DealExtreme helicopters...

Has anyone picked up one of the dealextreme $60-70 R/C helicopters? They look pretty neat and tempting. I'm not expecting anything spectacular here, i just think for about $100 with shipping it could provide some fun If anyone has any experience with them (or the helicopter model, i don't know if it is old elsewhere), please let me know!

I just got into R/C heli's less than a month ago and received my first model about 2 weeks ago.

Check out this forum for some great info

http://www.rcgroups.com/multi-rotor-helis-200/

Could you attach a Cree to the bottom for a spotlight or UFO look?

Havand, they are strictly really indoor R/C models only.. although they say you can fly them in your backyard there must be 'no wind' (0-3mph max) any more and it will be carried off like a paper bag! .. with you having no control..

They are great fun indoors if you have the space, it will teach you the very basics of hovering & orientation 'nose in' flying etc ..(this is where your handcontrols are the opposite - reverse image.. I hope i make sense.

I have a similar model & full outdoor heli... it will take some practise & cash (for little accidents your bound to have on the way to this addictive hobby IMO.. dont be put off by the odd accident & you will have them!!..
we have all been there...

The model you are refering to I believe is ESKY, which is one of the best (at that price range).... in terms of stability & cheap spares ...

cryhavok - suggests R/C groups which is a great place to hang out, plenty of experienced folk to offer advice..

edit - esky lama3 has now been discontinued..spares are still available.. Esky now has the robins 22 & lama 4 which are really the same chassis but different skin & minor improvements to the gyro etc.. its still a good model though.

What about these r/c helicopters?

http://www.airhogs.com/

I've always wanted a r/c helicopter When I was a kid the only real ones you could get (that i remember) were the gas powered ones. I wasn't old enough or prepared to deal with that (or the expense! They were aroun $500 I remember) so I never got into it. Now i'm in college with a little more money and thought it could be fun to try it out with an electric helicopter. Our apartment has loft ceilings, so, this could be a lot of fun or a recipe for destructive crashes.

I took a look at the Walkera Dragonfly 4, but a lot of people complained they're quality isn't too good and they're hard to keep in the air?

Is there a point to buyin a $100 helicopter or should i figure that if i'm gonna et one, get a decent one and spend like $200? Do you have any suggestions at that price range?

I found that forum last while researching before i posted. Great Place it seems. They're using terms i've never heard before :candle:

The smallest indoor RC heli yet!! The picoflyer

Hi!

I'm in RC for almost 14 years right now, and I would advise everyone who wants a helicopter and has never flown one before, to choose a double rotor model.

The great advantage is, that all gyroscopic forces are canceled out, so they fly in the air pretty stable. I have flown the Lama and, yeah, it is quite ok, but a little big for the living room. It is better to fly it in a gymnasium.

For the living room, something like the Silverlit PicooZ, which I own, is quite ok. But, as it has no double rotor design, it is quite difficult to fly in a small space.

I read that the design similar to this one is great:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1250

Perhaps there are more than one version, as the chinese manufacturers seem to be likely to copy from each other. The one I have read about was about $50 from eBay.
The design works so well because there are no moving parts like swashplates in the rotors.
Up and down is controlled by the rotor RPM, left and right control works by spinning the 2 rotors at different speeds, so that the lift stays the same, but the torque to one side or the other is stronger.

Forwards and backwards is controlled by the horizontal tail rotor, which lifts or pushes down the tail.

Ok, I just searched around a little and found out that the wild wheels helicopter seems to be a copy of the blade runner with less quality.

So I would choose the blade runner.

There is a special forum for this helicopter:

http://www.rcgroups.com/bladerunner-heli-225/

Cheers,

Julez

Havand, The walkera dragonfly 4 is a Fixed pitched (FP)heli & not easy to fly for a complete novice IMHO, no matter what others say... they can be skittish & require a little setting up/trimming (even though they say ready to fly).. if you dont understand some basics of flying, then it will most probably crash 1st flight out

The Picooz type mini heli is a laugh, but will not teach you the required skills for flying helicopters.. they are a toy thats all .. i have one for a laugh only.. 4 minutes or less flying time

I speak from experience of many years of flying helicopters.. both gas/electric.. The way forward really is to start on a PC flying simulator to learn controls.. however if you have good eye/hand co-ordination skills & are prepared to put a good few hours in, you will be able to learn the basics with a 4 channel heli.. once you start to take off, hover, land etc, you will be able to progress further..

julian holtz is correct in as much you should be looking at twin rotors Lama3 type.. these are inherently more stable than single rotors for learning, ( one less input/control you need to be learning), as you need full concentration on what you are doing.. it will tax your grey matter to the max :lolsign:

again ,could I suggest you take a look at the twin rotor models from ESKY.. or similar..cheap to buy & reasonably realistic.. If you find you dont like flying/ too difficult then you have only lost $70 or so.. if you start to enjoy the hobby you can still use the model for flying indoors on bad wheather days!..

hope above helps

Edit - IMHO start with a fair priced model, otherwise you will become disappointed...
look for Esky lama 3/4, robbins22(esky shell) or bladeCP.. remember you will need spares and the majority of the 'clones' will be impossible to find.. go for a known brand & respected following..

I've read some forums and information and the Silverlit PicooZ or the Micro Mosquito from Radio Shack have good reviews.
You can get them for about $40 from Radio Shack or Toy's are US if they have them in stock, just visit your local mall and with some luck you will be hooked to the tiny RC copter flying around your living room terrorizing the pets and completing difficult missions like landing on top of the TV


Luigi

PicoZ/PicooZ are the same as the AirHogs Havoc Heli.
The AirHog Havoc is about $30 at Target & Walmart.
IR control, rather than radio, and as already mentioned only 2 channel control.
With a bit of tweaking it's pretty controllable.
PicooZ Toolbox Site

I got an eFlight BladeCX2 CoAxial right after christmas, and am enjoying it.

Multiple discussions about the Coaxial Heli's on the RCUniverse, and Wattflyer forums.

eFlitet forum @RCUniverse
BladeCX2 Thread @RCUniverse
BladeCX2 Review @RCGroups

From what I've read the parts for the eFlight Blades are more likely to be stocked at your Local Hobby Store (LHS), than the parts for the Llama V3/4.
A few posters think that the Llama is as good as or better then the eFlight BladeCX/2, for quite a bit less $$.

The BladeCX2 uses a 2.4Ghz Spread Spectrum radio, so no worries about interference from other flyers. Or so they claim....

Multiple videos of the Coaxials on GoogleVids and YouTube

I fly a both a Trex 450 when i want some 3D fun out doors. It gets flown inside to but is just on the big side and only just fits through doorways!!

Inside the Twister Bell is my practice copter, my GF gets realy annoyed when i decide her head is the perfect touch platform

For first timers, counter rotating blades are the go. They almost fly themselves. The small electrics like the Trex are very spirited, the larger nitros are more sedate but cost more to repair.