Flying a radio controlled helicopter isn’t particularly easy, especially if you have limited experience. It can be difficult to get the technique right, as when you fly petrol power helicopters outdoors they can be very unpredictable, and are heavily influenced by the weather.

However, the RC helicopter that featured on the Gadget show on November 17th could see an end to radio controlled helicopter pilots. The helicopter featured was controlled by a learning computer that made the helicopter autonomous, meaning that it learned from moves made by the pilot, before being able to fly by itself.

The helicopter was initially flown by a human pilot (none too successfully by the presenter in truth, who crashed it into the ground) before the learning computer had enough information to take control and fly the radio controlled helicopter by itself.

This miraculous RC helicopter is leading the way towards the future, and the inevitable unmanned flights.

As incredible as the RC helicopter was though, it wouldn’t be much fun to own. There’s little point in having a radio controlled helicopter that flies itself!

Christian Robinson, the MD of gadget retail website Firebox.com, has said that his site has had to move on from the boom of radio controlled helicopters that were all the rage last year. Last Christmas, the RC helicopter was one of the most sought after products on Firebox, but this year they’ve had to move on to another trend because of the competition.

Other retail websites and high street retailers have been selling the cheaper, indoor RC helicopters for much less than Firebox were selling them for, meaning that Firebox doesn’t expect to sell as many RC helicopters this Christmas. Add to that the problems at competitors such as the Gadget Shop (which recently closed) and the ownership change at Boys Stuff and the biggest player in the game, IwantOneofThose.com.

Christian Robinson is optimistic for Firebox though, despite the current credit crunch.

Consumer electronics items are proving very popular. You’d think in a downturn that it would be cheaper products but it’s more about people investing in goods to stay at home with.

Last year Robinson said was:

The year of the radio controlled helicopter when we did £1 million in sales.

However this year Firebox are having to look for a new gadget to be their big seller, as cheap radio controlled helicopters are available on other websites.

But since then the supermarkets started flogging them at very low margins and Firebox.com has moved onto the next trend.

Two years ago tiny radio controlled helicopters emerged on the high street, and on websites such as Firebox and Boys Stuff, becoming a real success among kids and adults who think they’re still kids. With small frames, tiny battery requirements and the ability to fly indoors, the micro copters became a huge hit as dads would play with them in the home, and at work (when the boss was out of the room obviously).

Sometimes even children were allowed to have a go, but not often.

This year, RC helicopters are expected to be just as popular as ever, because not only are more retailers selling them, but thanks to specialist sites sourcing the best RC helicopters from abroad, the prices have come right down too.

You can now buy fully functioning radio controlled helicopters for your home for very cheap prices, making them an affordable stocking filler, instead of the ‘main present’ tag they once had.

One of the things that has made RC helicopters more popular and cheaper to buy is the ‘dual blades’ feature that has become a standard. This has led to them becoming very stable when in the air, meaning that anyone could use them with very little practise or experience with radio controlled models.

Some men are just impossible to buy for because they have everything or are interested in nothing. You can’t buy them clothes because they’re too picky, you can’t by aftershave because they have too expensive taste, you can’t buy them a watch because they’ll only wear James Bond’s Omega.

They’re impossible.

There is a solution however. All men, and by that we mean ALL men, have a childish streak. Something lurks deep down (not that deep in many men) where they just want to play with toys, cars and games… although of course they’ll never admit it. One toy that all men love to play with radio controlled models. Whether they be cars, boats, planes or helicopters, the thrill of controlling something remotely, at great speed, that doesn’t matter quite so much if you crash, is quite a thrill for the small boy inside every man.

The best part of it is that many RC Helicopters on the market today can be bought very cheap, and are able to be used inside the home, or office.

Does your man have everything? I bet he doesn’t have a radio controlled helicopter that he can use to soar across the office when the boss is out?