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Micro-Helicopters are full 3D-capable machines in all respects and although they are not easy to fly due to their light weight, they can achieve flying characteristics of the larger scale Helis.
Micros share the same flight characteristics as any other RC helicopter (Cyclic, Pitch, Rudder, Speed) and thus can fly inverted, do loops, stall turns, auto-rotations, etc ...
Micro Helis are the perfect Helicopter for both beginners ( someone who has absolutely no experience with RC Helicopters ) and for owners of the larger scale Helis. If you ever owned ( or still own ) a larger scale RC helicopter, you will defiantly enjoy the fact that you can finally fly regardless of weather conditions, day or night at the comfort of your own home. Just go to the backyard or to your two car garage, slide a fresh battery pack and go at it. Your guests will be very impressed. Micro Helis can be made to fit in a small case with the transmitter, charger and all the necessary gear which makes them ideal for carrying around to a friend's house or to a local park.
Micro Helis are great for beginners for the following reasons:
* RC Micro Helis are light so the damage in a crash is minimal compared to larger RC Helis
* You will be able to practice all the time in your backyard or garage
* Use training gears and get a handle of the basics first (learn to hover)
* The cost of replacement parts are fairly cheap compared to larger scale RC Helicopters
* They are less dangerous since the rotor blades are light (Still need to keep a good distance).
* Installation and configuration is less complex with the Fixed Pitch setups
We also highly recommend that you use a computer flight simulator to learn the basics of flight control and proper visual orientation. Micro Helicopters are extremely challenging and can be difficult to fly at first, but they are an excellent choice for beginners ( and experienced flyers ).
Both the Ikarus Piccolo and MS Hornet (or Schweizer 300 which is identical to the Hornet but with a different body style) will fly very well out of the box. Of course for the ultimate Micro Heli you can further invest in custom modifications.
What to get
The Piccolo is a Micro Helicopter that uses two motors, One for the rotor head and one for tail. With no upgrades the Fixed Pitch Piccolo can change elevation using the speed of the rotor. The second motor ( tail motor ) will increase or decrease the speed of the tail to control ( counter react ) the yawing of the fuselage. The electronics include a Speed controller, receiver, two servos and a Gyro. The Piccoboard is an optional electronic that includes a circuit board with a Gyro, BEC, and electronic speed controller, which makes it ideal due to its light weight and compact design. However, you can purchase separate components and fly without the Piccoboard
The Hornet is similar to the Piccolo. However, the Hornet uses a carbon drive shaft to turn the tail rotor. Hence only one motor is required. However, a third servo is required to control the pitch of the tail blades in order to control the yaw.
by default the Piccolo has lower RPM (around 1500+) then the Hornet (around 1900+) and the Hornet's tail control is more sensitive and requires more precise adjusting to achieve a solid hover. Many believe that out of the box the Piccolo is a better Indoor Micro Heli while the Hornet is a better outdoor Micro Heli. It is important to mention that many modifications are available for both Micro Helicopters and after enough installed mods and upgrades the comparisons made here fade away due to the new modified characteristics. For example the Piccolo is shipped with the Speed 310 motor; however once you upgrade to Orion motor, the RPM will be dramatically increased and thus this comparison no longer applies.
With proper mods, both the Piccolo and Hornet can achieve similar head speed and will fly just as well indoor and outdoor. Both models can be upgraded with a collective pitch kit that enables the Helis to retain high speed rotor head while adjusting the rotor blade's pitch to control altitude We believe ( although some will disagree ) that the Piccolo will suffer less damage during a crash. Most will agree that the piccolo is easier to assemble and is more forgiving when flying a less then perfect balanced machine.
The Hornet flying style is a little more wild and quick. The fast RPM makes the Hornet ideal for light wind conditions and with proper setup the Hornet will fly very well in the house as well. The piccolo is easier to build and no complicated tail pitch adjustment is required.
So now that we confused you, here is a quick chart for comparison:
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