A One-Size-Fits-All Solution
- Multi-payload compatibility
- RTK and PPK compatible
- New battery connector with fail safe design
- New powerful flight control processor
- Designed for professional, commercial and governmental requirements
- New 2-4 mile* (3.5-7 km*) long range OFDM module
- No data transfer to external servers
- High-precision, low-interference compass
- New 30 pin payload interface
- Mission planning on the computer or ST16E
- Stable and safe 6 rotor system with 5-rotor failsafe
- Energy efficient and quiet operation
- ST16E with integrated 7” touch display, voice output and comprehensive DataPilot™ software
- HDMI signal directly from the ST16E to output the drone’s live image onto larger monitors
Added Security
The Yuneec H520E was developed around demands for safety and functionality. The six rotor system allows for a safe and stable flight by ensuring that the H520E can continue to fly safely even if a rotor fails. The built-in ultrasonic sensors allow the H520E to detect obstacles and avoid collisions, while the battery issues warnings when the voltage is too low and changes to a fail-safe function if necessary. In addition, the H520E comes equipped with a redundant control signal, a return home and a geo fence function, which ensures that the drone does not move beyond a radius specified by the user.
Updated DataPilot2.0 System
The Yuneec DataPilot™ is a comprehensive software solution for planning waypoint and survey missions. DataPilot™ is fully integrated into the hardware and software of the H520E and enables users to efficiently and consistently get the information they need. Using DataPilot™, you can collect the data needed to create orthomaps, 3D scans, crop data imagery, in the field or on the desktop for repeatable, recallable aerial flight paths. The DataPilot™ software also allows for storage of maps from many map providers for access in areas with no connectivity, and provides tools for precise way-point placement even in areas where no updated maps are available.
*Photogrammetry software is needed to process data and build 2D and 3D models.
Secure Your Data
The Yuneec H520E has been developed as a closed system, its technical design prevents communication with third party servers. Communication only takes place between the drone, the payload and the ST16E ground station controller. Log files are stored locally in the drone and are only required by Yuneec for service purposes in the event of a guarantee. There is no involuntary data transfer to servers. Neither flight data nor images, videos or log files are forwarded to external servers and remain in your possession. Thus, your data is optimally protected.
ST16E Ground Station Controller
The Android-based ST16E ground station controller is equipped with a fast Intel quad-core processor and OFDM support. Thanks to the OFDM support, the live image transmission can be expanded up to 1.7 miles. The integrated 7 inch display with touchscreen ensures precise and intuitive operation of the Yuneec H520E and shows all flight information as well as the live image from the camera. The live image can also be transferred to a larger monitor via the HDMI output of the ST16E.
Versatile Payload Options with new X-Connector
Thanks to its multiple load options, the Yuneec H520E can be easily adapted to different areas of application. Replace sensors in a matter of seconds, downtime is minimized and productivity is improved. This means that one gimbal camera combination can be exchanged for another without power cycling the airframe.
Law Enforcement:
The Yuneec H520E is perfect for accident scene reconstruction, crime scene mapping, as an “eye in the sky” for crowd control, intelligence gathering, or monitoring targeted areas. The Yuneec H520E empowers Law Enforcement officers to quickly record an accident scene in 2D or 3D, for later assembly of data for court appearances, reporting, or archiving. Camera systems with embedded GPS data enables evidence gathering to be captured and examined before fire investigators or first-responders have entered the area.
Inspections:
Vertical structures can be inspected safely and efficiently with the precise flight behavior of the H520E. Long focal lengths allow users to fly further back from the object being viewed, without compromising image quality or depth. DataPilot™ can store missions that require weekly or monthly re-flight for purposes of comparison, failure evaluation, or deterioration studies. The safety improvement and cost reduction with sUAS inspection are staggering in comparison.
Search and Rescue:
The Yuneec H520E enhances safety at a contaminated scene, speeds rescue and recovery. Firefighters appreciate the ability to “see” through smoke and rapidly identify hot spots using thermal imaging, and the ability to gain a birds-eye view of operations on a large scene. In addition, the drone can be used for scouting the route ahead for obstacles, finding victims, photographing remote crash sites, terrain mapping, crash site monitoring or for improving communication.
Site Mapping:
Pre-construction survey, topographical measurements, and project progress - The Yuneec H520E is designed to fly repeatable, perfect-placement flight over construction sites, providing not only measurable and demonstrable project data, but also helping to identify shrink points, at-risk areas, or security breach points. Autonomous flight allows for repeated flights that may be layered to determine changes in the work site and provide comparisons over time.
Industry Leading Technical Support
We understand that our commercial customers need to get the job done, and having an issue that keeps your drone grounded can cost precious time and money. To combat this, we make ourselves available ALL THE TIME. Each Yuneec H520E unit comes with the Vertigo Drones 24/7 Plan, giving you unrestricted access to industry leading technicians to help troubleshoot issues on the spot. Each one of our technicians are Part 107 certified pilots that know all the nuances and intricacies of the Yuneec H520E/H520E RTK platforms. If you need us, we'll be there!
Vertigo Drones Platform Assessment
Each drone platform has it's own pros and cons, and it really comes down to the end-user's needs when deciding which drone will be right for them. Vertigo Drones provides a professional assessment based on 5 categories to help people better understand each drone's strengths and weaknesses. The Yuneec H520E platform scores very high in all categories, making it a great choice for any professional application. With multi-payload compatibility, RTK/PPK, full data-security and other useful features like no flight restrictions - the H520E is a useful tool to have for a reasonable price.
Pricing
The Yuneec H520E is competitively priced and falls in the realm of $2.5k-$13k, depending on the selected payload. The key factor here is the end result the H520E is capable of producing, and how that result compares to more expensive platforms. Currently, the H520E is a great alternative to the DJI Matrice 300 RTK because it is a fraction of the price with many of the same capabilities in terms of surveying and mapping. Instead of spending $15-$25k per unit, you can purchase a small fleet of H520Es for a comparable price, allowing you to cover more area and complete more jobs. Each H520E payload is also competitively priced compared to other options on the market. The 20MP survey grade E90x camera will cost $1299, with the higher end FLIR Boson payloads ranging from $5499-$9999 with a 640x512 radiometric non FLIR option for $5999. There is also a 30x optical zoom camera option for $3299 in the event you need a camera with that capability. Yuneec made a camera for virtually every application, making the H520E a one-size-fits-all solution. Compared to other options on the market, the H520E is moderately priced and won't break the bank in the event of a crash because parts are easy-to-find and relatively inexpensive.
Capability
The only section the H520E did not land 5/5 stars was in capability. Our reasoning for this was due to a few factors that include flight time, obstacle avoidance and durability. The H520E will generally fly for around 30 minutes per battery and requires multiple batteries to survey large areas. Certain commercial drones on the market boast a flight time of up to 55 minutes and use multiple batteries during flight. The H520E uses a single 6200mAh battery, which limits it's ability to stay in the air. Many commercial drones now come with omni-directional (360°) obstacle avoidance right out of the box, where the H520E only features two sonar sensors on the front of the drone making it less capable of avoiding obstacles without human intervention. With that being said, the H520E is designed for autonomous flights that are preprogrammed ahead of time, allowing the pilot to avoid obstacles when setting up the flight plan. Obstacle avoidance is useful when flying manually, but is not necessary when you can set up an exact flight path using satellite imagery - effectively avoiding all obstructions. The third factor on this list is durability. The H520E currently has no Ingress Protection Rating, where other commercial platforms have an IP55 or higher. Based on our experience, the H520E can be flown in light rain or snow with no issues at all. The batteries are not self-heating, so colder weather can deplete battery life in extreme conditions (<10°F). Aside from those three factors, the H520E excels in many other categories. One of the most important selling points of the H520E is the lack of flight restrictions, allowing you to takeoff whenever and wherever. Other platforms will severely limit where you can takeoff and often require getting restrictions lifted ahead of time. This can cost precious time and money, and the lack of flexibility can be catastrophic if time is limited. The most important selling point for the H520E is it's signature 6-rotor design, allowing the drone to land with 5-rotors in an emergency. This provides added insurance and piece of mind for pilots who depend on their drone for work. Other commercial platforms generally feature the 4-rotor design, meaning if one rotor goes down - the whole aircraft follows. The H520E is also RTK and PPK compatible, allowing for centimeter-level accuracy when performing surveys and inspections, with CORS network connectivity built into DataPilot. Furthermore, the H520E is compatible with third party base stations (EMLID, Trimble etc.) allowing you to save thousands of dollars if you already own one. Finally, the H520E is a closed system - meaning it is not communicating through the cloud or transmitting your data to an unknown server. Other brands will transmit your data to a server in another country, and this is unacceptable for applications where data security is paramount. The only time the H520E connects to a server is during firmware updates. Updates are triggered manually by the user, and the update server is located in the United States.
Serviceability
When selecting a drone, you want to make sure it can be fixed quickly when a crash occurs. On top of service speed, you want to make sure a repair is cost-effective and does not cost more than the drone itself. Vertigo Drones employs multiple full-time drone technicians who are Part 107 certified pilots with extensive knowledge on all Yuneec, DJI and Autel drones. When dealing with the H520E, parts are readily available and service time generally takes between 3-5 business days, though expedited and priority options exist as well. The average H520E repair cost is between $300-$400 with parts, labor and 2-way shipping charges, though repair costs may vary depending on the scenario. When dealing with other brands, you may need to send your drone to another country and can end up waiting weeks or months to get it back! On top of that, the cost of a repair can become very expensive if you do not purchase a service plan ahead of time. Some manufacturers build a warranty into the overall cost of the drone, but specify that you need to pay a "small fee" to have it sent in, which is not specified until the process is already started. Another factor is technical support, when you purchase a drone you want to be able to call someone who knows how to help you. Depending on the brand, you might get stuck in a call tree for a while and end up speaking to a customer service representative who is not knowledgeable on the issue(s) you are encountering. Since Vertigo Drones is Yuneec's primary service center in the United States, we can help you quickly and efficiently with H520E related questions. You will generally get a knowledgeable technician on the phone within 1 minute of calling - allowing you to reduce down time and increase productivity. As stated earlier, each one of our H520E customers will receive the Vertigo Drones 24/7 Plan at no additional charge - meaning you can get in touch with an expert whenever you have a question. Purchasing any other platform will limit your contact to trained technicians to standard business hours that may not include weekends.
User-Friendly Platform
We like the H520E because of how easy it is to learn and use. The DataPilot interface is user-friendly and allows pilots to perform complex surveys and inspections with extreme precision in just a few clicks. It does not matter if you need to map a 10-acre plot of land, or do a cell phone tower inspection - the H520E can do it all. During flight, DataPilot will display exactly how many minutes of battery life the drone has upon takeoff, allowing you to focus on other important details. The drone will automatically return to home when the battery dips below a certain threshold, which is adjustable depending on preference. You can also adjust attributes like the return to home altitude, ensuring a seamless trip back to the takeoff location. If for whatever reason the controller loses connection with the drone, the drone is designed to automatically return to it's original takeoff coordinates. You can also easily adjust mission settings like takeoff/home locations, camera angle, altitude, flight speed and DataPilot will show you exactly how long the survey will take, and how many batteries will be required. After performing a survey or inspection, quickly plug your geo-tagged images into photogrammetry software like Pix4 or Skyline (not included) to create the 2D or 3D render. The Yuneec platform as a whole makes it easy to collect data and produce professional results quickly and efficiently with the end result being indistinguishable from any other platform on the market.
Versatility
The final feature that gives the H520E an advantage is it's compatibility with multiple cameras and payloads. It's cameras range from high quality survey grade, to optical zoom, to high resolution thermal. Currently, there are 8 different OEM cameras available for this platform, with a third party multispectral option available as well. The H520E also has open source SDK, meaning you are not just limited to cameras, but can attach things like payload release mechanisms and other contraptions to the drone depending on the mission. This makes the H520E one of the most versatile platforms on the market, giving it a massive advantage over other brands.
Vertigo Drones Assessment: 24/25
Our drone experts highly recommend the Yuneec H520E platform to all professionals and enthusiasts. With it's fair price point, serviceability, versatility, unrestricted flight capabilities and 6-rotor failsafe design - you can't go wrong. There are other platforms on the market that have more capabilities, but they are double or triple the price. This is the perfect platform to build a drone program with and our customer service staff are here to help you with any questions or problems you may have. Vertigo Drones is in a unique position to provide a special type of service and support for the H520E, and we're confident you'll be satisfied with the results. If you have any questions please reach out to us at
[email protected], or at (800)834-5279!
