Who says only home items like door locks, kettles and doorbells can be smart? Toys deserve to be smart too and a thinking brain is exactly what the Smartplane, an RC flyer, boasts in its favor.
How intelligent is it? Thankfully, not smart enough to start a revolt of the machines and stage a robot coup in your home. With an onboard microprocessor, a 256-level proportional rudder, and a system called FlightAssist on board, however, it is sophisticated enough to make adjustments and corrections on its own. Basically, you can pilot it like a drunk caveman and it will still fly smoothly, analyzing situations and adjusting according to what’s needed.
Of course, being able to make adjustments on the fly doesn’t necessarily mean the Smartplane is going to be fun. Its other features, however, does. Piloted from a smartphone app with a stunning cockpit look and feel, it ‘s designed to be flown with just one hand — slide a finger up and down for speed, then tilt the phone for turns. Unlike many RC planes, this is designed to fly slow. If you have been an RC plane hobbyist for an any amount of time, you know that slow flying things can actually be much more calming and enjoyable also. Just look at the air swimmers if you need any proof. Sure, you can speed up if you want, but it can glide slowly through the air using some clever aerodynamic optimization, allowing you to fly it just as easily in the office hallway as you can in the park. For executing fast maneuvers, which should help step up the fun, it comes with wind and throttle levers that can change things up enough to allow for some crazy spins and turns.
The Smartplane is available now, priced at €69.