subject: The Best Remote Control Helicopter? [print this page] There really is no simple answer to this question. Nowadays, an RC helicopter comes in different makes, models and designs. They are also powered by different types of engines which use different sources of power. For this reason, the best one will generally depend on your level of skill and flying experience. What works for a novice obviously wont work for a flier who competes professionally and likewise, what works for a hobbyist will not work for military purposes. What are you hoping to get from your choice and what kind of expectations do you have of the aircraft? Knowing the answers to these questions will help your hobby store attendant/seller help you decide which aircraft is best for you.
For a novice, the best type is a small ready to fly model. Try a micro coaxial or a fixed pitch single rotor RC helicopter. Fixed pitch basically means that the flier cannot change the angle of the blades .They are easy to handle, faster to learn and also easy on the pocket. If you have a little more flying experience under your belt, then try a single rotor collective pitch electric model. These come in both electric and nitro versions. Collective pitch versions are smooth to fly but are harder to learn. This type of helicopter requires more maintenance and is therefore more expensive to operate.
For the highly experienced enthusiast, why not try a large kit and attempt to build your own aircraft from scratch. This can be very difficult and time consuming, sometimes taking weeks to fully assemble one machine. It will however, provide you with hours of enjoyment and the joy of finally seeing your bird fly will be priceless. When building your own remote control helicopter, remember to follow all the instructions and to go through them step by step. This is very important for the safety of you and those around you. Rotor blades can come apart mid-flight and this can be very dangerous. For some hobbyists building their own helicopter is much more enjoyable than actually flying it.
An RC helicopter can also be used for commercial purposes like filming and low altitude aerial photography. In this case a normal camera is mounted onto the aircraft. When doing this, it is important to consider whether the helicopter you choose will be able to bear the weight of the camera. Obviously a bigger aircraft will work better as it easier to control and more visible in the air. The perfect size is one in the 450 to 600 range.
The military as well as the police uses an RC helicopter as a spy plane or drone, for aerodynamic testing as well as to gather weather readings. With their huge budgets they can obviously afford the best nitro powered models in the market.
Dont be tempted to make an impulse buy just because the advert said that individual model was the best in the market. Choose what you think or feel will work best for you.
