Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4k
Despite the crisis and not the most pleasant exchange rate, people continue to be interested in quadcopters. Of course, most of the attention in the Russian Federation went to DJI and its factory models: we say “quadrocopter” - the Phantom automatically pops up in my head. However, it’s not the “Phantom” who is united, today we want to introduce you to a brand that is well known abroad, but is not particularly familiar to Russian pilots.
The history of the company Yuneec has already a quarter of a century (although, until 1999, the company was called differently). It began to be actively mentioned in the network in connection with the entry to the market of electric gliders in 2000–2010. Well, with the active development and popularization of quadrocopters Yuneec just decided not to lag behind the fashion trends - after all, the experience and patents for the construction of electric flying machines in the company's portfolio have already been, which means it’s easy.
')
In 2014, the first quadcopter model appeared, which was ready for flight and shooting right out of the box, as it is: the Typhoon Q500 included a remote control and a display for transmitting the video signal built into it.
The design was successful, so now the main product is the third reissue of "typhoon" - Q500 4k.
Abroad, the delivery equipment is the most varied - from the “basic”, which includes only the drone itself, the battery, the charger, the remote and the external suspension for the camera, to the “full” one, which is sold in Russia. The latter includes a drone with a removable camera, two batteries, a charger, a remote control, a hood for it, a camera mount, a set of spare screws, a UV filter and a bunch of small things like a MicroSD card with an SD adapter on which the instruction and video files are located about the drone. The same microSD can be inserted into the camera to record video and photos. Oh yes, the most important thing is that all of this is packaged in a stylish square rigid case on wheels - there will be no problems with storage and transportation.
In size, the drone is closer to the Inspire One model, the design is distinctive, in the oblong and streamlined case there is a large quick-detachable battery compartment for 5 and a half thousand milliamper hours. The manufacturer promises up to 25 minutes of flight, in real conditions the maximum autonomy is slightly less - about 21-22 minutes. Of course, it depends on the management style of the drone, on the activity of maneuvering, and on the banal weather. The battery is charged for 2 hours, the kit includes an adapter for charging from the vehicle’s on-board network - so shooting with a trip to nature on the second day will not stop.
Another thing is that it’s difficult to take such a “toy” with a hike - the quadrocopter frame is 42x42 centimeters, another 20 meters tall. You’re not going to fly in the room, but in nature it’s easier to see and control drone of this size, and it's much quieter their compact counterparts (due to the larger diameter of the screws and smaller revolutions of the engines). Plus not a small remote. He, by the way, deserves special attention.
There are several flight modes (and controls). The most advanced require a connection to GPS: they limit flight speed, but greatly simplify management. Here and auto return when the battery is low, and all the functions of following the console and tracking the subject of shooting ... except that there is no flight over GPS points. The simplest and coarse — direct control — requires only calibrating the compass, after which the quadcopter can fly at breathtaking speeds (up to 80-90 km / h), fully obeys the steering wheel, but not about any automatic maintenance of the position, resistance to wind and other delights of semi-automatic modes there is no question. Clean drive for experienced pilots.
The upper part - the classic RC-equipment. Two sticks, trimmers for trimming, on the left a lever for controlling the angle of the camera, on the right - a similar control for speed of flight. But the lower part is the built-in Android tablet. Frankly, I didn’t try to “fall out” into the menu past the launcher by simple means, but by design it’s clear that something simple and Chinese on Android 4.4 is inside. The display diagonal is 5.5 inches. The light sensor ... is missing. :) The screen all the time fries at maximum brightness, for particularly sunny days, a strange kind of design comes in the kit, the purpose of which is not immediately clear. Flat plastic "gizmo" is displayed in the monitor hood, attached to the screen on the suction cup - a rude solution, but effective and simple - and reliably protects the screen from the blinding sun. Using the touch-screen in this form will not work, but you can (and should) adjust the basic recording parameters even before takeoff, so there’s more a plus than a minus. Powered by the built-in battery the whole thing a couple of hours. There are no records here, but, on the other hand, rarely need more from a quadrocopter, and no one forbids you to charge from the usual Powerbank and work even all day.
A separate internal module operating at a frequency of 5.8 GHz is responsible for transmitting the video signal. The quality of the transmitted picture is below average, the amateurs and specialists who have analyzed the console explained that this is not the best choice of the controller - it is rather intended for racing flights from the first person than for transmitting high-quality video. However, this does not interfere with the sighting and management, it is rather a cavil.
The complete camera is the third generation of the “update” for the common Typhoon base. The module is removable, gyrostabilized, the suspension itself can be rotated from 0 degrees horizontally to 90 degrees down, left-right turns are not provided. The lens is a wide-angle, equivalent focal length - 14 mm. The used set of lenses corrects the geometric distortions of such wide-angle optics, the horizon does not bend, but there is a price to it - if the image quality in the center of the frame can be called good, then at the edges due to the reduced optical resolution of the lens is at best acceptable. This is not very noticeable on the video, but it will be in the photographs, especially if they are not used as presentation frames, in video cutting and all that, but as independent works. Still, this is much better than the hanging GoPro, especially when it comes to the troika. By the way, Yuneec has a model that can take on board the GoPro 3/3 + / 4 / Silver / Black: called Typhoon G.
The size of the matrix - the classic "soap". At full resolution with a 4: 3 aspect ratio, you can take photos only in “professional” mode in DNG (Raw) format. In normal mode, RAW settings are related to the quality and correction of JPEGs, and their maximum resolution is a modest 8 megapixels. Video shooting formats are many, the most interesting, of course, 4k2k @ 30 FPS and 1080p 120 FPS.
In the center of the frame, the picture quality is amazing, it will easily argue with DJI Phantom 3 Professional, at the edges - alas, DJI is better. However, if you shoot in the “advanced” mode, and then video is cropped to the appropriate viewing angle (the Phantom 3 has a 20-degree optics), then Yuneec will have an advantage in picture quality.
Look better in native resolution and on YoutTube, and not here.
Take off to a height of 750 meters.
With the correct settings, the camera shoots perfectly.
Again: competent setting and good angles.
Behind the cunning name SteadyGrip is a simple thing - a handle for attaching a camera module. A smartphone is attached to it (the corresponding application is available for iOS and Android), after which the camera can be used for manual shooting. It will also be stabilized, as on the drone, the only difference is that it will not be powered from an internal quadcopter battery, but from 8 batteries or rechargeable batteries (the manufacturer insists on batteries because of high power consumption) of AA size. In this mode, from fully charged average batteries to 2000 mAh the suspension will work for 30-40 minutes. The handle itself is light, even with batteries. It would be more interesting to be able to connect the home battery of the drone, but what’s not is not there.
Unfortunately, the handle does not imply any attachment to vehicles, so using it for shooting bike rides, skateboard or some other extreme frills will not work - and the system is not endowed with a shock-resistant case. But to shoot other people's exploits - simple. The controls are minimal - the power button and the angle of the camera's vertical inclination.
Yuneec and their copters deserve attention. Perhaps their software is not as cool as that of DJI, but the Typhoon model is more pro-sumer, designed for experienced users who know how to tame a four-motor monster and make it do exactly what you need.
Excellent shooting quality, rich equipment, an “all inclusive” console that does not require the purchase of an additional tablet or the installation of a smartphone as a screen - the plump plugs of the Typhoon 4k. In addition, Yuneec has experience in developing even more serious machines - which means this line will be updated sooner or later - more cores, more megahertz, and so on. Definitely worth refining the ergonomics of the console, improve the software in the UI area and put a more powerful processor on the camera - recording 4k2k with 60 frames per second gives a completely different effect.
The history of the company Yuneec has already a quarter of a century (although, until 1999, the company was called differently). It began to be actively mentioned in the network in connection with the entry to the market of electric gliders in 2000–2010. Well, with the active development and popularization of quadrocopters Yuneec just decided not to lag behind the fashion trends - after all, the experience and patents for the construction of electric flying machines in the company's portfolio have already been, which means it’s easy.
')
In 2014, the first quadcopter model appeared, which was ready for flight and shooting right out of the box, as it is: the Typhoon Q500 included a remote control and a display for transmitting the video signal built into it.
The design was successful, so now the main product is the third reissue of "typhoon" - Q500 4k.
Typhoon Q500 4k
Equipment
Abroad, the delivery equipment is the most varied - from the “basic”, which includes only the drone itself, the battery, the charger, the remote and the external suspension for the camera, to the “full” one, which is sold in Russia. The latter includes a drone with a removable camera, two batteries, a charger, a remote control, a hood for it, a camera mount, a set of spare screws, a UV filter and a bunch of small things like a MicroSD card with an SD adapter on which the instruction and video files are located about the drone. The same microSD can be inserted into the camera to record video and photos. Oh yes, the most important thing is that all of this is packaged in a stylish square rigid case on wheels - there will be no problems with storage and transportation.
Quadcopter
In size, the drone is closer to the Inspire One model, the design is distinctive, in the oblong and streamlined case there is a large quick-detachable battery compartment for 5 and a half thousand milliamper hours. The manufacturer promises up to 25 minutes of flight, in real conditions the maximum autonomy is slightly less - about 21-22 minutes. Of course, it depends on the management style of the drone, on the activity of maneuvering, and on the banal weather. The battery is charged for 2 hours, the kit includes an adapter for charging from the vehicle’s on-board network - so shooting with a trip to nature on the second day will not stop.Another thing is that it’s difficult to take such a “toy” with a hike - the quadrocopter frame is 42x42 centimeters, another 20 meters tall. You’re not going to fly in the room, but in nature it’s easier to see and control drone of this size, and it's much quieter their compact counterparts (due to the larger diameter of the screws and smaller revolutions of the engines). Plus not a small remote. He, by the way, deserves special attention.
There are several flight modes (and controls). The most advanced require a connection to GPS: they limit flight speed, but greatly simplify management. Here and auto return when the battery is low, and all the functions of following the console and tracking the subject of shooting ... except that there is no flight over GPS points. The simplest and coarse — direct control — requires only calibrating the compass, after which the quadcopter can fly at breathtaking speeds (up to 80-90 km / h), fully obeys the steering wheel, but not about any automatic maintenance of the position, resistance to wind and other delights of semi-automatic modes there is no question. Clean drive for experienced pilots.
Remote control
The upper part - the classic RC-equipment. Two sticks, trimmers for trimming, on the left a lever for controlling the angle of the camera, on the right - a similar control for speed of flight. But the lower part is the built-in Android tablet. Frankly, I didn’t try to “fall out” into the menu past the launcher by simple means, but by design it’s clear that something simple and Chinese on Android 4.4 is inside. The display diagonal is 5.5 inches. The light sensor ... is missing. :) The screen all the time fries at maximum brightness, for particularly sunny days, a strange kind of design comes in the kit, the purpose of which is not immediately clear. Flat plastic "gizmo" is displayed in the monitor hood, attached to the screen on the suction cup - a rude solution, but effective and simple - and reliably protects the screen from the blinding sun. Using the touch-screen in this form will not work, but you can (and should) adjust the basic recording parameters even before takeoff, so there’s more a plus than a minus. Powered by the built-in battery the whole thing a couple of hours. There are no records here, but, on the other hand, rarely need more from a quadrocopter, and no one forbids you to charge from the usual Powerbank and work even all day.
A separate internal module operating at a frequency of 5.8 GHz is responsible for transmitting the video signal. The quality of the transmitted picture is below average, the amateurs and specialists who have analyzed the console explained that this is not the best choice of the controller - it is rather intended for racing flights from the first person than for transmitting high-quality video. However, this does not interfere with the sighting and management, it is rather a cavil.
Camera
The complete camera is the third generation of the “update” for the common Typhoon base. The module is removable, gyrostabilized, the suspension itself can be rotated from 0 degrees horizontally to 90 degrees down, left-right turns are not provided. The lens is a wide-angle, equivalent focal length - 14 mm. The used set of lenses corrects the geometric distortions of such wide-angle optics, the horizon does not bend, but there is a price to it - if the image quality in the center of the frame can be called good, then at the edges due to the reduced optical resolution of the lens is at best acceptable. This is not very noticeable on the video, but it will be in the photographs, especially if they are not used as presentation frames, in video cutting and all that, but as independent works. Still, this is much better than the hanging GoPro, especially when it comes to the troika. By the way, Yuneec has a model that can take on board the GoPro 3/3 + / 4 / Silver / Black: called Typhoon G.Matrix
The size of the matrix - the classic "soap". At full resolution with a 4: 3 aspect ratio, you can take photos only in “professional” mode in DNG (Raw) format. In normal mode, RAW settings are related to the quality and correction of JPEGs, and their maximum resolution is a modest 8 megapixels. Video shooting formats are many, the most interesting, of course, 4k2k @ 30 FPS and 1080p 120 FPS.
Picture quality
In the center of the frame, the picture quality is amazing, it will easily argue with DJI Phantom 3 Professional, at the edges - alas, DJI is better. However, if you shoot in the “advanced” mode, and then video is cropped to the appropriate viewing angle (the Phantom 3 has a 20-degree optics), then Yuneec will have an advantage in picture quality.
Look better in native resolution and on YoutTube, and not here.
Take off to a height of 750 meters.
With the correct settings, the camera shoots perfectly.
Again: competent setting and good angles.
Steadygrip
Behind the cunning name SteadyGrip is a simple thing - a handle for attaching a camera module. A smartphone is attached to it (the corresponding application is available for iOS and Android), after which the camera can be used for manual shooting. It will also be stabilized, as on the drone, the only difference is that it will not be powered from an internal quadcopter battery, but from 8 batteries or rechargeable batteries (the manufacturer insists on batteries because of high power consumption) of AA size. In this mode, from fully charged average batteries to 2000 mAh the suspension will work for 30-40 minutes. The handle itself is light, even with batteries. It would be more interesting to be able to connect the home battery of the drone, but what’s not is not there.
Unfortunately, the handle does not imply any attachment to vehicles, so using it for shooting bike rides, skateboard or some other extreme frills will not work - and the system is not endowed with a shock-resistant case. But to shoot other people's exploits - simple. The controls are minimal - the power button and the angle of the camera's vertical inclination.
In total
Yuneec and their copters deserve attention. Perhaps their software is not as cool as that of DJI, but the Typhoon model is more pro-sumer, designed for experienced users who know how to tame a four-motor monster and make it do exactly what you need.
Excellent shooting quality, rich equipment, an “all inclusive” console that does not require the purchase of an additional tablet or the installation of a smartphone as a screen - the plump plugs of the Typhoon 4k. In addition, Yuneec has experience in developing even more serious machines - which means this line will be updated sooner or later - more cores, more megahertz, and so on. Definitely worth refining the ergonomics of the console, improve the software in the UI area and put a more powerful processor on the camera - recording 4k2k with 60 frames per second gives a completely different effect.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/395263/
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