On the fence about getting a Phantom 4 rather than the Typhoon H. Yuneec pilots, convince me not to.
- Thread starter Gilly
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Personally I don't like the DJI forced firmware updates. By forced I mean they will ground you if you don't remain somewhat current. I wouldn't say of late that Yuneec Customer Service is better. It used to be but I'm not so sure that's true now. If you prefer the Phantom, get one. I almost bought the Inspire but went with the H instead. I'm still glad I did. I just don't like how DJI tries to control and track their drones. Kind of reminds me of Apple. I didn't really understand that until I purchased Apple products, now I know.
Not sure if "disliking" a P4 is a good reason to go with the H. There are a lot of differences between Yuneec and DJI. Parts for the H are available around the world. Aftermarket batteries are less than half the cost of a P4's. The hex can return and land on 5 motors (or, in my case, 4 motors). The H camera is more difficult to set up for good pics and video, but it's easily removed and the thermal camera is available. I swap cams frequently. The H is darn solid in wind and the video remains stable. Yuneec and DJI service both suck. But once you get a person on the line they generally get it right. Multiple repair locations is beginning to reduce turnaround times. Unlike DJI products, you can open the H box, charge the battery and fly it without the need for an app or any user account or registration. You own it and control it.
It's really a matter of personal choice. The price is very attractive for an H and will continue to be for some time. But if you like DJI products then you should stay with them.
Gilly...
I'll add my $.02
I have A P3, and the Typhoon H ( Just sold my Mavic in Jan)
I'll concur about DJI updates and restriction, but size is another factor to consider.
The H is a much large bird that the Phantom series.
Carrying the case with everything is a pain for me if I am going a long distance.
The Phantom in its case seams more manageable to me.
I usually just fly out of the back of my Jeep and leave everything in the back.
I also like the Typhoon Controller with everything self contained.
I can easily hand catch the Phantom, but have not had the nerve to do the same to the Typhoon H.
Range is one other thing to consider, with the Phantoms having more than twice the range.
All in all, I prefer my Typhoon H, but am saving and waiting to see what the Mavic 2 will do.
As a comparison
I'll add my $.02
I have A P3, and the Typhoon H ( Just sold my Mavic in Jan)
I'll concur about DJI updates and restriction, but size is another factor to consider.
The H is a much large bird that the Phantom series.
Carrying the case with everything is a pain for me if I am going a long distance.
The Phantom in its case seams more manageable to me.
I usually just fly out of the back of my Jeep and leave everything in the back.
I also like the Typhoon Controller with everything self contained.
I can easily hand catch the Phantom, but have not had the nerve to do the same to the Typhoon H.
Range is one other thing to consider, with the Phantoms having more than twice the range.
All in all, I prefer my Typhoon H, but am saving and waiting to see what the Mavic 2 will do.
As a comparison
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CraigCam
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The H is easily hand caught and it’s one of the easiest in my opinion to grab because of the nice round landing legs. The gimbal control of the H has way more flexibility as you can be super creative with multiple axis moves by combining yaw with pan and tilt with ascend or descend and any flight movement. It’s also ridiculously steady and I only get rolling video or jello if I fly against strong winds and camera is pointed cross wind or a dampener popped off.
If you ask yourself (?) this question in the way you better do buy a DJI, whilst you almost did already.
No matter which one btw, they are all MUCH bettter then aynthing on the planet.
No matter which one btw, they are all MUCH bettter then aynthing on the planet.
FlushVision
Premium Pilot
For me, one factor is the size of the H. I'm a Line Of Sight pilot so the size and colour of the H against the P4 means that I can fly it further away and still be able to see it. I also have a P2V+ and I've found that I can fly my H two or three hundred feet further out than I can with my P2. Yes, it's a bit more difficult to lug around but not significantly so.
Just to be clear. I also like my P2V+. An ageing aircraft but dead easy to fly. Both aircraft are good, but for different reasons.
Just to be clear. I also like my P2V+. An ageing aircraft but dead easy to fly. Both aircraft are good, but for different reasons.
Agree with that when line of sight is the sky, the H is much more visible. Not so when the background is some shady trees though.
PatR
Premium Pilot
That is true of course, but even within the law good visibility is not a given and something that makes it MORE visible can only be a good thing? Unless you are flying covertly
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I had a Phantom 2 prior to getting my H and there was a lot I liked about it but there were a few things that I didn't like. Without doubt, the limiting feature of the phantom is if you are filming, camera-level and moving at any speed above a fast walk you are likely going to get the props in frame some of the time. I had many shots that would otherwise have been fine, ruined by this. This is the reason I at first looked at Inspire until I came across the H.
Also it's been mentioned, but I would echo again the fact that; as a camera platform for video - the Typhoon H has no equal in it class. The form factor of the Typhoon and that of the controller fits an old axiom used when describing aircraft; if it looks right - it is. I never got along with the way the Phantom controller felt or looked and I though the design of the aircraft itself was just; well, I thought it could be improved. The idea of strapping a tablet or a cell phone on top of the controller - thats just not right
I'll give the P4P its fair and only advantage; it has a magnificent camera. Period. And in that sense alone; the weight it gives to a decision from a operator who is buying a UAV for it's cameras' capability, this is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. However (fingers crossed) this all changes later this year when the Typhoon H Plus comes out. At that point, the Phantom will lose its only surviving advantage over the Typhoon in my estimation.
Every time I think "hmm, maybe I'll just get a Phantom 4, and get some great video" - I just go back and watch all the video from my P2, or take a minute to peek into the Phantom forum and read their horror stories and compare to those on this site and I'm fine waiting a few more months.
Also it's been mentioned, but I would echo again the fact that; as a camera platform for video - the Typhoon H has no equal in it class. The form factor of the Typhoon and that of the controller fits an old axiom used when describing aircraft; if it looks right - it is. I never got along with the way the Phantom controller felt or looked and I though the design of the aircraft itself was just; well, I thought it could be improved. The idea of strapping a tablet or a cell phone on top of the controller - thats just not right
I'll give the P4P its fair and only advantage; it has a magnificent camera. Period. And in that sense alone; the weight it gives to a decision from a operator who is buying a UAV for it's cameras' capability, this is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. However (fingers crossed) this all changes later this year when the Typhoon H Plus comes out. At that point, the Phantom will lose its only surviving advantage over the Typhoon in my estimation.
Every time I think "hmm, maybe I'll just get a Phantom 4, and get some great video" - I just go back and watch all the video from my P2, or take a minute to peek into the Phantom forum and read their horror stories and compare to those on this site and I'm fine waiting a few more months.
rdonson
Premium Pilot
Well, I fly against a background of trees often with my H. My solution was to paint the shells of my two TH 480s a neon/fluorescent orange. Yuneec caught on to this and the H520 is orange. They haven't said officially what the color for the TH Plus will be.
Anyway, the upper and lower shells/covers for the TH 480 cost $9-11 each.
I would be amongst the first to buy if that proves to have the image quality we all want. However I assume the cameras will be based on the E90 and hopefully an E50 of the H520 but that seems to have it's own set of problems and going down the same path of errors that they made with the H. I really hope they will have the faults ironed out by then but from experience I somehow doubt it.
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I'm right there with you, get the image quality that the sensor is capable of and I'm on board but if they flop it out like the 520, that could be strike three.
Can you use third party apps on the H? Like drone deploy, pix4d etc. The downside to having a built in screen is the fact that the tablet powering that screen is nowhere near the power level of whatever phone you are currently using. I am willing to bet that any current cell phone running them DJI app is going to have a more clear picture, and be a more responsive platform altogether. Just a few things to consider. I don't know if you have ever taken apart a DJI drone, but the build quality of a DJI drone is superior to Yuneec. I'll probably get some hate for this, but i would do myself a favor, and wait until the P5 is released in a few weeks and buy a P4 pro on the cheap.
Depends what you want to do with it, I have both a P4 and an H.
I actually like my P4 and it is very useful when flying manually. It has a good camera and is very stable. On the other hand the P4 sucks at anything autonomous. The P4 is terrible in follow modes and has poor altitude control. Also the P4 does not handle the wind very well. The P4 has good flight time and great range however I never fly beyond LOS.
I rely heavily on on my H for much of my high-speed following. Using the Wizard with its internal barometer the H has good dynamic altitude control and is fast. The H is my only drone that can follow in high winds and return decent shots.
If you want to float around taking video or pictures either drone will do that well with the P4 having the better camera and flight time. I have become appreciative of the six rotor H because I have lost a prop and landed safely. If you want to do anything autonomous whether it's waypoint missions or follow I would go with the H.
I actually like my P4 and it is very useful when flying manually. It has a good camera and is very stable. On the other hand the P4 sucks at anything autonomous. The P4 is terrible in follow modes and has poor altitude control. Also the P4 does not handle the wind very well. The P4 has good flight time and great range however I never fly beyond LOS.
I rely heavily on on my H for much of my high-speed following. Using the Wizard with its internal barometer the H has good dynamic altitude control and is fast. The H is my only drone that can follow in high winds and return decent shots.
If you want to float around taking video or pictures either drone will do that well with the P4 having the better camera and flight time. I have become appreciative of the six rotor H because I have lost a prop and landed safely. If you want to do anything autonomous whether it's waypoint missions or follow I would go with the H.
I've taken apart my Q many times, and have helped someone with their H and their P4Pro. You don't even have to take the DJI product apart to see the difference. Pick up an ST10+, and an ST16. Then pick up the DJI controllers. You can feel the difference in durability and quality. You can do the same with the Q, the H, mavic and Phantom. All you have to do is pick it up and look. There is nothing wrong with admitting DJI has better build quality. Yuneec has it's own niche and is good at things DJI doesn't offer.
From the DJI forums:
"This is why I just bought a new Mavic. Hopefully it will not suffer the same fate as my P4 with all the cracks in the shell! Welcome to the crack club sir."
"I agree. My next purchase at this point will likely be in the direction of the Mavic. Phantoms continue to experience stress crack issues. Tired of hearing about it and experiencing it.
"Just went over to the P4P forum and seems that they are having the same problems with cracking. No more Phantoms for me!"
"Had my Mavic about 5 months or so, and have noticed two symmetrical bulges slowly appear on the nose, and grow larger. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but now that cracks are appearing it's irritating."
"hi all, i have noticed some cracks forming on my battery case. cracks expand when pressing tabs to install battery wondering if spring is causing the cracks to the very thin plastic. anyone having the problem" (Mavic)
"I've only flown a handful of times and just got this awesome thing. All my flights have been flawless and now I notice these two bumps on the top..of course my luck has anyone else had this issue and since it's taking them forever to fix or replace mavics I wonder if it's a must fix although it's extremely annoying."
"Many people have those bumps on their Mavic (me included). Some Mavics have cracked in those locations."
"This is why I just bought a new Mavic. Hopefully it will not suffer the same fate as my P4 with all the cracks in the shell! Welcome to the crack club sir."
"I agree. My next purchase at this point will likely be in the direction of the Mavic. Phantoms continue to experience stress crack issues. Tired of hearing about it and experiencing it.
"Just went over to the P4P forum and seems that they are having the same problems with cracking. No more Phantoms for me!"
"Had my Mavic about 5 months or so, and have noticed two symmetrical bulges slowly appear on the nose, and grow larger. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, but now that cracks are appearing it's irritating."
"hi all, i have noticed some cracks forming on my battery case. cracks expand when pressing tabs to install battery wondering if spring is causing the cracks to the very thin plastic. anyone having the problem" (Mavic)
"I've only flown a handful of times and just got this awesome thing. All my flights have been flawless and now I notice these two bumps on the top..of course my luck has anyone else had this issue and since it's taking them forever to fix or replace mavics I wonder if it's a must fix although it's extremely annoying."
"Many people have those bumps on their Mavic (me included). Some Mavics have cracked in those locations."
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