This great gadget will take some effort to learn, and a VERY VERY calm wind day. But when you find yourself in a large, open, grassy (or beach sand) area it is a complete BLAST to fly! For once, I was happy to purchase a product that worked exactly as advertised.
Note added later: I have had direct interaction with Power Up Toys since my initial review, and have found them to be quickly responsive and generally awesome to deal with. Wish I could tack on another star for great customer service.
Recommendations:
1. Fold a good airplane, with elevator and rudder surfaces cut, that flies well and straight on its own. The "Phantom" model worked best for me as a starter. It was stable but very responsive in turning. Make sure your plane has plenty of dihedral angle, (check the manual), then, when you go to fly it with the module on, notice if the motor makes it turn one way or the other. I had to adjust for the motor on nearly every plane, I think it was right rudder that I added to bring it to straight flight, but observe for yourself, and adjust.
2. Wait for a very VERY calm day. I initially couldn't wait, and tried on a marginal day. I paid for that decision with despair and irritation. Give yourself a break, wait for the calm. You will be rewarded for it.
3. Turn off the "Sleep" mode on your phone, as well as the ability to receive calls or texts, like they recommend in the manual. On my first long flight, I looked down to change the throttle, and found the phone blank. Logging back in to the phone while flying was irritating, difficult, and unnecessary. Make sure the phone stays awake.
4. At first, hold the phone vertically, (up and down), instead of flat when flying. Of course, you will be tipping it all over the place, but do it with the phone perpendicular to the ground, rather than parallel with it. Also, cut the enthusiasm. (Yes, initially I was a maniac. Dancing around, leaning out in both directions etc, while grinning ear to ear.) Smaller, gentler movements will reward you with a smoother, more controlled flight. Later you can engage "movement" based throttle, after getting the hang of flying.
5. Understand that the throttle level will mainly affect two things: first, how much "loft" (the amount of nose-up climb), and second, the altitude at which the plane will fly. Adjustments to the elevator tabs at the back of the wing, in conjunction with the throttle will allow you to find the level flight "sweet spot", but it will usually take a few launches to get it right. Starting with the throttle in the seventies is a great piece of instruction from the manufacturer. Follow it. I found that initially adjustments to the throttle required that I look down at the phone and away from the plane I was trying to fly, so I had to keep them to a minimum.
6. Test max distance a little at a time. I had to keep the plane to within 100 feet or so. They are rated for 200 feet, but I found that the bluetooth connection is twitchy past that point in my area, and every time I pushed the distance envelope, I lost control of the plane. Many onlookers were greatly entertained, watching me sprinting toward that spiraling plane, trying to re-establish contact. It was good cardio, but I would have been better advised to keep the plane closer. And remember, altitude is part of that distance. If the plane is ninety feet off the ground, (yes, it can happen), you need to be within ten feet of straight below it, (again, in my area).
7. Understand that control is an illusion. We do not have true control over these paper planes, or else we wouldn't need so much open space to fly them around in. Our recommendations to turn this way and that are just that; recommendations. These things can and will go anywhere. The slightest stray breath of wind can blow them far off our intended course. Have fun with the idea of making what feels like thousands of steering recommendations a second just to try to keep the ship in the air, and understand that in the end, that is where the fun lies.
8. Last but definitely not least, try the waterproof paper. Regular bond paper reacts so quickly with the ambient moisture in the air, that on a moist day, the plane can and will distort in mid flight, crashing for no apparent reason. If you're flying in a desert, maybe this is less of an issue.
Many thanks to Power Up Toys for so much fun!
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Excited.. To really a boomer.
I was so excited when i saw this technology so i got it for my brother can't wait to get my hands on it.. When it arrived my bro was so happy with it we build the plane and it was wendy, so we try it and it worked fine. After a month we go camping and whore super exited to finally tested 😭When we started up it did not connect we tried it again then it start smokingIt was really a boomer for as 😩Really sorry for taking so long that was my experience it really was.. 😔
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