Comparison Na-Na IM189 vs Na-Na IM182

The layout of the propellers used in the design of the helicopter.

— Classic. This scheme assumes the presence of one main rotor on the main axis and a small tail rotor on the tail. The tail rotor compensates for the torque from the carrier (without such compensation, the helicopter would turn in the direction opposite to the rotation of the main rotor), and is also responsible for course control — turns left and right are carried out precisely by changing the tail rotor thrust. Helicopters of the classical scheme are more complicated and more expensive than coaxial ones, and are also more demanding on control accuracy; on the other hand, they have more manoeuvrability and are better suited for aerobatics, including complex. Therefore, this design is typical mainly for advanced devices of semi-professional and professional class.

— Coaxial. The name of this scheme is due to the fact that such helicopters have two rotors located on the same axis, one above the other. The propellers rotate in opposite directions, which makes it possible to dispense with the tail rotor and use all the engine power to create vertical thrust. However, in most cases there is a small screw on the tail — but, unlike the classical scheme, it provides control of the helicopter in pitch, and not in the course, and does not rotate constantly, but only if necessary, tilt the car forward or backward. Coaxial circuit...models are much cheaper and easier to manage than classical ones, but the freedom of manoeuvre in them is limited. Therefore, this option is considered optimal for novice users, as well as amateurs who do not claim to be professional pilots.

The number of control channels provided in the radio-controlled model.

Each such channel is responsible for a separate control function: the operation of the rudder, elevators, etc. For the simplest models, 2 – 3 channels are enough. Full control requires more channels. In advanced models, additional channels may be provided, the total number of which can reach 6 or more.

The presence of a gyroscope in the design of the helicopter.

A gyroscope is a module that tracks the position of a car in space and its movement. In radio-controlled helicopters, it is used to compensate for gusts of wind, failures in mechanisms and other factors that create minor interference in control: for example, if the movement of air knocked the helicopter off course, the gyroscope reacts to this and returns the car to its previous position. This feature makes the control smooth and smooth, which is especially important for cars of a low-cost class, where it is not possible to use high-quality (and, accordingly, expensive) mechanical equipment. And in some models, the gyroscope is also responsible for more advanced functions: automatic hold in place when hovering, flying in the opposite direction when the signal from the remote control is lost, etc. At the same time, such equipment may not be installed in professional flight models, since it tends to reduce responsiveness and control accuracy.

The type of power source required to operate the helicopter. Note that such sources are required not only for models with electric motors (see "Engine") — any car needs electricity at least to power the radio signal receiver.

— AA. Replaceable cells of a standard size, popularly known as "finger-type batteries". In this standard size, not only rechargeable batteries are produced, but also disposable batteries, which makes it possible to choose: either to buy additional batteries every time as needed for relatively little money, or to pay a large amount for batteries once, but not to spend money in the future. Further expanding the choice is that AA elements have different characteristics and price, but are completely interchangeable. The main advantage over original batteries is the ability to quickly replace dead batteries: they are sold in almost all stores with “household trifles”, and the process itself usually takes less than a couple of minutes. On the other hand, the power of such a power supply is quite modest, and the elements themselves usually require several even to power on-board electronics. In some models, AA elements may be included in the package, but most often the owner of the car has to buy them on his own.

— Ni-Mh. This category includes batteries made using nickel-metal hydride technology and not related to any standard size — that is, having an original shape and characteristics and most often initially “sharpened” for a specific...helicopter model (or series of models). By themselves, the "original" batteries for the most part surpass AA cells in terms of characteristics and allow you to create models with electric motors of quite impressive power. Specifically, nickel-metal hydride batteries are notable for their low cost, reliability, good capacity, no "memory effect" (drop in capacity when charging an under-discharged cell), and resistance to temperature extremes, which makes them very useful for outdoor use. Among the disadvantages are storage requirements: such batteries cannot be stored completely discharged for more than a few days.

— Li-pol. Batteries of the original form, made using lithium-polymer technology. For the original form, see above (Ni-Mh). With regard to this technology, it allows you to create batteries with high capacity, small size and weight and without the "memory effect"; its main disadvantages in the case of radio-controlled models include sensitivity to low temperatures, as well as a rather high cost.

— Proprietary battery. This category includes all batteries of the original standard size (see subparagraph "Ni-Mh" above), for which the manufacturer did not specify the manufacturing technology. They may use one of the technologies described above, or another.

Operating time of an electric powered helicopter (see "Engine") on one battery charge or on one set of batteries. This parameter is rather conditional and approximate: it is usually indicated for optimal operating conditions, with a uniform low load on the engine (most often for hover mode), and when using replaceable cells — for high quality batteries. Accordingly, in fact, the operating time may differ markedly from that stated in the specifications. Nevertheless, this indicator quite reliably describes the battery life of the car, and different models can be compared according to it.

The type and number of batteries needed to operate the helicopter control panel.

— AA. Replaceable batteries, colloquially known as "AA batteries". They are available not only in the form of disposable batteries, but also in the form of rechargeable batteries, are produced under various brands that differ in price and quality (which provides freedom of choice), and finding such elements on the market is usually not a problem. The power and capacity of AA elements are relatively small, but in most cases they are quite enough for normal operation of the transmitter for quite a long time. Usually, modern remotes require several of these batteries — usually 2, 4 or 6.

— AAA. Also known as "pinky". In fact, a smaller version of popular AA elements (see above); has the same key features, but differs in more compact dimensions and, as a result, somewhat reduced power. This option is typical for low-cost class models, with a small range of the remote control.

The ability to use a smartphone(and in most cases a tablet) to control the helicopter. This function involves installing a special application on an electronic gadget, which provides advanced features compared to a conventional remote control. The specific set of such capabilities depends on the model, it may include, in particular, transferring data on altitude, speed, heading, battery charge, etc. to the smartphone screen, broadcasting video from the onboard camera, recording flight tracks, executing pre-compiled programs by the machine and much more. Communication is usually carried out via Wi-Fi, and the range may differ markedly from the numbers stated in the characteristics of the helicopter, since in this case it depends on the capabilities of the smartphone, and not the complete remote control.

Modern smartphones use different operating systems, and for normal operation, the helicopter must be compatible with the corresponding OS. Specific options might be:

— Android. A very popular OS used by a huge number of smartphone and tablet manufacturers, from giants like Samsung and LG to little-known Chinese brands. Note that there are many versions of Android on the market, including deeply customized and even frankly outdated. Therefore, if your gadget uses proprietary firmware or an old version of the system, you should separately clarify its compatibility with the selected helicopter (more precisely, with a propri...etary model control application).

— iOS. Apple's proprietary mobile OS is used exclusively in "apple" electronic devices — iPhone smartphones, iPad tablets and iPod touch players; all these gadgets can play the role of a remote control for the model. iOS is notable for its uniformity on all devices, as well as the speed and mass nature of updates, due to which there are practically no problems with the compatibility of electronics and helicopters.

Most models with smartphone control are compatible with both platforms.

The presence in the design of the built-in gun. In modern radio-controlled helicopters, different types of guns are installed, which differ markedly from model to model. So, one of the most popular options is a spring-loaded "catapult" with plastic "shells" that imitate the launch of missiles; this enhances the similarity of the model with a real combat vehicle. Another option — an infrared LED and a set of photosensors — allows you to arrange dogfights between several vehicles. There are also helicopters with water sprayers, and even soap bubble generators — the last option in our catalog is also classified as a gun, although in fact it looks more like a simulated exhaust.

This category includes radio-controlled models, the design of which copies the appearance of real-life helicopters — attack, transport, search and rescue, etc. Such a design, most often, does not affect the functionality, but it gives an additional resemblance to full-size machines. This is primarily appreciated by aviation fans, however, the use of copy models is not limited to purely aesthetic moments — they can also be useful for quite practical tasks (for example, imitation of a real helicopter when shooting a movie).