome to the Forum Alan. I hope the Forum will be useful in providing the information and support you might need to successfully use the 520. This Forum is not supported by, nor affiliated with, Yuneec. The moderators are all volunteer members who also own and fly Yuneec products.
The H520 is a remarkable machine. The depth and complexity of DataPilot may take a good deal of time to master. There are many members here who have a great deal of experience with this platform.
There are some common mistakes made with the H series aircraft which have caused some sad experiences for those new to the platform.
Always start with a fully charged battery.
1. Insert the battery with authority. You will generally hear two clicks when inserting the battery. The second click is the lock. The battery will be flush with the airframe when it is fully inserted. Don't lift the battery lever until you remove the battery. Lifting unlocks it.
2. Set the 520 in an open area with a clear view of the sky. Once it's turned on, don't touch it until it is fully booted.
3. Let it sit with power on if this is the first flight of the day. It can take several min to update the GPS almanac data. Wait for at least 15 satellites on the 520 and 10-11 on the controller.
4. On your first couple of test flights, it's a good idea to remove the camera. Much of the telemetry will not be displayed w/o a camera, but you must get familiar with how the sticks function. The camera is expensive and difficult to repair.
5. Use Angle mode. Stand 10 m from the aircraft to launch. Take off with plenty of throttle up to 5 m and then hover to test the sticks.
6. Learn how to use RC monitor to test the sticks for proper operation.
7. When landing, once the 520 touches the ground hold the throttle at zero until the motors stop. Don't touch the other stick.
If you have no previous experience with drones you may which to pick up a practice model. Something with altitude hold will help you learn how to use the sticks and get comfortable with flying circles and figure eights.
Thanks for the welcome & the info, I'm glad I found a forum that's dedicated to Yuneec drones.
Steve I'm glad you brought up the sat's on the controller, what is that exactly ?
Thanks for the welcome & advice, unfortunately I've had to put the purchase on hold for the time being as (like the rest of the world) The UK lockdown due to the current COVID-19 pandemic has seriously diminished my income, however it's an ideal opportunity for some further research & learning.
When I do order the H520 I'll probably be ordering it without a camera, and get used to flying it while upgrading my desktop and putting some funds aside for training & the required CAA approved course/test.
Sorry to hear of your set back, as you stated a good time to gather info and ideas that will suite you in your future endeavors ? Why not get the camera at the same time, you can fly w/o it til your ready, that way there will be no lost time.
I checked the price & finance options with a few retailers and I can get a better finance deal and save a few pounds by buying them separately (from the same supplier) I can then put any cash I have towards the required training course, hopefully by my training date I should have the cash to purchase the camera.
Welcome Alan, from the South Island of a locked down New Zealand.
I'm a great fan of the H520. Sadly, I'm not so impressed with Yuneec's services, though I have a good relationship with a Shenzhen based supplier for both my DJI and Yuneec needs.
Apart from the many tips I'm sure you've already been offered elsewhere on this forum, my 'take away' for gaining requisite skills in the combination of UAV flying and aerial photography/videography, is to master flying first. The ST16 remote control unit I find to be a great piece of kit, but the art of knowing the often subtle nuances of all control surfaces and how they interact (I've never experienced any significant latency) with the aircraft itself needs to be well ingrained in your mind, before adding in the additional layer of remotely managing the complexities of getting the photograph or video sequence you have planned to take. Train, train, train then practice, practice, practice!
Happy and safe flying
?
I'm a great fan of the H520. Sadly, I'm not so impressed with Yuneec's services, though I have a good relationship with a Shenzhen based supplier for both my DJI and Yuneec needs.
Apart from the many tips I'm sure you've already been offered elsewhere on this forum, my 'take away' for gaining requisite skills in the combination of UAV flying and aerial photography/videography, is to master flying first. The ST16 remote control unit I find to be a great piece of kit, but the art of knowing the often subtle nuances of all control surfaces and how they interact (I've never experienced any significant latency) with the aircraft itself needs to be well ingrained in your mind, before adding in the additional layer of remotely managing the complexities of getting the photograph or video sequence you have planned to take. Train, train, train then practice, practice, practice!
Happy and safe flying
?
