RC Helicopters vs Drones

You've likely heard the term "drone" before, even if you are brand new to radio control flying. The problem is, what exactly is a "drone?" If you ask the FAA, a drone is any unmanned aircraft system. Ask a hobby shop owner, and they'll show you some quadcopters or beginner helicopters. Listen to the news, and you might hear about drone attacks against tanks. Ask a high-end electronics store employee, and they'll likely point you to the professional camera platforms. Step inside a toy store and you'll find everything from toy helicopters to tiny quadcopters, all considered drones.

When someone mentions "drones," are they talking about a child's toy, a hobbyist's aircraft, or a weapon of war? Of course, experienced RC pilots know the truth. 

Depending on what you might be looking for, there is a world of difference between flying an RC helicopter and operating what most people call a "drone." Each has its good and bad points. Each has its own strengths, features, and specialized use cases. Both can be incredibly fun to fly, and each offers a unique flying experience.

Design and Control Differences Between RC Helicopters vs Drones

As you might imagine, RC helicopters maneuver on the same principles as full-size helicopters. They use a main rotor system with collective and cyclic pitch control. The pilot adjusts the angle of the rotor blades to control lift, direction, and speed. A tail rotor provides anti-torque control to prevent the fuselage from spinning.

When flying an RC helicopter, a pilot continuously handles these systems at the same time. They do that by controlling multiple inputs to achieve a controlled flight. Handling the sticks on a controller is a complicated process that can be difficult for beginners.

To make it easy to understand, "drones" in this comparison are multirotor aircraft, typically quadcopters with four fixed-pitch propellers. Having a symmetrical design delivers calmer stability in flight and allows first-time pilots to have success.

In fact, many drones have gyroscopes and flight controllers, which make them more user-friendly. For example, most people can hover a drone within minutes of their first attempt. Unlike helicopters, many hobby drone flyers operate their aircraft using First-Person View (FPV) technology rather than line of sight flying.

Generally, RC helicopters are highly sensitive to control but are quick and agile. Advanced pilots can do "stunts" with large, powerful helicopters involving crazy orientations, inverted flight, and more. Only expert helicopter pilots can perform 3D flying including smooth figure-eights, backward flight, and inverted maneuvers.

In contrast, RC drones are designed to be incredibly stable and oftentimes include features such as altitude hold, auto-return, and GPS. Drones with cameras attached are used for a variety of use cases, from viewing farm fields to assessing hail damage to a roof. Helicopters were the original platform for aerial photography and video work until drones took over this role starting about a decade ago. While drones can technically fly inverted using specialized pitch systems or reversing props, this capability requires very specialized control systems and has never gained widespread popularity.

It’s important to remember, all RC helicopters and drones require the same type of 3-axis gyros as part of their flybarless control systems, making them more similar than pilots  may realize.

Performance and Experience Similarities and Differences Between RC Helicopters vs Drones

When it comes to raw performance, the results might surprise you. While RC helicopters excel in agility and aerobatic capability, speed actually goes to the drones. Specialized speed RC helicopters can nearly reach 200 mph, but the current speed record for drones is nearly 350 mph.

A good helicopter can fly inverted, perform loops and rolls, and execute rapid direction changes that would crash most drones. However, drones have found their own niche in freestyle 3D FPV flying, where pilots often seek out abandoned buildings called “bandos” to perform spectacular aerial maneuvers. We're not recommending flying in abandoned buildings, but some people do it.

Pilots looking for a challenging hobby can find it in learning to fly RC helicopters. It takes dedication to get good. Going from novice to expert can take years, but RC helicopter pilots describe a sense of accomplishment that comes from mastering a complex skill. However, larger helicopters are delicate machines. If the blades touch the ground, severe damage is almost guaranteed.

Drone flying features a gentler learning curve. Most people can fly a drone within hours of picking up a controller. Drones prioritize stability and ease of use over performance, and they're far more rugged than helicopters. A racing drone can often be crashed and keep going with no damage. There is also FPV drone racing with models that feature incredible speed and maneuverability. Racing has become hugely popular in the drone community, something that simply doesn't exist for helicopters.

Communities Between RC Helicopter and Drone Hobbyists

The communities themselves tend to differ as well. Helicopter flyers tend to be older and and more seasoned in their approach to the hobby, while drone racers tend to be younger with more expressive styles. You'll often see drone racers with bright hair and Japanese anime-inspired designs on their goggles and transmitter boxes, accessories you'd never see in the traditional helicopter community.

RC Helicopter or Drone?

So, RC helicopter or drone? It boils down to what you want to do with this new hobby. Helicopters are for pilots who wish to experience the excitement of flying. Drones are more often used by pilots who want to take stunning aerial videos or get into the exciting world of FPV racing and freestyle.

If you're interested in meeting a challenge and experiencing thrilling flights, then choose an RC helicopter. It will take years of practice and skill development, but in the end, you will have real flying experience with a machine that demands respect and precision.

If you're looking for an easy-to-fly radio control aircraft for aerial photography, want to get in the sky right away, or are drawn to the fast-paced world of racing, a drone is the best choice. Drones offer stability, high-end cameras, and durability that makes them perfect for both beginners and experienced pilots looking for a different kind of thrill.

RC helicopters and RC drones deliver unique flying experiences. Whether an RC helicopter or an RC drone, you can't go wrong choosing the one that makes the most sense for you.

See you at the flying field!