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Snelflight Jump Jet, a Fast R/C Micro-Aircraft That Hovers Too
Posted by Gizmodo US Edition at 6:45 AM on March 17, 2008
You know, remote control micro-aircraft are cool, whether they hover like 'copters, fly like birds, or do both: like the new Jump Jet from Snelflight. It's a kind of mashup toy, with four rotors to keep it aloft in the hover, or tilted to propel it forward, vectored-thrust style. From the demo video of a prototype in flight, it looks much easier to control than the multiple-crashing Chinook:
The aircraft charges from a power brick (not the controller, like Picoo Zs,) and a full battery will apparently give you around five to six minutes of flight. Its got proper three-axis control too, so you have forward and backward flight and yaw and roll. The IR remote has a range of 30 feet, and the model is designed to be as robust as you can get in such a small size, so it should survive the impacts it'll incur as you learn to fly it. This extra sophistication means it will cost around $160, and it's due for release imminently in the UK and later in the spring over in the US. And I want one! [SnelFlight]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
qwopzxnm
Posted 9:45 AM 17/3/08
@Mith:
This is all I need.
/wifes cat.
qwopzxnm
Mith
Posted 9:45 AM 17/3/08
Any ideas on what kind of havoc you can cause with this?
So far the only thing i can think of is annoying your cat with it
Mith
The-Joker
Posted 9:45 AM 17/3/08
They should have increased the range on the remote comtrol to like 50 for 60 feet, so i could fly it to my neighbors yard and spy on them, lol.
The-Joker
MacBandit
Posted 9:45 AM 17/3/08
Very cool.
Question, does anyone have a link to the r/c helicopter that I believe was shown at CES in 2007. This R/C had propellers on opposite ends of a shaft and the whole shaft would rotate around the body which was in the center. The body itself would stay stationary. There was a video of it taking off hitting the ceiling and then regaining partial control just before hitting someone.
MacBandit
MormonJay
Posted 9:45 AM 17/3/08
the iFairy kinda creeped me out to be honest...
MormonJay
strider_mt2k
Posted 9:45 AM 17/3/08
That looks extremely cool!
WOW!
strider_mt2k
Boognish
Posted 11:27 AM 17/3/08
I guess it's called the Alien Air or Snelflight: Microfly
Boognish
Boognish
Posted 11:27 AM 17/3/08
I liked the little moth one where can you get that?
Boognish
Computer_Chef
Posted 1:07 PM 17/3/08
I'm actually disappointed. Nothing I saw in the video indicated that it ever tilted the motors far enough to use the wings for lift. It just seems to be a helicopter "skinned" to look like a plane. Pretty nifty, but not as cool as I expected. I'd need to see it pull a loop to be impressed.
Computer_Chef
Brentis
Posted 1:07 PM 17/3/08
meh. doesn't seem like it has much forward speed vs. just a glorified hovercraft.
Brentis
Silent_Shark
Posted 1:07 PM 17/3/08
I...
WANT...
ONE...
NOW!!!
Silent_Shark
frank26080115
Posted 2:49 PM 17/3/08
I like how they angled the rotors for more stability
frank26080115
Kaiser-Machead
Posted 4:25 PM 17/3/08
@Computer_Chef: Yeah. This is cool and all, but I'd love something that could do some serious Harrier jet maneuvering. This isn't a very elaborate doodad though, so it gets nothing but thumbs up for me.
Kaiser-Machead
--Tito--
Posted 6:03 PM 17/3/08
I want it and I could deliver messages around my house! Or scare my little brother!
--Tito--
Mith
Posted 7:39 PM 17/3/08
What kind of payload can it deliver?
Mith
strider_mt2k
Posted 9:22 PM 17/3/08
'bout half a ton of FUN!
strider_mt2k
jeffrey115
Posted 12:49 AM 18/3/08
So... didn't you guys get read the riot act a little while back for copying press releases into your articles? How do you know the body of this small aircraft is as robust as it's gonna get? Have you tried it? Do you know that it's a quality product? I realize you have a tough job to do, finding new tech and talking about it first, but don't they send you guys swag? Also, if you're getting paid by the clicks for articles now, instead of by the number of posts, how about you put your videos on the main page so that you're not cheating anymore. I'd rather watch the demonstration video than read the press releases. Thanks!
jeffrey115
Gojulas
Posted 5:40 AM 18/3/08
@riqgeez:
You mean like Sarah Roemer? I'll take that chance!
Oh, these look very cool. Too pricey, but very cool.
Gojulas
riqgeez
Posted 5:40 AM 18/3/08
Hey Joker, I take it you didn't see Disturbia? Neighbor spying might get you more than what you bargained for.
riqgeez
MarkB
Posted 9:39 AM 18/3/08
Ok so how did nobody else say anything about the "Uranus" flyer? Is this not the Internet people!? You are slipping! Good thing I caught this.
I just wonder how much abuse Uranus can take.
MarkB
The-Joker
Posted 10:37 AM 19/3/08
@riqgeez: na i didn't see it. I think its a horror movie right? To tell the truth, i've never seen a horror movie in my life, only the movie commercials. The closest things to a horror movie i saw was Scary Movie 1,2,3 and 4. Im scared of horror movies for some reason..
The-Joker