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Yuneec H520st? Let's figure it out.

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Just wanted to introduce you guys to my new drone. What I've dubbed the H520st. I'll let you figure out what the "st" stands for.
This is a "One of a Kind" prototype shell that my tech guys out in California had. These guys were/are Authorized distributors, sales and service for Yuneec, when Yuneec. was still viable.
It is a factory prototype shell with new H520 main board. All parts not included with the shell are new. I found me a ET10tv and an E90 for the payloads.
Now the question is, since it is factory original shell and assembled by an authorized dealer with an authentic registration number, can it be considered as a "one of a kind" authentic H520st.
If the admins will allow, lets vote on it. What do ya think?
 

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Are you saying it is a standard H520 hardware/firmware package except for the white shell?
Can you tell us about any differences that exist or were planned?
Any idea the purpose of the white shell?
 
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Yes, it's now a complete H520 other than the different shell. It had everything except the main board. I was told they made one of these to get some feedback. Design4Precision out of Pomona, CA. are the folks I use for all my tech support. They have a warehouse full of new old stock. I usually buy and fix mechanically and send it to them for all software and firmware.
 
Just wanted to introduce you guys to my new drone. What I've dubbed the H520st. I'll let you figure out what the "st" stands for.
This is a "One of a Kind" prototype shell that my tech guys out in California had. These guys were/are Authorized distributors, sales and service for Yuneec, when Yuneec. was still viable.
It is a factory prototype shell with new H520 main board. All parts not included with the shell are new. I found me a ET10tv and an E90 for the payloads.
Now the question is, since it is factory original shell and assembled by an authorized dealer with an authentic registration number, can it be considered as a "one of a kind" authentic H520st.
If the admins will allow, lets vote on it. What do ya think?
That’s the very best thermal camera for this model. They are like unicorns to find . I think the original price of the camera is why they are so rare
 

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Just wanted to introduce you guys to my new drone. What I've dubbed the H520st. I'll let you figure out what the "st" stands for.
This is a "One of a Kind" prototype shell that my tech guys out in California had. These guys were/are Authorized distributors, sales and service for Yuneec, when Yuneec. was still viable.
It is a factory prototype shell with new H520 main board. All parts not included with the shell are new. I found me a ET10tv and an E90 for the payloads.
Now the question is, since it is factory original shell and assembled by an authorized dealer with an authentic registration number, can it be considered as a "one of a kind" authentic H520st.
If the admins will allow, let’s vote on it. What do ya think?
The shell if it’s a solid white material and not painted was most certainly still made in the original injection moulding machine. It would be very difficult to create the shell by other means, 3d printing perhaps but that wouldn’t give the smooth finish. The original injection moulding machine would just need to be loaded with a white polymer and out pops a white shell. It looks pretty cool in white
 
The shell if it’s a solid white material and not painted was most certainly still made in the original injection moulding machine. It would be very difficult to create the shell by other means, 3d printing perhaps but that wouldn’t give the smooth finish. The original injection moulding machine would just need to be loaded with a white polymer and out pops a white shell. It looks pretty cool in white
It wouldn’t surprise me if yuneec used the exact same mould to make the typhoon h, h plus , h520 shell, to make the h3 and h520e shell the mould just needed a small modification for the battery switch. The price per unit for an injection moulded part is literally cents but the mould itself is extremely expensive to produce. Adding a different pigment is all that is needed to create the difference colours . It’s a pretty interesting process
 
It wouldn’t surprise me if yuneec used the exact same mould to make the typhoon h, h plus , h520 shell, to make the h3 and h520e shell the mould just needed a small modification for the battery switch. The price per unit for an injection moulded part is literally cents but the mould itself is extremely expensive to produce. Adding a different pigment is all that is needed to create the difference colours . It’s a pretty interesting process
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This is what the process looks like. To me the shell looks like ABS . It comes in a base colour and then we add a small amount of pigment, usually 3% to create whatever colour you desire. Welcome to mass production. Some parts we would mould several million of the exact same part per week using just one machine . One thing I’ve noticed about the yuneec models is the moulded parts at least on the h520 arms appear to be painted . After several years the arms seem to fade at a different rate to the colour of the shell. I could never understand why it was done this way.
 
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I worked at AC Sparkplug in Flint, Michigan as a machine operator for several years before becoming an electrician for the last 20 years of my career. As a maintenance electrician I worked on a multitude of equipment of which Cincinnati-Milicron plastic injection mold machines were used in producing several products such cases for instrument clusters, mass airflow sensors, and 3-mode cruise controllers. We also had several tool and die rooms in the plant where the dies were created and maintained for both injection molding (metal and plastic) and sheet metal (stamping and progressive).

The engineering that goes into creating quality injection molded parts is quite extensive. The properties of the plastics, ratio of virgin to regrind (spruces and flashing recycled to reduce waste), drying of plastic to reduce moisture so bubbles are not produced from steam, heat and pressure used to flow the plastic into the mold without leaving voids, cooling time before the die is opened so the part solidifies enough to not deform, etc.
 
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One thing I’ve noticed about the yuneec models is the moulded parts at least on the h520 arms appear to be painted . After several years the arms seem to fade at a different rate to the colour of the shell.
I’m not sure that they are painted. I think it may be that the plastic used in the arms is a stronger plastic than that of the upper and lower shell and the dye used in each type may react to the UV from the sun differently.
 
So much for mine being one of a kind.

They may not be unique, but they’re still cool. White has both pros and cons.
They don’t heat up as quickly in the summer, but they tend to yellow over time.

The parts Helmut saw were in my Yuneec workshop in Zurich Schlieren, Switzerland.
I’ve already combined some white ones with silver and orange ones… it looks good.
 

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I’m not sure that they are painted. I think it may be that the plastic used in the arms is a stronger plastic than that of the upper and lower shell and the dye used in each type may react to the UV from the sun differently.
Here is a few pictures of one of the arms. The end that takes the latch spring is solid orange and a slightly duller finish than the end that holds the motor. The motor mount appears to be a moulded in a white material and then spray painted. It is very possible this could be a different material depending on the properties required for vibration or heat ect. It’s also a clever move having the A and B stamped on after the fact so the manufacturer can produce both A and B mounts using the same mould
 

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The motor mount does appear painted. There does not seem to be that difference on the H480 and don’t remember seeing that on the H+ either.
 
The motor mount does appear painted. There does not seem to be that difference on the H480 and don’t remember seeing that on the H+ either.
I asked one of the polymer technicians here why it might have been done this way . He said it might be a heat resistant paint but could not understand why the pigment was not just added to the base material to create a solid orange part. He said this section is most likely a thermoset plastic due the heat from the motor. I’m not certain did yuneec paint all these parts or were some a solid colour throughout. It was just something I found a bit odd and more noticeable as the drones age .
 
It wouldn’t surprise me if yuneec used the exact same mould to make the typhoon h, h plus , h520 shell, to make the h3 and h520e shell the mould just needed a small modification for the battery switch. The price per unit for an injection moulded part is literally cents but the mould itself is extremely expensive to produce. Adding a different pigment is all that is needed to create the difference colours . It’s a pretty interesting process
Some parts they just spray-painted orange for the H520 is what John was told and some of you can truly tell
 
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Some parts they just spray-painted orange for the H520 is what John was told and some of you can truly tell
Unfortunately I wasn’t a member until last year to have talked to John , all I hear is wonderful things . That man must have been a wealth of knowledge with fantastic people skills on top. I’m sure his contributions will be helpful to many for years to come ☺️
 
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