Fifteen years ago, a Chattanooga man flying his RC airplane lost control of it, and the plane flew away, never to be seen again. The pilot and his family never looked for the plane, and he died a decade later. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, when a St. Louis man found an RC plane […]

Washington Post reporter Craig Whitlock compiled a list of things drone operators have said when they get into trouble and we pulled our favorites here. How many of these sound familiar? For the full article, click here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/craig-whitlock/2011/02/28/AB5dpFP_page.html. “This thing’s kind of climbing like a pig. Climb, you pig. . . . Boy, this is going […]

This stunning DC-3 done up in Flugfélag Íslands (Air Iceland) colors is the handiwork of Icelandic modeler Sturla Snorrason. A completely scratch-built project, the model features traditional wood construction and true aluminum parts, like the wing fairings made from aluminum plate. Two RCG 26cc gas engines power the 36-pound DC-3, while Best Pilots figures occupy the cockpit. […]

You have to see this helicopter next to its pilot to believe that it isn’t the real deal! YouTube’s Flynlyons notes, “Most people who see the EC135 are stuck by her beautiful lines and that fenestron tail, however once you see this amazing aircraft in the air you’ll understand why so many RC helicopter pilots […]

You don’t see large prop-powered commercial aircraft anymore, so this model of the 1950s Super Constellation L-1049C  is a special treat. Max Ulrich built the all-wood plane from enlarged Don Smith plans and in this video is flying it at the Oldtimer Meeting in Switzerland. It’s powered by four 4-strokes. Thanks to RCHeliJet for posting this to YouTube.

This week, the FAA approved the very first commercial flight of an unmanned aircraft over U.S. soil! BP has approval to fly an AeroVironment Puma AE over its pipelines, roads and equipment at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the largest oilfield in the U.S. The 9-foot-span Puma AE is an electric aircraft that’s waterproof and equipped with […]

In a scene reminiscent of “Wild Kingdom,” an Australian wedge-tailed eagle decided it had enough of the pesky Kestrel drone that was being tested in the eagle’s airspace. It didn’t take long for the eagle to dispatch the interloper and fly off with it. Prior to the incident, the small Kestrel drone was testing a […]

If you like military birds, you’ll love Roger Nieto’s great scale EC 725 Caracal, filmed in Coëtquidan, France. Equipped with Vario mechanics and a Baumann fuselage, the helicopter is powered by a gas engine turning a five-blade main rotor and four-blade tail. Robart retracts add to its scale appeal. Great helicopter, excellent flying … just wish we could hear those […]

Can an inflatable pool toy fly if it has the right propulsion system? Find out in this fun video posted on YouTube by Roger Wegert. Two thumbs up for innovation!

When you’re watching this video of Red Bull helicopter pilot Chuck Aaron perform, you may think that it’s an RC model … what full-size heli do you know of that can do tricks like this? Believe it or not, he’s flying in the cockpit of his modified full-size machine. He’s one of only three licensed […]

The 26th annual Top Gun Scale Invitational is underway, and Model Airplane News will posting live from the flight line all weekend! Gerry and I are thrilled to be here with more than a hundred of the best builders and pilots in the world. We’ll be updating the MAN site throughout the event, and for the […]

Prepare to be amazed by these hexacopters from KMel Robotics! In the nearly 4-minute video, they work in concert to play a variety of songs. Love this!! Watch to the end for a surprise “note” that is guaranteed to make you smile.