Power Button Needed + A Look Inside

Airtography · Dec 4, 2016

Hoping someone can help -- if not and you're curious as to what holds the bird together -- take a look below.

I crashed my H -- broke 3 arms, landing gear, top and bottom shell, Camera mount, landing gear, prop mount, landing gear retract and the airframe! It was a fly-away while diagnosing some issues with Yuneec on the phone. It went a mile away and -- luckily for telemetry files -- i was able to locate it with precision. I appears that it dropped from about 60 feet after battery cut-out at 8 volts! The battery is a brick. I have rebuilt the H completely and will never fly it again commercially. I'll use it for testing software upgrades and other tethered testing. Or -- with wooden decorative props and with some motor mods, turn it into a conversation piece ceiling fan! (that's what my wife wants me to do!).

In this crash, the H power button was lost. Yuneec as well as other suppliers do not stock. Yuneec is attempting to get one from their manufacturing operations -- but nothing yet.

Does anyone have a crashed H or a power button that can be made available? I'm willing to buy it to complete this re-build. An image of the crashed drone on retrieval and the air frame is attached for your curiosity.

I have not test flown yet -- but when I do -- it will be tethered using fishing line. Yes, it's grounded.

I will note -- it's amazing how these things are built and how they can be re-built if you are careful and take your time. It took me a week.

If anyone wants advice or experience with re-building -- I'd be happy to provide what I know.

The airframe - shown above -- is another item that Yuneec and others do not stock. I used an Epoxy resin with carbon fiber reinforcement to "weld" it. Luckily for me, the broken piece fit exactly and would even stay together by itself -- it's brittle plastic so the broken piece fit with precision. Pictured is the initial "weld". Since this pic, I re-applied additional reinforcing epoxy. In my tests of the epoxy on other plastic parts, the parts broke before the epoxy (amazing). Yes -- the carbon fiber reinforcement are actually cut pieces of the landing gear. Probably not needed, but what the heck -- can't hurt to be sure.

The broken airframe before repair just prior to complete tear down.

To sum up, everything now works. The camera is fine, the motors are fine (3 replaced), and everything seems operational in powered desk checks. The only thing needed before sealing the new shells is the darned power button!

Thanks --

wedbster · Dec 4, 2016

NEU Yuneec Typhoon H Hauptschalter mit Abdeckung, 1 St. | eBay

Airtography · Dec 4, 2016

I have tried to purchase via this German Ebay -- but will not allow me to log in even after doing a translate. Cannot find the part on the America's ebay either. I've run into this on Ebay Germany issue before. Anyone know how to purchase from the German sites?

Airtography · Dec 4, 2016

Just found it on the EBAY american site and ordered -- comes with the switch itself -- $10. Thank you very much WEDBSTER!!!

wedbster · Dec 4, 2016

Heilam-Modellbau-Online-Shop

Heilam-Modellbau-Online-Shop

BillyTexas · Dec 4, 2016

So what was your total cost for repairs?

Bill W.

yerrickl · Dec 4, 2016

Ouch I notice these bird cannot take a crash that well. Mine fly away also but the damage wasn't as bad. And as you I will not fly it for a job once it gets back. Would love to see the inner workings of it though

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Airtography · Dec 5, 2016

BillyTexas said:
So what was your total cost for repairs?

Bill W.

Total cost of repairs: $279 + about 10 hours of labor.

JulesTEO · Dec 5, 2016

I've also used epoxi to make some fixtures on the H, it works wonders and helps save a lot of money. Great job!

Airtography · Dec 5, 2016

JulesTEO said:
I've also used epoxi to make some fixtures on the H, it works wonders and helps save a lot of money. Great job!

Thanks Jules, appreciate your feedback. --- I would have rather gotten a replacement frame -- but -- not available anywhere yet. So it was to the epoxy! I suppose suppliers -- including Yuneec -- figure if you're that busted up -- go buy a new one as at $80 per hour in the Yuneec shop -- you'd be better off..

SoCalDroner · Dec 5, 2016

Airtography said:
Total cost of repairs: $279 + about 10 hours of labor.

He's an option that you might consider for next time.. and it's only about $100 more than you spent..but if you consider the labor, it's probably less expensive to go this route:

BRAND NEW YUNEEC Typhoon H 4K Collision Avoidance Hexacopter Drone Only | eBay

Airtography · Dec 5, 2016

SoCalDroner said:
He's an option that you might consider for next time.. and it's only about $100 more than you spent..but if you consider the labor, it's probably less expensive to go this route:

BRAND NEW YUNEEC Typhoon H 4K Collision Avoidance Hexacopter Drone Only | eBay

Yes, I'm finding them on Amazon as well for $499. It was a lot of fun to re-build - but I get your point -- for a few hundred more, could have gotten one that I could have saved many hours and had machine that I could actually put into service. Agreed.

I did replace the broken unit with the newer pro version - much nicer and now I have two remotes -- that I was going to eventually buy anyway. And by the way -- the new remote with 3 antenna's looks like it's clock actually works. Must have been a glitch in the first unit. It was one of the first out the door last May.
Thanks!

KENSY · Dec 5, 2016

I bought a Brand New bare replacement on EBAY US.(mid city hobby) for $375.00 just last week. I figured it was wise to buy a spare unit just for the parts in case I need them. Do the math, it is well worth it. Do you know what the issue was with the TH and why if did what it did and crashed? So sorry for your loss but I laud your recovery and repair, very interesting, good job.

Airtography · Dec 6, 2016

KENSY said:
I bought a Brand New bare replacement on EBAY US.(mid city hobby) for $375.00 just last week. I figured it was wise to buy a spare unit just for the parts in case I need them. Do the math, it is well worth it. Do you know what the issue was with the TH and why if did what it did and crashed? So sorry for your loss but I laud your recovery and repair, very interesting, good job.

Thank you for the comments ! Yes, for $375 -- I could have had an operational unit -- and that's not to say that I may still go that route to have a back up in the event that this rebuilt model doesn't fly at all or has issues. I won't use it commercially, but for testing / training / practice or firmware upgrade tests before applying to the new H pro, it will suffice. I've not flight tested yet -- waiting on the power button to seal the lids. With all that said, my back-up plan for this unit will be to install wooden props and make it a ceiling fan conversation piece in the office.

The issue that caused all of this was a YAW issue. The would turn very slowly in one direction, and almost not at all in the other. Latest upgrade had been applied and flown successfully the day before. No issues. When going to drain a battery down to 50% the next day in my front yard, I noticed this issue. I called Yuneec. They said to send it in. However, when I was on the phone with them, I noticed that it was in turtle mode. While still on the phone with them I took it back outside and launched it in Rabbit mode. It worked -- yaw was fine -- but then, it began ascending out out of control. I began struggling with it -- not responding well to any commands. I put it in return to home mode - and that's when it flew away. Something happened and I suspect it may be due to a compass function? Loss of calibration or some other issue - even when putting it back in regular flight mode -- it seemed to have wanted to react to commands, but would then back off and resume some other direction. It went down a mile away. Logs show that GPS was "false". However what's strange is that logs showed as false as well during "normal" flights the day before where I had no issues. (never knew this until I read the logs to get the location of the crash). So go figure? That's why I'll never use this unit commercially - and when I do ops check it in the field -- it's going to be tethered.

Bottom line -- It was "educational" to tear it down and re-build it. Will I eventually get a t $375 unit as described as a back up? Yes. And continue to use this for testing purposes.

By the way -- if you've read this far in a long reply, here is a something I've fixed: Ever notice how the H has a loud plastic vibration when flying - more so ascending? I've learned that it's due to the upper and lower shell seams -- plastic against plastic -- add vibration and there's the culprit. When assembling this unit - I've put a very thin coat of black silicone on upper and lower halves. It's a very thin coating barely there at all. Initial vibration tests with motors running and screws not yet applied -- the vibration is gone. We'll see how it does in the air -- hopefully the only thing that will be heard are the props.

Marnix Verschraegen · Dec 6, 2016

Airtography said:
Thank you for the comments ! Yes, for $375 -- I could have had an operational unit -- and that's not to say that I may still go that route to have a back up in the event that this rebuilt model doesn't fly at all or has issues. I won't use it commercially, but for testing / training / practice or firmware upgrade tests before applying to the new H pro, it will suffice. I've not flight tested yet -- waiting on the power button to seal the lids. With all that said, my back-up plan for this unit will be to install wooden props and make it a ceiling fan conversation piece in the office.

The issue that caused all of this was a YAW issue. The would turn very slowly in one direction, and almost not at all in the other. Latest upgrade had been applied and flown successfully the day before. No issues. When going to drain a battery down to 50% the next day in my front yard, I noticed this issue. I called Yuneec. They said to send it in. However, when I was on the phone with them, I noticed that it was in turtle mode. While still on the phone with them I took it back outside and launched it in Rabbit mode. It worked -- yaw was fine -- but then, it began ascending out out of control. I began struggling with it -- not responding well to any commands. I put it in return to home mode - and that's when it flew away. Something happened and I suspect it may be due to a compass function? Loss of calibration or some other issue - even when putting it back in regular flight mode -- it seemed to have wanted to react to commands, but would then back off and resume some other direction. It went down a mile away. Logs show that GPS was "false". However what's strange is that logs showed as false as well during "normal" flights the day before where I had no issues. (never knew this until I read the logs to get the location of the crash). So go figure? That's why I'll never use this unit commercially - and when I do ops check it in the field -- it's going to be tethered.

Bottom line -- It was "educational" to tear it down and re-build it. Will I eventually get a t $375 unit as described as a back up? Yes. And continue to use this for testing purposes.

By the way -- if you've read this far in a long reply, here is a something I've fixed: Ever notice how the H has a loud plastic vibration when flying - more so ascending? I've learned that it's due to the upper and lower shell seams -- plastic against plastic -- add vibration and there's the culprit. When assembling this unit - I've put a very thin coat of black silicone on upper and lower halves. It's a very thin coating barely there at all. Initial vibration tests with motors running and screws not yet applied -- the vibration is gone. We'll see how it does in the air -- hopefully the only thing that will be heard are the props.

Hi small idea.
After every firmware upgrade
i alway also do a ST16 stick calibration.
Marnix

Haydn · Dec 10, 2016

You can buy the frame from most resellers.
But here is the first link that I had.
Yuneec Typhoon H Main Internal Frame

mick turner · Dec 10, 2016

Airtography said:
Hoping someone can help -- if not and you're curious as to what holds the bird together -- take a look below.

I crashed my H -- broke 3 arms, landing gear, top and bottom shell, Camera mount, landing gear, prop mount, landing gear retract and the airframe! It was a fly-away while diagnosing some issues with Yuneec on the phone. It went a mile away and -- luckily for telemetry files -- i was able to locate it with precision. I appears that it dropped from about 60 feet after battery cut-out at 8 volts! The battery is a brick. I have rebuilt the H completely and will never fly it again commercially. I'll use it for testing software upgrades and other tethered testing. Or -- with wooden decorative props and with some motor mods, turn it into a conversation piece ceiling fan! (that's what my wife wants me to do!).

In this crash, the H power button was lost. Yuneec as well as other suppliers do not stock. Yuneec is attempting to get one from their manufacturing operations -- but nothing yet.

Does anyone have a crashed H or a power button that can be made available? I'm willing to buy it to complete this re-build. An image of the crashed drone on retrieval and the air frame is attached for your curiosity.

I have not test flown yet -- but when I do -- it will be tethered using fishing line. Yes, it's grounded.
View attachment 4288
I will note -- it's amazing how these things are built and how they can be re-built if you are careful and take your time. It took me a week.

If anyone wants advice or experience with re-building -- I'd be happy to provide what I know.

View attachment 4289
The airframe - shown above -- is another item that Yuneec and others do not stock. I used an Epoxy resin with carbon fiber reinforcement to "weld" it. Luckily for me, the broken piece fit exactly and would even stay together by itself -- it's brittle plastic so the broken piece fit with precision. Pictured is the initial "weld". Since this pic, I re-applied additional reinforcing epoxy. In my tests of the epoxy on other plastic parts, the parts broke before the epoxy (amazing). Yes -- the carbon fiber reinforcement are actually cut pieces of the landing gear. Probably not needed, but what the heck -- can't hurt to be sure.View attachment 4290
The broken airframe before repair just prior to complete tear down.

To sum up, everything now works. The camera is fine, the motors are fine (3 replaced), and everything seems operational in powered desk checks. The only thing needed before sealing the new shells is the darned power button!

Thanks --