The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is our Editors’ Choice for aerial video capture for less than $1,500. It offers a steadier 4K video quality as well as great value for the price.
The Typhoon Q500 is a powerful photography drone with a 12MP camera and 4K video recording capabilities. 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 Q500 is a quadcopter that has a touch of aesthetic flair. However, it won’t be recognized for its beauty because its body is gleaming silver and white plastic. Being a quadcopter, the Q500 has four propeller blades attached to four motors, two of which rotate counterclockwise and two of which rotate clockwise.
The CGO3 camera 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 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.
The Typhoon Q500 has a stand-alone SteadyGrip system that is designed to stabilize the camera when it is attached to the quadcopter. This system is not as efficient as a professional SteadyCam, but it is useful for GoPro cameras.
Controller
This system offers a 10-channel operation at 2.4GHz, with the ability to adjust flight mode and daring airborne activities. The control range is said to be up to 800 metres.
If you’re looking for a safe and efficient way to return home after flying, the dynamic return to home buttons on your drone can help you get back on track quickly. This will make it easier for you to avoid accidents along the way and your device will likely function for years with excellent flight performances if you are able to fully understand your surroundings and master all of the control functions. You can read our full Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review here.
Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review: Video quality
The CGO3 camera can record video in a variety of resolutions, including 1920 x 1080 pixels at 24 frames per second, 4096 x 2160 pixels at 25 frames per second, and 4K 60-fps. However, it can only record full-HD footage at 24 or 25 frames per second.
The Phantom 3 and the 3D Robotics Solo+ 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
We found that the white balance on the camera was a little erratic when flying in Automatic mode. This caused greens to move towards 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 ST10+ remote allows you to fly the Q500 like a typical quadcopter when the 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. ..
The Q500 is 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. ..
The Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K 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. ..
Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review: Battery life
Our tests found that the $1,300 Q500 model of the DJI Mavic Pro drone had a significantly shorter flight time than the $1,200 model. The drone flew for between 20 and 21 minutes after being charged with a single 5,400 mAh lithium-polymer battery. Additionally, the battery lasted for slightly under 20 minutes when flying in “Follow Me” or “Watch Me” mode.
The drone has a battery that lasts for an extra 20 minutes, but if it runs out, you can launch it again with the included controller. Unfortunately, the battery voltage can be unpredictable and might go down to 10.7 volts before it starts to recharge. 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 10.7 volts.
Price and availability
The Q500 4K package from Panasonic is a great value for the money. It comes with a sturdy flight case and other goodies, making it perfect for anyone on a tight budget. The UK version of the package is almost identical, so be sure to compare prices before buying.
Conclusion
The Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K is a great quadcopter for first-time flyers. It comes with everything you need, and has a professional look. In comparison to its rival, both control and FPV range are somewhat disappointing, but at least the aircraft is always in view. The learning curve will be much shorter than with other models.
