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New Micro-Helicopter First With Proper Cyclic Controls, Says Japanese Maker
Posted by Kit Eaton at 9:47 PM on August 13, 2008
Though Pico Z toy helicopters and their ilk are fun, they're bloody difficult to control (even the Tandem Z version) since they lack the control sophistication of bigger models. But Kyosho is trying to sort that out with its upcoming "Minium AD Calibre 120 Readyset" micro-helicopter model, which has a proper cyclic control—the world's first in a micro-copter, Kyosho says. It's similar to that used to steer the blades of a real helicopter, and means you should be able to accurately hover, reverse and do banking turns. And crash. The 30-gram, 12cm model is a US$240 kit though, so you won't really want to do that often. Out in September, in Japan. [CrunchGear]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
B1663R
Posted 10:05 PM 13/8/08
i got one of them little air hog helicopters. they are a bitch to fly. it goes up/down and has tail rotor controls. i'm telling you it pure luck if you manage to get the thing to stop spinning and to get it to fly forward.
it also keeps getting stuck in my dog's fur...
B1663R
reiyaku
Posted 10:02 PM 13/8/08
DO want. I need to put this on the list for Santa.
reiyaku
strider_mt2k
Posted 9:59 PM 13/8/08
The real thing ain't cheap, and if you think it's easy I have peals of laughter for you to listen to.
(While we're cleaning up)
strider_mt2k
Y2KGTP
Posted 10:52 PM 13/8/08
better off getting a e-flite model from Horizon Hobbies
Y2KGTP
sqeakytoy of the apocalypse
Posted 11:24 PM 13/8/08
@strider_mt2k: and yeah, buy about three of them to get an hour of jetranger time.
sqeakytoy of the apocalypse
sqeakytoy of the apocalypse
Posted 11:24 PM 13/8/08
@strider_mt2k: just think "waxing the inside of a fishbowl" if you need a visual. Although, with a couple of long spring mounted carbon fiber rods to work as flip preventers, this has promise.
sqeakytoy of the apocalypse
GeekyNerdGuy
Posted 11:43 PM 13/8/08
$240?!!! I could rent a ride on a real one for that!
Seriously, as fast as we crashed the hell out of our airhogs last Christmas, I think this would be a waste. Especially since my brother thought he was doing us a favor by getting us all the lifetime replacement warranty at Sharper Image. Then they stopped carrying them because they were a fire hazard. Then they went out of business and wouldn't even give us store credit.
GeekyNerdGuy
fastharry
Posted 12:18 AM 14/8/08
I'm sure 240 is the retail price, and like all RC stuff, it will sell for alot less....My guess is in the 140 range....and there is no disputing KYOSHO quality...
fastharry
dartmouth01
Posted 12:13 AM 14/8/08
Kyosho stuff is always expensive. And this heli isn't the first micro with cyclic controls. Check out the Walkera 4#3, its the same size and same controls for $100+ US.
dartmouth01
Netscott
Posted 12:06 AM 14/8/08
Um, give me a Walkera 4#3B please, thank you. While the Walkera is a fixed pitch helicopter it does have proper cyclic controls and is just a tiny bit larger than this one... but... it cost roughly half the price of this one.
-Scott
Netscott
tinyhands
Posted 12:23 AM 14/8/08
@Netscott: Check that- Fixed pitch and cyclic controls are mutually exclusive.
tinyhands
m4ximusprim3
Posted 1:44 AM 14/8/08
@tinyhands: No, fixed pitch and collective are mutually exclusive. This is just another 4#3.
Show me a micro with real ccpm and then you'll have something hot. Inverted living room flight? Cha Ching.
By the way, anyone who hasn't flown helis before should steer clear of these and wait for the blade mCX coming this winter. That will be a fun, stable indoor flyer for the uninitiated.
m4ximusprim3
LittleJon
Posted 1:41 AM 14/8/08
This will probably be very twitchy and hard to fly. The Picco Z and it's clones (and the small contra-rotating helis) are inherently stable, but a conventional design is not.
LittleJon
treetop1000
Posted 3:11 AM 14/8/08
Walkera 5#6 owner here, and yes, absolutely difficult to learn to fly. You need to learn to fly a real r/w aircraft first, then the toy skills come naturally.
positively not for children.
treetop1000
m4ximusprim3
Posted 3:02 AM 14/8/08
@Lukewpnunn: yeah, i've seen those but never gotten to try one. The CP Pro was plenty twitchy enough for me :)
m4ximusprim3
bpapa9013
Posted 2:56 AM 14/8/08
But I want a heli that is small enough to explore my sinuses...
bpapa9013
Lukewpnunn
Posted 2:50 AM 14/8/08
The Blue Arrow 3DX V2 is a full 6 channel copter for under $200 RTF but even at a tiny 12" diameter main rotor, they are a twitchfest. Offically the smallest that can do inverted flight and aerobatics.
I can't imagine anything smaller being useable.
Lukewpnunn
Posted 8:35 PM 14/8/08
GeekyNerdGuy, totally true, we rent our R-22 for $265/hr.
R/C heli's with real controls are typically beyond the capabilities of most people, especially if they get it nose in to themselves - boom!
I've been too busy lately flying full scale, my Concept 30SX (Geez, I'm dating myself now ...) is sitting on it's trickle charger in the basement, unused for over a year or more ...