Skyartec WASP X3V RTF 2.4GHZ Flybarless Helicopter
A great, inexpensive platform to venture into some extreme aerobatics. Online exclusive review. Photos and article by Mark Fadely.
Micro helicopters are quite the rage today. Newer models keep upping the ante with higher performance, lower weight, and more sophisticated control systems. Most modelers have heard of the major-brand helicopters because of their strong marketing campaigns. Today I am going to look at an aerobatic heli that is big on performance and small on price. I am referring to Skyartec’s Wasp X3V RTF flybarless electric helicopter. It can get you into the 250-size category at a reduced cost.
Unboxing
The X3V is well packaged with shock absorbing materials all around the helicopter and its accessories. I would be surprised to see anything damaged upon delivery because of Skyartec’s packaging. The helicopter, radio, printed instructions, Clearview SE flight simulator disks, and flight battery are included.The Wasp X3V comes neatly packaged and ready to fly. The custom-formed inner packaging of the box ensures everything will arrive undamaged.
This complete kit even includes a nice Clearview SE flight simulator that has several models programmed into it. The cable to plug the transmitter into your PC is included.
The printed supplemental instruction manual is nice to have as you prepare the Wasp X3V for flight. It details how to turn on the radio and helicopter in the proper order and how to watch the indicator lights on the transmitter that signal ready-for-flight status. The manual is informative and complete. Park RC Models in Auburn Hills, Michigan, is the product’s US distributor. Owner Max Ettinger has a vision to help pilots by providing a rich product-support environment. Each model is shipped with a custom report and a 50-point quality checklist. Every model is test flown before it ever gets sent out to the customer! After reading through the manual and the accompanying documentation from Park RC Models, I gave them a telephone call to see how the company would respond to an end-user inquiry. I left a message for someone to call me back in order to discuss questions about the heli. Within 30 minutes I received a return phone call from Max. Wow, that is pretty impressive and it gives the customer an instant warm, fuzzy feeling about the care provided by Park RC Models. Max and I had a nice conversation touching upon many of the difficulties modern pilots face as they work their way up the ladder to more sophisticated machines. I am impressed by Max’s approach to sales and especially his desire to include a strong product support system. Helicopters require much assistance as one moves into bigger kits, so it is nice to get help from where you purchased the heli. The Wasp X3V RTF is truly ready to fly. Charge the flight battery with the included charger, install 8 AA cells into the transmitter, screw in the canopy standoffs, and you are ready to take off. The entire helicopter is nicely built and well laid out with neat, organized wiring of components. There are a lot of carbon fiber and CNC-aluminum parts. The speed control is mounted on one side of the lightweight main frames while the three-axis receiver/gyro is mounted to the other. Both are loosely held with tie wraps that isolate vibrations. It includes a powerful brushless motor with gear drive to the main rotor accompanied by a belt-and-pulley system for the tail rotor drive. This little helicopter is built with some quality details seldom included in lesser kits. Ball link fitment is one of those small details that make one helicopter fly great while another identical helicopter flies poorly. Helicopters rely on good ball links for precise control. The Wasp links are tight with no slop, yet they move smoothly for excellent, precise control inputs.
The Wasp is a completely redesigned helicopter. It has a strong, lightweight frame set with neatly preinstalled wiring.
The tail rotor is precise and well machined. The carbon tail rotor pushrod is positioned directly under the tailboom allowing perfectly symmetrical geometry for the linkage.
This photo of the right side shows the advanced two-in-one three-axis flybarless gyro control system. The receiver and gyros are housed within the component so weight is low and the electronics are ideally tuned to each other.
The tail rotor is another nicely appointed area of the Wasp X3V. It uses a belt drive, which is a plus for newer pilots who may inadvertently touch the tail rotor to the ground. The belt system will take a lot of abuse with no ill effects. The tail hub, pitch slider, and shaft are well made and smooth in operation. I also noticed the tail rotor servo is set up with a carbon pushrod that runs parallel to the tail boom and is not angled. This is a small detail, but the straight, parallel pushrod means the control inputs will be precisely symmetrical as they should be. There is also an optional training gear assembly that can be purchased to help beginners reduce tail strikes and tip overs. The included transmitter is a programmable, seven-channel model with a LCD screen as are the expensive, upscale units. I had the older model without the LCD for my review so that is why the pictures do not show the new radio. With the older radio, a PC is used to change the programming. Now you can do all the programming right on the front of the transmitter and a flight simulator is even included for this kit! The simulator is a great addition and it comes with an included cable that plugs into the PC’s USB port. The X3V is a great value when you combine the low $279 street price, the kit’s quality with its many extras, and the ongoing support from Park RC Model.
2 comments
This is Lori from SKYARTEC.
My SKYARTEC WIFI SIM card is not working.
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