May 28th, 2009 captain
After the disappointment of the Abc-Intl.net Mini-Copter, I though I’d give another Hughes 300 shaped model a try. In this case it is the Wasp Super Micro Helicopter from Gift House International.
The differences between the Wasp and the Mini-Copter are minor, although there are enough to suggest that it is not the same model with a different color canopy.
Configuration
The Wasp is conventionally arranged with a twin blade 132mm diameter main rotor and 30mm tail rotor. The Plastic fuselage houses the battery, electronics and the motor that drives the main rotor through a large low set gearwheel.
Turning the helicopter over reveals the recessed on/off switch and charging socket.
Above the main rotor is the stabilizer bar. Where as Silverlit models use a weighted propeller and the Mini-Copter uses weighted paddles, the Wasp simply uses cylindrical weights.
Controller
Unlike the Mini-Copter the controller is visually different from the PicooZ’s. Operationally it is similar, except for a rotary trimming knob instead of buttons. This is a much better solution allowing for more accurate adjustment.
As is now standard, the infra-red controller doubles as the charging station. A hatch on the controller slides down to reveal an umbilical cable that plugs into the socket on the underside fuselage. The cable is short and stiff, so the Wasp ends up hanging over the edge of the controller during charging.
With the power switch on, the charge LED will illuminate until the battery is full. Not mentioned in the manual is that the red power LED starts flashing if the batteries need replacing.
Airspace
The instruction sheet doesn’t quote a minimum room size. I’d recommend 3m x 4m x 2m. Avoid rooms with strong air currents, bright lights or strong sunlight.
Flying
Initial impressions were good. The main rotor control was precise and the rotary trim accurate allowing for smooth hovering. The Wasp had quite a lot of forward speed, but a twist of the tail boom reduced this something more reasonable.
The first problem was that steering was slow and the Wasp tended to swing back when the stick was centred. As the flight progressed I found that the right turn became less and less effective, until even holding the stick right over had no effect. Without right turn, controlled flight was impossible.
After the fourth flight I found that if I let it sit for a while a bit of right turn control returned, but this soon went after a short flight. This may indicate that as the battery gets fully conditioned in about another six flights things may improve, although I’m not sure I can be bothered to try.
Conclusion
I bought the Wasp to replace the problematic Mini-Copter. However, it seems to have almost exactly the same issues with directional control. There are positive reports of the Wasp at Play.com so other people can’t have found this problem. For me, I’m still sticking with a genuine PicooZ.
Postscript
After some more charge cycles I’m actually finding that the problem is getting worse.
Facts and Figures
Whats in the box
- Wasp helicopter
- Combined infra-red transmitter and charging station
- Instruction Sheet
You have to supply
- 6 x AA batteries
- Cross-head screwdriver in order to fit them.
Dimensions
- Main rotor diameter: 132 mm
- Fuselage length: 135 mm
- Height: 70 mm
- Weight: 12 grammes
Manufacturers Website
Available in the UK From
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May 26th, 2009 captain
Being a biplane, the Megatch Avion competes with the Silverlit Palm-Z in the indoor flight arena. Arriving on the scene much later, it’s a much more refined design, being better than the Palm-Z in almost every respect.
Configuration
The arrangement of the Avion is similar to the Palm-Z, although much more stylish. A compact biplane with the pusher propeller mounted behind the top wing and driven through a single stage gearing. The lower wing is mounted at waist level which affords it extra protection at the expense of more aerodynamic interference with the top wing.
The large tail group is mounted on a single boom running from the base of the fuselage. The wires for the rudder actuator run up the inside of the boom. The horizontal tail surfaces have about 40% more area than the Palm-Z, while the vertical surfaces have more than double. The rudder on the Avion has almost four times more area than the Palm-Z.
The fuselage nose has a recess containing the on/off/charge switch, the charging socket and the infra-red receiver. A circular insert of softer foam is in the nose to reduce damage (to plane or person) in the event of a collision.
Controller
The controller is larger than Palm-Z, but has sticks rather than sliders and a proper trim wheel. It doesn’t win any points for style though.
Power comes from four AA batteries mounted in the back. For once you don’t need a screwdriver to fit them. The charging cable is hidden behind a door on the left of the fascia. To charge plug it into the Avion and push the switches on the controller and the Avion to the charge position. The left LED on the controller will glow red while charging and then change to green when complete.
Airspace
The full colour manual doesn’t quote minimum flying space dimensions. The Avion turns better than the Palm-Z, but flies faster so a similar minimum space of 6m x 7m x 3m seems reasonable. Stood in one place, the controllers maximum range limits you to a circle with a radius of about 7 metres. If you can move about then the room’s the limit. By walking up and down the central corridor, I can fly complete circuits around our open plan office.
The normal caveats concerning bright lights, direct sunlight and drafts apply.
Flying
After flying the Palm-Z, the first impression of the Avion is the increased speed with none of the bobbing motion. The second is more authoritative steering. With the Avion you actually feel as if you are doing the flying, rather than just nudging it around. With more control comes fewer crashes and it is easily possible to stay airborne for a complete charge. In my last test this was 10 minutes 10 seconds.
Unlike the Palm-Z the rudder works when gliding. This allows for nicely controlled landings, which is a big benefit in a room full of furniture.
The manual rudder trim wheel is also a big plus as it remembers the trim setting between flights. On the Palm-Z you have to re-trim every time the controller is turned on.
The Megatech brochure offers a wheeled undercarriage for the Avion. I’d like to try it out, but it’s only available in the USA. It would be interesting to try rise-off-ground launches and the extra weight would necessitate a higher flying speed and therefore even more rudder authority.
Conclusion
The Megatech Avion is the best indoor fixed wind aircraft I have flown and probably the best one on the market. It is so much better that I wouldn’t accept a Palm-Z if they were giving them away free.
It is still very light and can be damaged by hard impacts, so I wouldn’t recommend it for young children. The box says 12 to adult, but I would be confident giving it to a 10 year old.
Facts and Figures
Whats in the box
- Avion Biplane
- Combined infra-red transmitter and charging unit
- Full colour multi-language manual
You have to supply
Dimensions
- Length: 230 mm
- Width: 200 mm
- Height: 60 mm
- Weight: 8.4 grammes
Manufacturers Website
Available in the UK From
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