At just 4.5 inches long, the Liliputian-sized MX1 chopper is the world’s smallest remote controlled R/C helicopter. I imagine a hiveswarm of dragonfly-like whirlybirds to harass and confuse my enemies, or the moment — months from now — when I write a post about some daring modder who manages to hook up a tiny streaming video cam to the nose cone and fly it up Scarlett Johansson’s Oscar dress. Just $49.99 from Think Geek (who else?).
MX-1 RC Copters [Think Geek via technabob]
But can we fit it with sensors which will detect a specific electronic signature, and a microprocessor enabeling it to subsequently chase said electronic signature?
Also, if I order 5000, will I be reported?
Definitely cheaper than flying the real thing.
Be careful with these. A friend bought three for holiday gifts, two of them burst into flame. There was no protection for charging the lithium ion battery, and they hate being overcharged. (Read “rapid thermal disassembly”) Hopefully the better ones of these do have appropriate charging safeguards, especially if children will be using them.
Yes, we did contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and yes, we ruined Christmas for thousands of kids.
these sorts of helicopters can be had for much less than $50:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2370
see also the dozens of other ones including superior three channel copters:
http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.801
You can’t control rotor pitch. It is totally uncontrollable.
Fun, but I find them most entertaining outside, as long as there’s no wind!
You know, when I saw this go by in the feed reader with your byline on it, I wondered just how you’d be able to pervert (or to ‘brownlee’, as I’ve come to think of it) such a seemingly innocuous toy.
Bravo, my man. Well done.
I have one of these as a desk toy. It’s fun, but incredibly difficult to control. It’s subject to even the slightest air currents, and the control system is hard to master. Worse, you can take out an eye with those spinning blades. Definitely not for kids.
It’s purely an adult toy. Average small kid would destroy one in a matter of seconds.
Just step on it and it’ll never fly again.
Still, if you want to learn, it’s a valuable new skill.
How many people here can appreciate the ability to control a machine with no tactile feedback?
Should be easy for gamers.
Tiny?
There is a manufacturer out there who has a flying model that weighs 6 grams.
I’m in the process of learning to fly one that weighs in at just 60 grams, and can lift an additional 25 grams.
Ever seen the flying wireless cams?
I’m working towards that end.
We’ve all figured out by now that these are just little hovering nuisances posing as helicopters.
Without the ability to truly control where it goes the fun wears off very fast.
This is really just the same as all the other tiny R/C helis that have been around for the last couple of years. They’re all the world’s smallest — and one of my favorite toys ever.
i got given the micro mosquito heli for my birthday. it’s like flying an uncontrollable garden strimmer round the room, slicing people up on it’s own whims. i’m waiting for one with proper controls before i get exited.
not Scarlett Johansson but chess player and politician kasparov has some exiting adventures with one of these helicopters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_-Gf9rXhE
The Micro Mosquito is in a different league as it can actually be controlled and had fun with.
Micro Mosquito 3.0 is the best of it’s kind yet.