Preparing to Fly:
Just like the Havoc, the Venom Micro Rescue charges from a jack on the controller. I didn't record exactly how long it took to charge, but it seemed like about 15 minutes.
I tried taking off from both a smooth linoleum kitchen floor and from a carpet, and neither worked too well. When the main rotor accelerates, it puts a force on the rest of the helicopter that makes it spin in the opposite direction. Not until it's actually in the air does the tail rotor work well enough to counteract this force and straighten everything out. As a result, if you try to take off from the ground, the whole thing spins like crazy for awhile.
It's better to launch the Micro Rescue from your hand. Just hold the sides of the landing skids between your thumb and index finger, and hold the controller with your left hand so you can use your left thumb to give it throttle. Watch out for the exposed main gear, though. The skids are soft, so if you squeeze too tightly, you'll end up grabbing the gear. It won't hurt you, but you might hurt it!
I was able to fly for 6 to 8 minutes per charge. Control in the air is pretty good, but the heli is so lightweight that it can actually get pushed around from the wind it , itself, makes! As a result, you have to respond and counter-steer it a lot, but it's a fun challenge. Unlike with the Havoc, I didn't have to be too, too sensitive with the steering control -- the heli responded more forgivingly in the air.
As for durability, after getting the hang of flying, I went ahead and tried crashing a bunch of times. I flew straight up and hit the ceiling several times, crashed front-first and sideways into walls, and let it drop out of the sky to the floor. Nothing broke at all! Of course, this does not mean it can't break, but it's certainly not as fragile as it looks. The thing is, it's so lightweight that it can't crash with too much force, and the plastics it's made of are very soft, so they bend & flex and absorb the force. Very cool.
I like the Micro Rescue! It's not as stable in flight as the Air Hogs Havoc, but it looks a whole lot better and seems to require a little less skill to fly around. I was surprised by the durability, given the really thin plastic parts, but I do wish that main gear was covered so I didn't have to worry about grabbing it during hand launches. All in all, though, it's a good deal! This one will probably go into my permanent collection.
Venom's Night Ranger 3D. You probably recognize Venom from the car scene, and in the past year they formed Venom Aircorps and began releasing a few small helicopters under their name. Until now their most recent was the Night Ranger II, a slick-looking fixed pitch RTF kit aimed more at beginning or indoor pilots. Now, the Night Ranger 3D is here, a more advanced but similarly-sized heli that has all of the features necessary for aerobatic 3D flight. Like the NRII, the NR3D comes as a completely RTF kit, with everything you'll need to get up in the air. As a collective pitch heli it is a little more of a handful for novices, but it's a capable performer at any level, giving even advanced 3D pilots a fun time in the air.
DESIGN • The heart of any helicopter is its drive train and control system. The Night Ranger 3D uses what's called Cyclic Collective Pitch Mixing, or CCPM. Three micro servos are mounted in the fuselage, and each attaches at 120-degree intervals to a piece known as the swash plate. The heli's electronic control unit mixes the signals from the transmitter to control the three servos, which in turn move the swash plate that controls the angle and pitch of the main rotor blades. The NR3D's tail drive system is very straightforward, with a fixed tail rotor controlled by the ECU. One of the excellent details of the Night Ranger's design is the exclusive use of adjustable rod/ball end links rather than 'Z'-bend hooks. It reduces slop and makes the heli much easier to work on.
MATERIALS • Chances are that you've seen a small electric heli at some point in your RC adventures, and chances are even greater that it was one of the garden-variety knockoffs that are made almost entirely of cheap molded plastic parts, maybe with a tiny bit of aluminum thrown in. However, the rigors of 3D flight demand a much more stable heli, and Venom has delivered just that with the NR3D. The main frame is anchored by a solid aluminum green-anodized chassis plate, and the main mast houses an aluminum head block as well. All of the heli's molded parts fit together well, with minimal slop out of the box. There seemed to be a little flex in the fuselage once everything was assembled, but given the heli's small stature I don't think this will be much of an issue.
ELECTRONICS • One of the advantages of a RTF or ARF kit is that they usually include most of what you need, and the NR3D goes above and beyond that. The Venom 3D Control Unit is the heart of the electronic system, handling the duties of the receiver, CCPM controller, gyro, and speed control all in one. Three micro servos are also included for the collective controls, as well as standard motors for the main and tail rotors. The NR3D package also includes a 6-channel FM radio, a 650 mAh NiMH pack, a wall charger, and even 8 pre-packaged AA batteries for the transmitter.
INSTRUCTIONS • The Night Ranger 3D is geared towards a rather broad group of people, from novices on up to experienced 3D pilots who are looking for a little small-size or indoor adventure (note that when I say indoors, I am talking large areas like a warehouse or hangar, not your living room). As such, the instructions focus mainly on setting up the heli and performing various flight maneuvers, from basic fast forward flight to 3D moves like inverted flight and loops. In fact, the flight instruction section is one of the most informative I have seen anywhere; if you are a novice pilot, there's plenty to be learned just from reading it and examining the stick positions. Although the NR3D comes as a RTF kit, I still would have liked to see more detailed reassembly instructions; all that is provided is a small exploded parts diagram, along with some basic info. Still, the flight tutorials more than make up for it, and shouldn't be overlooked by anybody.
PERFORMANCE • Setting up the Night Ranger doesn't take very long, especially since the battery comes partially charged from the factory. I was able to make all the initial adjustments, set the trim, and bring the heli into a stable hover before I put the battery on the charger for a full charge. The instructions lead you through balancing, checking the blades' tracking, and adjusting the trim on the transmitter, and provide other various pre-flight tips.
Now it should be explained that I am by no means an expert pilot; I have only been doing this for a few months, and typically on a slightly larger nitro-powered bird. Larger helis are usually a little bit easier to master basic flight operations on since they are more stable, but I was surprised at how smoothly the NR3D took to the air. On my first try I was able to bring it to hover, perform basic "box pattern" flights, figure eights, and other simple maneuvers--basically the same stuff I have been practicing since I began my flight training. The Night Ranger maintained a higher head speed than I expected, and felt very strong out of the box, even with the stock motor and battery.
Although I'd love to pretend I'm an aerobatic pilot, I decided not to risk damage to the heli and brought in a friend of mine who has been working on teaching me how to fly. He went through the same basic flying patterns as I did before really unleashing the 3D capabilities of the NR3D. One of the "tricks" that allows 3D flight is a separate "Flight Mode" that holds the motor at a constant RPM to keep the heli in the air. When this mode is active, moving the throttle stick to the full down position has the same effect as full throttle, but while applying negative pitch. This is the key to inverted flight, where negative pitch creates lift when the heli is upside down. Like most helis, once the NR3D is in the air at a comfortable altitude, the pilot can flip a switch on the radio to change to Flight Mode 1, and initiate 3D flight. We were able to perform a few different tricks right off the bat, including inverted flight, rolls, and even a full loop. The NR3D was as stable upside down as it was right side up, although the responsiveness was a little less than we would have liked, almost assuredly due to the lack of a LiPo battery and brushless motor system.
WEAR AND TEAR • I wish I could say that I didn't break anything, but I must sheepishly admit that I did. One thing you'll discover when you enter the world of RC helis is that no matter how good you are, you will crash sooner or later--and when you do, you just have to pick up the pieces and get back at it. In my case, I let the heli move a little faster than I was accustomed to, and in a bit of midair panic I cut the throttle--definitely the worst thing you can do--and although I was able to somewhat save it, the heli came down hard on one side, and the main rotor hit the ground. The final tally was a broken landing skid, a broken pushrod link in the main rotor assembly, and a new pair of main blades. All in all, it could have been much worse! As I fixed the damage, I tore down most of the heli to check for other problems, and found nothing. After at least ten packs through the heli, nothing seemed to be overly worn or binding, and I found no cracks or other problems. Once I repaired things, I re-set the trim and blade pitch, and was back in the air.
UPGRADES • Very few (if any) RTF kits include brushless motors and LiPo batteries, so these are probably the first things anybody would want to add to a heli such as the Night Ranger 3D. Luckily for us, Venom provided a sample of their brushless upgrade system, which plugs directly into the NR3D's control unit via a Y-harness. We also chose a MaxAmps LiPo pack to power the heli, although Venom offers packs for this heli as well. With the addition of the new power plant, the heli was a completely different animal. For a relative novice like me this was almost too much to handle, but in the hands of an experienced pilot it gave the heli a boost in responsiveness and acrobatic ability. The NR3D is by no means alone in this department; like every other heli on the market, a brushless system is a must-have upgrade for serious 3D flight.
with quite a bit of stick time behind me, I can say with authority that this is a great performer, especially given the price and the extras that come with it. If you've never flown a heli before, I'd recommend getting some time in on a simulator to familiarize yourself with the controls if at all possible, but if you are willing to take it slow and easy, the NR3D will suit a beginner just fine. For an intermediate pilot looking to get a first aerobatic heli, or a nitro pilot looking to give electric a try without breaking the bank, the Night Ranger is the perfect buy. As for me, you'll find me on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Sunday afternoons, practicing my flight skills with the Night Ranger.
The Night Ranger 3D is an interesting addition to the micro heli market -- a 400g micro heli, capable of indoor and no-wind outdoor flight; collective pitch; fully ready to fly package complete with a 6 channel FM transmitter, and a perfectly acceptable stock power setup. Also available is the hopped up brushless/lipo package, so that you can do like I did, start with the stock set up and upgrade to the brushless with ease.
As I looked through the instruction manual, I was more and more interested in the model. The manual is REALLY detailed and complete, with lots of great info for pilots of just about every skill level. It doesn't assume anything, and covers things clearly, from trimming to blade tracking, from switch settings to the hovering pitch and throttle dials. Even includes an exploded view diagram, parts list with part #s, and more! A company that's put together this nice of a manual, with this attention to detail, is likely going to provide the same level of attention and quality in the entire heli. Let's see!
Includes:
Features:
Requires:
The only thing I considered lacking, or "missing", in the items included in the stock package was the lack of a heading hold gyro. I did not realize how sloppy a flyer I have become without the HH gryo.
Assembly? What assembly! Even the main blades are attached at the factory! The battery pack arrives with a partial charge, intended to be sufficient for the initial trimming flights.
Steps required:
The only adjustment I needed to make on this out of the box was the blade tracking. It was only out a half turn. Just a quick adjustment and it was set.
The Night Ranger 3D did NOT disappoint me. It offered the level of quality and performance that the manual alluded to.
When trying to lift the night ranger off the ground slow and gentle the ground effect made the helicopter slide around a bit. When I just let the helicopter lift off and get a foot or two of altitude it locked right in and sat there.
Hover:
Hovering a foot off the ground the night ranger is very solid. Hovering it under a foot and ground effect starts to move it around and made me feel like I was chasing it a bit.
Forward flight:
Slow forward flight was rock solid. Fast forward flight the showed a little bit of a pitch up tendency.
Inverted:
Either looping or rolling into inverted flight was easy if not really quick. The pitch and throttle curves were a nice match for inverted flight.
Backward flight:
This taught me how much I really rely on the heading hold gyros. For a couple of years I have been telling myself I fly pretty well in backwards flight. Then I try to do it with this and find that I need to fly the tail? I am good at this! So, why cant I do it with the Night Ranger. Well it took me a little while to start flying the tail again while going backwards and found that I could do it. The tail had plenty of authority if I just used it like it should be used. After spending a fair amount of time relearning how to fly backwards....guess what? I've since found that my backwards flight with my glow helicopters is better than it ever was.
Within a foot of the ground I started to chase the night ranger a little bit. I found the best way to land was to just let it settle to the ground. Yea yea, I know letting the helicopter do the flying is the best way to fly.
Does it fly like a 50 size machine? No not really, and it isn't meant to. If you are flying outside, of course, it gets pushed around by the wind. The brushless motor really brings this bird to life; and, with the brushless motor it's power really is comparable to a 30 size machine, impressive!, and understandably not that of a 50.
Of course, where this helicopter really shines is flying indoors. Try to fly your favorite 50 sized bird in the local gym, golf dome, or your garage!
The only other ready to fly helicopter with collective pitch I've been exposed to at this time is the Blade CP from Horizon. I have only had the chance to hover a blade CP for a short time and I have watched the CP fly at several events.
Observations from my flight time with both helicopters:
The Venom Night Ranger 3D Micro Helicopter comes RTF [Ready-to-Fly] and is an excellent choice for intermediate to advanced helicopter pilots. This amazing helicopter is one of the smallest 6ch heli's on the market, oh and did we mention that it's 3D!
The Night Ranger 3D Micro features a V-Series. 180 Brushed Motor, 4-in-1 Unit, Built in Gyro, ESC, Receiver, Mixer, Aluminum Chassis & Skids for Greater Durability & Strength, CCPM Swashplate Mixing & Collective Pitch Rotor Head and a LiPO Battery for Longer Flights. It includes a pre-assembled Night Ranger 3D Micro helicopter, 3s 200mah 10c LiPO Battery, 2-3 Cell LiPO Balance Charger, 6Ch FM Radio and Venom Power, AA Alkalines. Everything you will need to enjoy this one of a kind helicopter in one package!
