Typhoon Q500
Yuneec · China · also known as Q500, Q500+, Q500 4K, Typhoon 4K
The Typhoon Q500 is a consumer camera quadcopter introduced by Yuneec in 2014, notable for shipping with a ground-station controller that had its own built-in touchscreen at a time when rivals required a separate phone or tablet. The line ran through the Q500+, Q500 4K and Typhoon G before Yuneec replaced it with the hexacopter Typhoon H, and it is no longer produced or supported.
Overview
Yuneec International was established in 1999 in Hong Kong and moved into electric aviation before pivoting to camera drones. The Q500 Typhoon, released in 2014, was the company's first ready-to-fly consumer drone and its entry into the segment then dominated by DJI's Phantom series. The original aircraft recorded 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second through a three-axis gimbal camera, streaming a live 5.8 GHz downlink to the controller.
The bundled ST-10 and later ST10+ "Personal Ground Station" combined a 2.4 GHz radio transmitter, the video receiver and an Android touchscreen in a single handheld unit. That removed the need to clip a phone to the controller, which was the usual arrangement on competing aircraft at the time, and it remains the feature the line is most often remembered for.
Design and capabilities
The Q500 is a four-rotor airframe driven by brushless electric motors and powered by a single 11.1 V three-cell 5400 mAh lithium-polymer pack, a battery shared across the Q500, Q500+, Typhoon G and Typhoon 4K. Yuneec quoted up to 25 minutes of flight while filming; DroneLife's independent review measured 20 to 25 minutes depending on wind and recording load. The same review put the live video link at roughly 600 m.
Flight modes on the original aircraft were Angle, Smart and Home, the last returning the aircraft to its take-off point. The 2015 Q500 4K added a CGO3 anti-vibration gimbal camera with 4K video, 12-megapixel stills, 1080p slow motion at 120 frames per second and simultaneous raw DNG and JPEG capture. It also introduced geo-fencing, speed limiting, Follow Me and Watch Me subject tracking, automatic return home on low battery, and awareness of published no-fly zones. A SteadyGrip handheld mount let the camera be detached and used from the ground.
Yuneec announced the Q500 4K on 1 July 2015 at US$1,299 for shipping later that month.
Variants
Four members of the family are documented. The Q500 of 2014 carried the CGO2 camera and recorded 1080p. The Q500+ followed as an intermediate revision. The Q500 4K, also sold as the Typhoon 4K, arrived in 2015 with the CGO3 camera. The Typhoon G, announced in September 2015, replaced the Yuneec camera with a GB203 three-axis gimbal that carried a user-supplied GoPro instead.
Status
The line is discontinued. Yuneec's product and store pages for the Q500 series no longer resolve, and the company's own European parts shop lists Q500-series components as no longer available. Yuneec moved the consumer line to the hexacopter Typhoon H in 2016, then to the Typhoon H Plus and Typhoon H3, and has since concentrated on commercial aircraft such as the H520E.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes the Typhoon Q500?
Yuneec International, established in 1999 in Hong Kong and now owned by ATL Global Holding AG of Switzerland.
How long does the Typhoon Q500 fly?
Yuneec stated up to 25 minutes while filming. DroneLife's review measured 20 to 25 minutes in practice.
What camera does it use?
The original Q500 uses the CGO2 gimbal camera at 1080p and up to 60 frames per second. The Q500 4K uses the CGO3, which records 4K video and 12-megapixel stills.
Is the Typhoon Q500 still sold?
No. The product pages have been withdrawn and Yuneec's own parts shop marks Q500-series spares as no longer available.
What replaced the Typhoon Q500?
The hexacopter Typhoon H, announced in January 2016, followed by the Typhoon H Plus and Typhoon H3.
How far does the video link reach?
DroneLife's review of the original aircraft reported a live-streaming range of about 600 m.
