Griffin Brings “HELO TC”, An iOS-Controlled Helicopter For $49.99

Most of us are already familiar with the AR.Drone, a super advanced iOS controlled quadricopter with an onboard camera which streams live video feeds, all over a WiFi network. But all this comes for a price of $299.99, a figure not many are willing to pay for a tech-toy. However, Griffin Tech has come up with a similar product, yet only for a price of $49.99. The question is, how did Griffin manage to substantially reduce the cost of a highly similar gadget? Let’s find out!

As explained by Touch Arcade:

Griffin has taken a unique angle with the HELO TC and has made several obvious cost-cutting measures to hit that key $50 price point. First off, the HELO TC obviously lacks all the flight stabilization logic that powered the AR.Drone. The AR.Drone basically flies itself, while the HELO TC seems to be very similar to the barebones remote control helicopters that you can pick up for around $20 online.

Similarly, all of the WiFi connectivity options found in the AR.Drone have been replaced by a transmitter that clips on to your iOS device and plugs into your headphone jack. This takes AA batteries, and utilizing the free companion app that sends tones out your headphone port to an IR transmitter.

HELO TC is now available for pre-order at the Griffin online store. There is no announcement regarding the product’s release date, though a Griffin representative did mention a holiday season release. So will you order one today or do you own an A.R Drone already? We’d love to hear your experiences!

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