Review: Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K Drone

Last month, we posted about the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K, a top-of-the-line drone that promises to capture smooth professional footage in 4K ultra-high (UHD) resolution with incredible detail and unparalleled realism. While it all sounded great on paper, the question remained – Does it actually live up to the hype?

To find out, Yuneec lent us a Typhoon Q500 4K so we could put this bad boy to the test. And by the end, we didn’t want to give it back. Yes, this was one of those rare instances where a product actually exceeded our lofty expectations!

As someone who’d never flown a drone before, I was a little apprehensive about what kind of learning curve there’d be with the Q500 4K. But to my delight, it was incredibly easy to operate. Simply press the Start/Stop button on the remote, and the propellers start spinning. In the default “Smart” mode, pressing forward on the left stick lifts the drone, pulling it back lowers it, and letting go makes the drone hover at it’s current height. Pushing left or right on the left stick rotates the drone in position. The right stick is used to move the drone forward, backwards, left or right from your current position.

Simple enough, right? Armed with that knowledge, I set the Q500 4K down on an empty soccer field, walked away the recommended 26 feet, and started her up. And before you knew it, I was up in the air and shooting video and photos like an old pro.

Once you get comfortable with the Q500 4K, you can capture some incredible footage, with the only limitation being your imagination (and FAA laws). I’ve seen some pretty amazing drone videos on YouTube, and they are only going to increase as more and more people get into this hobby.

As you can see in the video below (which is best viewed full screen in 4K), the level of detail is just incredible. Yes, I should have rotated a bit slower, and I should have been mindful of the location of the sun (to prevent sun glare), but this video was actually from one of my first flights, so please excuse those rookie mistakes..

While the $1299 price might give you sticker shock at first, you have to realize that this is a serious piece of aerial filmmaking equipment, and it does a spectacular job doing what it’s made for. I’m a big believer in the saying “You get what you pay for”, and that’s abundantly true here.

You get the Typhoon aircraft, ST10+ ground station, CGO3 4K gimbal camera, CGO Steadygrip, flight case, LiPo battery, and a slew of other accessories. Or you can opt for their premium kit (for an extra $150), which includes an extra battery (giving you an additional 25 minutes of flight time) and an aluminum case.

Just look at this incredible video from Yuneec that shows what the Q500 4K is capable of capturing. Whether it’s action sports, a mud run, a car show, or some gorgeous scenery, there really is no limit to what you can do with the Typhoon Q500 4K.

Overall, I was really impressed with the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K, and I could not stop thinking about where I could capture the next epic shot at. It’s an addictive hobby, and to those people who asked me if it’s worth it, I’d say Yes wholeheartedly.

For more information on the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K, visit www.yuneec.com.