Indoor RC toy helicopters?

[Ken S. Tucker]

X-mas is coming!
Last year I bought a couple, and was impressed by the
mechanical and electronic design, but we couldn't make
them work very well, we tried a lot of variations, including
reading the instructions ;-).
We even used tiny bits of plastercine to fine tune the
balance and we extended some fins.

Betcha some of the guys in this group have tried out
these little units, so I'm wondering if u have a specific
recommended model for newbies.
Ken

 

[[email protected]]

X-mas is coming!
Last year I bought a couple, and was impressed by the
mechanical and electronic design, but we couldn't make
them work very well, we tried a lot of variations, including
reading the instructions ;-).
We even used tiny bits of plastercine to fine tune the
balance and we extended some fins.

Betcha some of the guys in this group have tried out
these little units, so I'm wondering if u have a specific
recommended model for newbies.
Ken

Maybe all you need is a plane...

But I recommend buying a "toy" rc chopper from a hobby shop, from a
maker with a track record in the hobby world.
The cheap Chinese knock-offs you see for low prices generally don't
have a swashplate so are very limited in what they can do.
They can only go up in one direction or down, or vary the tail rotor's
speed.
You need the swashplate if you want to have more control.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swashplate_(helicopter)

Also the real choppers have a gyro.
And they're not even that expensive, maybe 300-400$.

 

[Rich Webb]

X-mas is coming!
Last year I bought a couple, and was impressed by the
mechanical and electronic design, but we couldn't make
them work very well, we tried a lot of variations, including
reading the instructions ;-).
We even used tiny bits of plastercine to fine tune the
balance and we extended some fins.

Betcha some of the guys in this group have tried out
these little units, so I'm wondering if u have a specific
recommended model for newbies.

This one http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/rc/93bf/ looks promising
(I've been looking too).

I like that it charges from separate wall-wart rather than from the
remote controller box (like some others). Also it's maneuverable;
doesn't just travel forwards. Unknown whether the controls are
proportional or bang-bang.

I've seen this model at other sites, like Amazon, that have deeper
reviews on this and other models. I read too many reviews over the
weekend and they're all running together ...

 

[[email protected]]

This onehttp://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/rc/93bf/looks promising
(I've been looking too).

I like that it charges from separate wall-wart rather than from the
remote controller box (like some others). Also it's maneuverable;
doesn't just travel forwards. Unknown whether the controls are
proportional or bang-bang.

I've seen this model at other sites, like Amazon, that have deeper
reviews on this and other models. I read too many reviews over the
weekend and they're all running together ...

That's a cool design, does away with the swashplate with the two props.

 

[Jan Panteltje]

Maybe all you need is a plane...

But I recommend buying a "toy" rc chopper from a hobby shop, from a
maker with a track record in the hobby world.
The cheap Chinese knock-offs you see for low prices generally don't
have a swashplate so are very limited in what they can do.
They can only go up in one direction or down, or vary the tail rotor's
speed.
You need the swashplate if you want to have more control.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swashplate_(helicopter)

Also the real choppers have a gyro.
And they're not even that expensive, maybe 300-400$.

The whole mechanism can be omitted in a helicopter like the dragenflyer.
http://www.rctoys.com/rc-products-c...ARE-ALL.html?gclid=CLLaz6TF-48CFSP9EAodfjU1FQ
A bit more expensive, but add a camera, and you can do a lot.

 

[Ken S. Tucker]

This onehttp://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/rc/93bf/looks promising
(I've been looking too).

I like that it charges from separate wall-wart rather than from the
remote controller box (like some others). Also it's maneuverable;
doesn't just travel forwards. Unknown whether the controls are
proportional or bang-bang.

I've seen this model at other sites, like Amazon, that have deeper
reviews on this and other models. I read too many reviews over the
weekend and they're all running together ...
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

Ok, I respect the "Made in China" jobs, it's an excellent
X-mas toy, because people can take turns, and have a
bit of competition, though I bet RCA could build a better
one.
It combines mechanics, electronics, aerodynamics,
user friendly, angular momentum physics, all within
a budget ceiling, damn that's a tuff spec.

That toy should be in every science class!!

Our last year competition was to lift off to near the
ceiling then land where you began. A few managed
a few times, so I figure the newer models (2007) may
be improved, so more of us can do it!

Merry Xmas
Ken

 

[Rich Webb]

Ok, I respect the "Made in China" jobs, it's an excellent
X-mas toy, because people can take turns, and have a
bit of competition, though I bet RCA could build a better
one.
It combines mechanics, electronics, aerodynamics,
user friendly, angular momentum physics, all within
a budget ceiling, damn that's a tuff spec.

Yup ... the Draganflyer and friends are seriously cool but also serious
$$$. The Reflex is more budgeted towards buzzing the cubical farm during
the office Xmas party.