When it comes to the consumer drone market Yuneec is definitely the one to watch out for.
They have proven to be even more worthy with their q500 Typhoon.
If you are looking for a top notch quadcopter, then Yuneec will fulfill all your wishes.
Yuneec Features
- Built in touch display with your own ground station
- 3-axis stabilized gimbal camera
- 4k/30fps super HD video
- 1080p/120fps slow-motion video
- The camera can be fine-tuned from transmitter or an app
- 12 MP picture quality without distortion
- Portable Steady Grip for handheld footage with a smartphone
Basically, it’s what all drones should aspire to be! So let’s take an in-depth look at what really makes it “Yuneec”.
Design
The Typhoon comes in a sleek gunmetal gray color that gives it a slight camouflage in flight. The body is aerodynamically designed to give it the look of a Ferrari or an Aston Martin.
It may even be able to match their speed! The body is carbon fiber reinforced, giving it durability without the extra weight.
It also got a tall landing gear so your camera is well away from the ground as the copter lands. The battery can be installed and removed quickly from a back panel without hassle.
Some parts of the drone have rubberized armor either to make landing easier or to prevent tiny vibrations from ruining your visual experience. It’s almost like a Ninja!
What’s in the box?
In the box, you get quite a comprehensive list of items besides the drone and the transmitter.
First of all, there is a sunshade that you put on the LCD monitor of your transmitter when you’re out in the sun.
There are spare parts and tools such as the motor wrench, charger, additional rotors, Steady Grip stick for manual photography, two 5400mAh LiPo batteries, a cigarette lighter adapter so you can charge from your car, aluminum carry-case and a myriad of other small items.
Needless to say, Yuneec really goes the extra mile to give a lot of bang for your buck.
Camera
The Pièce de résistance is the Typhoon’s 4K Camera. It comes with Digital video downlink and a 4K (12 megapixels) resolution camera.
There are also additional features that make your visual experience even better! It has built in gimbal and all the motors are neatly tucked away, keeping your precious camera free of dirt, grime, and debris. The camera is also yaw, pitch and roll axis stabilized to make the footage really stable and smooth. All three axis stabilization makes it easy to make professional video and photography possible.
It can even shoot slow motion video at 120fps and 1080 pixel HD quality. Yuneec spent years in research and development of color balance so it looks as natural as possible, which most drones in the market are yet able to achieve.
Moreover, its non-distortion lens allows greater flexibility than the common fisheye lens which gives you a bent horizon rather than Yuneec’s flat horizon.
Modus Operandi
The three modes you can switch between at the flick of a button that will give you different experiences. First of all the Home mode is dynamic and will bring your Q500 back to you if it is within 8 meters of your transmitter.
In this setting, you cannot do any tricks neither can you move very fast. Secondly, the angle mode also limits speed and angle, can be used to take still photography if you want to do just that. Last but not least is the Smart mode (requires higher than 6 GPS satellites), which allows you to do a myriad of cool things.
In this mode, you can switch on ‘follow me’ and ‘watch me’ function so your Q500 can follow and point its camera towards the transmitter no matter where it is. This gives you the opportunity to take stunning aerial footage effortlessly.
S10 Transmitter
At a glance, all the buttons of the S10 transmitter will make you run for the hills but I assure you, it’s really simple.
You’ve got the power switch located in the middle. Then there are the left and right sticks for throttle or elevator controls.
Surrounding them are the rudder/yaw controls on the left and Aileron/Roll controls on the right. The throttles can centrally align themselves automatically and maintain altitude.
Two simple buttons on top make it easy to capture video or to take still photography.
The LCD display is impressive and comes with a variety of information, including how many satellites are connected to your transmitter, battery status of the transmitter and drone speed or distance, etc. With 2.4GHz and 5,8GHz antennae, it helps the ST10 stay connected and do all of its cool tricks.
It can also be used to customize your camera settings and to turn audio or GPS on and off.
The camera can actually be removed from the quadcopter and attached to the Steady Grip and while your smartphone is mounted on it for a handheld and portable professional videography or photography.
Speaking of smartphones, there is an app that can control your CGO3’s settings such as shutter speed, ISO, white balance etc. if you want more options than just the transmitter.
Flying
I recommend you fly it outdoors and that’s where it really shines. You can really get lost while having fun with the follow/watch me options.
However, when taking sharp turns it tends to lag a bit during course correction but it’s barely noticeable.
It does not have the object recognition function so when following me, it might hit a street lamp and crash.
Also, I found it annoying that you have to charge the Steady Grip with eight batteries as it does not come with a wall charging option.
Pros
- The range of items that comes with it makes the most comprehensive list on the current market.
- These items are all you need and available with the purchase itself.
- The smart mode enables you to do neat tricks without the need for too much technical ability.
- The batteries are long lasting and can last up to half an hour; much higher than other similar models of quadcopters.
- The camera quality is superb and the aerodynamic design helps in recording smooth footage without vibrations or wobbliness.
- The 3 axis stability is something worthy of many praises; due to the flight ability bestowed due to this.
Cons
- Although the ST10’s antennae are the best in its class, it still lags a little.
- The Steady Grip needs to come with a wall charger.
- The camera lags in certain modes.
- No object detection option is present.
Conclusion
Even though it’s a bit expensive, it is worth every bit of money. These cons are hardly a deal breaker for a product that is as versatile and groundbreaking as this! You won’t regret a purchase.