Radio controlled (RC) helicopters can be a lot of fun to operate. While probably not ideal for small children, older kids and adults can get hours of enjoyment out of one. Most are designed specifically to be flown outdoors, but there are some that have included design elements that make them safe to operate inside. Shopping for an indoor helicopter can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience in itself.
RC helicopters designed to be operated inside may or may not look like a real helicopter. Most have simplified controls that only operate on two or three channels at once instead of 4 to 6. This limits the number of aerial tricks one can do with these models, but makes their operation easier and safer for the surroundings. The rotors on an indoor helicopter are usually different as well. Even the highly realistic ones generally have a ring connecting the tips of the rotor blades that will prevent them cutting into a surface if the helicopter gets too close to a wall or a piece of furniture. The rotor assembly is also often coaxial in nature with some models using more than one set of blades for the main rotor.
Another common feature that is different between outdoor and indoor helicopters is size. Most of the models made for use indoors are only 1 to 10 inches in length. The models designed for use outdoors vary in size all the way up to nearly full size models. Of course, smaller size means less damage if the helicopter crashes. As a matter of safety, all helicopters created for operation indoors have electric motors that operate on battery power. Outdoor helicopters may have electric motors or operate on gasoline. Some of the more advanced models may even require a small amount of aviation fuel. The exhaust from any of these models could accumulate inside a home and be deadly.
When one is shopping for an indoor helicopter, one must consider the different aspects of design and control that are desired. Is it important that the chopper appear realistic? Would one that more closely resembles a UFO be acceptable? How experienced is the person who will be operating it? Do the rotors need to be enclosed to protect both the model and its surroundings, or would open rotors be acceptable? How large does the model need to be? Would a tiny one provide as much enjoyment as one of the largest recommended for indoor use? And finally, how will the device be operated?
Answering each of these questions is important before one even begins to actively look for an indoor helicopter. Having these answers available in front of you may limit your choices in such a way that only one or two models will be acceptable. Then price may be the deciding factor. Of course, if the answers do not place too many restrictions on the type of chopper one can obtain for indoor operation, shopping may take some extra time and research before deciding on exactly the right model.
