UPDATED DH9053 Review for MAY 2011 – Remotecontrolhelicopters.net NO LONGER recommends the DH9053.
When I first got this chopper I was really quite impressed overall but it just hasn’t lived up to the expectations considering the price I paid for it.
Basically after having it for a few months the chopper is completely un-flyable. I don’t know if it’s a problem with the remote or the chopper itself but it will not calibrate and sometimes just loses contact with the remote totally. It’s held up well enough physically but the flying experience just sucks with this chopper and I’m very disappointed as this was one of my first “out-door” units.
I mentioned in my first review that I was a little concerned about the remote with the DH9053 but I was more concerned with the frequency than the actual remote itself.
If you’re looking for an entry level outdoor chopper like the DH9053 then I would recommend checking out the Blade 120 SR – It’s received TOP NOTCH reviews from everyone who has purchased it and in generally looks to be a much better Helicopter for someone looking for a good intermediate out-door chopper.
Click Here to find a great price on the Blade 120 SR and read some great reviews.
—- OLD REVIEW —-
Hey Guys,
So I just got my hands on the new DH 9053 3.5 channel remote control helicopter. It’s a nice chopper that offers some cool new features including the 3.5 channel remote but it definitely has it’s drawbacks as well.
We all know that the three channel choppers give you the most basic flight options that are: up/down, backward/forward, and left/right.
But one thing that we’ve never been able to control on these indoor electric choppers is the speed…
This is where the DH 9053 changes things up compared to other choppers that I’ve used. With the 3.5 channel unit you can select between high and low speeds using the remote and let me tell you it adds a whole new level of control when it comes to doing things like precision landings and close proximity flying. It’s really cool!
Click Here to get the DH 9053 at over 70% off retail at Amazon.com
For Canadian customers or anywhere else outside the US I recommend xHeli.com and get $5 off with Coupon code FIVEOFF (this is good for US customers too!).
Personally I think this is a great step in the right direction but I do believe that it is only a step. The speed can’t be controlled gradually and is only selectable by switch (high/low). So while this does offer a great deal of control for fine-tuned flying it is still lacking when you think about what would be possible with a full gradient speed control.
So lets keep in mind that this is not a “small indoor chopper”. This thing is 26 inches long and should be flown in an open area, especially while you get used to it. If you’ve never owned a RC Helicopter before I wouldn’t recommend this as a starting unit! Buy a Syma S107 or other small indoor Syma and just get used to flying first!
As I was researching this chopper before purchasing I read quite a few reviews. Especially user reviews on sites like Amazon and other hobby websites. There are certainly some people who have had their fair share of problems with this chopper but I suspect a lot of that is because they are new to the RC chopper world and have unrealistic expectations.
There are however a lot of great reviews on this chopper and these seemed to come from people who had more experience with RC Helicopters so I thought it was safe to spend my money and buy this chopper.
Am I happy with the DH 9053?
Yes and No
Ok, lets talk about the things that I like:
It looks beautiful. It’s certainly one of the nicer looking choppers I’ve owned and for the price (under $100) the workmanship is quite nice at first glance. At 26″ it dwarfs my indoor chopper collection and it’s definitely the most impressive and eye catching piece when people check out the choppers I have.
Now in my opinion it flies quite well. I don’t think it is the best flying chopper I’ve ever used but it’s certainly not that hard to get the hang of it and after you spend some time executing some basic exercises like hovering and flying in small circles I think you’ll be quite happy.
This is where a lot of the bad reviews I read really bashed the chopper. But basically they read like “I took it out of the box, charged it up, and I can’t fly the thing!” Well if you’re used to playing with the indoor mini’s then yea… You’re going to have that problem!
While this isn’t a serious hobbyist chopper it’s getting pretty dang close and because it’s so much bigger, stability is going to be an issue. You really need to spend the time learning the control sensitivities and develop your touch, otherwise you’re gonna crash hard!
And lets keep in mind: “The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall”
This chopper won’t take abuse like you’re average indoor mini RC. One serious crash and you’ll be out of commission! Take your time, learn the controls and learn how to fly it and it will be very rewarding, skip this step and you’ll have a busted chopper. Simple as that!
What don’t I like about this chopper?
The controller!
Now this is not a deal breaker, but the controller is only 27MHz as opposed to what “should” be standard 2.4 GHz. This means that there is the possibility for slight interruptions in control to the chopper, especially if there are other devices present.
I haven’t personally had any issues YET, but I’ve read that some people are starting to have issues with this and it was a concern of mine from the outset.
Don’t let this dissuade you from buying the chopper however. It works fine for me and even if you do have issues they will be small and intermittent and because the price of this chopper is so reasonable it’s a very good way to get into a larger helicopter for a good price and give you some practice before you go out and invest BIG bucks in a real hobbyist outdoor chopper!
Hope this DH 9053 review was of some use to some of you and good luck with all your choppers!
Buy the DH 9053 From Amazon.com
Buy the DH 9054 From xHeli.com
Cheers!
