Almost everyone is fascinated by flight and flying machines and some even take it to the next level by making a hobby out of it. The market for remote control helicopters is a decent one, and caters a large variety of people.
Today we will talk about some of the best rc helicopters you can buy. The review is divided into 5 major categories which are defined by their type, popularity, etc.
Best Remote Control helicopters in Micro Coaxial Type
As wide open spaces become a luxury in our urban jungles RC helicopter hobbyists and admirers alike are tending to buy smaller heli models.
However smaller models face an issue of not having enough lift to take off and stay in the air. This led to the development of micro-coaxial helicopters which use two rotors instead of one with both spinning in opposite direction to generate stable and sufficient lift.
The top 3 models come from the same company, in fact they belong to the same series!
E-flite’s Blade mCX2
The company e-flite is has a long and overwhelmingly positive reputation of making some of the best rc helicopters. Their mCX series are some of the best they make and the mCX 2 is no exception.
This is one the the latest production models in the legendary series which is known for its ease of use. The model takes that reputation to the next level with stylish looks, adjustable performance and advanced customization.
It has the ability to please both a newbie and an experienced hobbyist
Blade mCX 3000 (discontinued)
This model is a scaled down version of the Schweizer 300C Helicopter, which is regarded as one of the best piston powered helicopters ever built. For those who are really into the design and working aspects of real life helicopters, this model will be a winner.
The design is neat and has a received a great paint job. It can give you the scaled version of real helicopters while maintaining its small profile. This is something which wasn’t achieved before and thus makes it to our list for ingenious innovation alone.
The only sad part is that the model is now discontinued in production and thus you can only find used models. However, if you are someone who doesn’t care all that about history of these flying marvels, then you would rather be happy with our next model.
Blade mCX
If there was any rc helicopter which had a direct hand in changing the rc helicopter industry, this would be it.
The mCX was one of the first(and best) micro coaxial helicopter ever built and literally changed the market for coaxial heli overnight.
Cheap, durable and efficient in performance, the plane was and certainly capable of attracting and entertaining a large group of audience and thus earns our top recommendation in this category.
Best RC Helicopters In Micro Single Rotor Fixed Pitch
As technologies used in the rc helicopters started to improve micro machines powered only with a single fixed fixed rotor were introduced. The top 3 helicopters in this category goes to models of another brand made by the same company.
Blade mSR X
One of the latest production models with cutting edge stabilization systems, the Blade mSR X by e-flite surely makes a mark in the fixed single rotor RC helicopters line up.
The most notable feature of this model is the near-perfect implementation of the famous stabilization system called ‘flybarless’.
The ‘flybarless’ is a technology which allows a rc helicopter to stabilize itself on all three axis and give a stable flight performance.
Blade mSR (discontinued)
A predecessor of the mSR X, the blade mSR was one of the pioneering fixed single rotor designs which gained a lot of popularity.
Before this, single rotor models used a tail rotor to stabilize itself on the horizontal plane, however due to poor implementation of controls didn’t work well.
This model fixed that issue by making itself small and light. To get an idea of how small it is – the whole helicopter can rest in your palm with only its tail jutting out. This is a model which gives an incentive to progress from the coaxial versions to the more advanced models.
Blade 120 SR
The Blade 120 SR is basically a big brother of the mSR. It takes the technology and engineering of the Blade mSR and scales it up on a larger, almost twice the size, model.
The 120 SR has really good flight characteristics and is a perfect choice for micro coaxial heli pilots who are looking to progress towards single rotor collective pitch models but and uncertain about it.
Best RC helicopters Single Rotor Collective Pitch Class
Single rotor RC helicopters with collective pitch functions are some of the most advanced versions of RC helicopters with a nice learning curve in them.
These models are made for experienced hobbyists who love spending hours on various details and want to get the most authentic RC helicopter experience possible.
Blade 130X
The Blade 130X is a small, yet powerful collective pitch heli which has a nice shaft driven tail rotor with a variable pitch.
Powered by a brushless motor the helicopter is supplied with a stable power platform to keep it aloft without any issues whatsoever. However what will catch your eye about this model is its price.
The 130X is one of the more affordable versions of collective pitch helicopters and when combined with its small size, makes itself an attractive piece to get your hands on.
Trex 450 Plus (Now T-rex 500E model)
Usually collective pitch designs in RC helicopters are used only by experienced flyers who know the in and outs of controls or have received some form of training.
However the Trex 450 plus allows you to get up and running with a collective pitch in a relatively easy mainly due to its ‘flybarless’ stabilization technique.
The learning curve usually involved in CP models is toned down here, however, an experienced operator can still have decent amount of fun with this model.
Overall, its a good heli for beginners who want to learn flying collective pitch rotors by themselves.
Intrepid 44 Magnum
While piston powered heli’s are great, they just can’t give the experience or performance of a turbine engine which can take RC helicopter flying experience to a truly next level.
However turbine engines are notoriously costly and are some of the most difficult ones to operate. So how does this 44 magnum finds itself a spot?
The answer is pretty easy, using some advanced engineering and ingenuity, Wren Turbines Ltd were able to develop a 2 stage turbine engine simple enough to use and implement in a RC helicopter.
The engine is powerful enough to provide 6.8 HP power at its output shaft, enough to make dazzling 3D maneuvers and make the operator and viewers look in awe. However this comes a price, literally.
Priced at around $5000, it can easily burn your wallet and turn your hobby of RC helicopters into an expensive one, though the experience is completely worth the price you pay.
Best Multi Rotor RC Helicopters
Up until recently, quad rotor helicopters were viewed more as a weird contraption than a hobbyist’s RC helicopter. This view changed when many realized that these quad-rotors provided the ultimate stable platform for video cameras.
Eager to get a ‘bird’s eye view’ or an aerial shot, many hobbyists and photo journalists were keen to buy a quad-rotor helicopter. Lets look at the top 3 models.
Blade Nano QX RTF
One of the best beginner quad rotors available, the Nano QX has the necessary durability as well as technology to keep your brand new purchase safe enough. Its easy to begin with, fun to fly and great for ultra light cameras.
While it has a software which automatically stabilizes the durable helicopter, we recommend you start by flying on grass or soft surfaces before gaining confidence with the helicopter.
Once you get a hang of it, you can fly it almost anywhere since, its small, light and easy to control.
DJI Phantom 2 Vision+
In short, this model is a flying camera. Its a model specifically made for newbies who don’t have time or desire to learn the intricate art of flying RC helicopters, but want to have some fun along with high resolution aerial photography.
And while its not made for hobbyists, it does perform pretty well in itself, not to mention gives you some nice live feed over your smartphone or tablet. The model is made for mass audiences wanting to fly a ‘drone’ and it truly excels in that.
Parrot AR Drone 2.0
A cheap, yet capable quad-copter, the parrot AR incorporates cutting edge stabilization techniques into affordable materials thereby allowing it to be priced relatively low.
The Parrot AR 2 can hover over a position for a surprising amount of time and almost fly by itself. In fact with its HD camera, it feels as if you are controlling a robot rather than a RC quad-copter.
While definitely cheaper than most autonomous quad-copter models, the Parrot AR is durable, and reliable which makes it a great start for those looking to pursue the hobby of RC helicopters.
Best Classic RC helicopter Models.These models are discontinued as of now, however were popular at their time of release. While hard to find one nowadays, they can be a great collectible for hardcore RC hobbyists.
Blade mCP X BL
A collective pitch model powered by brushless motor, this discontinued RC helicopter was a great piece due to its ‘Flybarless’ technology(which was new back then) and stable power.
It was a great piece for performing aerobatics in backyards or even inside homes until the smaller and more agile mSR X came along.
Blade mCX Tandem (discontinued)
A scaled model of Boeing CH-113 ‘Labrador’, this helicopter was an instant hit not only due to value and performance, but also due to the bright yellow color which gave it a look similar to the real search and rescue helicopters.
It was small (Just 15 inches long) and was powered by a tandem of coaxial rotors. The model was also known to take a lot of damage and hence was popular with younger audiences.
VWINRC Trex Clone (discontinued)
One of the largest scale models The Align Trex was a good all purpose RC helicopter at 600 size.
You can use it to fly with short set-up times or even train others to fly it. Apart from that, the helicopter is not given an unrestrained power so its great for those learning 3D Aerobatics on RC helicopters.
Possible on of the best remote control helicopters at 600 size at its time.
And with that we finish our list of the best remote control helicopters you can find out there. Be sure to check back for more news, reviews and content.
No comments:
Post a Comment