Learn to fly with the Best RC Helicopters

The best RC helicopters deliver a fun hobby for anyone who loves the idea of flying but wants to keep their feet solidly on the ground. There are various types of helicopters to check out, from super light and quick models to more substantial options that look like military-grade helicopters. Out of every option available, the Blade 230 S delivers the best experience. It has a durable body, a panic button to avoid crashes, and progressive flight modes to make you the best pilot possible.

Best Overall: Blade 230 S

There are plenty of different RC helicopters out there built for beginners to the hobby, or folks who have been flying for some time. However, the Blade 230 S is a bit different because it appeals to everyone. With three different progressive flight modes, it’s easy for beginners to pick up and advanced pilots to fine-tune their piloting abilities.

Stability mode is made for folks new to the hobby and features self-leveling and a bank angle limit, so you don’t crash and burn. Agility mode is for the pilots who aren’t beginners but aren’t advanced either and gives you full control over the helicopter. Advanced users can take advantage of 3D mode where you can barrel roll and take on some crazy maneuvers. With all three flight modes, you can use the panic button to level out and keep from crashing.

The Blade 230 S is also has a composite frame, which makes it sturdier if you do end up crashing as you learn the controls. The tail and blades are made of the same material, so you aren’t in constant danger of snapping them or breaking an integral piece.

Overall this RC Helicopter manages to beat out the competition by being so versatile. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been flying for years, this helicopter delivers an excellent experience for the price. With a panic button, you don’t have to worry as much about crashes. If you lose control, the durable body is more likely to take the hit and keep on flying.

Pros:

• Perfect for beginner to advanced pilots
• Panic button helps avoid catastrophic crashes
• Composite frame is durable

Cons:

• Takes some time to learn the controls

Best Overall

Blade 230 S

• $215 from Amazon

Grow your skills in the sky

This helicopter delivers tons of maneuverability as it grows your skills from a beginner to an advanced pilot.

Best Value: Cheerwing S107

In many cases, RC Helicopters have a price point that makes it difficult for folks on a budget. The Cheerwing S107 breaks that mold and delivers an excellent and durable helicopter that won’t break the bank. With a metal frame, it can take multiple crashes, making it an excellent choice for anyone who is considering getting into the hobby.

The Cheerwing S107 is the perfect helicopter for beginners to learn on. While it is primarily an indoor helicopter, you can still bring it outside, provided that you’re flying on a clear, windless day. It’s also a lot of fun to fly at night, or near dusk with LED lights that let you keep track of it. The durable frame means it’ll survive falls better than more fragile models, but it’s still pretty zippy.

Pros:

• Super affordable
• Durable metal frame
• Easy to control

Cons:

• Only about 10 minutes at full charge
• indoor only flying

Best Value

Cheerwing S107

• $22 from Amazon
• $22 from Walmart

Best on a budget

An inexpensive helicopter great for beginners that delivers a durable frame to ensure you have plenty of high flying adventures.

Best Ready to Fly: Blade E-flite mCX2

Ready to fly RC Helicopters offers a unique feature for anyone considering giving one of these toys as a gift. You don’t need to assemble pieces or charge the unit. These helicopters are ready to fly right out of the box. While there are various ready-to-fly models on the market, the Blade E-flite mCX2 manages to be the best by its small, versatile design, high speeds, and ease of use.

The Blade E-flite mCX2 comes with everything you need in the box. That means the charger, batteries for your controller, and of course, the helicopter. This speedy little model weighs in at just under an ounce and has settings that allow the user to move faster or slower, depending on their skill level. Due to its lightweight, it’s recommended that you only use this helicopter indoors. However, you might be able to get away with it on a day without any breeze.

Pros:

• Ready to flow as soon as you open the box
• 5-in-1 control unit
• Small, versatile design

Cons:

• Flimsy body doesn’t survive falls well
• Controls can be hard to get the hang of
• Not great for outdoors use

Best Ready to Fly

Blade E-flite mCX2

• $100 from Amazon
• $100 from Walmart

Take to the air

Open the box and fly with this great RC helicopter that doesn’t require anything extra to get started!

Best Indoor: DEERC DE51 RC Helicopter

Not all RC Helicopters are made to be flown when you’re outside in the park. The DEERC DE51 RC Helicopter is a small model perfect for flying indoors and is as easy to use for beginners as it is for advanced flyers. This zippy little helicopter is easy to operate and has excellent controls along with high and low speeds and an Altitude Hold function so it can keep a hovering height. It also comes with two shells so you can swap between them.

The DEERC DE51 comes with two modular batteries that each last about 10 minutes for a total of 20 minutes of flying time. The stable, non-jamming function helps prevent signal interference when you’re flying multiple helicopters simultaneously. You can control it up from up to 50 meters away, so you can use it outdoors as well.

Pros:

• Easy to fly
• Long-range
• Small size
• Affordable

Cons:

• Batteries don’t last very long
• Not super durable

Best Indoor

DEERC DE51 RC Helicopter

• $50 from Amazon

Indoors flying gets smaller

This half-ounce helicopter can do circles around larger models as you fly it around indoors.

Best Durable: Syma S109G

If you’ve always wanted to fly an Apache helicopter, then you’re in luck. The Syma S109G has the realistic paint job and frame of an Apache and is built to fly indoors. It’s got smooth and steady controls making it a great helicopter for beginners, whether they are kids or adults. A durable frame also means it’ll easily survive a few nasty falls as you get the hang of how the controls work.

The Syma S109G charges using a USB cord, while the remote control uses 6 AA batteries. It does take a while to charge, usually around an hour, and that will net you about ten minutes of fly time. The big thing to remember is that this helicopter is intended for indoors only flying. So unless it’s a perfectly still day outside, it isn’t worth risking damage to your Apache.

Pros:

• 10-15 minutes of fly time
• Durable frame can survive crashes
• Easy to control

Cons:

• Fairly small
• Best flown indoors

Best Durable

Syma S109G

• $49 from Amazon

Take flight

Learn to fly the RC Helicopter of your dreams with this durable model that can take a crash and keep on flying.

Best Miniature: SIMREX X300C Mini Drone RC Quadcopter

This adorable, foldable quadcopter is perfect for bringing with you, popping it in your bag or backpack. It can capture 360-degree FPV video over Wi-Fi at 720p HD resolution. It operates using a six-axis gyro flight system and has four channels, making it easy for training. It comes with its own remote, of course, and is compatible with both Android and iOS devices for control.

Additionally, the quadcopter can do 360-degree flips and rolls, flipping in four different ways and do continuous rolls. It flies up to 45 meters high for up to 10 minutes. And while it doesn’t fly for long, it only takes an hour to recharge so you can grab lunch and get going again.

Pros:

• Super compact design
• Neatly folds up
• Captures HD FPV video
• Does cool flips and rolls

Cons:

• Doesn’t fly for long
• Isn’t as powerful as the others

Best Miniature

Simrex X300C Mini Drone RC Quadcopter

• $40 from Amazon

Take flight

Learn to fly the RC Helicopter of your dreams with this durable model that can take a crash and keep on flying.

Get flying with the best RC helicopter

Every RC helicopter that made our list delivers a fun experience for pilots. Some of them are best flown indoors, and others are built to be bought on a budget. However, the best of the best is the Blade 230 S.

This helicopter delivers three different progressive flight modes, making it the perfect choice for beginners, intermediate, and advanced pilots. It includes a panic mode that allows you to level out and keep from crashing. But even if the worst does happen, its durable body helps protect the motor and interior pieces.

The body is super sturdy, so you can confidently learn the controls as you get familiar with the device, without worry that you will crash it into things and damage the device. That makes it perfect for novices as well as adventurous flying pros.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Jen Karner has spent hours researching the best RC helicopters on the market and reading as many reviews as possible to recommend the helicopters you want to buy. You can follow her on Twitter