Phantom 3 Pro vs Yuneec Q500 4k: Anyone compare?

[denodan]

The Yuneec is not a patch on the Phantom 3. The Phantom is the best quad you can get for your money on the market.

The Phantom 3 is much better in every way and no lag, or not noticeable lag on my ipad mini 2 at all as a matter of fact it's silky smooth live video and can use it for fpv no trouble.

It's a no brained that the phantom 3 beats it in price for value and much more stable

Read and seen where on the yuneec the yaw gets screwed at times and goes haywire.

The Phantom is more technically advanced, where as the yuneec is looking a bit old school.

The camera on the phantom is a breeze to use and so easy and on the fly can adjust exposure setting, by the turn of a dial.

Light bridge works well and 720p looks amazing on my ipad mini 2.

 

[denodan]

It is a no brained. The Phantom 3 is the best option in this price range. It's cheaper and silky smooth.

The light bridge is amazing and no noticeable lag on my ipad mini 2 at all.

It is so clear, you would think your watching a movie.

Since the phantom 3, sales have increased and it owns the market in its price range.

Sales of yuneec have actually dropped of as you would be foolish to buy anything else in this price range.

The Phantom is cheaper and better and more advanced, than the Yuneec. It cannot compete with the phantom in this price range.

 

[herein2014]

To the OP, I really do not understand why you are asking for a comparison between a product that hasn't even been released yet and the P3. No one here can know how the Yuneec will perform if/when it is released. To me Yuneec is in the business of making knockoffs of DJI but with cheaper parts, even worse support than DJI (if that's possible), and a far smaller user base which means good luck getting backpacks, spare parts, or help from other owners. At the end of the day just get whatever you think is worth spending your money on.

For me, in the consumer/prosumer aerial video and aerial photography space, DJI is the best out there. My P2 has over 300hrs on it; I've literally flown it so much the frame is cracking around the motor mounts.

 

[prostreetcamaro]

Owned a modded q that would reach out to 9000'. Sold and got the p3p. The q is a good quad but not even in the same league as the p3p. Not even close.

 

[BenDronePilot]

What kind of problems with frame rates?

Frame Rates while using screen recording apps. Not while just using the DJI Pilot on your device normally with nothing else running.

 

[Meta4]

I currently have a P1 and like it a lot. But to be honest everything I fly, in the back of my mind I worry about a flyaway.

To go back to the original post ...
Flyaway and P3 don't belong in the same sentence.
There's no suggestion that P3s have been flying away - or even situations where inexperienced flyers think they may have had a flyaway.
The P3 is very stable and the Lightbridge control and video is phenomenal.
Send it out as far as you dare and you still have full control and smooth video.

 

[John Bettua]

I know the Yuneec 4k hasn't been released yet but I think it is the closest competition to the Phantom. I currently have a P1 and like it a lot. But to be honest everything I fly, in the back of my mind I worry about a flyaway. I have been researching the Yuneec drones (mostly the Q500+) and it appears they have just about eliminated flyaways.

The other issue I have read with DJI is their customer service...which I have even read on here that the are VERY below par with customer support. I read a few bad experiences with Yuneec CS (not many though) but almost anyone who has dealt with them has a glowing review.

To be honest I am leaning towards the Yuneec 4k because of the quality customer service. I have always had respect for companies who remember where their bread & butter is.

I know this is a Phantom forum and most of you will lean toward the Phantom. But does anyone regret getting the P3 or have had a bad experience with DJI customer service? A drone of this level is a big investment so making the right choice is is crucial...

Please lets keep the "This company/drone sucks" comments out of the debate...

Thanks!!

I own neither, let's start with that. If you choose Yuneec wouldn't you be spending more to get less? I don't recall the Yuneec using Glonass Sats, or ground sonic units to determine height and postion. I don't recall reading the Yuneec can live video transmit, I don't recall Yuneec you being able to commentary during flight. I didn't see programable switches on the control remote. I don't know Yuneec is $200 more for a mobile hand device?

 

[Bobby Mcghee]

Well I personally think most of you are talking out your butts. Number 1, I own a Yuneec Q500+ and also a Q5004K . I am also a private pilot of 35 years and a RC pilot of 40 years. The Phantom is a great flyer but their customer service sucks. If you don't believe me then do a little homework on line. Read the horror stories of waiting not minutes but hours on the phone just to talk to a human and then not getting any help when they do finally answer. I have made 6 calls to Yuneec customer service for little odds and ends things. The phone has never rang more than 3 times and after the answering recording told me which number to punch I was talking to a human in less than a minute every time. Always answered my questions and solved my problems on the first call. And it was just things I missed in the instructions. Both of these drones can be flown by a 3rd grader. My 88 year old mother has flown both of them with less than 5 minutes of instruction and she lands them manually without using the auto land feature. This is saying something since she has never flown anything RC. The video is outstanding on both drones and the hand held feature works great too. I use it to video the inside of houses for Realtors. Both drones came with a hard case and extra props and the hand held gimbal. So before you talk bad about the Yuneec 500+ and the 4k You need to talk to some of us who fly these daily. They are great drones and well worth the money. Also compare what you get , like 2 batteries with 25 min flight times, an extra set of props, a hard case , and it is ready to fly right out of the box. Also don't forget if you are going to use any of the drones for hire, you need to get a waiver from the FAA. It takes just over 3 months once you submit the paperwork.

 

[robinb]

Interesting first post on an old thread.

 

[Foosy]

So we are comparing two drone companies and their products without having all the facts straight....

My take :
1. Yuneec is also a Chinese company with its headquarters in Honk Kong.
2. Of course it is easier to give customer support when your user base is small. Still remains to be seen how they perform with as many users as dji has.
3. There is not enough data on the Yuneec Q500 4K.
4. Yuneec does have some nice features on their quad like the handheld gimbal mount, and switchable gimbal/cameras.
5. Intel has invested $60 million in Yuneec, so the company may benefit from that partnership, but it will take at least a year.
6. Yuneec users also have a forum: Q500/Q500+/Q500 4k, and....
7. If you read their forums you will find out that users there also encountered flyaways, and also have customer service issues.

 

[BigAl07]

I've also been flying RC for 4 decades and PPL for almost 2 decades so I can completely understand where BobbyM is coming from in that regard.

I don't have a Q500 (any version) but I've flown (literally in my own hands flown) a Q500 unit that was right before the 4K was released so I assume it's a Q500+ (assumptions . . . .)

The Q500 was a good flying aircraft and in their "smart/safe" mode it was pretty much idiot proof.... My main problem with that mode is you're not really learning to fly the aircraft. That's good if you're wanting to let someone new take control but other than that the "smart/safe" mode screws with my brain LOL! My Blade 350QX2 had that mode and I quickly modified my Tx programming to remove that mode because after 40 years of "flying" my brain wouldn't reprogram to "relativity" flying.

The Q500 just seems overly slow/sluggish even in the non-smart mode (can't remember what it's called now) but it was stable and "calm" so I can definitely see where it has a following for certain types of operations.

I can also tell you that the display on the Yuneec Tx (can't remember the model #... ST10 maybe?) was laggy compared to a P3A (I've not had the pleasure of a P3P yet) that I flew just a couple of weeks ago. Also the image seemed a bit less "crisp/clear" than what I saw on the Ipad Air2 (or something like that). Granted the P3A operator paid a pretty penny to add the tablet to his Tx as opposed to it being built in but at the same time this also allowed more flexibility.

The Q500 is a bit larger and seems to be fairly well built but after flying the P3A I am convinced that is the route I'm going to take in just a few weeks.By the time you add a 2nd battery and a nice case to the P3P you're almost talking about the same price compared to the Q500 4k but from my brief experiences with them I believe the P3P is a superior aircraft right out of the box. If you factor in the HUGE customer base that really tips the scales towards P3P (at least in my opinion).

For anyone who says that Yuneec has solved the "Fly Away" scenario come on up to WNC and I'll take you to the tree and garage that a Q500 flew into on it's way to... who knows where! Had it NOT been for the tree we have no idea where the Q500 was headed but it was headed there in a hurry and would not follow any Tx input. Operator error? Maybe but none the less that bird was going somewhere and the operator had no control what so ever.

One other aspect that I personally like is that the P3 platform also has the option of running some 3rd party software (Litiche for example) and I really like that added flexibility that this allows. Unfortunately until the customer base for Q500 grows a lot (and who knows Yuneec may have it written to where no 3rd party can write for their code) I don't see that happening with them. I guess sometimes fun as well as safety comes in numbers.

As with anything like this personal opinion is really the driving factor but after a LOT of research I will be purchasing the P3P system to add to my business fleet because I feel it's by far the best bang for the buck and a solid platform day in and day out. YMMV

Allen

 

[redmoe]

I have owned all three Solo, q500+ and the P3. From a overall performance standpoint the P3 is the clear winner and this is why I went back to it. Since this is about the q and P3 lets take it off the table.

Q500 pros:
Comes with a build in screen
Functional follow me
Functional watch me
Comes with a case although the padding is a joke (standard styrofoam)
Comes with the steady grip

Q500 cons:
Very slow (this caused me to loose it in a sudden storm as it was unable to hold position or even fight the wind)
On screen telemetry block the image window. Also no map of the area for tracking.
Very large and not really anymore stable than the others
The video lag gets much worse when recording
Realistic range of maybe 1k
Mediocre screen resolution

P3 pros:
Very agile and still stable, even in high winds
Can accept a variety of phones and tablets
Compact size
Great streaming video with minimal lag
1 mile range is realistic


P3 cons
Shell cracking
Poor customer service
Need to buy a tablet

I am sure I missed a bunch. One thing I can say without a doubt is that I was completely disappointed with the q and was not all that sad when I lost it.

 

[III% Streve]

I flew a Q500 at the local hobby shop on a somewhat windy day. The owner swore by its stability and was confident enough to put it in anyone's hands. I have to agree to some point. It was great flying! But after months of P3 time, it was still like flying a toy! Why I set its side into the wind it REALLY had to fight to maintain position. The 'arms' are more like wings! Its sluggish, and not at all as responsive. Video was nice and stable as I beat the thing up. Its larger, but not in any way more capable. Its nice to not have to buy a tablet, but worthless in that you cant CHANGE the tablet. Display quality was very lacking, and the controller FELT like I was holding a bulky book. Just not comfortable at all.

 

[diegob]

Which one i buy ? Pls give your best advice

 

[D4T_PoM]

Which one i buy ? Pls give your best advice

Erm reading all the above post I would suggest you buy a Hubsan as that seems to be everyones choice. 'El Oh El'

Buy the P3 obviousley - Advanced or Professional lies on what you want to do with the camera.

 

[adrian.ahonk]

From the other comment, You should choose to buy P3 advance either profesional
For me, I have P3P. I have flew it for almost 2 month now with 158 flight record. Luckyly have no crack yet (hopefully has no crack for next flight). I have crash it twice, all because human error. First because I wrong to put the prop (put all white prop on those motor) because I didn't check how to fly rightly.
Second crash is because I try to check the vps work. I was flying in my house with low altitute. On my back yard, I have a pool. When I was flying from my living room to the back yard which there 's pool there. When it fly over the pool sudenly the bird lost the altitude cose vps detect diverent level so the bird try to make same altitude like before. And I was panic and pull the left sick down. This make the bird fly back to living room but the landing gear was hit the floor and the bird flyingabnormal and hit the door. Luckyly I can catct the bird, only the batt flew off the bird. The P3 has no damage at all.
All of that crashed because of my stupidity.
And till now the P3 still fly flawlessly.
I really love this DJI Product.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

A couple of things for the Yuneec side...

* Not sure of the validity but I read you could use an iPad as a second monitor and a second person can control the camera.

* There is a GoPro mount that will allow the cameras to be interchanged at will.

* The soon coming Wizard that allows you to point where you want it to go plus other features

* Yuneec makes 1 & 2 passenger full scale electric airplanes

* Isnt comparing the Q500 to the P3A/P is like comparing the Q500 4K to the Phantom 1

 

[nickyb]

I seen the Yuneec fly, a nice piece of kit. However the P3A/P has the pedigree, DJIs long history of UAVs and of course the backup of a big company. Not taking anything away from the Yuneec as a lot of pilots rate them.

However for me the P3 is in a different class, when I get the UAV it will be a P3P...nothing else.

Look at the technology the P3A/P has inherrited from the bigger, pro DJI UAVs like Lightbridge etc, these are tried and tested technology used in commercial and industrial applications. Its not just about overall control but also what happens 'under the hood;' to keep your bird stable in the air.

Don't delay, buy a DJI P3!

One other point to help you make your mind to buy a P3A/P.

I'm soon going to do a professional UAV Pilots exam here in the UK. They use P3P in their classrooms to instruct students on flight characteristics etc and many flight schools use the P3 (and its bigger cousins like the S900, S1000 etc) as the test bed etc. Also for Pilots looking to go professional, the P3P especially is a good starting point.

And then you need more, many pro pilots go for the Inspire 1, S1000 as the controls and flight parameters are the same...so its easier to upgrade.

Just saying

I have owned all three Solo, q500+ and the P3. From a overall performance standpoint the P3 is the clear winner and this is why I went back to it. Since this is about the q and P3 lets take it off the table.

Q500 pros:
Comes with a build in screen
Functional follow me
Functional watch me
Comes with a case although the padding is a joke (standard styrofoam)
Comes with the steady grip

Q500 cons:
Very slow (this caused me to loose it in a sudden storm as it was unable to hold position or even fight the wind)
On screen telemetry block the image window. Also no map of the area for tracking.
Very large and not really anymore stable than the others
The video lag gets much worse when recording
Realistic range of maybe 1k
Mediocre screen resolution

P3 pros:
Very agile and still stable, even in high winds
Can accept a variety of phones and tablets
Compact size
Great streaming video with minimal lag
1 mile range is realistic


P3 cons
Shell cracking
Poor customer service
Need to buy a tablet

I am sure I missed a bunch. One thing I can say without a doubt is that I was completely disappointed with the q and was not all that sad when I lost it.

I think DJI poor customer service depends on locale and various factors. For me in the UK, DJI have been nothing but excellent.

Yes, you need to buy a tablet or phone, however most users have these devices now and the screen on these is far far better than the Q500 anyway.

Cracking shells. Not all users have this problem, maybe with this new motor integration that was announced on the DJI website yesterday it may solve any issues.
Just saying

 

[villep]

I am phantom user and never flown Q500. It might be interesting to see something good comparsion about those cameras. I think most of us fly these things to get nice video / photos. My point is that everybody has own taste what photo or video looks nice. Why it is so hard to make comparsion like canon 5D mark III vs canon 6D? I dont think it is, but nobody hasn't done it yet.

 

[Specialist]

I seen the Yuneec fly, a nice piece of kit. However the P3A/P has the pedigree, DJIs long history of UAVs and of course the backup of a big company. Not taking anything away from the Yuneec as a lot of pilots rate them.

However for me the P3 is in a different class, when I get the UAV it will be a P3P...nothing else.

Look at the technology the P3A/P has inherrited from the bigger, pro DJI UAVs like Lightbridge etc, these are tried and tested technology used in commercial and industrial applications. Its not just about overall control but also what happens 'under the hood;' to keep your bird stable in the air.

Don't delay, buy a DJI P3!

One other point to help you make your mind to buy a P3A/P.

I'm soon going to do a professional UAV Pilots exam here in the UK. They use P3P in their classrooms to instruct students on flight characteristics etc and many flight schools use the P3 (and its bigger cousins like the S900, S1000 etc) as the test bed etc. Also for Pilots looking to go professional, the P3P especially is a good starting point.

And then you need more, many pro pilots go for the Inspire 1, S1000 as the controls and flight parameters are the same...so its easier to upgrade.

Just saying


I think DJI poor customer service depends on locale and various factors. For me in the UK, DJI have been nothing but excellent.

Yes, you need to buy a tablet or phone, however most users have these devices now and the screen on these is far far better than the Q500 anyway.

Cracking shells. Not all users have this problem, maybe with this new motor integration that was announced on the DJI website yesterday it may solve any issues.
Just saying

Hi Nickyb - Can i ask where you're taking this UAV pilots exam ? I think this is something I'd like to do also ?

Many Thanks