The Heli Cage has the same electronic setup as the latest Havoc Heli’s as it is advertised to have 5-way control (as opposed to the previous generations 4-way control) . The controller also has the new Turbo Forward button from the Havoc Heli in order to give more control over forward flight. On the side of the box it states that you can “Crash and Keep Going” along with a note that the heli always lands upright. Finally the box notes that the cage can be removed for regular flight.

I just purchased the Heli Cage so the full hands-on review will come after I get some time to play with it. In the mean time here are some pictures of the Air Hogs Heli Cage in the box:

The Good

• Small and lightweight – about the size of a Havoc Heli
• Durable plastic instead of foam
• Extra tail rotors included in the package

The Bad

• Price – $80
• Stability – Gyro only affects tail
• Controllability - takes a lot of practice to control it well

My Hands on Experience with the Helix 360

I was really excited initially when I stumbled upon the Air Hogs Helix 360 at Target. I had not heard of it before and was taken back that this little copter had 4 channels and a gyro built into it. The price seemed a little high but I expected there to be a more real helicopter feel to it with the extra channel so I figured it would be worth it.

Out of the box the micro heli seemed like it was put together well and it charged up pretty quick. My initial flight with the Helix 360 wasn’t near as fun as I expected it to be though. It took a little effort to trim the copter and even when I could not trim it any more I still could not get it to hover in place. It always wanted to go to the left a little no matter how much I turned the trim knob.

Forward flight did not seem much better then what you would get with a Havoc Heli. It would go forward when you push the stick but then would rock back some and then go forward a little more. I really expected more from a 4 channel helicopter.

On my first flight I got about 7 minutes of flight time from the Helix. The copter was a little difficult to control compared to other 2 and 3 channel micro helis that I have flow. This is understandable though as the extra channel does require more input and concentration. I guess the issue that I had was that I seemed to spend more time concentrating on getting it not to do something I didn’t want it to do as opposed to doing what I wanted it to do. I fly these things to have fun and buzz my kid’s and dog’s heads, not to fight against them.

Compared to the Syma S107

The overall feeling of flying the Helix 360 wasn’t near as fun as what I experienced with the Syma S107. There are two main reasons for this – price and stability.

The price of the S107 is only $30 which is nearly 1/3 of the Helix 360. This makes it easier to swallow (and justify) when purchasing. With the Syma you aren’t spending much so your expectation isn’t as high but then it blows you away. With the Helix you are paying a good amount and personally I was disappointed with the performance at the price I paid. I expected more then what I got from the Syma.

Out of the box the Syma was stable and hovered in place without any trimming. Forward flight is a little bit of struggle with it but so is it with the Havoc Heli and the rest of the small and inexpensive micro heli’s. As mentioned above even after doing a lot of trimming the Helix did not hover as well as the Syma.

Overall the Syma had more of a wow and fun factor (especially for the price) then the Helix 360. I feel like I got more then my money’s worth with the Syma S107. I felt like I wanted my money back with the Helix 360.

If you are looking for a micro helicopter that is going to give you the most bang for your buck I would recommend the Syma S107.

Conclusion

It is cool to see Air Hogs pushing the envelope and packing so much technology into a small package. Unfortunately I don’t think they quite delivered for the price on this one. The Air Hogs Helix 360 is a great idea but not the best execution. My recommendation would be to spend your money on a Syma S107 instead.

Videos

Hear are some videos of the Air Hogs Helix 360

www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8CEN7cHRRg

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt_E3OLHYT8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4FIAg3vVdM

The Hawk Eye is basically a Havoc Heli but without the tail rotor and a larger midsection that houses the camera. It has built in stability software that gives it better flying characteristics then previous Havoc Heli’s.

The camera is activated via the controller an allows you to snap photos and/or start and stop the video camera.

The best thing about the Hawk Eye is the price – it only goes for about $70 which is much cheaper then other heli’s with built in cameras (I think the next cheapest goes for around$300). Amazon has the Hawk Eye available and you can get free 2 day shipping with their Amazon Prime Trial Membership.

Here are some videos of the Hawk Eye in action.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkcuXr9wRaQ

• Materials – The frame is made of metal, not plastic
• Stability – It has a gyro built into it
• Control – It has 3 channels
• Price – Average price is $30!

The S107 is the upgraded version of the Syma S105 which also had metal construction but did not include a gyro.

Metal Body

The significance of the metal body means that it has a better chance of surviving when you crash it. It also causes it to be more ridged which helps it be more stable thus enabling to be easier to control. All the other micro helicopter out there are plastic and foam construction and after a few emergency landings start to lose their shape.

Built in Gyro

To me this is one of the most significate features of the helicopter. I have used both the little Havoc Heli’s and the larger Blade CX and the biggest difference between the two is the gyro. The gyro adds precision and stability that you only find in the more expensive and larger helicopters.

3 Channel Control

The Air Hogs Havoc Heli took us all by storm a couple of years ago with their cool 2 channel controls that allowed for left/right and up/down control. It was pretty much stuck going forward at all times. With the addition of a 3rd channel you now have the ability to hover along with forward/back control. This is more true to what flying a real helicopter would be like.

Unbelievable Price

It is hard to believe the Syma S107 is price at around $30. The similar Blade mCX is almost 3 times the amount of money but is still plastic construction. I saw similar looking helicopter at Fry’s recently and the non-gyro models were around $30 while the gyro models were $60. Also, they were knock of brands, Syma has been around for a while and has a good name.

Amazon seems to have the best price and selection of Syma S107′s and you can also get free 2 day shipping if you sign up for their Amazon Prime program. You can check it out with the link to the right.

Videos

Here are some videos of the S107 in action just so you can see what you are in for.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFW0xqk8d38

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGFtfoWWAYc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSPi54JuEiU

The Air Hogs Apache Havoc Helicopter is a pretty standard Havoc Heli accept for the fact that it is modeled after the ever popular Military AH-64 Apache Helicopter. The Apache Havoc Heli is the familiar drab green color and sports the familiar dual cockpit of the original Apache.

The Apache Havoc Heli is loaded with the newest of control software from Air Hogs that gives it more responsive controls.

During Christmas I saw these going for up to $75 each but Amazon has them for an amazing $25 now. This is definitely the best RC helicopter to pick up for price.

You can get it here at Amazon.com or at the link above.

Technorati tags: Air Hogs Apache Havoc Heli, Air Hogs, Mini Helicopter, Micro Helicopter, Havoc Heli, Air Hogs Havoc Heli

The Robo Copter looks similar to the Havoc Heli setup but is a little bigger. The biggest difference is that this is a guy in a space suit flying around instead of a mini helicopter.

The Robo Copter is creating such a buzz because it is Air Hog’s most stable helicopter to date. The below video shows more responsive rudder controls and the ability to put it precisely where you want it. Amazon.com is one of the first companies to carry it. I have not seen it in any brink and mortor stores.

Her is the video from Air Hogs for the Robo Copter:

Technorati tags: Air Hogs Robo Copter, Air Hogs, Mini Helicopter, Micro Helicopter, Havoc Heli, Air Hogs Reflex

The differences between this set and the previous Havoc Heli’s are the noticeable IR LED openings in the front of each of the helicopters. Also there is a black plastic tab on the bottom that looks as though it could be the IR receiver for the Laser Battler action. The controllers have buttons at the top that you press to “shoot” at your opponent that make cool machine gun sounds.

The other noticeable difference is that both copters are way more responsive then the previous version Havoc Heli. Left and right rudder commands spin the helicopters around a whole lot quicker. This comes in hand while trying to evade you opponent.

Flying the Havoc Heli Laser Battle set can on be summed up in one word – awesome! Flying by yourself can be a lot of fun but once you add the aspect of dog fighting to it the fun index sky rockets! When you score a “hit” your opponent’s Havoc Heli spins out of control. Shooting your opponent takes some skill though because you not only need to line up vertically but horizontally also. Flight times usually hover around 10 minutes for each helicopter.

One downside of the Air Hogs Laser Battle set is that each controller takes 6 AA batteries so you need 12 batteries to get going. On the flip side I have yet to switch out my batteries on my original Havoc Heli and I am pushing 40 flights with it so you are not going to have to buy batteries on a regular basis (unless you get totally addicted to flying these while is a big possibility).

Another downside is that you need another person to fly with you. I recommend taking them to your office with you and resolving interoffice disputes via “dog fighting” Laser Battle style. You should see the way the other guys eyes light up when they see them zipping through the air.

Overall the Air Hogs Havoc Heli Laser Battle set is very fun. I suspect that this will be the hot item this Christmas the same way that the Havoc Heli and Mosquito were last Christmas. You can buy them directly from Amazon via the link to the right.

Technorati tags: Air Hogs Havoc Heli, Air Hogs Havoc Heli Laser Battle, Dog Fight, Battle, Games, RC, RC Airplanes, RC Helicopters

Although the Mini Hughes is not made by Air Hogs you wouldn’t know it as the major components look like the are made side-by-side in the same factory as the Air Hogs version. The tail and main rotors look exactly the same as the Havoc and the controller is exactly the same.

I was a little skeptical at first that this was just going to be some cheap little knock off and that I was wasting my money. I was wrong! The Mini Hughes is as durable as the Havoc Heli if not more. I think the main reason for that is that it is constructed entirely out of plastic as opposed to foam like the Air Hogs Version.

The only part that I have not figured out yet is how to adjust it for more forward movement. With the Havoc Heli you can twist the tail rotor so that it gives a little downward thrust. That is not possible with the Hughes 300. Also the Mini Hughes doesn’t have the extended nose of the Havoc Heli so there is nothing to stick a pin into. Don’t worry though, I will figure a way to get this guy shooting around my room!

The Mini Hughes 300 is a cool little heli and a welcome addition to the hanger. You can pick it up at Amazon.com for $21.98 which is a still since my local hobby shop has them for $39.99.

Technorati tags: Mini Hughes 300 Helicopter, Mini Dragonfly Helicopter, Air Hogs, Havoc Heli, Air Hogs Havoc Heli, Micro Helicopter, Mini Helicopter, RC Helicopter