Here's a festive Flite Test guide to our most loved gifts to give and receive this season.
Sometimes it's difficult to know what to buy as an RC gift - be it if you're looking for planes, quads or drones. There are thousands of options out there! So, as per usual, we've put together something that will help you out. Here are our recommendations of products to give or to ask for this year.
Under $100
Here are some of the best and most affordable RC aircraft you can give as a gift. There's something for everyone with a drone, plane and helicopter that won't break the bank.
$69.99
This micro FPV drone is a perfect introduction to the world of First-Person-View flying. It's super affordable and easy to fly. You can go indoors or out which gives you the benefit of being able to fly even during bad weather!
$39.99
The Vapor is one of the lightest RC aircraft out there right now. It has a great reputation as an affordable little trainer that can be flown in the smallest spaces. You can learn to fly or use it as an indoor flyer for when the outside weather isn't cooperating.
Blade 70 S RTF Flybarless Electric Helicopter
$59.99
The new Blade 70s is a great little model to own irrespective of whether you've flown a helicopter before (or anything else for that matter). If you know of someone who likes helicopters, this is one of the most advanced of this size. This one comes with everything you need to get flying.
Under $200
If you're wanting to spend a little more on that extra special gift, here are some quality products between the $100 and $200 price range.
E-Flite Mini Convergence VTOL BNF
$199.99
This plane is what you get when you cross a multirotor with an RC airplane. It's a VTOL! This aircraft can transition from one mode to the other with just a flick of the switch - it's seriously cool. You can even fly it indoors when in multirotor mode. There's also a PNF version for $179.99.
Blade Torrent 110 FPV Racing BNF Quadcopter Drone
$129.99
This brushless racing drone is a versatile platform that suits both beginner, and competitive level pilots. It can be flown both indoors and outdoors which provides you with more options of places to turn into a race track! Grab one for a friend and yourself to get racing.
Under $300
If you're really wanting to get a friend or family member into the hobby (or maybe you're wanting to get into RC yourself), one of our all-inclusive starter sets is the way to go.
$118.93 - $218.91
Teaching everything you need to know about RC flight as a beginner, the FT Tiny Trainer is a perfect gateway into the hobby. This kit can be configured to include a transmitter and receiver.
$131.09 - $231.07
The Cub, high-wing trainer configuration has been a firm favorite in the RC hobby for many years. It provides a stable basis for new pilots whilst growing with them. This kit can be configured to include a transmitter and receiver.
$131.09 - $231.07
The FT Scout was designed by Josh Bixler to be the best foam board barnstormer out there! It captures those classic lines whilst remaining a forgiving and easy to fly first airplane. This kit can be configured to include a transmitter and receiver.
Favorite DIY Planes Released This Year
We've released a bunch of new planes from Flite Test this year. Here's a rundown of each one of them, who'd they would suit and what features you can enjoy.
The older FT Sparrow has been upgraded to include dual motors! This gives you loads more maneuverability, through differential thrust, allowing you to take your micro FPV experience to the next level. This is a great lightweight beginner FPV platform.
The new FT Dart is a take on the Arrow concept but, like the FT Twin Sparrow, with two motors. Again, this gives you great yaw authority meaning you can shoot those gaps in the trees and fly between gates with confidence. FPV pilots out there, this one is for you.
Designed by Andres Lu, this plane is one of our best performing aircraft ever. It was based on the Edge 540 and, just like it's bigger bro, can pull of some seriously impressive moves whilst airborne. It's a must-have for any pilots interested in aerobatics, air racing or high-performance aircraft.
The Goblin came about as a collaboration between us at Flite Test and the guys over at ReadyMadeRC. It's a flying plank wing and is extremely efficient. It's great for anyone wanting to cruise around in First-Person-View or go on some exciting missions diving between trees.
This water-going seaplane was inspired by the anime movie Porco Rosso and was the brainchild of Jeremy. He worked with Josh Bixler and Andres Lu to create a stunning and unique model that had great flying and water taxiing characteristics. Anyone who's a fan of vintage seaplanes or aircraft which look a little different just has to have one of these in their fleet.
This is an extremely special airplane. It's a symbol of the community spirit that made Edgewater Airpark a reality. This year was a great year for Flite Test - among other achievements, we managed to purchase a new home for the company and the community at Edgewater. This plane was originally offered as a perk for the fundraising Kickstarter. If you want to get your hands on one to show your support for Flite Test, it's now available for all. It can be built as a single tractor motor, twin or even a tri-motor. It's a superb all-rounder.
We really hope you find this guide helpful! Visit the FT Store for thousands of other choices.
Article by James Whomsley
Editor of FliteTest.com
Contact: james@flitetest.com
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/projectairaviation
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