A Review of the S107G Gyro Helicopter Toy

The boys were pretty excited to get a remote controlled helicopter in the mail! This model is the S107G Mini Gyro Remote Controlled Helicopter by Syma, sold by Xenon Project online. It’s got 3 channels, which is helpful to avoid radio interference (of which we have in our town). The toy costs about $25 (shipping is free!) and is geared for kids ages 14 and over.

The helicopter is designed for outdoor use, but of course will move around very well indoors, in large rooms. I was immediately impressed with the very hardy construction of the helicopter. We’ve had a few remote-controlled toys in the past, and I’ve always been unhappy with the shoddy construction. Manufacturers should KNOW that a boy who’s going to operate a remote controlled anything is going to smash the thing constantly into walls! So when I saw the good construction, I was pleased.

The remote controller housing is a little flimsier. It’s very lightweight plastic and takes 6 AA batteries. I can see why it’s geared for ages 14 and up. A little kid or careless child would probably break the controller. The controls are good and strong, though.

The reception is good and the copter responds well to the controls, but there’s a definite learning curve. It’s good to encourage your child to have patience- he’s not going to be an expert as soon as you open the box. It takes time.

It’s very easy to charge the helicopter. You can either plug it in to the computer with the provided cord, or plug it in to the remote controller using the cord that is attached to the controller. It’s best to charge it with the computer. If you charge it by connecting it to the controller, you will use up the 6 AA batteries. Like many children’s toys, buying new batteries can REALLY add up. The guys have been playing with the toy on and off for about half a week, and the batteries are still OK. But more frequent users may need more batteries.

The helicopter is pretty fun to fly. Here’s a video I got from the Xenon Project website, showing you how the copter performs.

This is a good toy for boys ages 13 to 16.

After giving the toy a thorough review, here’s our consensus:

Pros:

• It’s very attractive.
• It’s built very well. The boys smashed it into walls and onto the driveway- enough to make me cringe- but the helicopter held up!
• Has 3 channels.
• Very good price, with free shipping.
• The instructions are thorough, brief, and easy to understand. Perfect for boys.

Cons:

• Difficult to control, at least for a “newbie.” Requires patience.
• Requires a lot of batteries.
• The helicopter will run for only 5 minutes or so before it needs another charge. It takes about 30-50 minutes to fully charge. My sons did not like waiting in between charges, and wished there was an alternative way (or faster way) to get going again.

All in all, the S107G Mini Gyro Remote Controlled Helicopter is a great “starter” helicopter for boys getting their first remote-controlled copter. It’s inexpensive, easy to operate but not so easy that the boy will get bored, and of very good construction for those “oops” moments that newbies make. Just be sure to have plenty of batteries!

Note: This product was provided for me free of charge by Xenon Project in exchange for a thorough review. Please know that my opinions are 100% mine. Thanks for reading!