Syma S108G 3.5 Channel RC Helicopter with Gyro

I received this helicopter yesterday. I have flown it about 10 times already. All I have to say is that this thing is a blast! I already had a new Syma S107G before I purchased the S108G. The S107G is a great little RC helicopter. It flies great and is very durable and controllable. With that being said I think the S108G is the better of the two. It is a 3.5 channel, so it is a bit more maneuverable than the S107G. It is also faster. I think that can be attributed to the fact the the S108G has a very light plastic body, whereas the S107G has both metal and plastic. The lighter material likely gives the S108G an advantage. This does not mean that it is not durable though. I have crashed it several times already and have not had a single issue. It also has a very bright light on the front of it. You can actually fly this thing around in a dark room and see where you're going. I like chasing the cats around with it. It has so much control that you can basically fly it anywhere in the house. Just avoid ceiling fans and angry wives! My wife keeps saying she's going to smash it because I keep flying it over her head while she's laying on the couch. I can't help it! It's fun! I also really like the realistic Cobra body. I spent several months in the Middle East on an air base when I was deployed. We had several AH-1 Cobra's stationed there, along with Blackhawks, Chinooks, and CH-53's. I always liked to watch the Cobra's fly in and out of the base. They are some mean looking helicopters. One thing I always liked is that they always moved with extreme precision. If you've ever seen one fly you know what I'm talking about. The one thing I did not like about the S108G is that it did not come with a USB or a wall charger. Thankfully, my S107G came with both, so I just plugged the USB charger cable into my phones AC charger. Now I can charge it via a regular wall outlet. I paid $18.00 for it through Amazon, so I am not complaining. For that price you can just buy an extra charger and you still won't be spending much. If you're thinking about buying the S108G then you should just click the buy button. It's worth it.

My husband is a little kid again! He had so much fun unpacking and flying with this helicopter. It needs to charge first (and frequently) through a USB cord, but doesn't take long to charge. The remote control takes 6 AA batteries. It is easy to maneuver in the air and lots of fun to fly! I also love the details on the helicopter. It has already survived quite a few falls on the first day (including a nice fall onto our neighbors poolside rocks...note, this is not an outdoor helicopter! But my husband felt the need to try...and the wind took it away!) and all pieces are still working just fine. See the pictures and videos for some ideas on how it looks and flies! We also got this awesome landing pad Remote Control Helicopter Landing Pad - LED Lights Installed - Suitable for RC Helicopters, Quadcopters, Drones, Syma Helicopters. to use for the helicopter which adds a fun challenge of actually landing the helicopter in the correct spot and also helps for taking off (smooth surfaces are always easier to start off on, not carpet). This makes the perfect gift for that man or boy in your life who doesn't need anything, or has everything, but you still need to get him a fun gift. We received this helicopter at a discount in exchange for our honest review. All thoughts and opinions are our own!

I bought two of these so that I could charge one while the other flies. I've never flown an RC heli before and it was so easy to get this think going. I have two young kids that aren't old enough to fly, but love running from it or following it around the house. My son always picks it up wrong and is a bit rough on it, and I'm always crashing it by trying to land in very tight areas. For the most part - it takes this abuse very well. I went ahead and ordered a spare parts kit for it off amazon that has extra wings and wing assembly pieces, but the part that keeps breaking is the main rotor shaft head piece that doesn't come in the spare parts kit. I ended up finding a 5 pack for $5 on ebay and now I'm set again, but both suffered the same issue so I had to go two weeks with no flying. The other thing that has happened to one of mine and to a friends, after a small crash, if you hit something just right, it starts making a much louder noise. I've figured out that the rotor shaft seems to drop down so the gears inside no longer match up perfect, causing teeth on one of the gears to wear down and make that noise. The gears are not easy to find, but I ordered a set of those on ebay as well. One recommendation to avoid this - you can re-attach the kids backwards so that your pushing up on the shaft. Once it happens though, it's already too late, so you may want to do this right when you get it. Another thing that I did on one of my heli's is take off all of the unnecessary parts. There's like 16 screws in this thing and a bunch of fake wings and missile attachments. I took it all off and that heli flys much faster now. Overall it's been a lot of fun and so worth the $20. I am already hooked and may be looking to upgrade to a nicer 4 channel, but I think that I'll always keep one of these around for playing with the kids or in the office.

I'm not new to these SYMA helicopters so my review isn't from lack of knowing how to operate one nor some other technical issues. First of all after a complete charge it did not fly upwards but instead would spin slightly in a circle and drop to the floor from the coffee table. I adjusted the trim and tried again but still a circle and no sufficient lift for the heli to actually fly. OK, now I'm upset so I noticed something else. My remote controller has a spring loaded throttle, (which I preferred), but the other reviews I seen said that theirs' wasn't spring loaded so I had a red flag there. Also the tail end of this copter has the word "Dancer" on it. I had already sent back a SYMA Chinook two weeks ago that also had that name on it. I'm not sure but I think that name is their newer versions of these copters and the Chinook did the exact same thing. Not enough power to fly. Maybe the battery isn't powerful enough to take a good charge but regardless I tried it again and drained the battery and allowed it to rest for an hour before another attempt on recharging. Guess what?.... Same thing!.. I am in the process of requesting for a refund and will never buy this model again. The Apache 109G , I believe, and the Coast Guard version I have fly great and smooth! If SYMA continues to make and sell these defective helicopters then they will be hurting soon so I hope it's just an issue with them with just a few. Read the latest 20 reviews to decide. If there are more negative than positive things to say then maybe you should reconsider on purchasing this model. Now the crappy part on sending it back for the refund. I'll keep you posted if there's a problem. Amazon usually has no problem with this. Good luck but I'd steer clear of this one!

I've just recently gotten into the mini RC helicopter world, but man, these things are a blast. Yes, they are only good for 4-10 minutes, then you have to recharge, but those 4-10 are a fun. I am quite amazed at how easy they are to control, how sturdy they seem to be and how great they look for under $30. I now have two of the copters and I'll give you my impressions. First, they both are Syma, which from reading other reviews and experience, seem to be the best or near best for this entry level (less than $30) item. My brother bought a different brand and model from Sears, it is almost impossible to fly. It needs constant trim adjustments, so anything beyond just up and down is tough to do. Based on that experience and my experience with the 2 Syma models I purchased, I'd be very hesitant to recommend anything other than a Syma. The first helicopter I bought based on reviews mostly, but also talking with some friends who had purchased rc helicopters, was the Syma S108G. It is modeled after a Marine Cobra and looks excellent, a very cool looking helicopter, IMO. The remote has 3 channels (A, B, C). I call this out, because my second purchase, the Syma S102G (modeled after an Army Blackhawk), has 2 only channels (A, B). Not sure why there is a difference, since other than that, the remotes appear exactly the same. I have a sneaking suspicion that the quality control varies widely among these "cheap" rc's so I wouldn't be shocked to purchase another S102G and end up with a 3 channel remote (again, just speculation on my part). For me, having only 2 channels might be an issue, since my daughter (12) and father (65+) have also been bitten by the mini-helicopter bug (so that will be 3 of us flying these things around at times), so that 2 channel remote may become an issue. On to comparing the Syma S108G & Syma S102G. First, there is not a huge difference between the two and I suspect that the differences I`ve noticed have to do with quality control and may not hold true to every S102G & S108G, but here's what I've noticed. The S102G seems to be more stable. The body is more "boxy" and might weigh just a bit more, maybe that comes into play? TheS108G seems slightly more responsive, but that also means it can get out of control pretty quick if you aren't real smooth on the remote. The S108G feels like it is faster, but we're talking barely. The S102G is easier to land in a tight spot or more accurately, as the S108G tends to "float" or rock back and forth when you go from flying forward to hovering. I like the look of the S108G better, but that just a personal preference, as both look great. I had both for a little while now and both have hit the wall, floor, table, etc. pretty hard with no signs of damage. Just for reference, my 12 yr old daughter can fly these just as well as I can, my 10 yr old has more trouble. You do have to be able to make very subtle changes and adjustments when you are flying to keep from shooting into the ceiling or wall. The S102G lasts a bit longer per charge (about 8-9 minutes) than the S108G (4-6 minutes), but I suspect that this is more "luck of the draw" than anything else. If I had to only pick one of the two, I'd probably go with the S102G, but it's a real close call. One note when I compared it to the Sears purchase, the Syma have a spring loaded throttle stick, so when you let off, they return to "off", the Sear model has a free floating throttle, so it stays wherever you put it. I think I like that feature, and might see if there is a Syma model that has it. The Sears model also has the trim control on the top right of the remote and you use your index finger to adjust it, which is much easier than the single dial stick in the center of the remote like the two Syma models. Again, it seems as though the Sears was better designed than the Syma, but it was still almost impossible to fly. So even with what appear to be better features on the Sears helicopter, my next purchase will still be a Syma. Hope this review helps you in your search, I do plan to buy another Syma (maybe the Coast Guard looking model), I'm curious to see how it compares.

This was my first mini RC heli and probably the BEST performing followed U806 Ultra Stable Mini 3.5 Channel Army Military Indoor RC Helicopter with Built-in Gyro Gyroscope -- NEW 2011 Model! and then the Syma S107/S107G R/C Helicopter - BLUE as third best, IMO, though many consider the 107G as the staple-starter heli - I like this one more. This heli has an all plastic exterior which makes it light in weight and nimble to control and robust enough to withstand reasonable crashes - if this is your first RC copter there will be many crashes. The rotor blades are long and this provides stability and superior hover-ability; plus it is the quieter than most other mini helis. The only drawback to this little model is that it is IR controlled, so line of sight and sunlight are issues. Whether or not you find the spring-loaded elevator control on the remote a blessing or a curse is up to you, I'm used to it but all the "big boy" controls are not. This heli is fast and responsive, more than my 107G models, and is super stable in both in flight and hovering - I can easily fly this heli around objects and under tables and through "tight spaces" with ease - the controls are precise and for an IR controlled rc, it is really responsive. Forward-pitched takes offs with this heli take me back to military films and file footage of actual helis in battle situations - and proper use of forward/reverse with coordinated throttle (elevator) get this heli flying fast - it's really neat to operate - and letting off of the forward/reverse control allows it to pretty much hover in place without excessive trim or counter direction control. The included USB charging cable connects solidly to the copter body and the plug lights up to let you know it is done charging - I use an iPhone USB power adapter to charge but a computer or laptop work too. The on/off switch on the heli body is tiny seems delicate. There is an option to charge off the controller but I'd rather not shorten the batteries in the controller. From dead empty (won't lift) to fully charged is at least 30 minutes, but with careful control and keeping the light off I can get almost 10 minutes of flight time. Overall I really LOVE this mini rc heli, so much I bought another one and a few sets of extra rotor blades. For anyone just starting out with RC mini helis, I consider this the BET one and a great trainer for aspiring rc heli pilots - not to mention it is lots of fun to fly and easy to charge. Buy several: these are durable, responsive, fast and overall a GREAT indoor mini rc helicopter.

I'm fairly new to the micro rc helicopter world. I purchased a Syma S107G prior to purchasing one of these. Pros: * Looks "cooler" than the S107G. (Which is shy I purchased the S108G) * Seems a bit more responsive. (May be because it's lighter? all plastic vs. metal frame of S107G) * Couple bucks cheaper. (At the time of my purchase) Cons: * Less durable. (Mine is already broken after a few crashes) * Less stable. (May be because it's lighter?) I still have the S107G that's in great shape after crashing it a few times. I like the fact that the S107G has metal parts. My S108G has a horrible grinding noise, but it still works. Doesn't get much flight time because it's loud when flying. I've tried to open it up to see if I can fix the problem, but everything looks ok inside to me. My friend's S108G has been grounded for a bit because of a minor crash. Purchased replacement blades, but it's still not working. I also noticed that my heli doesn't hover steady. It tends to hover in a circle pattern. I purchased these after seening brookstone helis at the mall, and these were half the cost of them. They're fun to fly in the living room, but I'm getting a bit bored of them. I started to look into the 4 channel fixed pitch helis because I want more control, and speed. I was going to get the larger Syma, but they are all coaxial helis, and I wanted to try at least a fixed pitch. I hear that collective pitch is the way to go, but I don't have the time and money to invest on those yet. I may change my mind when I get bored, or mastered the 4 channel fixed pitch. If you're unsure on which Syma to get, I recommend the S107G for flying indoors because it's more durable, and easy to fly. If you want something you can take outside, and easy to fly, I would try the larger Syma. I personally chose to go with anoter brand. For the price, the Nine Eagles Solo Pro seems like a good buy, but I'll know for sure after I get one and fly one myself. I gave this a 2 star rating because I wanted to offset the high rating this is getting vs the S107G.

I've got a bunch of Syma minis, including the S109G, S102G and S026G and this - the S108G. I've been AMAZED by the durability of these little guys. BUT - this model seems to have problems. I ordered it via Amazon, received it, flew it, and when I went to charge it it wouldn't take a charge. Tried USB, controller...nada. So I figured I got a dud. It happens. Returned it and ordered a replacement S108G. I was relieved that it charged just fine. But after a day or so of occasional use now the tail rotor will not function. The thing can hover in place and rotate, but not move forward or back. I was curious to see if maybe a wire had come loose, so I disassembled it completely - these things are actually fairly well built for $20 toys - and noticed that one of the wires running back to the tail motor was flattened and appeared to have been stuck in the screw post between the two halves of the fuselage. It's braided wire, so I tried twisting it a little to see if I could get it to conduct better. Nothing else was visibly wrong. I reassembled the unit, and it flew, but now the tail rotor would only spin for reverse - nothing for forward. It's not worth it to me to mess around with it further, and I'm not going to replace it with another S108G. Actually, since I like the Cobra body shape I got the Viefly version of the mini Cobra (the one with the orange strip on the tail) and it seems to fly great...although I prefer the looks of the S108G. However the Viefly also has the advantage of having a non-spring-loaded transmitter, unlike the Symas. So you can let go of it and it will stay in the air. Which I prefer.