3-channel mini helicopter S107

These little things have been around for a little while, but I just received a couple as christmas gifts for family. As any conscientious gift-giver should do I performed a final QA check of course

These are incredibly stable and easy to fly around even a small room.
Watch out though, even gentle drafts will push them around and a strong air register is like a mini-class 5 hurricane
Charging the tiny li-po battery takes ~45 minutes via USB cable and gives about 7 minutes of flight time.

http://www.amazon.com/S107-Co-Axial-Gyroscope-Controlled-Helicopter/dp/8499000606/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288194605&sr=8-1

There are lots of youtube vids (search "S107"), but most of the 'pilots' are pretty poor. I can hover in one place hands-off (easy to remove the throttle-return spring in the transmitter) and fly pretty precise box patterns, landings, climbing sprials etc but not while holding the camera lol

There's even a SMALLER model available for around $25 on Ebay (search for "6025-1 helicopter").

Great fun to fly patterns, practice spot landings, buzz the dog etc, and based on numerous crashes (relatively gentle ones, important to cut the throttle ASAP) quite durable.
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The 3rd channel controls the tail rotor (vertical orientation on these unlike the 2 channel ones which face to the side to counteract the single main rotor's torque), which on co-axial choppers enabe forward or backward flight. Works quite well - there are quite a few 'steps' to the motor speed.

4-channel co-ax choppers have no tail rotor, but have a swashplate on the lower rotor to enable 'panning' left or right, or forward/backward movement in addition to up/down and left/right spinning.

Coax choppers don't look as cool as 'single' main rotor ones, nor do they have the same manueverability or speed, but they're much more stable and therefore easier for beginners and safer for indoor use.

 

Probably but the bigger issue would be flying outdoors, which unless it is really dead calm is virtually impossible. Any breeze at all will push it around like a leaf. You should look into larger choppers like the EFlight Blade CX3 or Coco Lama V3.

These cheapos use an infrared transmitter (like a TV remote) with 2 or 3 different "channels" for flying more than one in the same space, but bright, direct sunlight or really strong fluorescent lights can cause interference.
The more expensive models (like 'traditional' RC craft) use RF for better range (though I wouldn't want to fly the tiny ones outside of IR range anyway), and the newest use a common 2.4GHz band so you can use one transmitter for various choppers and planes. Not all 2.4Gz models can share, but many can:
http://www.amazon.com/BLADE-Blade-mCX2-RTF/dp/B003EXPDAC/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1288218518&sr=1-2
Chinese knock-off version for 1/2 price:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-5888-2-4GHz-4CH-Mini-Metal-RC-Helicopter-GYRO-/180577169601?pt=Radio_Control_Vehicles&hash=item2a0b3cf0c1

 

thanks - amazing what modern toys can do thanks to better, smaller batteries and miniaturized circuit boards. Things we could only dream about as (young) kids!

S107s are built in China, but to my knowledge aren't "knock offs", they simply took the very limited 2-channel concept and added a third channel, designed a great chassis and crank them out cheaply. Assuming you don't step on them, dunk them in water, or let the dog chew them up most are good for 50-100+ full charge cycles (use the USB cable and the AA's in the transmitter will last forever) before the li-po batteries or motors need replacing, which is cheap and relatively easy to do.

 

BTW - next step up from these little 3-channel choppers is the Lama 3 4-channel for ~$80:

http://www.xheli.com/colav3corche.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccHQ6MApLZc

I don't have one, but by all accounts the Lama V3 is a well designed and made chopper, with many spare parts available (takes it from 'toy' to 'hobby' level).

Unlike the micro 3-channel choppers these can lift a micro video camera for budget Aerial Photography

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Spy-Car-Key-Chain-Camera-DVR-Covert-Video-Recorder-/180487600644?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a05e63a04

 

Blade helis are in a different league than the Symas as far as precision but they do cost 2-3x as much.
Last year there was a close out on their battle helis (now out of production), just like the one in your pic except with an infrared "gun". They were closing out all remaining stock for $99 for a set of two; the set originally sold for over $200, guess that's why they stopped making them....
Haven't actually used the helis that much for "battles" (even though I set the "gun" on one of them for a shorter range and tighter spread I can still pick my wife's chopper off before she can even take aim, and she's not into it enough to practice ) but for cruising around indoors they're great.

Here's a video I made showing some of it's features:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjfPfEY2Gd8[/ame]

The latest 4-channel Syma S800g can "strafe", unlike the S107, so adds another level of control:
http://www.amazon.com/Syma-Channel-Remote-Control-Helicopter/dp/B007FLQ394/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357883415&sr=8-1&keywords=S800g

The controller kind of sucks but for $20 it's a neat heli and flies pretty well.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKjPUDFYgaA[/ame]