SYMA X1 4 Channel 2.4G RC Quad Copter, Spacecraft (As Shown)

So, this is the second one of these that I've ordered; the first was for my nephew. After flying it a bit with him, I decided to give it a try on my own. This is probably the best quadcopter value out there, though I do say this based on other reviews and not my own experience with multiple makes and models. For about $40, you get a very capable quad-copter that you can fly left/right, forward/reverse, up/down, as well as rotate it 360 to keep the "front" of the copter oriented properly, so you're not pushing the controller left and having the unit bank right. It also has a "eversion" mode that basically flips the copter 360 degrees in a loop automatically. This function works left/right and forward/backward, and is very cool,primarily because it's so easy to execute the maneuver.The unit has a Low and High setting, which trims the controls a bit on the Low setting, and makes for a very good indoor mode while the High setting is best for outdoors and stunt moves. There are trim controls for the throttle, rotation, left/right and forward/back. I've found that the trim does work, and is best adjusted when the copter is outside and has some height off the ground...essentially, you try to hover it and see how best to adjust the controls. Ideally, if you let off the controls, the unit should hover fairly well. The system has no "auto" hover mode that'll auto-adjust the trims to hover, so getting it dialed in is still a manual affair. The controls work well, and I've flown this for maybe an hours indoors and 30 minutes outside, and feel as if I have good control of the thing.I've found this to be a very sturdy unit, having crashed it numerous times in just about every orientation. It does come with a set of spare rotors, which is nice, however even after using this in a parking lot, I've not yet broken anything. The body of the unit, which offers some protection to the electronics (which then have another plastic dome atop them), comes in several types...bumble bee, UFO, spaceship, etc. Ideally, you might be able to fly w/o it, shaving off some weight and possibly some air resistance, though the fairing does offer some protection and probably shouldn't be removed until you're past the beginner stages.The battery lasts 8-10 minutes, depending upon how you're flying it. I've found they last more outdoors, probably because you're not making so many direction adjustments. You can get extra batteries and chargers, and I'd recommend it, as 10 minutes isn't enough...you're going to want more. The batteries charge off a USB cable, whether plugged into a computer or using a USB/wall adapter. Charge time is about an hour, give or take.The directions are just OK, and you'll have to experiment to really get a feel for things. The most important thing to remember is when starting off, you want to try and be on as level a surface as possible, as each time you insert the battery, the thing will auto-level and find it's artificial horizon. If you start off on a slope, you may find the unit won't fly very well, or you'll need to make significant trim adjustments.The process to start the unit is as follows:1. Ensure battery for the copter is out, and the remote is off.2. Insert the battery and immediately place the copter on a flat surface. You should see the slow blinking LED under the fairing3. Turn the remote on.4. Move the throttle/rotate lever (on the left of the remote) up once (you'll hear a beep) and then down once (you'll hear a beep).5. The copter LED should then stop blinking and remain steady RED. You're ready to go...6. If the copter doesn't start, turn the remote off, then on, and repeat the process w/ the throttle (you shouldn't need to remove the battery). I find I need to do this process twice each time the batter is replaced.If you crash the copter, you just need to right it, and start flying again...it will automatically reset, and there's nothing you need to do with the remote or unit to get things going again. The only exception to this is if the batter flies out when the crash occurs...then start from step 1 above.The two things I'd probably change about this unit are to have some LED lights that show the "front" of the copter; as it is, the rotors are white in the front and black in the back...this does help. Secondly, the batter insert/removal is somewhat clunky, but it does work. I'd like to see something a little easier to work with, as getting the batter in and out can be a little difficult sometimes.So...this is a great copter, and the perfect unit for a child, or an adult (I'm 39) to start off with quad-coptering. Enjoy.-J

Wow.This thing is amazingly fun. My high expectations were exceeded by a good margin. I can't believe how inexpensive and durable this incredible little aircraft is.Be warned, it's MUCH harder to fly than I had imagined. I figured that it would hover, I would press the stick, it would move, I'd release the stick and it would stop moving and hover. Hahahahaha, nope. The controls are very touchy and you will have to actually learn to fly. HOWEVER, the steep learning curve made it MORE fun. Every flight session I could feel myself getting better. The first flight was nothing but crashes, but after a few more flights I got it to hover... And then move around... And then land on targets. Now with a couple of hours of flight time under my belt I can move it around competently and even fly in reverse (with the craft facing towards me), make gently banking turns, and recover from losing control. It's responsive enough that an experienced pilot should be able to whip around like Starbuck piloting her Viper. Look around online and you will find some good instructional videos. Anyone who has played video games should be able to get the hang of it, but it will take practice and patience.The craft is VERY durable. Amazingly so. I crash. And crash. And crash. And crash. Fly up the stairway to the second floor of the house, hit a wall, bounce to the other wall, bounce bounce bounce down the stairs: no problem. Numerous times I've crashed so hard it knocked the battery out (and that thing clips in pretty snugly) and the worst that happened was it was hard to find the battery. An extra set (all four) rotors came in the box, but I haven't needed them yet. My biggest worry is that a motor will burn out. The wisdom of the internet seems to be that if you're out of control just kill the throttle and let it crash to the ground so at least you don't have a motor trying to turn against an immovable surface. I imagine that eventually I'll manage to break this thing. When that day comes I'll gladly order a replacement and keep the old one for parts and a second battery.The battery life is... decent? I don't really know what to compare it to. Sure, I wish it could go for hours. The first few flights I swear it seemed like I only got a few minutes - but time flies when you're having fun! I've timed it with a stopwatch and my flights are about 12-15 minutes (of course, it's not airborne the entire time). Charging takes about an hour. I'm going to posit that this is a GOOD thing. Always running out of battery keeps me coming back for more, and I haven't gotten bored before running out of battery yet. I also think the minimum spacing between flights helps with learning to pilot. For the first few days I really felt like I got better every flight, and feeling that improvement is FUN. The included charger is USB - you need a powered USB outlet to stick it in. I've used both my computer and an iPod charger. When you plug in the battery, the charger glows red. When the red light goes off you're ready to fly.Due to cold, snow, and wind I've only flown indoors so far, but if you have run of the house the size is fine for playing with inside. I wouldn't recommend it for just flying in a single bedroom however. There is a button on the top right shoulder of the controller that makes the craft do 360 degree flips - I've rarely been able to use that indoors without crashing; it takes a lot of space to execute the maneuver.At about $35 it's an incredible bargain. I'd pay three times that and still feel it was money well spent.The manual is very poorly translated and mostly worthless. Fortunately, most of the operation is self explanatory. Here are some helpful tips:To start flying, leave the controller off. Put in the battery and immediately put the craft on a level surface. With the throttle off (left stick down), turn the controller on. Push the throttle all the way up, then all the way down (the controller will beep twice). You have now bound the controller to the aircraft. The craft will blink rapidly for a second or two as it calibrates the gyroscopes, and then you're ready to go. When you reach the end of the battery the craft will automatically power down and blink in a pattern you will come to associate with disappointment.There are two control schemes mode 1 and mode 2, which according to the internet are actually known in RC flying world as mode 2 and mode 4, respectively. To switch between them: Controller off. Hold the button beneath the right stick to the right while turning on the controller. The LCD display should indicate which mode you're in.There are also high (H) and low (L) sensitivity modes. Button on the top left shoulder of the controller toggles between them. I suggest learning in L.BUY THIS THING!My battery is charged, time to go fly!