Anyone play with remote controlled helicopters?

[thefed]

I've always wanted one of the mini's since they came out a few years back, but never got around to buying one...and my wife must not have believed me when it's all I asked for for x-mas.

So, I bought one yesterday and I'm hooked! I've got another on the way with a gyro that is supposed to be easier to control.

Cant beat it for $20...I crashed this one HARD many many times and it's still going strong!

It's a blast if you havent tried it...

 

[ERD50]

Got a link to the model you bought? I always thought these sounded neat, but figured you'd have to pay much more for something that you could actually fly. $20 is worth a little fun, and I'd pay more for better if I liked it after trying it out at the low $ point.

-ERD50

 

[RonBoyd]

And if you want to take a Flying ...

(Caution: For Adults only... if even.)

Remote control Helicopter

 

[KM]

I was actually going to buy one for my daughter's boyfriend for Christmas.....until she told me she had bought him one. Apparently they became quite popular last year. Pretty sure DH would look at me cross-eyed if I bought him one, but I think they are a good idea for the guy who has everything and needs a toy for Christmas. I am still considering getting one for DS.....just so I can play with it.

 

[thefed]

Got a link to the model you bought? I always thought these sounded neat, but figured you'd have to pay much more for something that you could actually fly. $20 is worth a little fun, and I'd pay more for better if I liked it after trying it out at the low $ point.

-ERD50

i got a cheap one at tj maxx for $17, but just ordered a phantom 6010 with gyro. for a fw bucks less, you cant go wrong with the Syma S107 from Amazon here:

Amazon.com: New Syma 3 Channel S107 Mini Indoor Co-Axial Metal Body Frame & Built-in Gyroscope RC Remote Controlled Helicopter (Colors may vary): Toys & Games

 

[powerplay]

Sounds like fun!

That flying F, well I wonder how many get bought for a good joke?

 

[gromit]

A 4 minute video of the Phantom 6010. I've never had one, but I see how it could be fun to play with.

YouTube - Phantom 6010 Mini IR Helicopter Aerobatics

 

[Bimmerbill]

I bought some hobby grade ones and even built a fairly good sized one. My first is an E-Flight MCX, which was about $100. Came ready to fly. Its small, but has 3 servos and a gyro. Flies great inside.

The other one I built has a rotor about 3' diameter and is a 450 class helo.

 

[DRiP Guy]

i got a cheap one at tj maxx for $17, but just ordered a phantom 6010 with gyro. for a fw bucks less, you cant go wrong with the Syma S107 from Amazon here:

Amazon.com: New Syma 3 Channel S107 Mini Indoor Co-Axial Metal Body Frame & Built-in Gyroscope RC Remote Controlled Helicopter (Colors may vary): Toys & Games

Heads up when ordering from Amazon -- some vendors give terrific prices, but can kill you on shipping. Like this one, in fact (from link above):

Items: $21.49 Shipping & Handling: $11.49

Total Before Tax: $32.98


If you were going to order additional stuff from them at the same time, maybe it isn't as bad, but for just the one heli, I prefer to pay a bit more in price, but not get shaken down for 'handling' or other charges.

"Mental accounting" to some degree, but the bottom line is WATCH THOSE EXTRA FEES AND CHARGES!

After reading the thread, I just ordered this one:

Item Unit Price Qty. Cost
3 Channel Double Horse Mini Palm Size RTF Helicopter w/ Aluminum Frame/Lights/ & Gryoscope System (Orange)

$24.95 1 $24.95
Subtotal: $24.95
Shipping: $0.00
Tax: $0.00
Total: $24.95
The New Syma 3 Channel S107 Mini Indoor Co-Axial Metal Body Frame & Built-in-Gyroscope Helicopter (Blue)

For that price, should be a bit of Christmas fun without too much at stake!

 

[dex]

What about one with a camera?

 

[DRiP Guy]

What about one with a camera?

There is a really cheap one, for like $29 at Walmart, but it's mostly sold out, and is also difficult to control, terrible video quality, IR remote -- a toy only:
Walmart.com: Air Hogs Hawk Eye Helicopter: Vehicles, Trains & Remote Control

(Edited to add -- I see that places that DO have the Air Hogs Hawk Eye are trying to get up to $80... to me, based on several reviews and videos, it might be worth $20 as a toy that will rapidly loose it's novelty with the kids, and will be of little to no actual utility for what you *think* it ought to do - i.e. you can't control it's fore and aft motion, and in fact, it CONSTANTLY moves forward, so you can't really hover near anything to get a good video... I'd say buyer beware, regardless of it's current hot popularity, unless the kids specifically asked Santa for this toy!)

A video product review, and some in-flight shots of the video quality here:

But, if you have an iphone and $300, now we are talking....
Parrot Helicopter

 

[Bimmerbill]

Really, get a hobby grade one. They have replaceable parts, so if you crash you can just buy the part you need. Plus, much higher quality. I can actually fly my MCX-300 with precision, hover, land on the dining room table, etc.

 

[My Dream]

Really, get a hobby grade one.

What is the pricing on those?

 

[Bimmerbill]

My little one was about $100. That was complete and ready to fly. So far I've only had to replace the tail boom (crashed backwards into my dining room hutch) and buy an extra battery.

I tried RC airplanes about 30 years ago and todays stuff is so much more advanced and smaller. Its really amazing.

The benefits of the hobby grade stuff is that it actually flies, has replacement parts and is much better quality. It does cost more tho.

I tried my brothers kids AirHog and it was pretty much unflyable.

As you get into the bigger RC helos they get expensive. But, I loved building my bigger one. All the little CNC metal peices, carbon fiber and electronics.

 

[DRiP Guy]

This is not a real 'hobby grade,' but will be what I am probably getting next (I'm a total novice):

Syma S031:
YouTube - Syma S031

It's the bigger brother (24 inches!) to the indoor/palm sized model Syma S107($25) and is about $60-80, and is much bigger, flies outdoors and has radio instead of IR control.

Can also handle a videocam:
YouTube - S031 with onboard camera

 

[My Dream]

So the Syma S031: is around about $60-80, and about $24" long?

 

[DRiP Guy]

So the Syma S031: is around about $60-80, and about $24" long?

Priced at $59, but unfortunately currently out of stock here:

Syma S031 3 Channel Huge Size Outdoor RTF Helicopter w/ Gyroscope (Blue)

 

[My Dream]

$60.00 with free shipping is actually a really good price, too bad there is no stock. Thanks DRiP Guy.

 

[DRiP Guy]

$60.00 with free shipping is actually a really good price, too bad there is no stock. Thanks DRiP Guy.

Yeah, sadly it looks like they are out of stock on about ALL choppers right now. I'll bet with the gyros popping up in even the 'toy' versions @ ~$20, that has just got to be about the most popular toy for Christmas this year.

I might try again after the holidays.

Anyone serious about adding a video, I think I might add one of these to my order, too. For ~$55, you get:

HD camcorder
About the size of a highlighter pen
built-in rechargeable battery
100 minutes of High Definition recording
Embedded software for rapid video sharing
1280 x 720 High Definition Video
5 Mega Pixel Still Camera
Voice Recorder
HDMI (you can plug directly into your HD TV for playback!)
Weight: 45 grams

http://www.xheli.com/86p-948h-hd-minicam.html

 

[thefed]

Got my 6010 for $30 shipped from rccarmax dot com thru amazon, but it was the last one. ordered 2 more from their site for about 31 each.

That site has every single part for replacement, which is why i chose this one.

I am very impressed with the 3-ch vs. the 2ch I got the other day....very very very easy to fly, and it is a BLAST> my 5 year old almost mastered it!

I got one for each of my full-time employees for xmas...mainly so we can race in the warehouse hahaha...

 

[thefed]

$60.00 with free shipping is actually a really good price, too bad there is no stock. Thanks DRiP Guy.

for $60, this seems to be the same thing but 10" shorter

Syma S032 RC Helicopter Metal Series with Gyro

 

[jazz4cash]

Wow...this is a fun thread. I was pleasantly surprised that DD took my hints and actually bought me a S107 and we have all enjoyed playing with it. It is a nice stress reliever!

After a few days and many, many, many crashes, it is holding up pretty well except the blades which are scuffed up pretty good. I went looking for replacements and they were not easily found EXCEPT on Ebay where they are CHEAP and plentiful....<$5 for 2 sets of main rotors (4 blades/set) including shipping. Delivery is on the order of 3-5 weeks, though.

 

[My Dream]

for $60, this seems to be the same thing but 10" shorter

Syma S032 RC Helicopter Metal Series with Gyro

I clicked on the link again and the Syma S032 is going for $49.95 now, I wonder how much shipping is?

 

[jazz4cash]

I clicked on the link again and the Syma S032 is going for $49.95 now, I wonder how much shipping is?

Same model on E-bay can be had for as low as $39-55 including shipping for buy it now pricing, but maybe shipping will be more to your location.

 

[My Dream]

I just checked Ebay and they're coming from China so Shipping was the same. I wonder if they're the real deal? Anyone figure they're one of the best "value for your money" helicopters at the moment?