HI Craig from Wasaga Beach Ontario would it be a good idea to install propeller guards on a typhoon H.?
Propeller guards
- Thread starter Catmandu
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rdonson
Premium Pilot
I bought some when I was a noob H pilot. I found them to be a hassle to put on and take off. I decided that for me learning to fly cautiously and improve over time negated the need for the prop guards. YMMV
I have had several crashes. The first was due to being an idiot and trying to impress someone when I first got my H. The second did not damage a blade or motor, neither did a few tips that had happen to me. After the first crash, I bought the guards from Yuneec and that is why I did not have any damage with the crashes that followed. They are especially good if you tip over. A serious crash?.......not much will help that, but it will help to minimize the damage and cost of repair. I now use them because it shows my customers how I look at safety, and for me their perception it very important.
As @rdonson said.....
"I bought some when I was a noob H pilot. I found them to be a hassle to put on and take off. I decided that for me learning to fly cautiously and improve over time negated the need for the prop guards. "
.....and I can understand his point of view. Becoming a better pilot is very important and some do find putting them on is a hassle, but I look at the overall picture of an accident. An accident is something that happens that is out of your control, and I just don't want to risk myself or anyone else getting clipped with the blades as they are extremely dangerous.
It only really takes a few times to get used to how easily you can put them on and remove them, after that it becomes second nature to put them on before a flight. So for me, the few times it took to get used to it outweighed the initial hassle of putting them on. AND.....they are actually very inexpensive to purchase for the peace of mind they can give and props they will save. They do not in any way shape or form affect how the H performs.
The cage around a drone is an interesting idea, good for learning.... but. it kind of defeats the whole camera drone thing. Can't raise the legs, cannot pan the camera without seeing the legs and cage. If you want to use it to learn to fly your hexacopter, then it is a great idea though. Less chance of damage.
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It is also possible just to attach the sides and the top so that the legs and camera remains free (but unprotected).
FlushVision
Premium Pilot
IMHO prop guards are the cause of more problems than they solve...but that's just my opinion.
Some years ago I bought myself a Phantom 2 Vision (the one with just the single axis gimbal) and since this was my first drone I decided to fit prop guards. I think it was either the second or third flight that it crashed. Entirely my fault but it was the pop guards that brought the aircraft down...if there were no prop guards installed it would not have crashed.
Since then I've only ever used prop guards just once when I was doing my flight evaluation for my PfCO (to impress the examiner) and that was on a Phantom 2 Vision Plus. The flight went well and indeed on landing the aircraft tipped over so the guards saved my props. But that was just a couple of props saved. I'm still of the opinion that prop guards cause more issues than they solve. I have not, and will not install them on my TH.
Some years ago I bought myself a Phantom 2 Vision (the one with just the single axis gimbal) and since this was my first drone I decided to fit prop guards. I think it was either the second or third flight that it crashed. Entirely my fault but it was the pop guards that brought the aircraft down...if there were no prop guards installed it would not have crashed.
Since then I've only ever used prop guards just once when I was doing my flight evaluation for my PfCO (to impress the examiner) and that was on a Phantom 2 Vision Plus. The flight went well and indeed on landing the aircraft tipped over so the guards saved my props. But that was just a couple of props saved. I'm still of the opinion that prop guards cause more issues than they solve. I have not, and will not install them on my TH.
When flying FPV, gimbal panning can get you in trouble.
This cage is good for flying a Typhoon indoors & through hallways.
I wonder how Realsense works indoors?
This cage is good for flying a Typhoon indoors & through hallways.
I wonder how Realsense works indoors?
PatR
Premium Pilot
In 5 years of multirotor flying I’ve never used prop guards. In over 40 years of fixed wing flying they’ve never been put on my planes.
If you don’t try to mix propellers with people they serve no purpose. If you elect to fly in and around people they do very little to protect the people.
If you don’t try to mix propellers with people they serve no purpose. If you elect to fly in and around people they do very little to protect the people.
You said it was the guards that brought it down, but you didn't indicate how it was that they brought it down.
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FlushVision
Premium Pilot
As I said, ultimately it was entirely my fault:
It was only my second or third outing with the aircraft... I was new and green with drone flying. I hadn't checked my switches properly on the controller and I took off not noticing that it was in manual mode. The aircraft took off and promptly flew directly into me then dropped to the floor. I picked it up and gave it a quick look over but I didn't notice that one of the spokes on one of the prop guards had cracked. Believing the aircraft to have not suffered any damage I took off again and once airborne the aircraft appeared to be flying OK. However, a few minutes into the flight the aircraft plummeted from about 100 feet up and crashed in to some snow just missing a woman walking her dog (I didn't see the woman as she was obscured from my view by some bushes). What had happened is that the cracked spoke had broken properly and fouled the prop causing it to stop thus causing the aircraft to crash. Damage was that the camera had broken free and the wires to the camera had also broken. Also a broken prop and, of course, one of the prop guards. The damage could have been worse but for the snow. Thank god I missed that woman.
If I hadn't had prop guards fitted it would not have crashed. If I had taken the prop guards off the aircraft before that flight it would not have crashed. If I hadn't had the prop guards fitted at the time I made the mistake of lifting off without checking my switches it would have probably have broken a prop or two which would have been easy to replace since I had spares with me and the subsequent flight would probably have gone without a hitch.
I reiterate...Entirely my own stupid STUPID fault but, at the end of the day, it was the prop guards that made it fall from the sky (albeit through my own negligence in not inspecting them for damage properly). If they had not been fitted it would not have took that plummet.
All this was a good few years ago. Far more experienced now and I'm anal about checking my aircraft over for any damage before I take to the air. This experience has made me a better, safer pilot as we all should be. Moral of the story: Do your close pre-flight inspections of the aircraft for damage as well as making sure the switches on the controller are correct. Do not assume there is no damage just because it doesn't look damaged on a cursory glance. That way you don't get any surprises.
I understand what you are saying, but through all of that, it was not the fault of the spoke from the guard that caused the crash, it was neglecting to do a physical and inspection, along with being new. Initially you said it flew into you and then hit the ground. If you did not have the guards on when it hit you, you could have been seriously injured.
So the guards did their job and protected you, showing that they do work. They were part of the reason why there was a crash, but the crash was as of a direct result of being new, and not knowing to do a thorough physical and visual inspection after any crash no matter the size.
This does not mean guards are bad, you just lacked experience at the time. Personally, I fly with them on all the time as I feel there will come a point in time, in at least my country, where it will become mandatory to have them on or you will not be insurable or be able to get licensed.
PatR
Premium Pilot
Murray,
With all due, for prop guards to be effective for anything more that a minor bumper stop they need to protect the area both above and below the prop blade. They cannot deflect as all the cheesy designs do now. They need to become a shroud, not a thin, easy to bend, easy to break plastic rod that does nothing more that fleece buyers of their $$.
With all due, for prop guards to be effective for anything more that a minor bumper stop they need to protect the area both above and below the prop blade. They cannot deflect as all the cheesy designs do now. They need to become a shroud, not a thin, easy to bend, easy to break plastic rod that does nothing more that fleece buyers of their $$.
And I agree Pat, but they do work for the minor ones as intended as they only run about $18 and are mostly designed for side to side or tip incidents. Yes, a real guard would be above and below the props and cost a lot more, but in an actual crash, there really isn't much that would help with the impact other than a form of encompassing airbag that would deploy at a predetermined angle of tilt.
I think people tend to get confused about what they are for. They are sold as prop guards and not a crash guard/barrier. Most crashes will damage a blade, arm etc, but I don't need to tell you as we all know that one.
Either way they are not for everyone, but there is enough value in them for me I feel.
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Good pilots could use them also, in unknown situations as new firmware-testings or inside flights ...
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2 years of flying the H, over 4,560 minutes, no crashes. The responsibility is up to the OP, knowing when, where and ability.
Prop guards is another way of saying, ehhhh, it'll protect me. Then you start letting your guard down. no pun intended, not!
Prop guards is another way of saying, ehhhh, it'll protect me. Then you start letting your guard down. no pun intended, not!
PatR
Premium Pilot
With the exception of large industrial buildings and auditoriums, for indoor work the H is too large. As most corridors are 48" wide an H without prop guards has only 15" of free space on each side if it is flown perfectly centered in a corridor. In such situations prop guards are a solution to a problem they cannot solve. You need a smaller drone.
Any prop guard that can be deflected, via bumping it, and exposing the prop tips just delays prop damage for an additional second or so. If soft tissue can get between the prop tips and a guard there is no significant protection against human injury. If a multirotor using prop guards does not also employ some type of screen under the propellers to prevent object intrusion we still have a drone where the propellers can make contact with objects when the aircraft is descending. Top of head, upheld hand, tree branch, etc. An outer guard ring is virtually useless in such a situation. The current state of most prop guards provides at best only a false sense of security.
If we need to get so close to an object to photograph it that contact with the propellers becomes a concern we're using the wrong platform. They make macro lenses to fit hand held cameras for that stuff.
Any prop guard that can be deflected, via bumping it, and exposing the prop tips just delays prop damage for an additional second or so. If soft tissue can get between the prop tips and a guard there is no significant protection against human injury. If a multirotor using prop guards does not also employ some type of screen under the propellers to prevent object intrusion we still have a drone where the propellers can make contact with objects when the aircraft is descending. Top of head, upheld hand, tree branch, etc. An outer guard ring is virtually useless in such a situation. The current state of most prop guards provides at best only a false sense of security.
If we need to get so close to an object to photograph it that contact with the propellers becomes a concern we're using the wrong platform. They make macro lenses to fit hand held cameras for that stuff.
