Hey everyone, I am interested in finding a decent indoor rc heli for around $60 or so. Nothing too serious just looking to have a little fun every now and then in my apartment =)

Can anyone point me in the right direction or to a site where I can get something like this? Thank you all!

The new blade scout cx

Are you looking at coaxial helis or single rotor helis? 3 channels or four channels? (I don't think you can find 6 channels in your price range)

I think you need to specify as to reduce the choices.

Originally Posted by bobepine

Are you looking at coaxial helis or single rotor helis? 3 channels or four channels? (I don't think you can find 6 channels in your price range)

I think you need to specify as to reduce the choices.

What Stugoose posted looks pretty good, maybe something with a tail rotor also would be cool. Sorry I am a complete beginner I have no idea what I am talking about here =/

I just want something sturdy, goes up and down, able to spin in circles while staying in one place, goes side to side. I guess all the basics.

Maybe something a tad bigger that Stugoose posted though.

For micro FP (Fixed pitch - 1 main rotor and 1 tail , flight dynamics similar to real helicopters but not quite), your best bet is a Solo Pro.. average price is 75$-80$ delivered, but add extra 20$ for charger, few extra batteries and spares. It's pretty popular, flies well and durable.

Other than that, for 60$ your best bet would be a bigger 4ch coaxial with swashplate, something like big lama or something. It wont have same speed and manuverability as micro Solo Pro, but it will be more stable and calm in the air (inside), and if it has a swashplate (means it doesnt need tail rotor) - you will even be able to hold some control outside during slight breeze.

Also, avoid infrared.

Originally Posted by Meggy

For micro FP (Fixed pitch - 1 main rotor and 1 tail , flight dynamics similar to real helicopters but not quite), your best bet is a Solo Pro.. average price is 75$-80$ delivered, but add extra 20$ for charger, few extra batteries and spares. It's pretty popular, flies well and durable.

Other than that, for 60$ your best bet would be a bigger 4ch coaxial with swashplate, something like big lama or something. It wont have same speed and manuverability as micro Solo Pro, but it will be more stable and calm in the air (inside), and if it has a swashplate (means it doesnt need tail rotor) - you will even be able to hold some control outside during slight breeze.

Also, avoid infrared.

I like the Solo Pro, is it made out of all plastic though?

yep and a plastic heli for a new flyer is a wonderful thing!

$60? Get 3 Syma S110's. You won't regret it.

Originally Posted by xenophobe

$60? Get 3 Syma S110's. You won't regret it.

Originally Posted by s_paulik87

What Stugoose posted looks pretty good, maybe something with a tail rotor also would be cool. Sorry I am a complete beginner I have no idea what I am talking about here =/

I just want something sturdy, goes up and down, able to spin in circles while staying in one place, goes side to side. I guess all the basics.

Maybe something a tad bigger that Stugoose posted though.

Those Symas are 3 channel and won't do side to side. The Solo Pro will take some getting used to if you want to turn while staying in one place. A 4 channel coax like the regular Solo or Bravo III will turn on the spot though. The Bravo SX single rotor will also turn almost on the spot, but falls out of the 60 dollar price range. Nice thing about getting a coaxial first, is that you can use the TX to fly a single rotor as well, should you later on want more speed and challenge.

Originally Posted by s_paulik87

What Stugoose posted looks pretty good, maybe something with a tail rotor also would be cool.

Something with a tail rotor is harder to control than a coaxial bi-rotor, which are much more precise and stable (but slower).
As a side note : real coaxials exist (not the most well-known helis, I've never seen one myself), they are used where you need really precise operation, for instance landing on ships. The Kamov series are a good example.

Originally Posted by SoloPro

Those Symas are 3 channel and won't do side to side. The Solo Pro will take some getting used to if you want to turn while staying in one place. A 4 channel coax like the regular Solo or Bravo III will turn on the spot though. The Bravo SX single rotor will also turn almost on the spot, but falls out of the 60 dollar price range. Nice thing about getting a coaxial first, is that you can use the TX to fly a single rotor as well, should you later on want more speed and challenge.

Yes, they're only 3 channel... but you can do more with them in a small area faster than you can with an msr.

And if your budget is $60, can't beat the fun out of them, IMO. I guess that depends on your definition of fun. I can race full speed obstacle courses that would put my msr to shame indoors. Sure, the msr does scale flight much better, but it's a lot more boring...

The Syma 110s is not something I would recommend for a new pilot with a 60 dollar budget. New pilots are interested in good fly time and while the Syma does well for time, once the battery runs out you're done. You have to wait for it to recharge because the battery is fixed inside the heli. You can't just put another battery in and fly some more. Now that's super boring for a new pilot and for any pilot for that matter.

Moreover, new pilots tend to run the battery quite low so they burn it quickly. Within only twenty flights, you'll find the flight time and performance will decrease a lot and more often than not, these helis have cheap batteries that come with the cheap price tag so you'll be lucky to get 30 decent flights out of the battery.

Once the battery is dead, the heli is worthless because a new battery for these birds is worth about 75% of the price of a new heli.

Parts are not commonly sold for these helis, either, so if you break it, you're out of luck, and you WILL break it because they are cheap made-in-China-bottom-of-the-barrel-junk. In all fairness, they are durable and they can take a beating, but they are not unbreakable.

Additionally, these helis are only 3 channels which means that if you ever want to move up in quality and improve your skills, you'll be looking at four channels helis and that means you'll have to learn how to fly all over again.

You also have to decide if you want to learn to fly Mode 1 or Mode 2. This means the stick controls are different. You will not have that option with a 3 channel helicopter like the syma.

Here's an example of the kind of heli that makes a perfect first helicopter.



This kind of heli is available in mode 1 or 2 and it's just over 30 bucks. You can use different batteries (You can buy spares at a good price) and you can learn how hobby grade helis fly with all the ease of flight of a cheap 3 channel toy and all the same stability. Except it will do loops around any 3 channel helicopters out there and you'll actually be learning something valuable if you ever choose to get a better heli and continue gaining skills in this hobby.

I should also mention that the syma can't be flown in direct sunlight because the infrared transmitter can't cope with sunlight. You will just lose control of the heli. The one pictured above operates with a 2.4 ghz transmitter which gives you WAY more range and it isn't affected by sunlight.

Happy beginnings!

Originally Posted by xenophobe

Yes, they're only 3 channel... but you can do more with them in a small area faster than you can with an msr.

And if your budget is $60, can't beat the fun out of them, IMO. I guess that depends on your definition of fun. I can race full speed obstacle courses that would put my msr to shame indoors. Sure, the msr does scale flight much better, but it's a lot more boring...

Fully agree on the fun-factor, I also enjoy my S107 and 6010s. But since the topicstarter mentioned "side-to-side" a 4 channel seems in order. Bobepine's suggestion would also be nice, don't expect top quality, but since most coaxials only serve as learning tool for the step to single rotor, that won't matter much. Besides, you can buy 2 of these for 60 dollar.

Originally Posted by SoloPro

Fully agree on the fun-factor, I also enjoy my S107 and 6010s. But since the topicstarter mentioned "side-to-side" a 4 channel seems in order. Bobepine's suggestion would also be nice, don't expect top quality, but since most coaxials only serve as learning tool for the step to single rotor, that won't matter much. Besides, you can buy 2 of these for 60 dollar.

Just one thing to consider is the 3 channel models often have unusual stick orientations which then builds into bad habits that are difficult to get out of - its not long back that a lad was asking how he could set up his new 4 channel to the same configuration as the old 3 channel.

Regards David

Originally Posted by s_paulik87

Hey everyone, I am interested in finding a decent indoor rc heli for around $60 or so. Nothing too serious just looking to have a little fun every now and then in my apartment =)

Can anyone point me in the right direction or to a site where I can get something like this? Thank you all!

First of all welcome to the most addictive hobby, and RC site on the planet! Your statement brought a smile to my face as I'm sure it did for a lot of us. I too was looking to have a little fun with rc helicopters and bought a cheap department store heli about 4 years ago for 40.00 thinkin I'm just gonna fool around with it once in a while. LOL
Four years later, and thousands of dollars spent I currently own only 8 heli's, but have bought several dozen through the years. Believe me, they are as addictive as heroin, lol...
Do yourself a huge favor and save just a couple more bucks up and get a well know brand and start off with a coaxial with a swash. I think "bobepine" hit it right on. You will not regret following his recommendations, and save yourself a lot of headaches and money.
The Syma 3 channels are really cool and ya get a lot of heli for the buck, but they will make it much harder to learn a 4 channel later. Infra red radios do have a lot of glitches from time to time compared to 2.4ghz. I've been flying a Syma 110 for a week or so, and last night I went to fly some of my 4 and 6 channel heli's. I almost lost my Trex 450 cause my thumbs and head were flying 3 channel automatically cause thats what I had been flying most recently and got acclimated to it.
Personally, I like eFlite's mcx as a starter. Order one with transmitter and you can step up to the eFlite msr without having to buy another transmitter. Parts and accessories are abundant and can be bought at a hobby store or online. EFlite makes several different aircraft that you can fly with one transmitter. They are called Bind-n-Fly. Also, Horizon Hobby has great support and service. Not taking away from any of the other hobby stores, but my experience with HH has been second to none.
This is however, just MY experience and opinion, and everyone has one.

One thing is definitely for sure and that is if you buy one, your hooked!