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Posts: 2518
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Joined: 5/19/2005
Last Login: 7/28/2008
From: Brampton,
ON, CANADA
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I've seen alot of posts on here from various people who complain about Walkera products and their problems and how they hate them and they're cheap and on and on.
I will start this post out by saying that, in general, Walkera electronics are cheap (namely the servos), and there isn't much debate to be had in it, however, a thought ocurred to me earlier today about these helicopters and their users, especially the Walkera #4 Dragonfly, which is most certainly the most popular of their product line.
The biggest thing with these helicopters is that they're absurdly cheap compared to their competition, with a full ready to fly #4 at a scant $80 when all other major manufacturers charge upwards of $200 for, generally speaking, a model that is nearly identical with the exception of a few minor part differences and higher quality electronics.
The result of these extremely cheap helicopters is that you get TONS of newbies who buy them because of the very attractive price point. It's a good bet that 80% of all Walkera #4 users purchased the helicopter and plunged head first into the hobby knowing little to nothing about it.
Being the case that most of the users are new to the hobby, I think this may account for a good deal of the "problems" people have with these helicopters.
It seems to me that most posts I read on here about people who have trouble with these copters is because of the chopper being setup incorrectly, or simply someone in-experienced at flying and crashing it and then blaming it on the helicopter. In other words, most of the problems with this helicopter may be user error, not mechanical.
I have found, personally, that Walkera products, WHEN SET UP CORRECTLY, function very well for their price compared to the much more expensive models that don't offer a whole lot more. I know because I was very frustrated with my Walkera product when I first got it (being a complete newbie to the hobby). However, after alot of practice (and crashes, and part replacement), alot of reading online about proper setup (getting rid of shakes, blade balancing, flybar placement, gear meshing, etc.) lo and behold, the chopper flew, and well, even!
I've started this post not so much as a defense for Walkera, but more as a discussion as to the basis of the plethora of problems people have with Fixed Pitch helis in general, which have become much more common with the release of the Walkera #4.
It's my firm belief that, as I look back on my learning curve, had I started with a more expensive model (Such as a humming bird, GWS dragonfly, etc.) That I would've had alot of the same problems that I had with my Walkera chopper. This is also evident to me as I own a GWS Dragonfly ontop of my Walkera heli and find the common "newbie mistakes" to affect them both the same way, and they also generally fly the same. (The Walkera is actually more stable in flight than the GWS heli, due to the lousy PHA-01 3in1 board that GWS makes. I've replaced it with a Walkera 4in1 box and it flies MUCH better).
I'd be interested in hearing others comments on this and what you think. Are the helicopters as bad as they seem, or is it really just a matter of total newbie meets complex flying machine?
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Daniel
True Northern Hobbies, Inc.
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All Forums >> RC Helicopters >> Electric RC Helis >> Walkera Helis - Dragonfly, etc.. >> Walkera products, are they really that bad, or is it the users? 
Walkera products, are they really that bad, or is it th... - 
) When I went to order a 35 for my brother I bought it without the radio gear. the supplier was nice enough to leave the gyro with it even though i did not ask for it. so we started with a non walkera radio and it also flys great. that heli has had a hard landing and other than the bevel tail gear stripping it was good to go fly again. (whew!) 
