The whole controlling it with your phone is way more a gimmick- not impressed and I love gimmicks.I'd rather have a decent helicopter, the couple below seem better for controlling and flying purposes:


SYMA S108G 3.5 CH Infrared Mini Radio Controlled Marine Cobra Helicopter Gyro
238 reviews averaging 4 stars $24

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IBPQEW/

or this one:
Syma S109G Apache AH-64 3.5-Channels Mini Indoor Helicopter $25
222 reviews averaging 4 stars

http://www.amazon.com/Syma-S109G-Apache-3-5-Channels-Helicopter/dp/B004L2J7W0/ref=pd_sim_t_1

Interesting, posts telling the truth about the craptastic nature of this thing are deleted huh?

michgirl1960 wrote:Go for the syma 107 at amazon.com.
I have three and they fly well for the price.
About 28.00 with free shipping. They have an
IR controller that is 3 channel. Charge from
a USB port on a computer. Flies about 6 min.
Fly just above the foor until you get the
hang of it and you in busines.
I have three 4 channel "Blade" copters also
that are RC (rf) they are in the 100.00 range.
Much like a real copter. Don't be fooled,
none of these light weight copters fly well
outdoors. Any wind at all and you fight to
keep it near you. In a gym they are great.
michman

The Xieda 9958 flies pretty well outdoors (but not so good indoors), my V911 required modding for better outdoor flight, but it's still not there yet. I'm modding both for good indoor/outdoor flight, but may just settle for using the 9958 for outdoors and my V911 for indoors.

jaburg wrote:Interesting, posts telling the truth about the craptastic nature of this thing are deleted huh?

Woot deleted my comment which isn't the first time. All I did was trash PC owners who complained that this item was for a limited group. If you are buying a smart phone based wheather you can fly a $20.00 gizmo that is going to be useless within three hours then you have some major issues.

jaburg wrote:Interesting, posts telling the truth about the craptastic nature of this thing are deleted huh?

I highly doubt thats why they were deleted but I didn't see them. If you don't like the rules, don't use the board. It's an extra privledge.

troller11 wrote:This would mean a LOT more to me if they were also Android compatible.

Apple....giving you LESS for MORE MONEY.

According to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y95SOhxwAM8 this video it is also andriod compatible just so everyone knows.

This is literally they biggest piece of junk. I fly R/C helicopters, and the problems with this are:
No Swash plate to control movement in the air. (the swash plate is what tilts the blades on a heli to make the heli go in a certain direction. It's a simplified explanation, but I think you get the idea)

No way, at least easy way, to get replacement parts.

It is really just a little ole POS....

For $60 you could go out and pick up an Eflite Scout, and have a similarly small heli that is 100 times better than this junky thing...

Just my $0.02 worth

Looks like that infrared transmitter would be of longer-lasting benefit paired with a TV remote control app.

GirlFromJerzey wrote:I don't know anything about these. Can someone tell me the difference between the woot offering and this - http://www.amazon.com/Syma-S107-S107G-Helicopter-Yellow/dp/B004A8ZRB0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329545056&sr=8-2

They look the same to me - but there must be some huge difference.

Thanks.

It looks like the helicopter is the same as the syma. I see no point in paying more to have to supply your own controller. I have the syma in your link and it is a very stable helicopter because it has counter rotating blades. Sometimes ir control can be bad but but i have no trouble. They must have used a high quality ir receiver. Have an iphone or not i think you get the syma i don't think controlling a helicopter with touch screen would give you very good control.

breezyjr wrote:This is literally they biggest piece of junk. I fly R/C helicopters, and the problems with this are:
No Swash plate to control movement in the air. (the swash plate is what tilts the blades on a heli to make the heli go in a certain direction. It's a simplified explanation, but I think you get the idea)

No way, at least easy way, to get replacement parts.

It is really just a little ole POS....


For $60 you could go out and pick up an Eflite Scout, and have a similarly small heli that is 100 times better than this junky thing...

Just my $0.02 worth

wrong... You get your forward and backward motion from the rear prop tilting the heli forward or back and it turns buy slowing down one of the counter rotating blades. It actually works very well. I have a syma its the same heli with a regular controller. Under the syma s107 name there are replacement parts all over amazon.

I own about 10 mini RC Helicopters. The ones in this listing appear to be almost identical to the Syma S107G. Although these and the S107 are aesthetically superior. The fastest, *sturdiest*, most stable, and easiest to maneuver helicopter is
Syma's Apache version, the S109G

I have no idea why the Apache is better. My theory is that it has something to do with the shape and the fact that the plastic is lighter than metal. Believe me, I wanted these nice metal RC Helicopters to be better. They look much nicer. The Apache looks like a plastic kids toy. But the Apache turns out to the best indoor, sub $30 RC Helicopter by a long shot. I've owned 3 helicopters like the one here and they all either broke very fast or did not fly nearly as well.

A few other things:

• Never get an RC Helicopter without a Gyro. Most of the people who have left bad reviews or hate these things, tried helicopters without Gyros. They are *much* more difficult to fly. You can tell if it has a gyro if it says so in the description, or if it says "3.5 ch" or "3.5 channel". The extra ".5" channel is supposed to the gyro helping you control the helicopter.
  
• The metal helicopters are not sturdier than the plastic ones. Because the parts that break are still plastic on the metal copters
  
• These things are FUN as HELL. If you think this might be something you would be in to. They probably are. These things are right up there with bucky-balls as the best toys for adults.
  
• Another good RC Heli is the Chinook
  
• Some would argue that this helicopter is better than the Apache. I think it is slower, but its very durable: Syma S102G
  

Do u need a smart phone to fly this hell.

I bought one of these and it didn't work. I had to pay shipping to send it back to company. The new one that they sent didn't work either. I called and complained, but the only teenager that you can talk to doesn't have any idea how to help. This product is a farce. I will never again order from this company (not Woot - Woot is good).

gak0090 wrote:The whole controlling it with your phone is way more a gimmick- not impressed and I love gimmicks.I'd rather have a decent helicopter, the couple below seem better for controlling and flying purposes:


SYMA S108G 3.5 CH Infrared Mini Radio Controlled Marine Cobra Helicopter Gyro
238 reviews averaging 4 stars $24

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IBPQEW/

or this one:
Syma S109G Apache AH-64 3.5-Channels Mini Indoor Helicopter $25
222 reviews averaging 4 stars

http://www.amazon.com/Syma-S109G-Apache-3-5-Channels-Helicopter/dp/B004L2J7W0/ref=pd_sim_t_1

I had one S108G a while ago that was awesome. I've ordered 4 since, and each had problems. The biggest problem is that there is a significant delay between then you give it a command from the controller and it responds to the command. I assume this is an issue with the circuitry in their most recent run.

Go with the S109G, the Apache.

slayerphreak wrote:I bought one of these and it didn't work. I had to pay shipping to send it back to company. The new one that they sent didn't work either. I called and complained, but the only teenager that you can talk to doesn't have any idea how to help. This product is a farce. I will never again order from this company (not Woot - Woot is good).

Amazon.com!

Free return shipping. Refund on the shipping you already paid.

troller11 wrote:This would mean a LOT more to me if they were also Android compatible.

Apple....giving you LESS for MORE MONEY.

Correct user name

Pass on this and buy a Syma S107G. Great copter and I've had a few others. Yu can snag one off Amazon for te same or less.

troller11 wrote:This would mean a LOT more to me if they were also Android compatible.

Apple....giving you LESS for MORE MONEY.

Windows fanboys are out early today!

I purchased eight of these for Christmas and birthday's. Out of eight only ONE ever worked. Buyer beware.

DMelton wrote:Would have already bought one for me and a buddy if they did. Good job on bringing us a product that only appeals to a limited consumer base.

Every product they sell appeals to a limited consumer base. Do you buy a product from Woot everyday?

These are an absolute blast, but a word of caution for potential buyers- the propellers need to be safeguarded! Take good care of the propellers because they have a tendency to bend or break when mistreated. Even when you store it be sure to set the copter upright so as to not damage the props. Unlimited hours of fun as long as you protect them!

Okay, guys, here's a super-short explanation on the different cheap IR-control RC choppers...

This 2 channel / 3-channel / 3.5 channel? Gimmick marketing. None of these actually fly like a real chopper.

"2 channel" choppers have main rotor and tail rotor (pointed horizontally) like regular helcopter. The only controls are throttle for main rotor and left/right turn (by varying the amount of tail rotor spin). The main rotor is adjusted for a slight forward pitch so it cannot hover, but instead is always going forward, albeit slowly. (There are some models with counter-rotating main rotors, but a single motor drives both rotors through gears, so it's still 2 channel)

This model does NOT hover. Best you can do is a tight spin.

"3 channel" choppers have coaxial main rotors (2 rotors on same axis) that are counter rotating: one clockwise and the other counter-clockwise. The momentum cancels so the body doesn't spin. The main rotor axis is fixed. You "turn" by making one or the other rotor spin a little faster and slow the other down. To go forward and backward, the tail rotor points UPWARD so it can pull the tail up (to go forward) or push the tail down (go backwards). It's 3 channels because it controls 3 motors: 2 for main rotor and 1 for tail rotor.

The 0.5 channel in this case is a purely marketing term for the lights and/or tail rotor speed and the amount of forward speed it allows before the "gyros" dampens your input.

The "gyros" are tilt sensors that can add a bit of counter-balancing input to allow the craft to hover and/or stabilization.

mrmrsbogie wrote:Do u need a smart phone to fly this hell.

yes. The "controller" attaches to an Iphone or Android (according to the manufacturer, also Windows Phone 7, but I have no info on it)

brucedoesbms wrote:So, let's just say I have a Dumbphone... then what am I supposed to do?...

Buy the one with its own controller instead of this one.

Does the GYRO come with tzatziki?

where can i get replacement parts. looking for the landing gear. thanks

Timbo108 wrote:Pass on this and buy a Syma S107G. Great copter and I've had a few others. Yu can snag one off Amazon for te same or less.

That's the Syma 107G without the smartphone controller. If you really want that option they go for $35-45.
http://www.amazon.com/iPhone-iTouch-Controlled-Syma-S107G/dp/B005SXVEAO
http://www.rc-fever.com/syma-s107g-smartphone-iphone-android-control-infrared-3ch-rc-helicopter-rtf-w-gyro-red-p-14196.html?affiliate_banner_id=1&ref=92

I've had one for over a year. It doesn't have the smartphone controller. It's the only model I can fly without breaking it. lol

DutrowLLC wrote:

• Never get an RC Helicopter without a Gyro. Most of the people who have left bad reviews or hate these things, tried helicopters without Gyros. They are *much* more difficult to fly. You can tell if it has a gyro if it says so in the description, or if it says "3.5 ch" or "3.5 channel". The extra ".5" channel is supposed to the gyro helping you control the helicopter.
  

Agree about the gyro, but I don't think that has anything to do with the .5 channel.

Gyro is basically "orientation" sensor, much like the tilt sensors in your smartphone, inside the chopper itself. It doesn't make the chopper any more stable. It is an INPUT DAMPENER, that controls the amount of input you set. For example, if you command chopper to go full left spin, the gyro will step in after the spin reaches a certain speed to prevent you from OVERcontrolling it.

Here's a good discussion on gyros, though they're talking about gyros for the bigger 4+ channel birds, not these tiny toys.

http://www.rchelicopterfun.com/rc-helicopter-gyro.html

WORKS WITH ANDROID!

But not if you can't read! (See above)

kschang wrote:Okay,

The 0.5 channel in this case is a purely marketing term for the lights and/or tail rotor speed.

The ".5" stands for the Gyro.

Used a $20 coupon from jumbo woot and picked it up for $10.99. Good deal anyone?!

So, this is basically only for iClones?

Well, that's about $30 Woot just saved me.

I need to turn on airplane mode to fly my helo? BS i want my money back just out of principle!!!

DutrowLLC wrote:The ".5" stands for the Gyro.

The folks at WattFlyer disagrees:

http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showpost.php?p=722448&postcount=6

Here's one on Amazon that states very clearly that the .5 is a speed control.

The regular 3 channels allow you to fly : up, down, turn left, turn right, move forward, backward. This new 3.5 channels does all that, plus it let you control the speed, you can either fly in low or high speed by simply switch the speed control button.

http://www.amazon.com/RC-Toys-Village-Channel-Helicopter/dp/B0032HI5MS

So these only work if you have an IPhone??

I 2nd the gimic about controlling with your geek phone. What's the appeal for this? It's not like you're going to have very good control with a flat interface.....if that was the case they'd make real RC controllers with Nintendo classic pads instead of sticks.

It's like trying to drive a sports car with your ipad.....is that REALLY something you want to do?

"There's an app for that".......just because you can doesn't mean you should.

troller11 wrote:This would mean a LOT more to me if they were also Android compatible.

Apple....giving you LESS for MORE MONEY.

HAHA I completely agree...make this android compatible and I will buy 3!!!
I will have to talk to a software developer buddy of mine and see if its possible..im sure it is with an open source environment. To hell with apple!

kschang wrote:
They actually recommend you turn on airplane mode before you start playing.

Probably better to turn on Helicopter mode...

My neighbor got me hooked on mini RC copters. I bought a Syma S109G Apache model on Amazon for $25...was so pleased with it that I bought a second. Very stable, easy to use, and fast. Replacement parts are cheap and readily available.

He's tried several non Syma helicopters, such as this one, and reported problems and general suckage. Pass on this and go with Syma brand for a reliably fun experience.

Smartphone controls are gimmicky and imprecise; you'll get better granularity in the controls with a standard IR remote controller.

What would be fun of course, is to reverse engineer the control protocols and write a routine to run the helicopter with no one near the phone. At some pre determined time, the thing lifts off, flies around and lands.

Of course, to REALLY do that right, you'ld have to link the phone's camera in and watch the location of the moving copter.

There's a programming project for you for the weekend after you get the copter.