This November, the folks at Interactive Toy Concepts are releasing their version of the orthinopter, the iFly Vamp, an indoor/outdoor radio controlled flying bat. The iFly Vamp flies by using its wings. There are no propellers or other plane like structures on this unit. It looks and flies like a bat. With an ominous bat/dragonfly appearance, it will even scare some people including my 5 year old daughter.

Lets take a closer look at the iFly Vamp and see if it lives up to its billing. Lets get started..

Review: iFly Vamp Radio Control Ornithopter

Reviewed by: Tomas Ratas

Sponsor: Interactive Toy Concepts Ltd

In previous reviews, we at DragonSteelMods have reviewed some radio controlled toys including the WowWee Flytech Dragonfly. This class of RC toys is known as orthinopters. These aircrafts flying by flapping its wings the same way that birds, bats and insects fly.

Tech Specs,Features or the Basic Info:

iFly Vamp Radio Control Ornithopter

Look, up in the sky, its a bird, its even better!

The i-Fly VAMP by Interactive Toy Concepts is set to take the notion of a flying RC Ornithopter to a whole new level. Coming to stores in Fall 2007, the i-Fly VAMP is sure to be a big hit with flying toy enthusiasts of all ages. Packing state-of the-art technology, this toy provides an unparalleled level of control and stability within an in-doors as well as out.

An Ornithopter differs from all man-made flying devices in that it flaps its wings to propel itself through the air. This is a form of flight that most resembles the natural abilities of birds. The i-Fly VAMP is styled to resemble a fantasy-inspired bat. At 12 in width and 10 in length it is the worlds smallest radio-controlled ornithopter in the form of a bat. The flapping wings mimic the behavior of a bird or an insect, giving the eerie illusion that the toy is alive when it is in flight. In addition, the ability to control the i-Fly VAMP through the use of a digital proportional radio controller gives the illusion that the VAMP flies along an intelligent path. The glowing eyes of the i-Fly VAMP add to its mystique as a supernatural nocturnal creature.

The i-Fly VAMP has a built in lithium polymer battery which is charged by mounting it on the integrated charger/ controller. With 20 30 minutes of charging, flights of 10+ minutes can be attained. Once in the air, the i-Fly VAMP has a natural forward motion. It is very easy to control the flight by the movement of two sticks on the controller. The left stick allows for digital proportional speed control and the right stick allows for the control of the direction. Due to this ubiquitous control method, it is very common for users to pick up and fly the i-Fly VAMP with little or no learning curve allowing for instant gratification.

Specs/Features:

– Up to ten minutes of flight on a single charge

– Total Flight Control

– Real flapping wings

– Glowing LED eyes

– State of the art flight technology

– Extra set of wings

– For Ages 8 and Up

-Requires 6 AA Batteries

-RTF (Ready to Fly)

-Plane Length: 10

-Wing Span: 12

-Weight: 11.7 grams

-MSRP: $39.99 – $49.99

-Available in 27 MHz and 49 MHz frequencies

About Interactive Toy Concepts

Interactive Toy Concepts, the leader in R/C technology strives to push the envelope by creating cool, high tech toys at prices that make our products accessible to everyone. ITC endeavors to stay at the forefront of new technology by combining innovative products with outside the box thinking.

Our philosophy is to design toys for ourselves and produce them for the masses.

Visit them at http://www.interactivetoy.com

{mospagebreak title=A Better Look at things}

A Better Look at Things

:

The iFly Vamp Radio Control Ornithopter arrives in a 10 x 12 x 7 cardboard box with a clear window on the front, top and bottom which displays the Vamp and remote, which are centered in the middle.

The iFly Vamp is encased in two formed pieces of plastic to keep it safe during transport. Included in the box besides the RC toy and remote is the antenna, an extra set of wings, a package of adhesives and the instructions.

The Vamp is black, grey and white giving battle worn appearance. For the eyes, Interactive Toys Concepts chose an ominous red shade that looks particularly haunting when lit up.

A Better Look at Things

Continued:

The body is composed of a light Styrofoam material. One of the first things you will notice is that this RC toy is light as a feather. In fact, it seems very delicate and would not stand up to much punishment. However, that is far from the actual case.

On the underside, the power switch and charging input can be found. The wings are clear with a black honeycomb pattern and a reddish picture, which is designed to represent the skeleton of the wings.

There are two sets of motors on the top of the Vamp, the black ones in the front control the flapping of the wings and the white motors on the back control to left/right movements of the wings.

The tail section attaches off the rear of the iFly Vamp and houses a thin antenna wire off the end.

The remote is primarily black and silver with two joystick controllers. The left joystick controls the wing speed of the orthinopter and the right stick, the direction of flight.

The power button is located in the middle section and houses a red LED underneath to indicate when the power is active. Just above this button is a retractable charge port, which extends ninety degrees when charging the Vamp.

The remote uses six AA batteries and acts as the Vamps charging base station.

During the charging of the Vamp, the left charge light turns green until the charge is finished.

An antenna attaches to the topside of the remote and extends a little over a foot in length.

Included in the kit is a set of mylar adhesives that can be attached to correct any flight imbalances and help bring the Vamp back to a neutral balance flight position.

Finally, Interactive Toys was smart enough to provide a spare set of wings, just in case some harm befalls your new winged friend.

Testing and Movies:

Before you take the iFly Vamp out for its maiden voyage, you will need to charge it for about ten minutes or so. Once the red light blinks, then the Vamp is charged and ready to spread its wings.

First press the red power button on the remote, then flip the orthinopter over and flick the switch on the underbelly to the ON position. The eyes should light up red when ready and the wings should flap when pushing the left joystick forward.

Now, its time for some fun. With the left joystick press forward, simply release the Vamp into the air and watch it fly free. The farther you press forwards on the throttle, the faster the Vamp flaps its wings. The other stick controls the ability to turn left or right (yaw). There is a slight learning curve, but after about ten minutes, you should be able to perform simple flying maneuvers without much difficulty.

One thing I noticed is that when making turns, it is helpful to ease back on the throttle to make a more controlled maneuver.

So without further delay, here are some videos of the iFly Vamp in action.

Once the basics are mastered, then you can learn more sophisticated maneuvers such as these:

One caveat to flying the iFly Vamp is you need a still day for flying. Because the Vamp is so light, a windy day will wreck havoc on the flight and navigation of this winged toy.

As for durability, I mentioned earlier about how fragile this RC toy felt because of its weight and thin wings. However, after crashing it a multitude of times into my house, the ground, the concrete and having my 5 year old daughter grab it, it was none the worse for wear.

Summary:

I dont have much experience with radio-controlled toys, but this is an amazing piece of technology. Whether you are an adult or a young child the iFly Vamp will provide hours of enjoyment. It took me a few flights to get the general controls down, but the more time spent with the Vamp, the better your flight skills will become.

Besides being fun, it is also very durable and should last for a long time. This is a great radio controlled toy, which is truly fun to play with. In fact, my daughter already named ours: Flappy.

DragonSteelMods gives the iFly Vamp Radio Control Ornithopter a 4.5 out of 5 and our Recommended Award as well.

Pros:

-Quick Charge

-Loads of Fun!

-Durable

-Built in charger on remote

-Includes extra set of wings

Cons:

-Difficulty flying in wind

-Requires large open space for flying

I would like to thank Interactive Toy Concepts Ltd for the chance to review the iFly Vamp Radio Control Ornithopter and for their support of DSM.

review#323