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As a kid, I long dreamed of assembling and flying remote controlled model Cessna airplanes that decorated the backs of Boys' Life magazine. But cost pushed that dream out of reach. And complexity too, had I been thinking of it. But over the past few years, the barriers to obtaining remote controlled flying vehicles have become just about nonexistent, and the entry-level market (or toy market, if you prefer) is extremely varied from helicopters to planes to blimps. Still drawn to my desire to fly something, I eagerly jumped at the chance to review Air Hog's Pocket Copter. And it changed my impression of remote-controlled ariel vehicles.
But first, a little background: I want to start this review by saying that I don't have a lot of experience with R/C helicopters. I'm a novice. And in that light, a coworker of mine and I decided to get R/C helicopters for Christmas last year. We settled on gifting each other the boss-looking Metal Gyro copters from ThinkGeek. And it ended in epic failure. Mine broke the first hour due to a botched landing and my coworker's blades got screwed up after a few encounters with a wall. They were difficult to fly and were clearly not beginners' copters designed to withstand even the mildest of mishaps.
The Pocket Copter by Air Hog is completely different in every way. For one, it's tiny. Ridiculously tiny, coming in about a third of the size of the Metal Gyro copter. And it entirely made out of plastic, making it much lighter, but also more durable than the other copter as the plastic Air Hog uses has some flexibility to it. There is also no tail rotor to control forward momentum. Instead you change the weight distribution which adjusts the copters pitch and therefore forward momentum. After making some adjustments and charging the copters batteries, I was ready for my first flight.
My previous experience taught me to be prepared for an immediate crash landing. Yet that didn't happen here. I engaged the throttle enough to get the copter ready for lift off, adjusted the trim to prevent a slow rotation, and giving the throttle just a bit more, successfully launched my copter with enough control to keep it in air and away from walls and such for a good minute. Sure, I couldn't land yet, but I had control -- more control then I ever had with the larger copter. A few more trips up, and I could pilot the Pocket Copter with ease and land fairly regularly.
As far as durability is concerned, the Pocket Copter can take a beating. Sure, I've had my share of crashes and moments where I forget to maintain line of sight for the on-board infrared receiver causing unexpected behavior. But the most that's happened is the landing struts become detached which are easily snapped back into place. The blades have become slightly nicked with encounters with chairs and walls, but never to the point of disrupting the ability for the copter to fly. This copter is designed to not only be small, but to fly in enclosed areas, a feat it accomplishes quite successfully.
There has also been an attention to packaging that is worth noting. The end caps on the package itself snap together to become a case for the R/C copter, the controller and the charging station. It minimizes waste in a way that exciting to see from a manufacturer, and provides the consumer with a value-add that you wouldn't normally see with other products.
Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with the copters construction, durability and control in flight. It's easy to use indoors and can take a beating without falling apart. Recharging takes around 10 minutes for 5-15 minutes of flight. Pocket Copters are sold in A or B channels allowing two to be flown in the same area at the same time. If you're looking for a great entry level remote controlled helicopter, you'd be hard-pressed to find one that's easier to fly or more durable.
Wired: Simple controls. Easy to trim for stable flights. Short learning curve. Doesn't break easily. Smart packaging.
Tired: Watch out for air vents: this copter is so light, a slight breeze makes flying difficult.
Pocket Copter (Approx. $54, retail)
