At one point or another, your kid will likely want to test out the newest and coolest toys and gadgets that hit the shelves. Whether that’s the newest skateboard or a fancy fitness watch, it’s a good idea to know which products are best. I wanted to make this a bit easier for you to find the best RC helicopter for kids by providing you with in-depth reviews. With honest pros and cons, you’re sure to find something that you and your kid will both enjoy!
1. SYMA RC Helicopter, S39 Aircraft
- [Bigger Alloy Sturdy...
- [Full 3.5 Channels & 2 Frequencies...
- [Multi-Protection for Helicopter]-- The...
- [Suitable for indoor flying only]-- The...
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One of the best RC helicopters for kids goes to the SYMA RC S39 Aircraft. If you’re looking for a sturdy and durable helicopter, this is it. It is built out of alloy, making it a long-lasting toy. It also has anti-collision technology that increases its durability. This RC helicopter has built-in LED lights that make it easy to see where you’re going, even if you’re flying in a dark room or outside in the evening.
You’ll be able to easily control this helicopter, which is something that can be hard to do with other options on the market. There is a high and low-speed option, making it a great option for beginners. The battery can quickly be charged via USB cable and there is also a light to indicate when it’s fully charged and ready to fly.
This RC helicopter has a strong signal that cancels out the fear of interference while flying. This is also a great gift if you’re looking for something that will help you bond with your child. It’s fun for both adults and teenagers! In this kit you will get the S39 RC helicopter, the remote control, a battery, charging cable, trail blade, tools, and a manual.
What I Like:
- Can be used indoors or outdoors
- Easy to set up
- Multiple control options
- Built-in LED lights
- Battery charges quickly
What I Don’t Like:
- Controls are slow to react
2. Syma S107 Helicopter
- Stabile Flight Characteristics
- Easy to Fly
- Great for Beginners
- Battery Type: Lithium Polymer (LiPO...
- Motor Type: Brushed
SYMA has another RC helicopter that makes the cut with the S107 model. This is a 3 ½ channel helicopter that is available in several color options. It has stable flight characteristics, making this a great choice for someone with little to no flying experience. You can easily control where you’re going with the left, right, forwards, backward, up, and down knobs.
There is also a button that controls whether the helicopter is going up or down, making it easy to land and take off. It has a Lithium Polymer battery built-in, allowing it to charge quickly between flights. Speaking of the battery, the flight time on a full charge is around 20 minutes, depending on how fast or slow you’re flying the helicopter.
It is suggested that kids 14 years old or overuse this RC helicopter and it’s also intended for indoor use only. Another great thing about this product is that it has a brushed motor. This type of motor is known to be quieter while running, lasts longer, and more durable.
What I Like:
- Easy to use right out of the box
- Available in multiple colors
- Fast charging battery
- Long flight time
- Easy to handle controls
What I Don’t Like:
- Can only be used indoors
- Not for younger children
3. Cheerwing S107/S107G Phantom
Next up is the Cheerwing S107 Phantom as one of the best RC helicopters for kids. It is available in blue, red, and yellow. One thing that sets this helicopter apart from others like it on the market is the frequency selection. You’ll be able to fly two selectible helicopters at the same time! This is perfect if you have more than one kid or if you are looking for a bonding activity. We all know that kids can be rough with their toys.
That’s why you’ll love the durable metal frame on this helicopter. There is also an auto stable feature and precision speed to improve the amount of control that you have while flying it. The gyro system makes it easy to learn how to fly, no matter how young or old the person in control is.
It has infrared control that allows for the helicopter to go in forward and backward motions, along with up and down, and left and right. This is a smaller RC helicopter and it’s incredibly lightweight and portable. You and your child can go to a local park and fly this thing around for quite a long time before it needs to be charged. Lastly, there are built-in lights that flash, making it easy to see the helicopter on cloudy days or at night.
What I Like:
- Made out of durable materials
- Auto stabilization
- Infrared controls
- Flashing lights
- Lightweight and compact
What I Don’t Like:
- The charging cord is short
4. HiStorm RC Helicopter
The second to last RC helicopter to make the list is from HiStorm. It is designed using gyroscope technology, making it easy to control. It is quite durable thanks to the metal body frame, which also increases stability. It has a 3 ½ HZ channel selectible frequency that allows you to fly the helicopter around 32 feet in the air or 32 feet around you in any direction.
The controls on the remote are up, down, left, right, forward, and backward. It takes less than 45 minutes to charge this helicopter from a completely drained battery to fully charged. Conveniently, it is charged via USB cable that will work on outlet cubes, tablets, and laptops. It has a flying time of about 10 minutes, depending on how fast and intense you’re flying the helicopter.
The controller is powered by AA batteries that are not included. If the helicopter crashes, the throttle will pick it right up and get it to take off again! This is one of the best RC helicopters for kids because it’s lightweight and compact. While it’s not suggested, you could crash this toy into a wall, ceiling, or piece of furniture and it will still fly! There are multi-colored LED lights that make it easy to fly in the dark as well.
What I Like:
- It has a durable metal body
- It picks itself up after a crash
- The battery charges quickly
- It’s small and portable
- There are built-in LED lights
What I Don’t Like:
- There aren’t multiple color options
5. Cheerwing U12S Mini RC Helicopter
- 【WiFi FPV Transmission and APP...
- 【One Key Take off / Landing】Just...
- 【Auto-Hovering Function】Updated with...
- 【More Fun to Fly】This helicopter toy...
- 【Durable and Anti-Collision】With...
The Cheerwing U12S Mini RC Helicopter is last, but it is definitely not least. This bad bay has Wifi FPV transmission with App controls, making it a lot more technologically advanced than other options on the shelves. It has a built-in WiFi camera that allows you to take photos and videos. You can even live stream with this helicopter by using your phone.
It has an auto-hovering feature that makes it easy to stay in one place for an extended period of time. You only need to press one button in order to take off or land with this mini RC helicopter. There is also a convenient emergency stop feature that will bring the toy down in the event that wind picks up or it starts to rain. Something I love about the Cheerwing U12S is that you don’t need any prior experience to be able to easily fly it.
There are two different speed modes and you can also pair it with another helicopter to fly with your friends or family members. There is a low battery power mode that will alarm you when the battery is getting low. The out of range feature alerts you that it’s time to turn the helicopter around so that you don’t lose it!
What I Like:
- Built-in camera
- Live Streaming capabilities
- Easy to fly
- Has an emergency stop feature
- One button take-off/landing
- Low battery mode
What I Don’t Like:
- Only available in yellow
- Takes an hour to charge
Buyer’s Guide
Now that you know about five of the best RC helicopters for kids, how do you know which one is best for your child? Just like any other toy or device, it can be hard for us moms to pick the perfect one if we don’t know a lot about the product.
I wanted to make it as easy as possible for you to differentiate between one that is worth your money and one that isn’t. Let’s take a look at a few of the main components and features that you should consider.
Controls
One of the most important aspects of a radio-controlled helicopter is the controls. It’s even in the name! There are several types of controls and channels on RC helicopters, making it even more important to make sure you buy the right one. Most kids’ toys have two channels, while more advanced helicopters will have up to 10 channels.
The more channels, the more tricks, and stunts that these things can do! It’s a good idea to start off with an RC helicopter that has fewer channels to allow your little tike to learn how to control it. When it comes to choosing the remote control, you have a choice between infrared or radio remote controls.
You’ll find that infrared remotes are much more cost-efficient, but they are capable of much less. Infrared remotes have a smaller range, making them perfect for flying them inside or within a small yard. If the ability to do fun tricks at high speeds is important to you or your child, you may want to consider opting for a radio remote control.
When considering a radio remote control, you’ll need to consider the power it has. Radio remote-controlled RC helicopters are known for having a large range and don’t experience interference with other things around like televisions or phones.
Size
Eventually, your child will learn how to control the RC helicopter you get them In the meantime, it may be a good idea to get them something that’s small and lightweight. If you have a smaller helicopter, it’s less likely to crash into things. Having one that is lightweight will make the impact less damaging to the helicopter as well as whatever it crashed into.
Plus, they are much more budget-friendly. It’s almost guaranteed that crashes will happen and that’s okay! The majority of crashes will happen outdoors and when they do, it’s best to have something that is compact and lightweight. Another reason you’ll want to focus on the size is the propellers. RC helicopters that are designed to be used by children will have smaller propellers that are usually made out of a lightweight material such as plastic.
If an accident occurs and your child touches the propellers as the helicopter is moving, it’s going to be a lot less painful than one that hat propellers made out of metal. Lastly, it’s safe to assume that you have picture frames, pieces of art, and other important things all-around your home. When an RC helicopter is flown indoors, having one that is smaller will lessen the chance of your precious items becoming broken.
Assembly
Chances are, your child is more excited about flying the helicopter rather than putting it together. There are units that can be purchased that don’t require any assembly, but the majority of them do. You may want to look for one that takes a shorter amount of time since your kid will want to get flying as soon as possible!
If you do find one that takes a bit longer, you can have them help you put it together and teach them a new skill. Something else to consider is that assembly means that there are small parts. These pose choking hazards and can be hard to lose or even hard to put together. It’s best to go with one that’s already put together or just requires you to attach the propellers.
Battery Life
One of the main complaints about RC helicopters is that they have short battery life. While there’s no way to get around that in general, you can find ones that have longer battery lives than competitor toys. You’ll need to look at a few things including the charging time, the flying time, and what type of battery it has.
On average, the charging time for a toy RC helicopter is an hour or less. If your child is avid to spend a lot of time playing with this toy, get one that has shorter charging time. The flying time is how long the helicopter can fly between charges.
While it will depend on how fast the vehicle is flying, they will usually last between 10 and 20 minutes between charges. Lastly, the type of battery makes a big difference. If you see an RC helicopter that has a lithium-ion battery, get it! Lithium-ion batteries charge faster and have a longer run time.
LED Lights
Having LED lights built into the helicopter can be a game-changer. While it’s a cool feature to have, it also makes it much easier to fly outside on cloudy days or during the evening hours.
LED lights will also allow your child to fly the helicopter indoors, even with the lights off. Either way, this is a great feature. Imagine the toy crashing on a cloudy day and the only way to find it is to look for the flashing lights! It comes in quite handy!
Where You Can Fly It
Lastly, consider where your child will be flying the helicopter. Some are only suited for indoor use, while others can be used for indoor and outdoor playtime. You’ll also want to keep in mind how much space they’ll have as well. If you have a smaller yard or live in an apartment, you may want to opt for a smaller RC helicopter.
Best RC Helicopters For Kids Brand
SYMA
SYMA is a company that is best known for making drones and flying camera equipment. It has been making products for over a decade and focuses on devices that kids of all ages can enjoy.
Cheerwing
Cheerwing makes a few different types of products including drones, RC vehicles, and toys. Based out of Los Angeles County, this company focuses on affordable and high-quality products that everyone can use.
Protocol Aviator
Protocol Aviator is another brand of RC helicopters that are kid-friendly. While the company doesn’t have its own website, it can be found in large retailers like Macy’s, Best Buy, and Walmart.
Horizon Hobby
With headquarters in Champaign, Illinois, Horizon Hobby is an international distributor that sells things like RC vehicles, model trains, and more. The company has been around for over 35 years and is one of the top places online to get RC helicopters.
FAQ
Q: Are RC helicopters hard to fly?
A: This depends on a number of factors. More advanced RC helicopters can be more difficult to fly, but they also have more controls. It’s a good idea to start with a toy helicopter in case it gets damaged from crashing. It may take a few rounds of practice before your child gets the hang of it. Use this as an opportunity to teach patience and motivation.
Q: Are RC helicopters dangerous?
A: The ones that are designed for children are not dangerous. There are specific safety measures put in place and testing that is completed before these toys can hit the shelves. With that said, the fancier RC helicopters have had rare, but dangerous incidents tied to them in the past.
Q: Can you fly an RC helicopter anywhere?
A: It may surprise some parents, but no, you can’t fly an RC helicopter anywhere. Places like your backyard and local parks will be fine! The most common areas you can’t fly RC helicopters or drones are around specific buildings, like the White House or over highways.
Q: Why is the battery life of an RC helicopter so short?
A: While there’s no specific reason, it could be because of how small the product is and how much power it takes to fly it around. Most RC helicopters take less than an hour to charge and run for between 10 and 20 minutes. One way you can improve the battery life of whichever helicopter you buy is to make sure to not leave it plugged in after it’s fully charged.
Q: What are the channels on an RC helicopter?
A: Just like a radio or television, an RC helicopter will have channels. Most toy versions will have two channels total, with fancier products having more. The first channel will control the engine and motor speed. The second channel is designed to focus on the control of the tail rotor pitch and the speed.
Wrap Up
As a parent, you know kids love to play with toys just about anywhere they can. Whether they’re playing the latest video game or they enjoy relaxing reading the latest comic book in their bunk bed, it’s a good idea to know what they like and don’t like.
Out of the five options above, I would have to crown the Cheerwing U12S Mini RC Helicopter as my top pick. With the WiFi capabilities, it beats out the other four. Because it has a built-in camera that can be used for photos, videos, or live streaming, it’s an amazing product that kids will love! It has plenty of amazing features that set it apart from other RC helicopters on the market.
If the Cheerwing U12S isn’t within your budget, that’s totally understandable. How about the HiStorm RC Helicopter? With its only downfall being that it’s not available in a ton of color choices, there aren’t too many reasons you shouldn’t add one to your cart. This helicopter is easy to fly, charges quickly, and even picks itself up after a collision!
Whichever product you end up choosing for your child, it’s important to take a second glance at the buyer’s guide in order to get the best RC helicopter for your kid. Remember to look at what controls it has, whether or not it has any special features, and how long the battery life is! Hopefully, this guide helped and your little one will love whatever helicopter you gift them! Thanks for reading!