5 Best Blade Helicopters of 2019

1. Blade Scout CX RTF Beginner RC Heli | Best Budget

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

The Blade Scout CX is a ready to fly (RTF) coaxial beginner helicopter and our Best Budget choice. It has a bunch of novice-friendly features, some normally found on costlier models.

• Best feature 1: Computerized Piezo gyro
• Best feature 2: 2.4GHz radio controller
• Plus points: Ready to fly (RTF), easy to operate, ultra-lightweight, proportional control
• Minus points: Short flight time, 3 channel restrictions

Blade® Scout CX™ Heli Highlights

This RC heli is an ultra-light 3-channel model with a 2.4GHz radio transmitter. Proportional speed control sets the Scout CX apart from rival toy copters. Pilots can regulate the speed by how slow or quick they move the transmitter stick. It’s a standout feature that gives users complete command of the way this puppy flies. The model is sturdy too and stands up well to newbie crashes and collisions.

The Blade Scout CX has a computerized Piezo gyro. This advanced gyro provides the bird with excellent directional control and flight stability. That means new pilots can spend more time flying and less time correcting. There’s extra reassurance for novice pilots who have a moment of panic too. Letting go of the control sticks is all it takes to put the heli straight into a stable hover.

The Not So Good

Short flight times are typical for RC helis, but that doesn’t make them less frustrating. This one only flies up to 4 minutes on a single charge. The good news is that recharging the battery only takes around 30 minutes or even less. The 3 channel (CH) transmitter has flight (maneuver) limitations. It’s okay for raw beginners with low expectations, but 3CH will soon bore more advanced pilots.

2. Blade 70 S RTF W/ SAFE® Technology | Best Value

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

For the Best Value RC heli we have the Blade® 70 S. It’s another excellent choice for first-time pilots. It’s an ideal indoor ultra-micro bird you can fly no matter what the weather’s doing outside.

• Best feature 1: Ultra-micro indoor training heli
• Best feature 2: Ready to fly (RTF)
• Plus points: SAFE technology, high/low rate modes, durable composite frame, bright LEDs
• Minus points: Short flight time, not ideal for outdoors

Blade® 70 S Heli Highlights

The Blade 70 S arrives ready to fly (RTF) so hobbyists can take to the sky right away. It’s a perfect entry-level fixed-pitch rotor head heli that’s fun to operate and simple to control. Blade’s 70 S is easy because it has SAFE® Technology. SAFE provides the craft with bank angle limits and self-leveling. That’s just what novice fliers need as they get comfortable with orientation and flight maneuvers.

There are also High and Low rate modes that determine the bird’s speed and agility levels. These are handy for new pilots and useful for various environments and flying styles. The fixed pitch rotors provide abundant thrust without being intimidating for newbies. An impact-resistant frame and carbon fiber tail boom protect the craft from damage in a crash.

Blade’s 70 S even comes equipped with LED low battery indicators under its canopy. There’s a lot to like about this beginner-friendly RC helicopter. It’s especially appealing considering its affordable price.

The Not So Good

Battery life is no more than 5 minutes on a single charge. That’s typical, but it’s a bummer all the same. USB charging is fast, though, and shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes. Extra batteries go for around $10 or even less, so an extra is a worthwhile investment. The Blade 70 S weighs just over an ounce. That means it’s not suitable for outdoor flying in anything above a gentle breeze.

3. Blade 230 S V2 BNF Heli SAFE® Technology | Top Pick

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Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5

The Top Pick RC helicopter goes to the incredible brushless Blade 230 S V2. It’s an eye-catching collective pitch model with lots on offer for pilots of all skill levels.

• Best feature 1: All-in-one beginner to advanced appeal
• Best feature 2: SAFE® technology w/ Progressive Flight Modes
• Plus points: Brushless motors, Panic Recovery, better ESC, updated parts, crash-resistant ABS
• Minus points: Short flight time, Bind-N-Fly (also a pro)

Blade® 230 S V2 Heli Highlights

The Blade 230 S V2 is a hobby-grade heli with broad appeal. It boasts SAFE® technology, Progressive Flight Modes, and full 3D capability. These things combined make it attractive to learners as well as highly skilled pilots. There are three Progressive Flight Modes, i.e., Stability, Agility, and 3D. Panic Recovery is a welcome feature whatever level users are at.

This heli is the 23 S V2 (version 2) and has an updated electronic speed controller (ESC). The improved ESC boasts enhanced performance, more reliability, and better tail hold. There’s also an update to the main gear. The new one gives better crash protection than the previous version. The heli’s build uses sturdy ABS material and composite parts that add to its impact-resistance.

This model is the Bind-N-Fly version and needs the following items to complete:

• Multifunction 6+ CH transmitter with Spektrum™ DSMX® 2.4GHz technology
• LiPo battery
• Compatible LiPo battery charger

The Not So Good

The flight time is better than some on this page, but it’s still short. You can expect 7 minutes with an 11.1V 800mAh 3S 30C LiPo battery (not included). That brings me on to the next point. This model is a Bind-N-Fly which and doesn’t include a transmitter, battery, or charger. BNF can be a pro or a con depending on the person. There is a ready-to-fly (RTF) Blade 230 S V2 if you prefer RTF.

4. Blade E-flite mCX2 Coaxial RTF RC Helicopter

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

This RC heli is the Blade E-flite mCX2. It’s a coaxial model which makes it an easy-to-fly counter-rotating rotor head design. Blade® test flies all these models so they’re 100% ready-to-fly (RTF).

• Best feature 1: Factory tested and pre-assembled ready-to-fly (RTF)
• Best feature 2: Beginner-friendly coaxial counter-rotating rotors
• Plus points: Full-body design, flashing LEDs, adjustable control settings, easy maintenance
• Minus points: Short flight time, restricted to indoor flying

Blade® E-flite mCX2 Heli Highlights

The first thing to notice about the all-new mCX2 Heli is its sleek, full-body design. It comes with a functional LED navigation light set for night flying. There’s a green flashing LED on the right side, red on the left, tail and cabin LEDs. These are things that appeal to RC’ers who love realism as well as performance. Pilots can also change the control settings so that the bird flies faster.

Blade’s E-flite mCX2ultra is a micro-sized heli that weighs only 1 oz. That makes it the perfect indoor flier, even in smaller spaces. Another cool feature is the rubber grommets (no O rings) used to fasten the body to the airframe. Grommets let you take the shell off and snap it back on quickly without any tools. That’s handy for when you do maintenance or if you need to replace parts.

The Not So Good

The short 8 minute flight time is still better than some rivals. There are users who report up to 10 minutes on a single charge but 8 seems to be about average. Charging is fast, though, and doesn’t take any longer than 30 minutes. It’s not possible to fly this small heli outdoors unless there’s zero wind as it weighs less than an ounce.

5. Blade Nano CP S RTF Heli W/ SAFE Technology

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

Blade’s Nano CP S is a palm-sized RC heli that promises a stress-free path to 3D aerobatics. It comes in two versions, ready-to-fly (RTF) and bind-n-fly (BNF). This is the RTF version.

• Best feature 1: Innovative SAFE® technology
• Best feature 2: Three progressive flight modes
• Plus points: ultra-micro palm-sized, Panic Recovery, 2 sets of blades, durable build
• Minus points: Tad underpowered, short flight time

Blade® Nano CP S Heli Highlights

The palm-sized Blade Nano is a collective pitch (CP) rotor system with flybarless (FBL) mechanics. That means there’s no flybar to stabilize the craft. By the way, that’s a good thing from a newbie perspective. A flybarless arrangement provides more stable hovering and is easier to control. Now add the SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) technology and anyone can fly.

There are 2 sets of main blades in the box for different flying styles. One is for aerobatic stunt flying and the other for higher speed flights. Don’t let the small size and lightweight of this impressive model deter you. This tiny bird takes moderate crashes and collisions in its stride.

Control at Your Fingertips

The Blade Nano offers an all-in-one solution. There are modes and flexible flight controls to suit raw beginners up to skilled pilots. Here’s a quick breakdown of the helicopter’s flexible appeal:

• Panic Recovery brings the heli back to a level altitude in a nanosecond
• Stability mode limits the flight envelope for much easier control
• Agility mode lets pilots switch to full control with no bank angle limits
• 3D mode (advanced users) turns up the roll & flip rate for fancy acrobatics

The Not So Good

It’s fair to say that the Blade Nano CP is a tad underpowered when it comes to acrobatics. That means it needs quite a bit of altitude to recover which is something to be mindful of. The flight time is a little over 3 minutes or maybe 4 in ideal conditions. Backup batteries are a necessity.