Lightspeed iHelicopter Review – Phone Controlled Copter from ParamoutZone

This is a cool little gadget, it is called the Lightspeed iHelicopter. I’m sure the little ‘i’ gives away how you control it – via an App.

You buy the Phone Controlled Helicopter from the ParamountZone website. Then you download the free app (Apple or Android) and get flying!

So is it any good?
The package arrived and I have to admit I was a tad excited. I already have one such gadget so was looking forward to trying this out. Opened the smart black box to reveal the copter and it’s contents. All very easy to open and get going via the included manual.

The helicopter itself has a nice simple but cool black and silver design. It is made of plastic, with the frame being metal. The plastic is good because Ive flown it into walls, windows, the TV and all sorts and all still seems perfect, the impact is absorbed. You do also get a few spare parts including blades should breaks occur. It also has a series of flashing lights which look wicked in a dim room. You do have the option to turn the lights off if you wish though.

How do you set it up?
To set up and get going is easy, although it will take a couple of hours to let both parts charge.

• First you charge the transmitter, via a USB cable.
• Second you charge the helicopter, via the same USB cable, but they have to be done separately.
• Third download the free app to your Android smartphone, iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad.
• Fourth slot the transmitter into the headphone socket and turn the volume to the maximum level.
• The fifth step is to get flying!

What’s it like to fly?
As with other remote controlled helicopters it does take a bit of getting used to. It takes a while just to be able to control it for 15 seconds. So I expect many hours of flying before it can be mastered. These sorts of gadgets do require a smudge of patience! However I would say I found this slightly easier to get the hang of then my other helicopter.

The controls are as simple as can be. The app works on Apple and Android devices. I haven’t tried it on my HTC but have tried it on my iPod Touch and iPad and both worked without hiccup. When you use it on the iPad it looks small, their is an option to double it’s size but the graphics lose a lot of their quality, so I stick to keeping it small as it is still easy to manage (see pic).

So in conclusion.
Currently priced at a penny shy of £30 I think this is a brilliant bit of fun. Fantastic value for money. A great gift for boys (ages 14+) who love fun gadgets to play with, and geeks who love their apps! Definitely a good gift this xmas. I rate it 9/10.

They also have other cool gadgets ideal as christmas presents at Paramountzone.

This is a photo I managed to capture mid flight, as you can see the shadows on the wall I’m sure you can guess how close it was to the wall! The office is small though in my defence!

Here are some more photos taken during the test.