A Chopper for all to play with (Silverlit PicooZ Helicopter)

Member Name: JJJJ

Product:	Silverlit PicooZ Helicopter
Date:	01/01/09 (217 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well Made, and fun to fly

Disadvantages: Internal Helicopter Battery Wears Out Quite Quickly

Toys have come a long way in the last decade, and this is especially apparent with the Silverlit 'PicooZ' indoor remote control helicopter, which retails at £10.99 from Amazon. A couple of Christmases ago, the helicopter sold for around £30, so this reduced price-tag represents great value for money - but is it any good?

The helicopter is made from polystyrene, which ensures it is light enough to fly around indoors, yet robust enough to withstand falls from a fair height. The rotors are made from plastic, and if something is going to break first on the machine, it will probably be these. The helicopter is available in three different colours - green, blue, and red, and is fairly tiny at under twenty centimetres from tip to tail.

What's in the Box?
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When you purchase the PicooZ, the package contains;

-1 PiccooZ Helicopter
-A Handheld transmitter
-Aluminum labels
-A Spare Tail Propeller
-Instruction Manual

As well as the helicopter itself, you will receive a well made and sturdy remote-control (known as the transmitter) which is powered by six (yes, six!) AA batteries which aren't included. To charge the helicopter, you must 'dock' it to the remote with a small and rather flimsy cable (supplied), which transfers power from the AA batteries into the helicopters own internal lithium-polymer rechargeable cell. The charging process usually takes around 15-25 minutes, during which time, a green LED illuminates to show that something is happening. When the light goes out, you're ready to let your new toy into the air - a freshly charged PicooZ should be able to operate for around 5-8 minutes before running out.

Controlling the helicopter is a little tricky - getting it off the ground is easy, but keeping it up there is more difficult to master! Before flying the helicopter, I would recommend closing all doors and windows, as (due to the light nature of the PicooZ) even a little draught can make things harder for the 'pilot'. The instruction manual suggests that the helicopter can be flown outdoors in extremely calm conditions, but to be honest, I think it would be nigh-on impossible to maneuver.

To begin with, you should place the PicooZ on a flat surface with plenty of space above and around it. Pushing the throttle upwards will send your machine into the air - but using too much throttle will have the helicopter bashing into the ceiling. This is most apparent when the helicopter is fully charged, when even a little throttle will thrust the helicopter straight to the top of the room. The device is easiest to fly near the end of the charge, where the controls will be less sensitive, therefore making the PicooZ more stable in flight.

When you first use the mini 'chopper', it can spin uncontrollably until you adjust the 'trim' settings via the buttons on the remote. I had never heard of 'trimming' before I owned one of these, but I now seem to be an expert in the field...! The trim buttons should be tapped in the correct direction (left or right) until the product stops spinning, and hovers evenly in the air. I found that in order to increase flight stability, you can add a small piece of bluetack to the underside of the helicopters nose - which will also give it more forward motion when flying. The 'aluminum labels' which I have listed in the box contents section are designed to serve this purpose, but blu-tack seems to me to be more effective.

Within an hour or so of owning the helicopter, I had learned to control it without flying it into walls, lampshades, or the cat - who is intent on trying to pluck it out of the air as it flies past her.

The PicooZ is a an excellent little machine, which becomes even more fun when you begin to discover the subtlties of the controls. To be honest, you have to view the PicooZ as a disposable item, as the internal battery doesn't last that long - after only 60 or so charges, the helicopters flight time will be reduced to around 1 minute or so - regardless of how new the AA batteries you use are. This is due to its internal battery, which can deteriorate fairly quickly - probably the PicooZ's only weakeness.

The helicopter is well made, and will survive knocks and falls from various heights - essential due to the nature of the device. Although the box suggests that the product is for '3 years and over', I would say that the PicooZ is for older kids only, as youngster will get frustrated at not being able to keep it in the air for long, and also, the rear propellor (which can easily come off) may represent a choking hazard. That said, as a gift for a teenager, or even for an adult as a 'big-boys toy', the PicooZ can't fail to impress - just make sure you've got fairly high ceilings and you'll have hours of fun! - highly recommended.

Technical Bits n' Pieces
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- A, B & C channel models available to allow up to three Silverlit models to be flown together

- Product weight: only 10g, including flight battery

- Helicopter length: 170 mm (6.5 inches) excluding rotors

- Box dimensions: 360 x 160 x 100mm

- Charger: integral transmitter/charger supplied with LED indicator/auto shut off

- Range: up to 10m (30 ft)

Summary: Excellent Flying Fun