One of the problems with older drones is lack of battery availability. There are 3rd party batteries still being made for the Q500.I know this is an old post, but thanks for your take on the Q500. I have a fair amount of time with the Phantom 1-3 series, and yes they are quite noisy copters. I'm just getting into a career with drones (as a former fixed wing pilot), and the fact that the Q is so much quieter than the Phantoms is probably THE biggest factor tipping me to buying one.