Home > Categories > Toys > Remote Controlled > Black Swann RC Stealth Helicopter review
With its matte black coloring, sleek lines and quiet operation, the Black Swann is like the real stealth helicopters designed to be invisible to radar. It's the perfect RC chopper for your covert combat missions behind enemy lines. Even better, the Black Swann has a built-in camera and records 640 x 480 video to MicroSD card in flight. Once safely home, you can review whether your mission has been successful by transferring and viewing the AVI video files on your PC.
The Black Swann has a built-in rechargeable 3.7v Lithium battery that charges in 70 minutes directly from mains power to give you 6 to 8 minutes of all-action flying time. The remote control transmits using a powerful 27MHz radio frequency allowing the chopper to fly faster, higher and further up to 100ft (30m). It's perfect for pilots of intermediate skill with the ability to simultaneously change flight speed and direction. Vary how fast you fly using the 2-speed tail rotor controller, stabilize flight levels with Swann's Easy-Fly Gyro technology and use the 6-way multi-directional controls to move up, down, backwards, forwards and make left and right turns.
Specifications:
• Rotor Diameter: 10.8" (275mm)
• Dimensions : 380mm x 60mm x 150mm
• Weight : 130g (Helicoptor only)
• Helicopter Battery : Built-in 3.7V Li-poly Rechargable from AC mains
• Media Type : Micro SD 1GB (supports up to 32 GB)
• Record Time : 10 Minutes = 450MB AVI Video
• Helicopter Flight Time Per Charge : 6-8 minutes
• Helicopter Battery Charge Time : 70 minutes via AC mains
• Remote Control : 27 MHz radio frequency
• Remote Control Battery Type x Qty : 6 x AA (Batteries NOT included)
Product reviews...
Well I have played around with various R/C vehicles in my time and I generally suck at most of them, and R/C Helicopters generally fall into this category as well, but with this model I seemed to fare a wee bit better than normal, although for me that's still not great, but it does say a lot about the handling and ease of use of this unit that I was able to fly it better than I had with other makes and models.
The durability of this model is in fact pretty good as inevitably I generally always end up crashing the chopper into either a wall, a tree, or in most cases the ground at a high rate of knots. But in all cases it has withstood my punishment and still looks as good as it did when it came out of the box. In fact speaking of looking good, this unit does look really good, it's black 'stealth' paint job is both elegant and awesome/evil looking at the same time, in fact it reminds me of the first time I saw the helicopter from 'Blue Thunder'. Now okay it doesn't look the same but it's still cool looking.
The video recording feature also reminds me of Blue Thunder, and what I saw of the video footage that I did take (which due to my bad flying is not worthy of posting here just yet) it has many possibilities. The recording is done by way of a button located on the top right of the controller near the aerial. Each push of the button toggles the camera on or off, and each time it is turned on it records to a separate file on the microSD card. One issue I did have with the unit is the camera angle appears to be fixed, and while that does mean that there is less to break on it, it does limit the angles you can shoot from.
As with other R/C choppers it has a 6-way control system. One stick gives you your lift and the other rotates the chopper and moves it forward and backward. You also have a trim knob with allows you to counter any default yaw rotation that is happening. The chopper should also be flown in absolutely still air, that is not a hint of a breeze, as the chopper is so light a slight breeze will send it off in a direction you didn't want to go, and it also makes trying to fly forward into the wind impossible.
All up however this is a great toy, and i'm sure the dad's out there will have as much fun flying it (and chasing the kids with it) as with kids will flying it themselves (if they can get it away from dad that is. )
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