If you are a girl and do not know what to give a guy for February 23, then any guy will be happy if the girl hands him a radio-controlled helicopter. DO YOU HEAR? NOT SOCKS, NOT SHAVING, NOT HERRING. HELICOPTER.
Once again, in the comments to the post about the gift for February 23rd, I come across phrases like “a toy for one day”, “only collects dust”, “quickly gets bored” and so on. The reason is very simple - in 90% of cases the wrong helicopter is presented!
All helicopters presented to people look the same: they have 2 propellers and a balance stick. What does it mean? Here you need a small educational program.
The capabilities of helicopters (and how quickly they become boring) depends on the number of control channels. For example, the inscription 3CH means "3-channel" - three control channels. The bulk of the donated helicopters are just such. The fact is that as the number of control channels grows, so does the price - and exponentially. But it's not just the price - more often than not, there is nothing on sale except 3CH models!
So, the differences in control channels and the scale of prices:
2CH - knows how to up and down and turns. Sometimes the design has a slight forward tilt, which is why the helicopter itself moves forward all the time at a low speed. Usually it has two main screws and a balancer, the rear screw is vertical and decorative, that is, it does not spin and does not perform any function. Never buy something like that - neither for yourself nor for anyone else. I mentioned 2CH for show.
3CH (1500-2500r) - is able to up and down, tilt back and forth and turns. When leaning forward - flies forward, similarly "reverse" travel. Usually it has two propellers with a balancer, and the rear propeller is horizontal - due to it, the helicopter tilts. Are these the ones you usually give?
4CH with a balancer (2500-3000r) - can up and down, tilt forward / backward and left / right. It has one main rotor with a balancer and the rear rotor is vertical and serves to resist the torque of the main rotor. Despite the seemingly insignificant differences from 3CH, it is controlled in a completely different way. This is what you should give to an adult.
4CH without balancer (4000r) - is everything the same as the option above, only there is no balancer? Can make a dead loop. And also a beginner will not be able to fly on it. At all.
6CH (6000r) - looks the same as the previous version. Main screw, rear screw. Maybe EVERYTHING. Develops tremendous speeds. Can fly (and hang) upside down. Can hang vertically (main propeller in vertical plane!). Can make a barrel.
So what are the problems with 3CH helicopters?
1) They are BORING - because of their design, they are extremely stable and manageable, so the child can handle it. They easily hang in one place in the air, can only fly forward and backward, and rather slowly - about 0.8-1 m / s.
2) Infrared remote control - the range is limited to a few meters, a direct line of sight is required.
3) Built-in battery - 5 minutes of flight, then 40 minutes of charging.
It is not surprising that such helicopters are said to be “a toy for a couple of days”. By the way, in order to compensate for the simplicity and "boring", different things are often hung on the 3CH models for entertainment - a water cannon (fly up and shoot water in the face), a cannon with soap bubbles, a basket on a winch (you can raise / lower), a video camera with control with iOS / Android and broadcasting video to the device screen.
What does a 4CH helicopter have to offer?
The most important thing is that it is not boring and does not get bored in a couple of days. Unlike the 3CH, which hangs in the air "by itself", the 4CH model must be learned to hold at the desired point, making certain efforts for this. At first, while there is no skill, the helicopter constantly beats against the walls and floor.
Takeoff is a blow. Takeoff is a blow. Takeoff - impact and broken blade.
Replacing the blade, taking off and hitting again. The flight process is a great pleasure - you gradually gain the upper hand over the car, you learn to control it, the blows become less frequent. Unlike 3CH, it is possible to develop tremendous speeds (5-8 times faster) and fly away tens of meters - control via radio channel. Has the battery run out after 7 minutes of flight? They are interchangeable, you have 3 more! Put in a fresh one, you fly on - and the discharged one is charging at this time. 4 batteries is about half an hour of flight.
To be honest, with those helicopters that are usually given as a gift, this cannot be compared: just the earth and the sky.
I personally recommend the WLToys V911-Pro model for beginners (and as a gift!) - it is very popular, cheap (~ 2500r) and you can always find inexpensive spare parts for it. I draw your attention to the fact that there are different configuration options - RTF is complete, with a remote control included, and there is also a BNF for people who already have a suitable remote control.
P. S. The post is by no means an advertising post, I have nothing to do with WLToys (except for my personal experience of owning the aforementioned helicopter), they just have the cheapest "four-channel" with available spare parts.
