Tried out two RC indoor helicopters during the last few weeks (well, one is modeled after a chopper while the other is modeled after a fly).The first one was the $30 one from Brookstone. For the price this is a great buy. The looks are good and when it is turned on, a flashing led gets turned on too. The chopper comes in four models. Each model looks alike but differs in the frequency it works on. So four people can have the A,B,C and D models flying in the same room without their radio controllers getting confused. One advantage this model has over the 'Micro Mosquito' model (discussed below), is the landing skids (the ski like structures instead of wheels). These allow it to take off from any kind of surface (rough or smooth).
The chopper is not too tough to control. The problem is that it is not very responsive to the controls and it kinda has a mind of its own. For instance, turning left on the control won't result in the chopper turning left immediately. It slowly will turn by when it would have already flown ahead on its course.
Since the turns are not sharp and while taking off it strays off-course, a big room is necessary to fly this. Perhaps with more control I will be able to fly it in a smaller room and the ultimate test would be to fly it in the passage in my house. It requires 6 AA cells in the radio controller. Charging takes a 10-20 minutes and after a full charge, I am able to fly it for around 10 minutes.
The chopper has a single rotating blade. The top most blade (as can be seen in the image) is not an actual blade. It has a tail rotor which I guess functions pretty much as the real chopper's tail rotor does.
The other beauty is the famous superstar 'Micro Mosquito'. This is priced at $70 at your nearest Radioshack outlet. Although the price is higher than the Brookstone model, this helicopter has amazing control. I am currently playing around with it.
Taking off is pretty easy since the amount of thrust that it generates results in a near vertical take off. Controlling it to move forward and backward seems to be a little tough. It is pretty sensitive to AC ducts in the house.Since the 'Micro Mosquito' is really not modeled on the lines of a helicopter, there are a lot of differences between it and a real helicopter. The mechanics of flying are explained well here. Due to its sharp projections like legs on which it stands, it can not take off from carpets and requires a smooth surface to take off from. This is a disadvantage. I guess the manufacturer was trying to imitate a fly in appearance.
(I don't like the name 'Micro Mosquito'. The name suggests something that is smaller than a mosquito, while the product is definitely not! I really believe that if such trends continue, and people keep accepting them, English words will loose their current meanings.)
There are amazing YouTube videos on this chopper.
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