Comments on: Gadget blogging: The BladeRunner Black Ghost RC helicopter

By: gradyman

gradyman — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:35:58 +0000

That’s the same one I have, but mine doesn’t fly as well as the one in the youtube video. Could be the pilot!!!

Snidely Whiplash

BWAAAAAAAAAA! Priceless

By: MSGTAS

MSGTAS — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:32:53 +0000

Go ahead and by it for the kids.

But, do not be surprised when Mom and Dad show up on You Tube in compromising situations or conversations.

By: Dilophos

Dilophos — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:42:00 +0000

I really enjoy the Air Hogs Havoc battle helicopters. They actually shoot at each other with an led weapon. My wife and I battle against each other with them if I can con her into playing. My absolute favorite however is the Air Hogs Reflex, which has forward and reverse thrusters that make it more maneuverable than some of the cheaper helos. I even made a video with it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QHSeObQpwI)

By: eeyore

eeyore — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:28:27 +0000

And the tragic loss of the dust-collecting nick-knack would be bad because…. why?
Brian Paasch on January 21, 2008 at 5:58 PM

You’ve obviously never had to deal with the blowback from a broken Treasured Family Remembrance.

By: AndrewsDad

AndrewsDad — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:12:57 +0000

The kid got the same one for Christmas and I could not get the thing off the ground, he had it flying in about 5 minutes and was thrilled with it. A couple of fairly hard crashes later and it was no longer operational.

Have been meaning to see what my repair options are…

By: bloviator

bloviator — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:52:40 +0000

Ride of The Valkyries

eh it’s past my bedtime.

By: bloviator

bloviator — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:43:21 +0000

Now if I could hang a couple of speakers on it and crank out Flight of the Valkyries turned up to 11…

By: Mister Ghost

Mister Ghost — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:30:43 +0000

I had a strange experience with a real black helicopter once. Completely silent.
Don’t know what they used for sound-dampening, but it was extremely impressive how it could be right above me, silent, black, large, and looming.
People are dismissive of reports of black helicopters,
but when you experience it for yourself, you tend to be more receptive to reported encounters.

By: Anachronist

Anachronist — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:08:21 +0000

RC helicopters are neat indeed, but check out this RC Dragonfly that flies with actual wing-flapping action.

By: Roger Brown

Roger Brown — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:59:03 +0000

thekingtut & scalleywag, yeah, no kiddin. The most hi-tech I had in the early 50s was my American Flyer electric train set and my Erector Set. Wish I still had’m. But, yeah, even my grown sons had way more neat stuff in the mid 80s than we had. Ah, technology. Still wish we could get adult sized “Big Wheels”. Oh, yeah. They’re called ATVs. Forgot. Still, a heavy duty plastic adult size, pedal powered Big Wheels would be neat. Hopefully cost less than ATVs! Ha! I can see the dads in the neighborhood racing down the sidewalks in’m!

By: Brian Paasch

Brian Paasch — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:58:31 +0000

eeyore on January 21, 2008 at 11:44 AM

And the tragic loss of the dust-collecting nick-knack would be bad because…. why?

As my son can attest from his experience, yorkie terriers can jump higher than you might first think. Beware of those recon over-flights of the family pooch!

By: Snidely Whiplash

Snidely Whiplash — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:00:12 +0000

gradyman on January 21, 2008 at 4:43 PM

That’s the same one I have, but mine doesn’t fly as well as the one in the youtube video. Could be the pilot!!!

By: gradyman

gradyman — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:43:50 +0000

I have been fooling around with mini rc helicopters for over a year now.

The best one I have found to date is the Alany Mosquito hands down. $25.00 – $35.00 total with shipping depending where you buy it.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5r-zelrMJPI

By: MirCat

MirCat — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:49:53 +0000

Our cat isn’t a big fan either.

Bryan on January 21, 2008 at 11:04 AM

Mine loves to watch it but runs when it gets close. When I stop, he’ll meow at me until I start it up again.

Whatever you do, don’t bother taking it outside. I have a similar model that, once I finally got it under control indoors, I took onto the front lawn. I thought it was an almost windless day, but as soon as it went up, it went sideways, and that was the end :(

Until I get another rotor set, anyway (the scotch tape thing just threw it off-balance for me.)

Hannibal Smith on January 21, 2008 at 11:36 AM

I surprised my neighbors didn’t come outside to see what was up when It got out of range, dropped, and bounced off their roof.

- The Cat

By: Mike D.

Mike D. — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:40:52 +0000

If these things were widely available when i was a yoot,
me and my chaps would have spent all day arranging our toy soldiers, GI Joes, and their equipment in the dirt,
Gettysbeard line-of-battle style, then soaked the copter in lighter fluid, and crashed it right into the midst of the soldiers in a flaming ball.

Ah, youth.

By: pistolero

pistolero — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:18:02 +0000

Bryan on January 21, 2008 at 12:15 PM

I’ll let you know if it really works. You want me to come up and clean your gutters? Yeah. Right.

By: TexasDan

TexasDan — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:52:29 +0000

Will it blend, though?

By: Snidely Whiplash

Snidely Whiplash — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:29:08 +0000

I got a similar micro heli for Christmas, only mine is RC, not IR controlled. Mine looks like an insect with LEDs for the eyes. Pretty cool.

By: trubble

trubble — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:52:37 +0000

Flying unannounced aircraft at a political event post-9/11 might NOT be a wise idea…even if they are toys. Dark-Star on January 21, 2008 at 12:34 PM

But it's a Ron Paul rally, there's no threat of terrorism, just a threat from The Government. Hence the fun of a little toy black helicopter watching there every move...

By: craig

craig — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:37:39 +0000

I got the Air Hog for my son and it totally sucked. The controls were odd and the calibration was very difficult. Walmart now has one slightly used Airhog in its possession. If anybody can tell me that the BG is better, I would love to give the RC helicopter toys another try.

By: Dark-Star

Dark-Star — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:34:29 +0000

Am I the only one who thinks you could have a lot of fun with that thing at a Ron Paul rally with a couple of shills in the crowd to amp up the paranoia?
trubble on January 21, 2008 at 10:58 AM
—–
If anyone does attempt this, video would be greatly appreciated.
smithinmich on January 21, 2008 at 11:02 AM

Flying unannounced aircraft at a political event post-9/11 might NOT be a wise idea…even if they are toys.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:15:08 +0000

pistolero on January 21, 2008 at 11:56 AM

Uh, that might be the coolest handy robot thing ever invented.

By: jmarcure

jmarcure — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:12:00 +0000

As for outdoor flight, I’ve wondered about that. We haven’t taken ours out yet, but I could see wind being a major problem. Trees too.

We have other flying vehicles for outdoor anyway.

Bryan on January 21, 2008 at 11:40 AM

The bright outdoors light overwhelms the IR transmitter and you don’t have very good control. Compact florescent lights also mess with the IR transmitter. I have trouble flying in a room that has them in the lamps. I have quite a few of these little 2ch copters and the Black Ghost was not only the least expensive it is the best flying. I’ve also got some bigger 4ch copters for outdoors but that’s another subject.

By: Hollowpoint

Hollowpoint — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:11:10 +0000

I’m tempted to get one just to torment the dog, but I have a feeling that the helocopter would lose a battle against a Doberman if she decided to take revenge.

She’ll just have to be content chasing the laser pointer dot around the house. As a kid I’d have loved one of those things.

By: scalleywag

scalleywag — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:04:13 +0000

Yea, that’s a step up from the Lincoln Logs and plastic indians we had as kids. I coulda had a lot more fun with my brothers if I’d had one of those! heh.