While flying, the Q500 records steady 4K footage, but as you get closer to the edge of the frame, the picture becomes increasingly grainy. Although this video offers value, the overall video quality keeps it from receiving top marks. Consider our Editors’ Choice, the DJI Phantom 3 Professional, if you’re looking for a high-end drone for aerial video capture for less than $1,500. A photography drone with a 12MP camera and 4K video recording capabilities is the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 quadcopter. This cost-effective model has high-end features like a powered SteadyGrip handheld camera mount, a CGO three-axis gimbal, and a controller with an integrated touch screen. No matter their level of flying experience, users of the Typhoon Q500 can start recording aerial video right out of the box thanks to a number of automated modes.
Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review: Design
The swept-back body and curved surfaces of the Q500 make it a visually appealing quadcopter with a touch of aesthetic flare. However, it won’t be recognized for its beauty: The body’s gleaming silver and white plastic skin gives it a toy-like appearance rather than the serious apparatus that it actually is. Being a quadcopter, the Q500 has four propeller blades attached to four motors, two of which rotate counterclockwise and two of which rotate clockwise. It doesn’t have any ailerons, flaps, or other flight surfaces; instead, it manoeuvres by changing the speed of these motors. The CGO3 camera, a little orb the size of a baseball that resembles an oversized webcam, is located beneath the quadcopter’s main body. A 16GB microSD card is already provided, and a power connection that attaches to the quadcopter body is there for storing video. Numerous rubber joints and a collection of tiny motors that shift the camera just enough to dampen body vibrations help stabilize it. This mount can also rotate the camera to an equivalent angle on the left and right, or pitch the camera from straight ahead to 90 degrees down. However, you don’t have access to the rotation; only the autonomous modes make use of it. Only the pitch control is available when operating the drone manually. Here, two communication channels are active: a 2.4-GHz signal connects the quadcopter and the remote control, while a 5.8-GHz channel connects the camera and the display. Both had a respectable range, easily covering several hundred feet in open space. A stand-alone steady cam is another peculiar feature of the Typhoon Q500. The same system will be used to stabilize the camera when it is attached to the included CGO SteadyGrip rather than when the camera is detached from the quadcopter. Although it is not as efficient as a professional steady cam, it is a useful add-on that works with GoPro cameras as well.
Controller
This system’s transmitter and personal ground station are integrated to create a single unit that offers 10 channel operation at 2.4GHz. With the aid of the controller, simple flight mode adjustments and decisions regarding daring airborne activities can be made. The control range is said to go up to 800 metres approximately. If your device is running low on battery and you need to make a safe landing as soon as possible, the dynamic return to home buttons offer quick response from the drone to return to its original position. It will be much simpler to avoid accidents along the way and your device will undoubtedly function for years with excellent flight performances if you are able to fully comprehend your surroundings and master all of the control functions. you can read our article on Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review.
Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review: Video quality
From 1920 x 170 pixels at 24 frames per second to 4096 x 2160 pixels at 25 frames per second, the CGO3 camera can record video in a variety of resolutions. This means there is no 4K 60-fps option, but it can capture from full-HD (up to 4K) footage at 24 or 25 frames per second. However, it can record full-HD video at 24, 30, 60, or 120 frames per second (with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels). With the latter, you can slo-mo the video without sacrificing visual quality, which is helpful when you want to take your time admiring the surroundings. The Phantom 3 and the 3D Robotics Solo+, two models in this price range, both offer the same selection of resolutions and frame rates. The video quality was usually acceptable; it was clear, sharp, and had a decent amount of information. However, there was a fair amount of noise in the video, giving some areas of solid color (like roofs) an almost textured appearance. This was particularly obvious when recording 4K video and in the still pictures it took. To capture video in low light, you can increase the camera’s sensitivity (up to a maximum of 6400), but doing so significantly increases noise.
Image Quality
White balance is a little erratic when the camera is in Automatic mode, which is the default setting. We found that greens would move toward brown and then back again, even when flying at the same position in constant sunlight. Our first footage of the flight over a sunflower field was simply too cool, so we had to pause and restart the video to achieve a more realistic, warmer appearance. The embedded Android screen on the remote makes it a little challenging to make judgments about this because it isn’t the best LCD we’ve ever used and its colors don’t exactly match the drone footage. The 115-degree field of view of the drone’s CGO3 camera, which is mounted on a 3-axis gimbal, produces footage that is remarkably free of distortion and warping at the edges. The only drawback we noticed was a strange side effect when shooting into the sun, though we must admit we didn’t have the UV filter that came with the camera installed. The 12-megapixel sensor produces equally impressive photos, and because the ST10+ controller has dedicated buttons, switching between video and still image capture is simple.
Flying Performance
The Q500 flies like a typical quadcopter when the ST10+ remote’s mode switch is set to angle. It was generally simple to fly, and the control sticks were responded to swiftly. The ability to choose between tortoise and rabbit on the speed rate control dial (located on the right side of the remote) is a wonderful feature. The quadcopter’s speed and agility are constrained on the tortoise setting, making it simpler for novice or unconfident pilots to fly. When set to the “rabbit” mode, the Q500 transforms into a very agile quadcopter with impressive speed and agility. Overall, the Q500 should be able to handle most maneuvers, though we found the Yuneec to be a little slower than the lighter and smaller DJI Phantom 3, which feels zippier and can turn more quickly in flight. This drone is a little wind-sensitive, as we discovered. Even a slight breeze can cause it to move slightly as it is pushed by the wind and compensates for it, though it does a great job of staying put when you ask it to. Although most, if not all, of the other quadcopters we have tested are extremely sensitive to breezes, this was roughly the same as them. also you will learn our article on Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review.
Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review: Battery life
For our tests, we used the $1,300 Q500 model, which differs significantly from the $1,200 model only in that it has an additional battery. We measured the drone’s continuous flight time with a single 5,400 mAh lithium-polymer battery while hovering it in one place for about 25 minutes. After moving it around and filming it more, the flight time decreased marginally to between 20 and 21 minutes. Furthermore, the battery lasted slightly under 20 minutes when flying consistently in “Follow Me” or “Watch Me” mode. Even though it is disappointing to have to put the Q500 down after only 20 minutes of use, an extra battery enables you to launch the drone again right away. Fortunately, the included controller explains the battery voltage, capacity, and gives multiple alerts when it begins to run low. You should start preparing to land the craft as soon as the initial low battery warning appears, but you shouldn’t start to freak out until the voltage drops below 10.7V.
Price and availability
The most basic Q500 4K package can be purchased for as little as $700 if you’re on a tight budget, but the more feature-rich package, which comes with a sturdy flight case and other goodies, sells for about $800 when purchased directly from the manufacturer. In the UK, you can anticipate a nearly identical price conversion, despite the fact that some retailers are offering the larger bundle for less than £700.
Conclusion
In every regard, the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K looks good. Everything you’ll need for your first flight is included in its package, and it has a good, professional look (even some free extras like second flight battery and 1 set of spare propellers). In comparison to its rival, both control and FPV range are somewhat disappointing, but at least the aircraft is always in view. We liked how simple this quadcopter is to operate; beginners will certainly find it easy to fly, and the learning curve will be much shorter than with other models.
