Hobbico Alien Insect Flyer Review

My son who just turned ten received this Hobbico Alien Insect Flyer as a birthday gift.  We had never heard of this toy before but it sure looked cool.  All the kids at my son's party were anxious to get it up and flying, as was he. 

The Facts   

• Body is made of lightweight, durable foam with an eye-catching, multi-color trim scheme already applied.
• Twin rotors allow for quick climbing rate.
• Realistic-looking "feet" landing gear provide a stable base for landing.
• 4-Way Directional Control!

My Experience 

This radio controlled insect flyer requires six double A batteries that are not included.  Once the batteries are placed in the controller, the insect needs to be charged for about twenty-five minutes prior to the first use.  The charger and charge cord are built into the controller, so they're always within reach and can't be misplaced.  When this little guy was ready to fly, my son attempted to control the flight but quickly crashed.  It definitely takes some fine-tuning in the control department to get this up and flying.  My husband played with it for a while and figured out how to get it to go correctly.  Within a few tries my son was able to control it better but still has problems and crashes often.  He has a riot with it though.  Unfortunately, this toy can only fly for about 5-6 minutes after 25-30 minutes of charging. 

The box indicates that this toy is designed for indoor use but we find that it is difficult to fly it inside.  It hits the ceiling and crashes into furniture not to mention the dog chasing it throughout the house.  We have way better luck outside as long as it isn't windy and there aren't many people around.  Since my son received this toy as a gift, I don't know how much was paid for it but I have checked online and it is being sold at several places for around $34.99.  Parental guidance is recommended while flying and in my opinion, needed to help control the flight. 

My Final Viewpoint

The Hobbico Alien Insect Flyer is definitely a unique and fun toy.  I do recommend it but am only going with a 3 star rating.  If my ten-year-old son was able to completely control the toy himself and if the charge lasted a little longer I may have gone with 4 stars.