Best RC helicopter for a nipper.

[Manks]

Hi All,

I need a recommendation please for a RC helicopter for a 6-year old boy. Something that will not trash the house or disintegrate after the first crash.

Many thanks in advance for any pointers.

[Turn7]

Id start off with a cheapy gyro copter....

http://www.heliguy.com/Electric-RC-Helicopters/Hel...

[Flat_Steve]

Best bet is something small, stable and easy to fly with easily available spares too, you won't get much better than a Syma S107G, it's about £20-25 on Amazon.

[Brite spark]

Slightly off topic but why a helicopter, why not Tanks for Manks junior...

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp?N=411...

...oh wait, you said that won't damage the house

[Manks]

Is there a risk with these things of furniture and siblings being hacked to death by fast spinning rotor blades?

[clonmult]

Manks said:

Is there a risk with these things of furniture and siblings being hacked to death by fast spinning rotor blades?

Nah, at least not with the ones I've had in the last few years. Well, unless you have paper furniture.

The latest gyro controlled ones are pretty good from a control perspective, although they do tend to be lacking on battery life.

[The_Jackal]

After about a week they stop working properly anyway, so it wont do too much damage.

[SWoll]

Tried this with my son last year and TBH they are just too difficult to fly at that age. Ended up with me and my FIL flying it around the house on Christmas Day with my son looking on.

[Oakey]

My mum's ex-boyfriend bought my lad one of these and we never got to use it for a few reasons. Firstly, our garden was too small and secondly, jesus christ did it eat batteries. The controller took about 16-20 AA's!!!

[SWoll]

Oakey said:

My mum's ex-boyfriend bought my lad one of these and we never got to use it for a few reasons. Firstly, our garden was too small and secondly, jesus christ did it eat batteries. The controller took about 16-20 AA's!!!

Are you sure it's not a real helicopter?

The smaller ones are more fun/easier as they can be flown indoors. Bigger outdoor ones are a pain in the arse as they need a load of space and any gust of wind and they'll end up in next doors garden...

[steve_bmw]

my mate bought a model helicopter once, his first one and it was massive with a nitro engine

You can guess what happend to that. These are realy hard to control even as an adult you can destroy a set of blades in no time.
My last on came with 4 sets of blades, once I had broken 3 sets I put new blades on and it went on ebay!

[Turn7]

The small indoor gyro vcopters are easy to fly and use a small LiPo battery charged via usb. The controller normally takes 6 AA batts which last for ages.

[pokethepope]

The Syma S107 (S107G is the latest mdoel I think) is seriously all you'll need. I got mine off ebay for £15 delivered (the legit sellers are quite easy to spot, there are lots of fakes around) and its ridiculously easy to fly. It will hover on its own in the space of a dinner plate without you having to make any directional changes. The blades are also 'loose' so much less damaging to people/objects.

[Flat_Steve]

pokethepope said:

The Syma S107 (S107G is the latest mdoel I think) is seriously all you'll need. I got mine off ebay for £15 delivered (the legit sellers are quite easy to spot, there are lots of fakes around) and its ridiculously easy to fly. It will hover on its own in the space of a dinner plate without you having to make any directional changes. The blades are also 'loose' so much less damaging to people/objects.

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

[Magic919]

Blade MCX2.

[Turn7]

Magic919 said:

Blade MCX2.

yes, but four channel and about 4 times the cost, no? This is for a six year old.

[Skyedriver]

Bought a twin rotor (Chinook) one a couple of years ago, if I ever get it to fly successfully I'll let you know
It'll rotate, go backwards, no matter what you do, and is very good at crashing...

[Arif110]

Okay - while we're at it...

...there isn't any such thing as a proper model petrol/jet helicopter - that still happens to be as controllable as the Syma S107G?!

Surely it's just a question of getting computers/software and clever algorithms to control a 'real' model helicopter in said manner?

I'm just burning to own something fun with a Wren or Jetcat model turbine in it!

If the helicopters are no-go - then a land-based vehicle on a turboshaft arrangement.

[Manks]

It appears that there is a wide range of prices on Ebay. Does this one appear to be the current model and genuine?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SYMA-S107-G-RC-REMOTE-CO...

[s2sol]

Sorry to hijack, but my son's after an RC plane. He reckons one of his friends has one, and it's easy to fly. I've got my doubts, but I'd like to try to make the boy happy. How do I find an RC plane for a 7 year old that he can fly, but doesn't bore him after the first couple of hours?

I'd go for a helicopter myself, and that one looks great. Got to be a plane, though..