A Quadcopter that can fly AND drive! Syma X9 Flycar Review Erik Summer 2016-01-28 | Link to buy the Syma X9 - amzn.to/2MbtudmThe Syma X9 drone flies just like a normal quadcopter and has a separate motor to turn the wheels when on the ground. For steering, it has a servo which makes it turn like a car. The flight performance was surprisingly good considering its large battery and all the extra weight it has to carry around to make it both fly and drive on the ground. The 6-axis gyro makes this quadcopter easy to fly and very stable.Problem with the trim.Every once in a while I did notice it going out of trim. Halfway through a flight, sometimes it would need some forward or reverse trim to keep it from drifting. To fix this, simply turn off the quad and turn it back on. You always want to set your quadcopter down on a level surface while connecting to the transmitter. This way the gyro will initialize correctly and hopefully shouldn’t need trim.Driving on the ground.The wheels did a great job at handling a variety of different surfaces. It drives great on carpet, short grass, tile, and asphalt. The large-diameter wheels combine with soft rubbery foam and two front shocks help make this a good handling car on the ground.The throttle, which is located on the right size when driving, is very smooth and proportional. The high and low settings work both in flight and drive mode which is helpful when you’re learning to fly and drive the X9.Bright led lights.The bright LED lights in the front and rear of the flycar don’t look like your typical quadcopter lights; they’re more light front headlights and tail lights. This makes it look really cool and futuristic when in the air and helps with orientation.The overall build quality is really nice. Syma did a great job balancing a strong yet lightweight frame that can take a lot of abuse without breaking.The X9 will do flips but make sure to do them in the beginning of the flight because they will require a lot of power from the battery. You will lose a lot of altitude so don’t do them inside. It’s carrying around a lot of weight so flips won’t be super tight like lighter weight quadcopters.The transmitter is 2.4GHz giving it good range so you can fly outside and allowing you to fly more than one at a time.The one I linked to comes with two 600mAh lipo batteries and flight times will be around 5-7 minutes depending on how much flying vs. driving you’re doing.More pictures on my website: http://rcdad.com/rc-quadcopter-flying-car-syma-x9
Twin Motor Diamond RC Plane With Simple Controls Review Erik Summer 2019-05-23 | Link to buy - amzn.to/2Wl1A4PHello everyone, Erik here with a flight video and review of the Diamond twin motor RC plane.I came very close to not even reviewing this plane because as you will see in the video, it’s not an easy plane to pick up and fly right away. After learning the controls it’s actually a fun little plane with a very simple remote and a beautiful scale appearance. I’ve always loved the look of Diamond airplanes and the detail they put on this rc plane is amazing for around $40. I will put a link to the seller I bought from in the description below. Just a warning, as of filming this, it is only available from China but it did arrive pretty quickly. I believe mine arrived in about 2 weeks.I’ll start out with the flight review and at the end, I’ll show you how this thing gets put together.The controls are throttle on the left stick and variable left/right speed on the right stick. There are no servos. All the control is done through varying the speed of the motors, so if you’re used to flying 3 or 4 channel planes, the controls on this plane will feel awkward at first.It does take some getting used to and there’s some assembly which I will walk you through and give you some helpful tips to make sure it goes together smoothly.It’s advertised as “For Beginners” and “For Kids” but I would disagree. I have a lot of experience flying and it took me a couple flights before I got the hang of it. Hopefully, this video will help show you how to fly this type of plane so you can learn from my mistakes.First, You’ll need a lot of space to fly. The turns are wide and mine has a hard time turning right and I think it might be because the left motor has a slight vibration that reduces its thrust. I’ll explain how to fix that later.You can taxi on the ground but you’ll need tons of space to actually take off and land. Without an elevator, making an accurate graceful landing if very tricky. The good thing is this little plane can take a rough landing. I’ve put this plane through a lot of light crashes and a couple medium ones with only a few scuff marks. The foam is not what you’d expect, it’s strong yet flexible.Because there’s no elevator to control up and down you’ll have to find that sweet spot with the throttle to keep it cruising level. Mine flies really nice with 50% throttle. Use slight movements with the throttle and she’ll fly really nice. Another tip to keep in mind is to always keep some throttle when turning. This is true with most all these types of planes that use more thrust on one side to turn. If you cut your throttle and make a turn, then the plane will nose down and the extra thrust on one side will force it into a nasty stall. The good thing about this plane is it won't over bank as long as you always leave at least 50% throttle in while turning. The two red circles are left and right trim. There are two buttons up top which will slightly increase the how sharp it turns.Binding the plane should be done on a flat surface without moving the plane. Turn on the remote and plane. Then bring the throttle all the way up and back down. You should see the blinking light turn solid when it’s connected to the plane. So if you want a great looking low-cost park cruiser and don’t care about doing aerobatics this little plane isn’t a bad choice. Mine didn’t include glue so I used some 5-minute epoxy which worked just fine.The wings and tail went on easy.The motors fit inside the cowling without glue. If you have some silicone sealant, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add a small about to the motor where it touches the plastic to help with vibrations.Take note on the L and R on each motor and make sure you’re putting them in the correct left or right cowling. The main board has a MR for motor right and ML for motor left as seen in the photo. Just plug them in the correct spot. There’s no need for any soldering. To keep the wires from hanging down I added some clear tape along the groove to keep it flush with the plane.In this photo, I added the nose wheel on the left side on accident. This tool is for prying off the propellers if you need to replace one. I didn’t glue the bottom plate on. I just added tape just in case I needed to get access later.Make sure NOT to glue the rear elevator. A small amount of tape will hold it in place so you can adjust the angle.Depending on your elevation, you can adjust it up to account for the thinner air. I’m flying at around 1000’ and putting it on flat works fine. I put a very slight nose up attitude and it was too much. The plane just wanted to loop or stall.
Bugs 2 Quadcopter WiFi FPV plus GPS Drone By MJX Flight Review and On-board Camera Video Erik Summer 2017-12-06 | Link to the Bugs 2 Drone - amzn.to/2LFpEssIf you don't care about GPS you can get the Bugs 3 for less - amzn.to/2E0ZQTvWhat makes the Bugs 2 Drone so special is the high-quality live video feed for flying FPV, the RTH (return to home) feature that uses GPS, it's high-performance brushless motors and longer range over the Bugs 3. For a drone to have as many features as the Bugs 2 has under $300 is pretty awesome. Not only that but to have it actually hold up to pretty much all of its marketing claims is rare for a lot of quadcopters.I'll start with my favorite feature of the Bugs 2, the GPS. If you've ever flown a drone then chances are you've probably also lost one. It doesn't take long for the wind to carry away your fun flying toy and by the time you realize it's drifted away too far it's too late. Luckily GPS takes the guesswork out of which direction to fly a straight line back to where you started. As you can see in the video, you don't even need to have a reception to make your drone fly back towards you, make GPS a double bonus. No more losing reception and having your drone suddenly drop out of the sky!
Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review PROGRAMMABLE! Erik Summer 2017-11-16 | 87 Key Single Color Keyboard - http://amzn.to/2hvLfnJFull-Size Color Changing Keyboard - http://amzn.to/2zNbi42This is the single color 87-Key model, but they also have a full size 104 key color-changing model.The Havit Keyboard uses mechanical keys that have a few advantages over the cheaper membrane keyboards. They last longer, don’t wear out as fast, and even after typing for a couple years mechanical keyboards still feel the way they did when they were brand new. Whereas the rubber domes used in a lot of other keyboards will lose that smooth action and click you feel when hitting the key.I love how the top of the key is bright and the rest of it is blocking the light from shining out the sides. I would consider this an advantage over the SteelSeries keyboard on my laptop which puts out more light around the edges compared to the top. Now, this isn’t the case with all Steelseries keyboards but from what I’ve seen the Havit keyboards do a better job of directing the light where you want it.The Havit mechanical keyboard has a 60 inch detachable USB cable which is great in case you want something longer to type on across the room, or shorter if you’re going to be typing close to your computer and want to reduce wires. It also makes it more convenient for traveling. It’s advertised as a low-profile keyboard so compared to your traditional keyboard you’ll notice the keys are shorter. The travel distance is shorter as well, so if you type a lot, especially fast typers will appreciate the light force it takes to type on this keyboard. One thing that I wasn’t a big fan of was the sound of the click, you’ll want to keep that in mind if you work in a silent area around other people. It’s not a huge deal for me, and some people prefer a nice clean click, but I think they could have toned it down just a little. Even with that small con, I still think it’s an all-around high-quality keyboard that’ll last you a long time.International Buyers can get it here - prohavit.com/products/hv-kb390l-low-profile-mechanical-keyboard
Laptop Cooling Pad | Color Changing With Giant Fan Erik Summer 2017-10-09 | Link to this Cooling Pad - amzn.to/2P3K5kZ *Link is to a newer versionI was seeing around a 17 degree F (8 C) temperature drop when turned on high and under intense use. I maxed out the graphics card to heat up the system. My laptop does have larger than normal vents underneath so my results might be higher than normal. Regardless of what laptop you have, keeping it cooler will extend it's life and can help prevent your battery from overheating.
Zip Counter-top Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Review Erik Summer 2017-09-25 | Link to this Reverse Osmosis Water Filter - http://amzn.to/2y1fv4fTrace Minerals I use in my water - http://amzn.to/2wQpOmHIf you want the best water filter for you and your family then Reverse Osmosis is the way to go. It's the most popular way to get the highest quality drinking water and now you can have an all in one filtration system that sits on your countertop.Reverse Osmosis used to be a problem for renters or people who didn't want to do the install necessary to install an RO unit in your home. I've tested almost all of the cheap store-bought water filters and while they claim to do A LOT, the results I've seen leave me skeptical. More about pH: http://www.jasonswatersofteners.com/what-is-the-ideal-ph-for-drinking-waterTap water facts: factretriever.com/tap-water-factsWhat makes this water filter so special is that you do not need to drill a hole into your existing plumbing to make it work. If you’ve ever considered an RO system, then you probably know that they need a place to drain all the wastewater from the RO filter. This is a big reason why renters or people who don’t want to deal with plumbing and skip out on the great filtration an RO filter can offer and go with a Purr or Brita filter. The Zip filter is one of the most efficient RO systems because it’s rejected water is passed into the bottom 1 gallon tank. That means every gallon of water you put in, you get a half gallon of clean water. This bottom tank will have to be completely emptied after every cycle because what's left is water that has a TDS of over 1000ppm. In comparison, most RO systems waste around 4 gallons to filter one gallon of clean water. Some people claim that it’s closer to a 10 to 1 ratio. So not only is the Zip filter much more efficient, it also allows you to use the wastewater for watering your plants instead of just going down the drain. If you’ve given up on tap water and decided on bottled water then you’re paying 100’s of times more for the same water you can make at home and you don’t have to carry those heavy cases around. This is true of evaporated water like the store bought SmartWater. That’s why almost all bottled water will have minerals added back into the water.One concern I’ve heard a lot of people bring up is that Ro systems will turn water acidic because it eliminates the minerals in the water. All these minerals that a RO membrane rejects would have balanced out the PH making it more alkaline. The zip filter will add some good minerals back into the filtered water to balance out the Ph.Another concern is that they filter the water too good and strip it of essential minerals. So if you want to take it a step further, you can add trace minerals back into your water. A trend that I’ve been seeing a lot lately is this alkaline water that has an 8.5 ph level and in my opinion, that’s just a marketing tactic to get you to spend more on water.Don’t waste your money on these overpriced jugs of alkaline water, but what I do recommend is buying one and saving the jug so you can transfer the water from your RO system and then store the water in your fridge. I want to hear your opinion, have any of you tried a RO system and ended up feeling better or worse? I know I always feel better when I drink more water and I noticed after drinking RO water for years I’m more sensitive to the taste of chlorine in tap water.They typically use higher quality plastics that won’t leach toxins into your water. Or if you’re really concerned, just use a glass or metal container. One thing that really worries me about the under sink filter is the possibility of leaks. There are a lot of pipes that are all under pressure from an unlimited supply of water from your city. One leak, while you're away, could do a lot of damage. If you do go with the under sink filter, just remember to always turn off your main supply line so if it does leak, it’s just a couple gallons from the storage tank. The TDS levels on the Pur and tap water were pretty close which makes me wonder how much well it’s actually filtering my water.The TDS on my under sink filter was the lowest and that’s because he doesn’t have a pH adjuster on it which adds minerals back into the water to help buffer it. The tap water, not surprisingly has very high chlorine levels which aren't something I’d like to drink. The pH is around 8 because of the high amounts of calcium and magnesium. I’ve put over 300 gallons through my Zip filter and it still performs like it did when it was brand new. So overall I highly recommend it. You get all the benefits of a RO system, which will give you very pure drinking water without the hassles of installing a larger system that requires a direct like to your water pipe and a line for the wastewater that requires you to drill into your existing pipes.
Apeman 4k Action Camera VS. GoPro Erik Summer 2017-06-11 | Link to the Apeman Action Camera - amzn.to/2YCENQOApeman Camera with remote - amzn.to/2P4XTfcRecommended Micro SD card - amzn.to/2LpLtLtGoPro Camera - amzn.to/2LFulT6Video comparison – 1:00Video from quadcopter – 6:12120fps 1280x720 (slow mo) – 8:27Underwater – 8:334K video – 9:00Included Accessories – 13:25Audio comparison – 16:082.4x1.7x1.2 inch(LxWxD),the lens is approximately 0.2 inchGoPro cameras allow both amateur and professional videographers to get some awesome shots that were previously only seen in high-end production. GoPro cameras are no doubt some of the best action cameras out there but if you’re looking for a less expensive alternative to the GoPro then you’ll want to consider this one. The Apeman 4K action camera packs in an impressive list of features and accessories all for under $100.None of the footage has been altered. I’ve noticed the Apeman action camera adding more saturation and exposure, which in a lot of shots, looks pretty good, especially in low light. You will notice the shot with the alligator being overexposed because of the high contrast of bright and dark in the same scene. If you’re not into editing your footage in post-production then this could be a good thing for you. The body of the camera has some texture but it is a little slippery and not as nice as the GoPros rubbery skin. The GoPros battery did last only a few minutes longer. I was expecting the battery on the Apeman to be pretty short but I was surprised to see it lasting around an hour of constant starting and stopping. The underwater case feels nice and sturdy. I will be putting it to the test in an upcoming video when I go freediving with it. So far, I’ve tested it to 13 feet with no leaks. Typical 4K resolution is 3840x2160. I’m not sure why the difference in resolution but it can easily be cropped without losing too much quality. Specifications:(LCD): 2 inchLens: 70-170 degrees adjustable + HD wide-angleVideo Resolution: 4K 24fps; 2k 30fps; 1080P 60fps; 720P 120fps; 720P 60fps;Format: H.264Image Resolution: 20M;16M;12M;10M;8M;5M;3M;VGAStorage: micro SD up to 128GBShooting Mode: Single Shot / Self-timer (2S / 5s / 10s / Double)Loop recording: SupportTime-lapse Record: 100ms / 200ms / 500ms / 1Sec / 5 SecMotion Detection capabilityFrequency: 50Hz/60HzUSB Interface: micro USB 2.0, micro HDMIBattery Capacity: 3.7V Li-ion Battery 1050 mAh (Two Batteries Included )Recording Time: 1080P/ About 120 minutes 4K/ About 60 minutes of Each BatteryCharging Time: About 3 hours
Eachine E55 - Folding Pocket Drone Erik Summer 2017-05-03 | Buy a similar folding drone here - amzn.to/2E171LgThe link is to a newer version that folds up in the palm of your hand.This is a review of the Eachine E55 foldable pocket drone with WiFi camera. This is the only toy drone that I know of that has both the folding arms and blades making the E55 a very compact little drone. What makes it even more unique are the gear driven blades. If you notice the motors are actually located sideways in the arm which adds to the compactness of this design. Even with all the moving parts, this little drone is fairly crash-resistant. The arms will fold back during a crash and the blades are swivel freely. As far as functions go, this one has all the bells and whistles. You have "headless mode" which will keep the drone flying in the direction of your control inputs, regardless of the direction of the drone.It has Altitude hold so you can focus more on flying and less on maintain height. I’ve noticed that it works best flying at slower speeds. If you fly fast, you’ll have to match speed with the throttle.The E55 can do flips by simply pressing the top right button and flipping the stick in the direction you want to flip in. The batteries are replaceable which is always a nice thing to have on a toy drone.Flight times are around 6 minutes with the 300mAh lipo. And extra batteries are cheap! I included a link to extra batteries in the description below. It has a WiFi standard definition camera tucked inside the body. The range was limited. I was getting to around 30 feet before it started losing connection. The It is hard to see what direction this it’s pointed because the LED lights are tucked inside the arms. I recommend adding some neon tape to the front.
MJX RC Bugs 3 Best Cheap Drone With Camera Mount To Carry GoPro Erik Summer 2017-04-30 | Buy this drone here - amzn.to/2E0ZQTvGet a GoPro - amzn.to/2YzxqcTI also did a review on the Bugs 2 which is a version with GPS : youtu.be/_KJ8pNqH0nMIf you don’t care about all the bells and whistles and just want a low cost/high-performance drone, then you’ll definitely want to consider this one.The all-around build quality is great.The taller set of landing gear has a nice wide stance to keep from tipping on rough landings. The legs do get in the shot just a little, but that can easily be cropped out in post-production without losing too much of your footage. You also have the sturdy pre-installed landing legs if you don’t plan on using the bottom camera mount.It does include blade guards but I HIGHLY recommend not flying this near any person or animal. The blade guards are not going to do much if this thing hits someone. The blades are very sharp and spin very fast so please be careful when flying.The camera mount holds my GoPro in place with a very secure latch. The camera vibration wasn’t bad but wasn’t perfect. I was able to improve the footage by simple wedging in some foam on either side of the mount to keep is steady. I didn’t use this throughout all the footage so I’ll note in the video which parts have the foam and which do not. The mount does tilt up and down manually.The Brushless motors are very precise when putting in even the slightest controls. If you’ve ever tried capturing video from a drone with Brushed motors before you’ll notice a big decrease in vibration and the jello effect. It does not have a gimbal so your shots are going to be pointed where the drone is pointed. If you have a steady hand and with light winds, you can still get some impressive shots. The Acceleration is insane. Even with a heavy GoPro, this drone has a ton of power.I like how I can simply plug in the battery turn on the control and go. If you don’t want to spend all the extra time setting up your GPS, your gimble and, connecting a live FPV feed, this quad be all set up and ready to go in less than a minute.It has a nicely balance gyro which holds the drone steady when you let go of your right stick b there is no GPS or Altitude hold so if there is a breeze it will drift. This model has a very bright LED in front which can been seen during the day and helps a lot when it gets too far to tell which direction it’s pointed. Simply rotate the quad until you see the white light pointed at you and you’ll be able to guide it back. You also have a total of 16 super bright white and blue LEDs underneath which help with orientation. The top can be easily removed to access the main board. Here you’ll see where you can attach the optional cameras that MJX offers, either WIFI, 5.8 ghz, or their panoramic camera. They also offer their own sports camera and a couple different displays if you want to fly FPV. There’s also room if you wanted to add your own FPV camera and these are your 4 independent escs for each motor.Flight times when carrying a GoPro and flying aggressive were around 10 minutes which is pretty good. If you’re flying slow without a camera then you’ll be able to get around 15-18 minutes. The transmitter does have a Range and battery alarm which is nice if you flying FPV or flying too far away to notice the LED blinking on the quad.Range was great. I took it as far as I could see it with no loss in signal. Unless you’re flying FPV there’s no need to take it further than that. The rotors are self-tightening so there are no screws. If you’re unfamiliar with quadcopters, make sure to pay attention to the A and B blades. They’re labeled on the blade and on each arm. Put them on in the wrong order and your quad won’t fly. Thank you so much for watching, if you found the video helpful I always appreciate those thumbs up! And if you have any questions please leave them in the comments below and make sure to subscribe to keep up to date with future reviews. Enjoy the rest of the flight footage.
Micro UMX Plane Unresponsive Servo Fix Erik Summer 2017-02-21 | This fix should work on all UMX micro planes. After losing all control of my elevator servo I almost tossed my mini Radian glider. To fix a unresponsive servo, simply turn the gear all the way back. Turn your plane back on and the servo will go back to its neutral position.
Best Remote Control Car Under $40 FAST! Erik Summer 2017-01-30 | Link to buy this RC Car - amzn.to/2rSUDaGYou rarely find low priced RC cars like this one that performs so well. This little buggy comes with 3 extra 100mAh lipo batteries that will give you around 6-7 minutes of driving time each. Charging is done through the included USB charger.It is a 2.4ghz transmitter so your range will be pretty good, at around 50 feet.Speeds of 12mph might not sound fast, but when you see this little rc car go, it's impressive how fast such a small car can go. Unfortunately, the steering and throttle are not proportional. That means that you can turn full left/right only. No slight turns. Same with the throttle, it's all or nothing but it's still a very fun rc car!It's durable! The frame is made out of strong thick plastic. *Make sure to clear out the axles of any hair or debris that might cause the motor to burn out!Review on the L939 RC Truck (Similar in price and size) - youtube.com/watch?v=LACo8XH0wH0
Wall Climber RC car Erik Summer 2017-01-26 | Link to this Wall Climber Car - amzn.to/38pBwbOThe Wall Climber RC car works by creating a vacuum underneath its body to suck it to any smooth surface like a wall or glass. It has only 2 wheels with rubber treads that will move it forward, reverse, left and right. The outer 4 wheels are just for looks. With the suction fan on, it'll drive for about 8 minutes and charges in 10 minutes.The controls are like that of any other RC car making it easy to drive and great for all ages. The outer frame is very strong and resistant to any crash you can throw at this car. However, you might not be so lucky falling from a 9 foot ceiling. I recommend sticking to walls and the ground.
Powerful, Quiet, and Compact Laptop Cooler TURBINE FAN! Erik Summer 2017-01-21 | Link to buy this laptop cooler stand - amzn.to/2Si81jsReview on the Laptop Cooling Pad - youtube.com/watch?v=49CB46LpkCs&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIIW-cLp-kh4kABNsCJv_QK&index=2My other laptop cooler reviews - youtube.com/watch?v=W7ipETywbV4&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIIW-cLp-kh4kABNsCJv_QK&index=3My results:I saw an average of 10 degrees (F) reduction in heat both on light and heavy use. This reduction in temperature was less than the laptop cooling pad version of this fan. I believe this has a lot to do with how the cooling pad channels the air into a high-pressure bowl underneath your laptop, forcing the air up through the vents. It's a trade-off for a smaller cooler that is easier to carry around and doubles as a desktop fan.
Parrot Swing VTOL Plane and Quadcopter Full Flight Review Erik Summer 2017-01-08 | Get your Parrot Swing on Amazon - http://amzn.to/2i7NG14Extra batteries - amzn.to/34a2aSBThe Parrot Swing MiniDrone takes off like a quadcopter and transforms to a X-Wing type airplane with the press of a button. If you're new to quadcopters and RC planes don't worry. The Parrot Swing is EASY TO FLY! It's not going to let you over bank and stall which would destroy most RC airplanes. When it quadcopter mode, it won't let it fall too fast. It has a sensor that will measure the distance to the ground and will limit the decent so if you reduce the throttle too quickly it'll gently descend at a safe speed until it lands safely.
RC Transforming Flying Car - Hot Wheels Sky Shock Review Erik Summer 2016-12-31 | Link to buy a flying car - amzn.to/2RCyECo *The HotWheels Sky Shock has been discontinued but I recommend the car in this link because it drives a lot better on the ground and flies a lot better in the sky!Review of the Syma X9 Flying Car - youtu.be/qQY2LxMJRCEThe Sky Shocks flight performance wasn’t as good as I was expecting. I think the original Hotwheels StreetHawk flew much better and has fewer parts, making it more durable and lighter. I think a first-time flier would have a tough time getting the Sky Shock to fly for very long. Both have a trim tab on the rear fin to adjust the pitch up or down. It’s important to fly a couple short flights to adjust the trim before taking your Sky Shock up too high.The Sky Shocks folding wings will allow it to drive pretty quickly on land. Steering is done by changing the power to the left or right motors and not by turning the wheels so turns are wide and not easy to control. You’ll need plenty of space to fly because turns in the air are wide and if you try to turn too tight, the Sky Shock will roll over and nose dive. If you like the idea of a flying car, then I would recommend checking out my review on the Syma X8 FlyCar. The Flycar can steer on the ground and has powered wheels which give it excellent driving performance. The main difference is the Flycar turns into a quadcopter in the air. I’ll link to that review in the description below. Overall, the Sky Shock does fly, but don’t be fooled by the simple controls, it’s a challenging plane to fly. But with some patience and a very large open space it is possible to get this thing airborne.
Parrot Swing Drone VTOL Quadcopter/Plane Flight Erik Summer 2016-12-26 | Link to buy the Parrot Swing - http://amzn.to/2i6vEdWFull review coming soon, this is flight footage only.I was getting decent flight time at around 5 minutes. I have heard a lot of people complaining about short flight times so if this happens to you, contact Parrots Customer Support Team at 1-877-972-7768
Anki Overdrive Review: Ultimate Slot Car Racing & Batteling Erik Summer 2016-12-14 | Get the Anki Overdrive Kit here - http://amzn.to/2hxrzPO Fast & Furious Edition - amzn.to/2sf0SZoMy Review on the original Anki Drive - youtube.com/watch?v=_cTjTziHEvw&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=65Available Anki Overdrive Expansion Cars:Guardian - http://amzn.to/2hOQFbRNuke - http://amzn.to/2gC1koWThermo - http://amzn.to/2hOZwKABig Bang - http://amzn.to/2hxAikKSupertrucks:X-52 - http://amzn.to/2hOXav8Freewheel - http://amzn.to/2hOT2vg
F181 Quadcopter with Altitude Hold and Camera Erik Summer 2016-12-12 | Buy the F181 - http://amzn.to/2kkUn1u (*it now comes with 2 batteries and no case) Trouble shooting the app. Sometimes the camera doesn't connect to your phone and here are some tips that'll hopefully help.1. Try connecting to the Drones WIFI camera before you start the app.2. To save your video clips, make sure to stop the recording on the app. Also, on mine, the camera/video button doesn't work on the controller. You can only record from your phone. The camera quality isn’t great but it’s average for a low-cost WIFI camera. The range, however, was really good. Both the transmitter and WIFI range were better than most drones I've flown. As you can see from the map, the measured distance it flew was over 270 feet. You will get better range when you’re away from houses because WIFI signals will cut down your signal strength. I noticed flight times of around 6 minutes. It has 4-speed modes. In slow mode it’s very controllable inside and with the altitude hold you only have to worry about 2 dimensions which makes it much easier to fly as a beginner and if you have enough room inside you can even fly room to room through your smartphone using a live feed from the camera.After you’ve mastered flying in slow mode, you can shed a lot of weight from this quadcopter by removing the landing gear, camera, and blade guards and F181 will fly much faster.I really like the size of the F181 it’s Not too big and not too small, it’s great for both outdoors and indoors.
Mini Spacebug RC Quadcopter | Small But Fast! Erik Summer 2016-11-30 | Link to this quadcopter on Amazon - http://amzn.to/2iUBuA1*This link is to a similar model. The original model has been discontinued.Battery life was average for this size drone at 4-6 minutes.With a stripped-down lightweight frame, you're going to better speeds but less durability.This nano stunt quadcopter can fly at speeds up to 18 mph which is impressive for something so small and doesn’t hesitate when you give it throttle. It looks like a cute ladybug but doesn't let its docile looks fool you. If you’ve never flown a quadcopter before, it’s not going to be the easiest to learn about because of its twitchy handling. This nano quad has tons of power in a very light frame. Flying this quad is like driving a Formula 1 car. It can be exciting to fly but it can be very easy to lose control if you’re not careful. I’m not saying it’s unstable, it actually handles really well outside and the 6-axis gyro does a good job at keeping it level.I recommend flying on Slow and Medium settings. In fast mode, this thing is crazy and has the fastest spin I’ve ever seen on a quadcopter.
Folding Nano Drone Flight Review Erik Summer 2016-11-29 | Link to purchase on Amazon - amzn.to/2YCJavd*This link is to a slightly different version of this drone. Links to similar nano quadcopters:CX-10WD FPV nano - youtube.com/watch?v=szE-mKWZ0pk&index=3&t=4s&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFEven smaller, the CX-Stars - youtube.com/watch?v=0yax8OuEUio&index=16&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFCX-10A - youtube.com/watch?v=sLH2diwDGhw&index=32&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFSyma X12 - youtube.com/watch?v=m6NFuCWCRss&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=53The X31 foldable drone handles like a larger quadcopter without the twitchy feeling that a lot of other nano quadcopters have. In a slow setting, I think beginner’s fliers will like the handling of this quad. Switch the X31 to fast mode and this thing can get going fast! Even with 5mph winds, the X31 was very stable and easy to control outside.The frame of the X31 feels very durable even with folding arms, and I’ve noticed the arms tucking in after a crash which helps reduce damage. Even if the arms are not all the way extended, this drone can still fly as long as the blades are not touching. Range was around 60 feet before it started to lose reception which is fine because any more than that and it’s impossible to see what direction the quadcopter is pointed. The battery is a built in 110 mAh lipo which was giving me around 5 minutes of flight time. You’ll know when it’s running low when the bright LEDs start flashing. Flips can be performed really easily with just the press of a button and flick of the stick in the direction of the flip. The X31 drone will do the rest. The LED’s are brighter than most quadcopters and in a dimly lit room will cast blue and red light all over the place.
Travel Jacket Hoodie With Hidden Pockets Erik Summer 2016-11-26 | Link to this travel jacket - amzn.to/2YBiz1m*This link is to a similar travel hoodie, the one I reviewed is no longer available. I've had things stolen from my backpack when traveling (my fault for leaving them in the rear pocket) so having front zip up pockets was a must for items that are frequently used, like a wallet, passport, and glasses. This sweater looks basic from the outside but it packs in a lot of goodies on the inside without a lot of bulkiness.Besides being made for traveling, it’s actually a nice looking sweater.I don't mind spending a little extra if it's something I'll be wearing all winter. It’s doesn’t look like an expensive jacket with tons of pockets and people wouldn’t suspect I’m carrying a lot of valuables. While flying, I like how I can easily take out all my essentials without digging through my carry-on bag. And with this much storage, you could even ditch your carry on altogether. You have to be careful with the clear plastic on the inside that hold your phone. It will melt if you toss it in the dryer so make sure to hand dry!Earbuds through loopsUp top there are two loops to keep your earbuds in place.
Syma X8W Quadcopter Drone Review - Tested with a GoPro Erik Summer 2016-11-19 | Here's the link to the X8W - amzn.to/2PawwQQI also recommend the MJX X101. Here's a link to the video review - youtube.com/watch?v=QSJp-at3wQ0&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=8Here's the Syma X5SW which is like a smaller version of the Syma X8W - youtube.com/watch?v=XgKx7wvWZYo&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=26
F180W Mini Quadcopter With WIFI Camera Erik Summer 2016-11-14 | F180W Mini Drone - amzn.to/2PBLLREThis speedy little drone is under the .55lbs so there's no need for any FAA registration! It comes with a reliable 2.4GHz radio with a range of around 100 ft which is plenty far for this tiny drone. The gyro system on this one feels really nice. It's stable, responsive, and will counter some wind. I wouldn't fly this in more than 5mph winds but it'll handle smalls winds better than most quadcopters in its size and price range. Flight times are average as well at around 6 minutes. Charging is easy, just plug the USB charger into any powered USB port.
Phaiser Bluetooth Headphones - Forget The Apple AirPods Erik Summer 2016-11-12 | Buy these wireless earbuds here - amzn.to/2Pp1gOhI updated the link to a similar version of these that are much better!These Bluetooth headphones have it all! 7 pairs of earbuds, 5 hours battery life, multifunction control and more.The Phaiser Bluetooth Headphones come with some cool features that you wouldn't expect for such a low price. The winged tips keep the earbuds in place during workouts and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I'm not a fan of apple earbuds because they don't do a good job at isolating noise, they hurt my ears, and they become slippery and fall out when you start to sweat. The shape of the new AirPods hasn’t changed much and I wouldn't risk having 2 tiny expensive earbuds that could easily fall out.The construction of the Phaiser earbuds is solid. I don't think you'll find a more rugged pair on the market. They claim they're made out of aviation grade aluminum. The magnets are a nice touch and keep the headphones attached like a necklace when not in use.These also come with a nice pair of Comply earbuds, which on their own cost $15. They are made out of high density memory foam and will offer the best noise isolation and comfort.The universal controls will do will keep you from having to constantly pull out your phone. You can turn the headphones on/off, skip songs, play/pause, and turn up/down the volume. More about Bluetooth 4.1 - http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/bluetooth-4-1-what-is-it-and-why-should-you-care
Worlds SMALLEST FPV Qaudcopter - Cheerson CX-10WD Erik Summer 2016-11-08 | Link to buy the Cheerson CX-10 FPV quadcopter – http://amzn.to/2f7W2FVLink to extra blades - amzn.to/2ExqNOI*Blades need to go on in a certain order or else it won’t fly! Look closely at how the original blades are installed and snap a picture so you’ll install them correctly if they break. Setting up the FPV App – youtu.be/OgEFUjcGoHw The quality of the video feed on this quadcopter is awesome and flying it FPV from your phone is easier than most other budget quadcopters. I really didn’t think it would be able to hold its altitude because of its low price and small size. All around I’m really impressed with the quality and performance of the Cheerson CX-10WD!The transmitter is better than any other nano quadcopter I’ve seen. The sides extend out to create a more comfortable grip and the sticks have a nice feel when flying. In the middle of the transmitter, there’s a protective housing for the quadcopter for easy storage and transport. It is 2.4ghz so you can fly outside with no problem as long as there’s no wind. The range is advertised at 25meters and I would have to say that’s pretty accurate.Battery life is 4-5 minutes and after 4 minutes you’ll want to keep it close because the FPV signal will start to fade pretty quickly. Unfortunately, there’s no option to replace the battery.You will break and lose blades but fortunately, spare blades are cheap and I included a link to extra parts for less than $10.Flying FPV with the Cheerson CX-10WD is easy thanks to “Altitude Hold”.
Easy To Fy Crash Proof RC Helicopter G610 Durant X-Copter Erik Summer 2016-10-20 | The G610 is one of the most crash-resistant toy RC helicopters out there.Link to buy - amzn.to/2qZC6w2*Link has been updated to a similar helicopter.If you’re looking for one of the easiest and most durable rc helicopters then the G610 is a great choice!Very similar to the popular Syma S107 rc helicopter, the G610 is slightly bigger and doesn’t have a metal frame BUT that doesn’t make this helicopter any less durable. Like the S107 it does use an infrared remote control so the range is limited to a large room or about 40 feet. Flying outside will shorten the range and can only be done in the shade with zero wind. Flight times with this rc helicopter were a pretty standard 8 minutes with charge times around 30 minutes. It can lift lightweight objects like small action figures but don’t try strapping a GoPro to this rc helicopter or else it’ll never leave the ground. ___You might also like this easy to fly rc quadcopter - youtube.com/watch?v=cTeDhzwDPg8&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=5___Link to the Syma S107 RC Helicopter - youtube.com/watch?v=jWhU8qhG4PM
JJRC H31 Waterproof RC Quadcopter Review Erik Summer 2016-10-17 | The JJRC H31 quadcopter is an incredibly easy drone with the most durable design I've ever seen.Buy the h31 here - amzn.to/2PXOXHvWhen I heard “waterproof quadcopter” I was hoping for a fully sealed drone that could float and fly. I quickly found out that the jjrc h31 could fly right after being fully submerged in water but it couldn’t float. Simply adding ping-pong balls to the 4 motors will allow it to float in water. Here's a video I did with another quadcopter landing on water with ping pong balls.youtube.com/watch?v=wMGHPwwbYwwThe flight performance and durability were outstanding. Instead of making the frame and propellers ridged, they have a slight bend to them which allows the H31 to withstand some hard crashes. If you’re a beginner then fly over grass and this quadcopter is almost indestructible!More RC Quadcopter Reviews - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF
Budget 4K Action Camera VS GoPro Erik Summer 2016-10-13 | Best budget action camera if you're looking for an alternative to GoPro.FULL REVIEW - youtu.be/2R1dIKptur4Campark Action Camera - http://amzn.to/2k1v2H4GoPro - amzn.to/2sBLRBhUnderwater comparison of the Campark 4K Waterproof Action Camera vs a GoPro Hero4 Silver.
Budget 4K Waterproof Action Camera VS GoPro Hero4 Camera Erik Summer 2016-10-13 | The best budget action camera compared to GoPro Hero4.Link to the Campark action Camera - http://amzn.to/2iYBNrnMicro SD Card - http://amzn.to/2vBN1vzGoPro - amzn.to/2sBLRBh_____Uploaded in 4K - youtu.be/T2TrzAqH8iM_____Campark Action Camera Underwater (Ocean) - youtu.be/tukfWdDaOxAFor the underwater shots, I filmed in 4K on both cameras. I realized later that the GoPro Hero 4 Silver only records at 15 fps and that’s why it doesn’t look as smooth as the other footage. The GoPro Black version which doesn’t have the touch screen will actually record at 30 fps in 4k. The Campark is recording at 25 fps. If you have a 4K screen check out the link above to view the footage uploaded in 4K. I didn’t make this entire video in 4K because I would have had to stretch all my 1080 video. I was only able to take the camera down to a depth of 8 feet but I will be taking this free diving in the ocean to see how it handles in deeper water. So make sure to subscribe so you can check out that footage when I upload it.The colored manual is easy to understand and has helpful pictures that show the various ways to mount your camera with all the accessories. The GoPro is noticeably better with dark and light scenes, like when you have a shadow with a bright background. The Campark lacks detail in some situations. The Campark adds a lot of saturation and sharpness to its footage automatically. If you don’t like touching up your video in post-production then this could be a good thing for you but if you’re like me and prefer to have more control when editing then this can be a slight problem.To connect your phone to your camera just download the EZ iCam app, click the side button on your camera, and then click add devices and your phone will connect to the camera's WIFI. It does come with a decent looking 2 inch LCD screen which is not touch screen like the GoPro but it does help a lot when setting up a shot and deleting footage on the go. Overall, you’re getting good video and photo quality for the price and tons of accessories to attach this action camera almost anywhere. I think this makes a great backup camera to get extra angles when filming. Or when the shot is just too risky for your $400 GoPro. And if you own a GoPro you know that your friends always want to borrow it so now, I’ll slip them my Campark camera and not have to worry as much that they’ll take it underwater without the case on.If you’re in the market for very affordable action camera I hope you found this video helpful! And while the quality is not up there with GoPro, it cost 4 times less, it does pack a lot of value for everything you’re getting.The two included batteries are 1050mAh lipos and I found my camera lasting about 60 minutes.If you do have any questions please leave them in the comments below. If you liked the video, please thumbs up and subscribe so you can keep up to date with my sweet new reviews!
MJX X600 Hexacopter Drone Review Erik Summer 2016-10-05 | Find it here on Amazon - amzn.to/2S7yCD4 The mjx X600 Hexacopter looks like a B2 Bomber with its flat black finish and powerful motors capable of carrying a camera. Without camera - http://amzn.to/2dfDu1JThis MJX X600 is incredibly stable and easy to fly! With its 6 motors, it's technically a hexacopter but since most people still see it as a quadcopter, that's what I'll refer to it as. Either way, the X600 is a blast to fly because of it's good looks, handling and ability to carry smaller cameras. You do not have to register this quadcopter! It's under .55lbs.More about the MJX x600 Transmitter.It comes with an attachment to mount your phone to the transmitter for FPV flying. The transmitter is pretty good and has more functions then what you'd expect for such a low price. Flight times and battery.The included battery is a swappable 700mAh Lipo that'll give you between 6 - 10 minutes of flight time depending on how crazy you fly. If you do buy extra batteries make sure to let your quadcopter cool down 5 minutes between flights!Durability. For it's size, the X600 is one of the most durable quadcopters thanks to the support from the 2 extra arms. The weakest part of this drone is it's landing gear. Luckily each landing gear arm is help on with only 2 screws so replacing them is quick and easy. FPV Camera - MJX C4008While this is a low end FPV camera, it's better than a lot of other ones out there. It performs best at less than 100 feet (line of sight). Past that and it'll start pausing and cutting out. I was able to view the camera up to 200 feet but at that point, it was too difficult to fly because of the constant cutting in/out.
Centrifugal Turbine Cooling Fan | The Most Power Laptop Cooler? Erik Summer 2016-10-02 | A similar version that pulls air from under the cooling pad - amzn.to/34IOU7RJust the rear fan blower - amzn.to/2VLVMAQ*The maker of this cooling pad changed from a full-sized stand to just the fan. It's the same fan just without the whole stand.An interesting laptop cooling pad that is surprisingly powerful!Video review of a similar but smaller laptop cooler youtube.com/watch?v=EwCAe3AJj6s&lc=z13by3nhapyqvplu323ehdhqekuvhlke4The high output centrifugal turbine fan laptop cooler moves A LOT of air to cool off even the hottest gaming laptops. The high-quality metal fans is over 7 inches long and sits horizontally in the rear of the cooler leaving the middle open for plenty of airflow. This means you won't have any dead spots of stagnant air that axial fans have.Centrifugal fans or blowers tend to be quieter than axial fans and move air at a higher velocity. The high-pressure air will help push more air through the vents on the bottom of your laptop to help cooler it even faster. The intake will pull air in through the top and rear of the laptop cooler so placing it on a soft surface like a bed, couch, or your lap will not suffocate it like a lot of other coolers on the market that have the intakes on the bottom.Keeping your laptop cool will extend its life and improve its performance. Gaming, video editing, and other CPU intensive activities can really heat up a computer. Some laptops either don't have an internal fan or have a weak fan that can't dissipate fast enough. The worst thing you can do is place your laptop on a soft surface like a bed and completely suffocate the fans. These are all great reasons why a laptop cooler is a great idea.
Eachine E010 RC Drone review - Great Micro Indoor Quadcopter! Erik Summer 2016-09-27 | Link to buy the Eachine E010 - amzn.to/2Z2IQpzThe unique design of the Eachine E010 makes this quadcopter very safe to fly and super stable.Durability - The E010 is one of the most well-protected mini quadcopters. The ducted fan wraps completely around each blade creating a protective cage that is very solid. The blades have 4 propellers instead of the typical 2, which means they don't have to spin as fast making it quieter and less dangerous. Battery - The battery is a 150mAh lipo which is going to give you around 5 minutes of flight time. Charging is done on the included USB charger. The battery is replaceable and extra batteries are very affordable. Summary - The Eachine E010 makes a great quadcopter for kids because of its durability and great handling. With two speed settings, you’ll have room to grow into a higher performance drone with the push of a button.You might also like the HAK906 youtube.com/watch?v=-jQN6w6cOno&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=15More RC Quadcopter Reviews - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF
MJX X101 Review | GIANT Quadcopter Erik Summer 2016-09-11 | Link to the X101 - amzn.to/2rayZBIVideo of 3 different cameras flown on the X101:youtube.com/watch?v=Gp3uaQkYXDI&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=1Video on FPV Camera range test. The same camera that's included but flown on a different quad. youtube.com/watch?v=iSGFGjs0VXI&index=2&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFThe MJX X101quadcopter is very powerful and outperforms many other similarly priced drones.This is a great budget drone for anyone who’s looking for a quadcopter that can lift most action cameras like a gopro. If you plan on buying a more expensive quadcopter like the DJI Phantom but want to learn on something that has a similar look and feel then the X101 is perfect. Measurements DJI diagonal without props is almost 14 inchesThe X101 is about 15.5 inches diagonal without props.It’s definitely not a kids' toy. If you want a tamer quad, check out my review on the Syma X5SW. It’s much smaller and lighter.This one does weight almost a full pound so the FAA does want you to register it. It’s a simple process and they want to you agree to a couple things like “I will not fly under the influence”. It just takes a couple minutes and $5 bucks. I included a link above.This one comes with a good size battery. The 1200 mAh lipo will give you around 9-10 minutes of flight time if you’re just hovering in one spot. If you’re flying around you’re going to get closer to 6-7 minutes. And if you’re carrying a gopro then you can expect around 5-6 minutes. I highly recommend timing your flights so you know when to come in to land.I do wish the LED lights were a little brighter. The front 2 lights are only visible if they’re pointing directly at you and the lights in the arms are inside the frame so they’re not very bright and hard to see during the day.One thing I really liked was the shape of the frame. The rear arms are longer and this helps a lot with orientation when it’s far away.If you do fly too far and lose track of which way forward is then switch it over to headless mode and pull the stick back. It’s important to calibrate the headless mode to the compass is tuned to the transmitter. If it’s calibrated correctly, then pulling your right stick back will bring your quadcopter back towards you. As it’s flying toward you, making small left/right adjustments will ensure it arrives right in front of you.The control does have a throttle limiter for beginners. This will keep the quad from zooming off at high speed into your neighbor’s yard down the street. Trust me, even with a GoPro the X101 has a ton of power and if someone isn’t familiar with the controls it can disappear real quick. The best place to learn how to fly this quad is in the middle of a grassy field keeping it low to the ground in case you need to cut the power to keep it from getting stuck somewhere you can’t retrieve it.I included a link above showing how well the FPV camera performs (if you buy the one with the included camera. There’s a live view from the phone showing you exactly what you’ll see as you’re flying the quadcopter. I included a view of video recorded from the phone and directly from the micro sd card on the camera so you can see when the camera started to lose reception and cut out.I’ve tested several different cameras and so far the best footage came from the Mobius camera. I’m still working on a solution to smooth out the footage from the GoPro and I’ll post updates when I find better ways to get nice smooth aerial video.The X101 will perform flips although I wouldn’t recommend doing them with a camera attached and you definitely want to do them outside! Overall the handling was very nice. There were no surprises when pulling aggressive turns at high speeds and the gyro was rock solid. Out of the box, it hovered perfectly with no need for any trim.
MJX X101 Quadcopter Footage from GoPro, Mobius, and C4008 Camera Erik Summer 2016-09-07 | Testing how each camera performs on the MJX X101 quadcopter.Link to the MJX X101 w/ Camera: http://amzn.to/2c6mTMwMobius Cam: amzn.to/2Ext9gFGoPro: amzn.to/2s0gKiKGoPro mount for the MJX X101: amzn.to/35CkLZlFull review - youtube.com/watch?v=QSJp-at3wQ0&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=5This review demonstrates the quality of the areal footage taken from onboard the X101 quadcopter with 3 different cameras.This giant RC quadcopter has plenty of power to lift most small action cameras without any hesitation. Its speed and maneuverability is impressive given its price. I wouldn’t recommend this for indoor flying or for beginners. The X101 would make a great trainer quadcopter if you wanted to move up to a more expensive drone like the DJI Phantom. The size and handling will be great practice and the X101 forgives rough landings. You can buy a crash kit which includes extra blades, landing gear, and blade guards for less than $20.More RC Quadcopter Reviews - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF
Nerf Rival Blaster vs. Quadcopter Erik Summer 2016-09-01 | Buy the Ammo here: http://amzn.to/2bWiC1HThe quadcopter I'm flying is the X101 by MJX R/C and can be found here: http://amzn.to/2bWDvcS The Nerf Rival guns are a ton of fun for older kids and adults. The new and improved balls shot farther and faster but don't have enough impact to cause bruising (on most people). In my opinion they are MUCH safer than airsoft!The guys over at HeadShot sent me some Nerf Rival Compatible replacement ammo and after a lot of testing I can't tell any difference from the genuine Nerf Brand Balls. They are identical, except with HeadShot you pay less and get a carrying case!Fits the:Nerf Apollo XV-700Nerf Zeus MXV-1200Nerf Khaos MXVI-4000Nerf Atlas XVI-1200 blaster
How to Re-calibrate SYMA Quadcopters X5C X5SW Erik Summer 2016-09-01 | Re calibrating your quadcopter is important when flying in headless mode or after a crash that might have thrown off the gyro.Full review of Syma Explorers: youtube.com/watch?v=XgKx7wvWZYo&index=18&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFMore RC Quadcopter Reviews - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF
C4008 FPV Camera quality and range test flown on the MJX X600 Hexacopter Erik Summer 2016-08-28 | The C4008 FPV camera can be found on several MJX quadcopter models including this MJX X600.Buy the X600 amzn.to/2S7yCD4 X600 Hexacopter with no camera: http://amzn.to/2btcwlaJust the C4008 Camera: amzn.to/2EvFC4H*Full Review - youtube.com/watch?v=L-fbiJqH6fU&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=3The range of the MJX X600 Hexacopter was great. I flew approximately 300 ft (91m) with no loss of reception. I didn't fly further than that because the C4008 FPV camera started cutting out at around 200 feet making it difficult to fly using the camera alone. At 300 ft away it's very hard to see the direction the hexacopter is going so I wouldn't recommend taking it beyond that.
MJX X400W FPV quadcopter drone review Erik Summer 2016-08-12 | Link to the MJX X400W amzn.to/2Z0yKWaThe MJX X400W is a budget quadcopter with a wifi camera that allows you to fly FPV through your phone.Extra Batteries: amzn.to/35CZHBJReview of the Syma X5SW FPV quadcopter: youtube.com/watch?v=XgKx7wvWZYo&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=16The MJX X400W summary.Overall a great flying, durable FPV quadcopter. Very similar to the Syma X5SW FPV Explorers 2 quadcopter. Both have their PROs and CONs which I will go over below. The stability and durability make the MJX a good beginner quadcopter especially if you're interested in FPV.Durability.The durability is great. The only complaint I have about the quad is the weak landing gear. Fortunately, a little glue (gorilla glue works great) will fix it right up. The frame is very light and strong. In my video review, you can see me crashing into concrete walls and the ground with minimal damage.Battery.It includes a high capacity 750mAh Li-po battery which is larger than the Syma X5SW, giving you an extra minute or two of flight time. Extra batteries are cheap and easy to find. I added a recommend set of batteries.FPV Camera.The quality of the camera isn't great. The reason for the low-quality video is because it's all broadcast over a WIFI signal to your smartphone. There is no memory card in the quadcopter itself, it's all stored on your phone. It is pretty responsive however and when it's within range, it's pretty cool to see the view from your quadcopter. The camera angle is adjustable. This is helpful for when you're flying fast and don't want to be looking at the ground the whole time. I tilted my camera up so it's pointing forward and slightly up.To get the 3D function to work you have to go through a few steps.1. download the correct app from this website: http://www.mjxtoys.com/down/70.html*You might have to disable your security settings to install it since this app is different from the one in the app store and isn't verified through the app store yet.2. Check your downloads folder on your phone and install the file (it'll be a .apk file)3. Once installed connect to the quadcopters WIFI signal and you should see the 3D button.
Dromida Kodo Quadcopter Review Erik Summer 2016-07-28 | Link to buy on Amazon - amzn.to/35B8PXPExtra battery - amzn.to/392nRbc*The link above is a similar version of the Kodo drone. The original has been discontinued.Review of the Syma X11 Quadcopter: youtube.com/watch?v=xFR-5nBLXs4&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=23Review of the Proto X: youtube.com/watch?v=Ev8nf3MxiUI&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=60There is no option to buy a HD camera or to get one without a camera and I’ll show you some onboard footage later on in the video. It does come with a 2gb micro sd card and USB adapter so you can easily pull your video and photos over to your computer. You cannot view this camera in real time. It’s not an FPV or first-person view quadcopter.I loved how this quadcopter flies but I have to point out one very important thing first before I get into the rest of the review. I’m not alone on saying this because I’ve read reviews of this happening to other people. The problem is when this drone loses signal it’ll keep flying at the speed and direction that it last remembered. That’s a problem if you’re flying forward and up. It’ll just keep going to a galaxy far far away. If you have this quadcopter and it does the same thing or if you noticed it eventually power down after a couple seconds please let me know in the comments below.Most quadcopters that I’ve tested will bring the power to zero when they lose reception which for me is usually over a grassy field. In the flight video, you’ll see the quad lose reception and just keep flying in one direction.A great alternative to the Dromida Kodo is the Syma X11 which I put a video review link too in the description below. It’s similar in size and performance and you can buy it with or without a camera for around the same price as the Dromida. And the blade guards are better and protecting the quad.You’re not going to have a problem with the reception if you’re flying this quad inside as long as you have plenty of room. Blade guards are included but they’re weak and bend easily so don’t fly this around pets, people’s faces, or breakable items.The overall flight performance of this quad is really good. I don’t think it’s a great quadcopter for beginners because of its speed but if you have experience flying then you’ll really enjoy how this quadcopter handles. A beginner flier will think this quad is twitchy and hard to control. The Syma X11 has more of a buffer and will accept more mistakes with the control inputs. The design of the Dromida reminds me of the Proto X mini quadcopter. They both have a stripped-down minimal design that makes them very quick and responsive. The control wasn’t anything special. I found it difficult to hold comfortably in my hands. They designed it this way so you could easily switch the throttle to the right side by flipping the mode switch and then turning the control over. For most people, you’ll want it in Mode 2, which will put your throttle on the left side of the controller. There is no on/off button on the quad, it’ll turn on once it’s plugged in and paired with the control. Make sure to do this on a flat level surface to prevent having to put in extra trim when flying. Once the battery is plugged in and the control is on, simply bring the throttle up and all the way down to pair it.Extra batteries are cheap and easy to replace. I never got a chance to test a full battery since this quad left me during my first flight but it’s advertised at 6-8 minutes. I included a link to extra batteries in the description. I really wish this quadcopter throttled down when it lost reception. Other than that, it’s an all-around great flying quad for the price. If you do have any questions please leave them in the comments below.Thanks for watching and if you found the video helpful I always appreciate a thumbs up!
Syma X51 Scout Quadcopter Flight Review Erik Summer 2016-07-21 | X51 Spaceship Drone - amzn.to/35EGtvQThere are tons of toy quadcopters out there and not much changes when new models come out. Finally, the X51 quadcopter comes out with a tricopter design that stands out from the rest! At first glance, it appears to only have 3 motors, but the front section actually has a top and bottom motor. One pushes down and the other pulls up. When I first saw this design, I didn’t expect it to fly well at all but really wanted to test it out. I was surprised by how well it actually handled and while it does have some strange flying characteristics, it’s still overall a great little toy quadcopter.I’ll start with the CONS.First is the yaw or spinning. If you’re hovering in one position and add yaw, the quadcopter will sway around and won’t stay in one spot very well. This isn’t a big deal outside where you have plenty of space but inside, especially in a small room, it can make it difficult to control for beginner fliers. Outside, the performance is pretty good but it will sometimes “oversteer” if you’re too quick with the yaw. Make sure to add light controls and your X51 quadcopter will fly really well. If you’re new to flying quads, I would recommend flying if over the grass for the first time to get used to the way it handles.Now for the PROS.The battery life is good at just over 5 minutes and the battery is replaceable so expect to find cheap replacement batteries pretty easily. The front cage that surrounds the two front motors is solid and does a great job at protecting the front end. The X51 performed flips without any problems. I just couldn’t get mine to flip forward, but it handles side and backflips. It’s design and bright lights make it a lot easier to see outside. Most quadcopter are hard to distinguish the direction they’re pointing when far away because of their square design, but this tricopter design makes flying more enjoyable when you can easily see which direction the front is facing.
Opolar LC05 Vacuum Fan VS. Laptop Cooler Review Erik Summer 2016-07-15 | Newer version with digital display: amzn.to/2HpOElpLaptop cooler I used: amzn.to/2tAe4Jf*Levers on the cooler do NOT go in the vents, they go on top of the laptop. My mistake!Here's my video review on several laptop coolers: youtube.com/watch?v=W7ipETywbV4&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIIW-cLp-kh4kABNsCJv_QK&index=2Software I used to monitor temperatures. (Open Hardware Monitor): http://openhardwaremonitor.orgAfter running several tests the Opolar does do a slightly better job at cooling the CPU over my laptop cooler but will produce more noise and take up valuable space next to your laptop. You want to consider the location of your vent and if any important ports will be blocked. It does block my VGA port but doesn’t obstruct my HDMI. I would use the Opolar cooler for gaming and video editing when my laptop is running at it's hottest. For all-day use, I’ll stick with my laptop cooler which does a great job keeping my laptop cool. The temperature drops with the Opolar were higher by a few degrees but not enough to convince me to switch from my laptop cooler for regular use. I will use it when I’m editing videos to get maximum cooling.
iRULU Walknbook 10.1 inch Touch Screen Tablet Computer 32GB Hybrid Laptop Review Erik Summer 2016-06-27 | Link to 10" Windows 10 laptop amzn.to/36QSoH6I updated the link to a similar 10" laptop. The original one was discontinued.This is the cheapest windows 10 laptop on the market. If you want to spend as little as possible and only need a laptop for the basics, like checking email then the RCA Cambio is a good option.Make sure to pick up a Micro SD card to store things like images/video ( I recommend this one amzn.to/2S7mYb3 ).Details:-Windows 10 with Microsoft Office Mobile Apps-Intel Atom Processor Z8350 with 2GB RAM, 2GB DDR of System Memory, 32GB Flash Memory-10" touchscreen, 1280 x 800 IPS display, Front 2MP Camera, Rear 2MP Camera -USB 3.0 and Mini HDMI Ports, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, MicroSD Card Slot Supports up to 128GB -Headphone Jack, Built -in Mic, Up to 6-Hours Battery LifeTo keep your WalknBook laptop running fast there are a few things you can do:1. Install a fast micro SD card to install programs and store media on. The WalknBook comes with 32GBs but about of that is used up by the operating system. I recommend leaving at least 10 gigs of memory free to allow for updates.2. As you install new programs, a lot of them by default will add themselves to start when windows starts. When ever I add a new program, I'll disable it from automatically starting every time. To do this, press (control, alt, delete) at the same time and your task manager will pop up. Click on the "Startup" tab and you'll see which programs are "Enabled" and "Disabled".For the price of this hybrid laptop it really isn’t fair to compare it to other brands like the Microsoft surface pro or the apple ipad. This is one of the lowest priced touch screen laptops that are actually worth using. I would recommend this for anyone who’s looking for an affordable tablet laptop that is portable. If you’re looking to play graphic intensive games on high settings then you’re going to be looking at laptops 4 times the price of this one. Other than gaming and video editing, this computer will be able to handle most of the things you’re going to want to do like watching HD movies, either streaming them online or from the internal memory, things like surfing the web, any Microsoft office products, and even photoshop.One of the big pros, is it comes with a Intel Baytrail-CR Quad Core Processor running up 1.83GHz. And windows 10 operating system. So if you want to do actual work (like Word Doc and Power Points) and enjoy your media it’s a good way to get the best of both worlds.I really like how it includes a usb port unlike a lot of other tablets. It is usb 2.0 but will work with 3.0 flash drives. You also have a micro usb, a mini HDMI, your dc which is where your power cord plugs into and it only charges through the supplied power cord. It won’t charge from the micro usb and your head phone jack up top. I really wish they put the charging port at the bottom, just like most every computer because it just makes more since. It gets in the way up top and while the upgraded model did move the charge port down some, it’s still not at the bottom where it should be. But if you’re using this on the go and not as your full time computer then you don’t have to worry about it getting in the way.Another thing is the charger isn’t as sturdy as I expected. Maybe I’m nit picking, but the charger feels very light and fragile compared to the rest of the computer. The metal tab that plugs in seems like it could easily break if you dropped the computer while it was plugged in or if someone tripped on the cord while it was plugged in. I’ve been using mine for a couple weeks without any problems and the good news is that replacement chargers are pretty cheap at around 10 dollars.
RC Quadcopter with wheels U841-1 Drone Review Erik Summer 2016-06-12 | Link to buy - amzn.to/38XJHwzThe link is to a similar flying car. The original one was discontinued. Video review of the Syma X9 flying car: youtube.com/watch?v=qQY2LxMJRCE&index=7&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFThe U841 quadcopter comes packed with features and accessories. It’s almost a “jack of all trades and master of none” except it redeemed itself with the two large wheels included in the kit. The great thing about the wheels is, not only do they roll around on the ceiling and floor but they do a great job at protecting the quadcopter from crashing.Different flight modes include:Flying with all 4 wheels.This configuration does offer some protection but it’s hard to turn while on the ground.Flying with 2 giant wheels.This is my favorite way to fly this quadcopter and redeems the fact that it cost around $50. The quadcopter can actually roll over almost any surface like tall grass, gravel, carpet, the ceiling, walls, and even stairs! Clipping the bar to the body of the quadcopter was tough. It requires some strong hands and there are two clips that push into the body to add even more stability to the main axel of the wheels.Flying with the blade guards.Probably my least favorite accessory since they don’t offer the same protection as the wheels.Flying with just the quadcopter.The biggest reason I wouldn’t recommend this quadcopter for beginners is because of the amount of power the U841 has. The motors are very large for its size and when you give it full throttle, this thing takes off FAST! Extra power usually isn’t a bad thing, but the problem is the reception isn’t the greatest at between 30-40 feet.
Review of a RC Quadcopter with downward facing motors Erik Summer 2016-05-20 | Link to buy - amzn.to/38S0yAHThe X902 is a unique mini rc quadcopter that has its motors flipped downward. All around it’s a great performing quadcopter and handles very well for its low price.Advantages:Can handle some pretty hard crashes thanks to its flexible blade guards and sturdy frame. It also helps to have the blades low when you hit the ceiling. I couldn’t get a blade to crack or fall off even after crashing multiple times!Replaceable batteries that are affordable, last long (around 6 minutes) and easy to swap out!2.4ghz with a very long range and the ability to fly more than one at a time. For its size and price, the X902 quadcopter has an amazing range. I took it as far as I could see and it was still getting great reception.Disadvantages:The low blades do create a problem when taking off from carpet or grass.The lights look cool but don’t do a good job at showing the quadcopters orientation. They are tucked inside the body and when flying more than 20 feet away, start to become hard to see.
Cheerson CX-Stars nano drone flight review Erik Summer 2016-05-06 | Buy the CX-Stars here: amzn.to/38TmVprAt just over an inch, the CX-Stars RC Quadcopter is the smallest production drone in the world. Since I wasn't paid to do this review I can speak freely about what I honestly feel about this quadcopter.Here are links to the other quadcopter listed in this review:Cheerson CX-10: youtube.com/watch?v=sLH2diwDGhw&index=16&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFSyma X12: youtube.com/watch?v=m6NFuCWCRss&index=37&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFSyma X2: youtube.com/watch?v=9p332TrBG2M&index=51&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVFProto X: youtube.com/watch?v=Ev8nf3MxiUI&list=PLQqDGoQRj-oIVZ5ZF_yYzEpP6KmQs8CVF&index=56First off, I didn't think it would have much performance because of its insanely small size. How could the tiny blades and motors actually make this thing move? I was amazed at how quickly and accurately this nano quad flew. Even outside is a light breeze it handled just fine. Just don't fly too far away because its size does become a challenge when trying to determine which direction it's facing.The only problem I had with this quadcopter is that sometimes it would fall out of trim during the flight. One easy way to fix this is to land it, turn off the quadcopter and control, and then turn everything back on again.
FAST and Tiny RC Boat - Venom UDI001 Review Erik Summer 2016-05-04 | Buy it here: http://amzn.to/1rStJxqThe tiny Venom RC boat is a blast to drive.High speeds, smooth proportional steering, and features like a water cooling system make this little toy boat way cooler than any other RC boats you'd find at your local toy store. Its speed might be too much for a small pool unless you manage the throttle and keep it under 5mph. Put this boat in a lake, and once it planes above the water it takes off! For only around $40, it's the cheapest RC boat that is an actual "Speed Boat". A lot of other boats look cool and fast on their packaging but most underperform once in the water.The Venom RC Boat Features:Anti-tilt hull. I couldn't get this boat to tip over and stay on its back unless I tossed it in upside down. They designed the hull to be light on the top and heavy on the bottom so it'll constantly want to roll right side up. Even if you do manage to flip the boat, the torque from the motor will help roll it back right side up!Water cooling system. The hull is airtight and a powerful motor needs to keep cool so this boat has a little water inlet on the bottom that will force water through tubing inside the boat that wraps around the motor to keep it running cool. After looping around the motor, it is ejected out the side of the boat, just like on the professional RC boats. Low battery alarm. I've had boats in the past that would just die when the battery was low and I'd have to bring a fishing pole to cast out and retrieve it. Luckily the Venom RC boat has a low battery alarm on the controller that will beep when it's time to bring it back in!Lipo Battery. Run times will be between 6-10 minutes depending on how fast you're running your boat. If you're cruising slowly in a pool you'll be a good 10 minutes of battery! If you're full throttle in a lake, you'll only get around 6 minutes. The good thing is that extra batteries are only around 8 each so make sure to pick up a couple extras for your next trip to the lake. Charging is done through the included USB charger and takes around 2 hours to fully charge the battery.
Followed by Barracuda while kayaking off Catalina Island Erik Summer 2016-04-29 | I’m guessing these Barracuda were following us because they thought we were fishing and would eventually toss out some fish to bait the water. Barracuda don’t pose a threat to humans and would only bite if they saw something that looked like a fish, like a shiny watch or ring.
Easy to fly HAK907 RC Quadcopter Erik Summer 2016-03-28 | Buy this drone here - http://amzn.to/1RJg8n3The HAK907 is one of the most durable RC quadcopters available for its size and price. Measuring in at 13 inches long, I would consider it a medium-sized quad that flies great indoors and outside as long as it’s a calm day. The HAK907 is on the slower side and can’t handle winds over 10mph. One way a lot of people lose their quadcopters is by flying up too high where the winds are strong. The higher up you fly, the stronger the winds will be!The 2.4ghz transmitter has great range, at over 250’ (line of sight). You can also fly more than one of these at the same time! The control inputs were very smooth and true to what I was putting in on the transmitter. The slow setting makes this quad very docile and will leave a lot of room for error. Make sure to put in very light subtle throttle inputs, because while left/right, forward/review will be smooth, this quad does still have plenty of power to gain altitude quickly!
HAK905 RC Quadcopter with LED light rings Erik Summer 2016-03-21 | Buy this drone here - http://amzn.to/2htqMSeThe Haktoys HAK905 is a well-protected beginner’s RC quadcopter with LED light rings built into its frame. The effect is a cool looking, easy to see toy quadcopter that can be flown inside and outside during the day or night!More pictures on my site: http://rcdad.com/hak905-rc-quadcopterIt has 3-speed settings. At its lowest, this quad feels very stable and beginners will really like the way it handles over other faster quadcopters. Flight times are good for this sized quad, at around 8 minutes and the battery is removable! The blades are very well protected thanks to the ducted fan style frame. This not only protects the blades but also prevents damage to things you come in contact with!
Super Stable HS170 Predator RC Quadcopter Drone Review Erik Summer 2016-02-29 | Link to the HS170 Predator - http://amzn.to/1T3I5WrThe Predator quadcopter is all around a great quality quadcopter for both beginners and experienced pilots. I’ll go over the transmitter, the gyro system, blade guards, and show you how this quad flies outside. If you do have any questions please leave them in the comments below.First off, beginners will really like the 3 speed settings and the great stability of this small quadcopter. It’s a good size for flying inside and it has plenty of power to fly outside even in light winds. The blade guards do a really good job protecting both the quad and the things you might run into. The headless mode and return to home feature will help beginner pilots regain a flight path back towards you if you do lose orientation of the front of the quadcopter.The weight is less than ½ pound so you don’t have to worry about registering with the FAA.Gyro:For its size, this quadcopter has one of the best gyro’s built into it and the motors are very well balanced.The problem some other quads have is the unbalanced thrust at high speeds or when you put in yaw. What that means, is when all motors are at or near full throttle, there might be one or more that are not performing as well as the others, causing the quadcopter to drift off it’s intended course. The motors on this quad performed very well and the lightweight frame is strong and durable.Blade guards:It has a well thought out frame that protects the blades from not only the sides but also the top. If you hit a wall and land upside down, these blade guards will protect the blades even when it’s upside down.Transmitter:The transmitter looks a little dated and the required 6 AA batteries is a little annoying, but it functions well. I wish they would have labeled the functions. *Mark on control*It is a 2.4ghz so the signal is very reliable and the distance was surprisingly good up to about 30 meters. You can also fly more than one of these at the same time.Battery:They do give you a good size battery. The 350mAh Lithium will provide around 6-7 minutes of flight time and extra batteries only cost around $5 bucks a piece. Just make sure to let it cool down for about 10 minutes between flights so you don’t burn out your motors or control board. Charging is done through a USB charger which takes 30 minutes to fully charge.Return to home:The return to home feature wasn’t that good and I wouldn’t recommend using it. If you need to get it back toward you, activate headless and pull the control backHeadless mode, however, is helpful if you do fly too far away to tell which direction it’s pointing. It’s easy for beginner pilots to lose orientation and if it’s windy, you can easily lose a perfectly good quadcopter this way.3-Speed settings:Fast mode on this quad is impressive and I wouldn’t recommend it until you’re really good at controlling it because it does let you go at some impressive angles. This quad will allow you to tilt almost 90 degrees at which point it’s almost too fast and will start losing altitude.Flips:Flips are quick and easy to do thanks to its light weight and powerful motors. Just quickly press down once on the right stick and then move the control in the direction you want to flip in.
