The days of the old RC car are certainly fading, especially when you see the RC helicopters and quad-copters showing no constraint to the ground. Like many other RC toys, three new controllable vehicles from Swann allow control via iDevices (iPad, iPod and iPhone). Swann has three new helicopters, the iFly Micro Lightning, the SkyEye and the Black Swann that will grant you this level of fun and more for less than $100.
All three helicopters include dual joystick IR remotes that require 6 AA batteries but can also be controlled using and iDevice with the included attachment and Swann application. They come with lithium batteries that can be recharged from the remotes or with an included USB cable from a PC. They all have Swann’s Easy-fly Gyro Technology, trim adjustment for stabilization to maximize performance during the 8-minute flight allowed by a charge.
For those of you with an agenda, two of the helicopters have onboard wireless cameras that take pictures and video on remote command. The SkyEye includes 512 MB of memory while the Black Swann has space for a 32 GB micro SD card. These two helicopters have 27 MHz frequency controllers that range for 110 ft.
The iFly Micro Lightning goes for $69.99 and the SkyEye and Black Swann sell for $99.99. Added rotors and a helipad game are included for inevitable accidents and to practice before you embark on your first adventure.
Below is an example of the video output of these helicopters. Seems usable.
Cabe
