Micro RC airplanes
Surprisingly there are currently fewer micro rc airplanes available than micro helicopters, such is the popularity of the infra-red controlled helicopters that took the hobby by storm in 2006!
But micro-sized planes are increasing in popularity and ParkZone have just released the best to date, the Sukhoi Su-26m, a fully aerobatic 4 channel airplane.
But starting the craze a few years ago was Watt-Age with their micro planes. Watt-Age was the first to mass-produce these airplanes, with the Micro Flyer and then the Rookie.
These particular airplanes have very basic control but good enough to have some fun with around the back yard. Like the micro helicopters, tiny but powerful lithium polymer batteries give good flight times and ample power.
Micro rc airplanes like the Watt-Age Micro Flyer and Rookie use the same basic components found in micro rc cars and boats - a tiny magnetic actuator that flicks the rudder from left to right and simple on/off motor control with which you can control the airplane's altitude.
Another example of a low-cost micro flyer is the Palm-Z from Silverlit, manufacturers of the original Picoo Z micro helicopter.
Like the Watt-Age Rookie, the Palm-Z is made from tough EPP foam and is small enough to sit on the palm of your hand, having a wingspan of just 8 inches. Control is by infra-red and basic aerobatics are possible, making this another fun little number!
The Rookie and Palm-Z are two very cheap RTF micro rc airplanes, but the Butterfly, shown below, goes a few steps further. It has fully proportional control through what is claimed to be the world's smallest rc receiver. The Butterfly weighs in at just 3 grams, and so is a very delicate model indeed.
Of course, the drawback of such a featherweight rc model like the Butterfly is indeed the fragility. Having said that though, the slow flying speed and ultra-light weight of this plane means that collision damage is often avoided - just beware of clumsy handling instead!
It really is quite a feat of modern rc technology and, while not the cheapest of micro flyers, the Butterfly is a perfect example of things to come, where micro rc airplanes are concerned.
Related pages
Electric rc airplanes - general overview of electric planes.
Mini rc airplanes - slightly larger micro flyers.
Indoor rc airplanes - a look at the growing sector of indoor flying.
Micro rc helicopters - the most popular of all micro rc models.
Micro rc cars - a look at 'micro-racers'.
Micro rc boats - for some bath-time fun.
