Closer Look
Packaged with the Heli-Max 230Si Quadcopter you will receive the following;
- Heli-Max 230Si with or without camera (Depending on model)
- Heli-Max Controller
- LiPo Battery
- Battery Charger and Adapter
- Screwdriver
- Extra set of blades
- Memory card and reader
- 4 AA Batteries
This 230Si Quadcopter is a RTF or (Ready To Fly) which means out of the box, you do not need to assemble anything or do anything other than install some batteries and charge your LiPo battery to get this quadcopter up in the air. I think Heli-Max did a great job with the packaging, everything was very easy to remove from the box and everything was packaged very well for delivery.
The 230Si Quadcopter has white and black blades to indicate which is forward (white is forward btw). It also has a bright red LED indicator on the back which almost looks like an afterburner on a jet. Heli-Max carried the “jet-like” look across the body of the 230Si and IMO this craft really has a great look to it!
Here’s a closer look at the LED light on the rear. The LED light is used as an indicator for the different modes that you can place the drone into. We’ll get more into the configuration and controls on the next page of the review.
Underneath the 230Si you’ll find the HD video camera which is capable of shooting HD video and also snap photography. It’s a very basic camera that will allow you to venture into aerial photography but is by no means on par with a GoPro or other more capable HD camera. However, for the price and what you get with this, I think it’s a very capable camera for a novice pilot to use and learn on.
While you can’t control the camera in flight, you can adjust the angle at which the camera shoots video by moving the camera up or down before you take flight. This is useful if you are trying to do fly overs versus trying to shoot something straight ahead like an object.
The 230Si utilizes brush motors instead of the better and more expensive brushless motors. The brush motors have been known for having lower performance and also seem to wear out quickly, especially if you continuously run the drone without allowing them to cool down. This is why the manual specifically states to allow for the craft to cool down before flying again. You can’t just purchase an extra battery and get back up in the air after running one of them dead. If this is your intent, you better find a drone with brushless motors. I really hope the brush motors that are installed in this craft have enough power to keep the 230Si stable, especially with the added extra weight of the video camera.
Here is a look at the battery compartment. I found that the door on it was a bit flimsy and sometimes a bit hard to open however, it’s held up well after opening and closing it multiple times despite my initial thoughts. The battery plugs into the existing power plug and slides into the chamber of the craft. It’s also easy to remove thanks to the tab that’s on the end of the battery.
The Heli-Max LiPo battery charger provided with this quadcopter is actually one that I really love. It has different charge settings from 1.0 to 1.8 amps in 0.2 increments with the default being 1.4 amps (which is what the manual states to charge at). It has LED indicators to inform you which charge rate its set to, when the battery is charging and also when the battery is done charging. Furthermore, there are also audible alerts to inform you when the charge is complete too which I think is a great feature. Nice work Heli-Max for providing a great charger here!
The remote provided is a 2.4GHz remote that is lightweight enough that you shouldn’t be fatigued while holding it but your thumbs may go numb. What I mean by this is the controller knobs are hard plastic with a spike-like texture to them which can cause your thumbs to be rubbed and become sensitive. I understand the idea behind the spike-like texture, to prevent slippage during flight but I think the texture could have been more subtle or either rubber caps placed on top of them to provide more comfort while flying.
The remote provides your standard features; throttle and rotation steering (left stick) and your right/left movement along with up and down movement (right stick). You’ll also find trim tabs for all of those functions which digital program to compensate if needed.
The display at the bottom shows many great things for convenience such as the throttle (000 being displayed now), the trim tab settings ( the lines with the dot being centered) and also the mode in which the controller is set to. You will also find the battery indicator of the remote which is another great feature. We’ll talk more about the available modes and functions on then next page of the review.
On the top of the controller you’ll find two buttons, ICM and F Mode.
Then finally on the back of the controller you’ll find the buttons to control the camera. Video and Pictures buttons can be used to snap photos or to start/stop HD video recording.
