Electronic Remote Control Helicopters

In this day and age, owning your own electric remote control helicopters is easy and affordable. Due to improved battery, motor and micro electronics technology, electric helicopters are the most exponentially growing niche in the remote control helicopter industry. These birds come in different sizes of between 7 – 80 inches. The most popular hobby grade single rotor collective pitch models are the 400 class/size electrics. They are large enough to be a good trainer yet small enough to be relatively easy to purchase, operate and repair. rnThe design of single rotor collective pitch versions is similar to that of nitro or gas. The controls you are going to use and the assembly process are exactly the same. Flying the electric remote control helicopters can be expensive if you want to make back to back flights as you will need several battery packs. However you will never have to buy fuel again and in the long run it is cheaper to maintain an electric motor than a nitro-powered one. rnAs a beginner it is best to start off with a Mini copter as they are smaller, less expensive and durable. This will allow you to perfect your skills before moving onto more advanced variations. A simple 2 channel bird will fly up left and right while a 3 channel mini one will make it possible for you to fly up, left/right, forward/backwards. rnIf you are more serious and wish to make this a hobby, then try out the 4 channel coaxial helicopter. Coaxial models, as the name suggests, come with dual rotors with each rotating in opposite directions. This counteracts the force between the two cables thus making for a more stable and consistent flight even by someone with no prior experience. Hovering and slow forward flight is achieved though it has its limits when it comes to flight performance and aerobatic maneuvers. Basically these are out of the question. Coaxial models have the advantage of being easy to master. Once you have mastered the coaxial type, you can move up to the fixed pitch electric remote control helicopters. These are just like any other radio control models but the difference is that they do not have collective pitch controls to the main rotor. Collective pitch is what controls the altitude on a real helicopter by changing the pitch angle of the main blades. The Fixed pitch versions rely on rotor speed to control altitude. Next in line are the collective pitch remote control helicopters. This is more expensive than an FP version and does require some time to master. You will see that with lots of practice this type of aircraft can do some very great tricks in the air. The advantage of the electric remote control helicopters is that they don’t create a mess like nitro engines. This means they can be used indoors. The most important thing to remember is that a single rotor chopper is not a toy. Spinning rotor blades can cause a lot of damage to yourself or those around you. To get the best value for your money, do some research and shop around at your local hobby stores and online. The range and variety means that there is an electric model for almost every budget and flying need.