Family Fun Soars With Radio Controlled Aircraft Flying

If you're looking for a hobby the entire family can get into, why not check out radio controlled aircraft flying? Lots of fun for everyone no matter how young or old, this hands-on hobby has aspects that can appeal to just about anyone.Getting started in radio controlled flying doesn't have to cost a fortune either. A simple craft kit can be enough to help a family decide if the hobby is right for them. If it is, then more advanced kits might be in order. Flying craft can be very basic or incredibly detailed, right down to the colors on the wings. Some crafters take a great deal of pride in ensuring their planes replicate the actual versions down to the smallest detail.Those interested in radio controlled flying will find half the fun is in building the crafts. Whether radio controlled helicopters or World War II plane replicas, the choices for kits to build is amazing. These miniature and quite workable flying models can be incredibly detailed and those with a knack for building will find they can be quite challenging, too. They make great projects for families to work on together from start to finish. Youngsters can help with some of the building and the flying and can even get in on research if detailed replication is desired.The big fun comes for everyone, however, once the radio controlled craft is finished.Whether you fly in a backyard setting or head to a park, getting the whole family involved is quite easy. These mini planes are a whole lot of fun to watch and even more fun to control. Some planes are simple enough for "pilots" of almost any age to control; others might take a bit more skill.In some locations there are even clubs dedicated to radio controlled flying. The clubs, in some cases, have their own "air fields" where members meet to fly their planes in a "safe" environment, free from obstructions such as power and telephone lines or tall trees.It is through the hobby clubs that a lot of camaraderie is formed. Here members help each other out with everything from building and flying to creating a family atmosphere through picnics and more on weekends.Adding to the fun, these clubs often host their own brand of air shows. It is here that members come out to show off their prowess in building and flying planes. Big community events, the shows resemble full-size plane air shows in that showmanship and skill often rules the day. There's generally something for every member of a family to get involved in during one of these shows from flying or just plain sitting back and enjoying the show.There are a lot of hobbies a family can get involved in together. But for many, radio controlled flying is the top choice. Offering a chance for everyone to get involved in the building and flying of these little crafts, this hobby is fun for all ages and can be relatively affordable.

The Advantages of Electric Radio controlled Aircraft

There are many different kinds of radio Controlled Aircraft on the market. There are airplanes, jets, helicopters, blimps and even flying saucers. You also have two different kinds of power sources, gas as well as electric. Many RC aircraft use electric battery packs and charging systems that plug into the wall. These are much safer, more reliable, and easier to deal with than gas models.Whether it is a helicopter or an airplane, make sure you are buying a quality radio controlled aircraft. Every holiday season it seems like every retailer tries to sell RC aircraft, many of which are pieces of junk. Any kind of plane or helicopter that is offered for twenty dollars you don't even want to buy, because half the time they are not the kind of quality you want, and you will end up disappointing the person you buy them for. Why is this? Because most of these cheap products are not made with high quality materials, the batteries are also of poor quality, and flight time is around five minutes or less.In order to find the best radio controlled aircraft, if you are really serious about this hobby, is to go online. There are online retailers that sell all kinds of high quality RC aircrafts These are solidly constructed, made from high impact plastic and other materials, have the latest state-of-the-art electronics, as well as the best lithium batteries made. This means that they will last longer, have a better flight time, and take the abuse of even the most novice of users.There are many different advantages of using electric radio controlled air craft. One of the biggest is that gas powered models use a volatile fuel mixture. This is messy to deal with, hard to fill the tanks, and dangerous to use. While you may go faster, the fuel doesn't last that long. Because it uses gasoline, it is dangerous for younger users to handle. Because it uses a combustion engine, it puts harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. They are really noisy as well, and so you have to worry about people around you.Electric RC aircraft are much easier to operate, and most are ready-to-run right out of the box. All you have to do is put the battery pack in for larger models and you're off and flying. Even ones that have built in batteries are good for at least a half an hour before having to charge them up. They are much safer for beginners to operate, and the rotors and blades don't spin so fast that they could to some serious injury or harm. Many people who use electric radio controlled aircraft buy few extra batteries so the can extend their flight time.When you are buying radio controlled aircraft, make sure that it comes with everything included to fly your plane or helicopter. Make sure you look carefully at the product descriptions. They should include the helicopter or plane, the battery pack as well as the charger, and the Radio Controller. You need to be careful, because some kits come with everything except the RC controller. It would really be a bummer if you spent top dollar for a quality product, only to find out it didn't include the transmitter.

How To Build Your Own Radio Controlled Airplane

How To Build Your Own Radio Controlled Airplane

Building radio controlled planes is a sought-after hobby throughout the world. People tend to spend hours and hours on building these kind of radio controlled planes. It seems to be a persuasive hobby and you will find die-hard enthusiasts anywhere you travel. These enthusiasts work on it day in and day out and devote time in creating the best radio controlled planes. Some of them get about their work in a hurry without taking into consideration the amount of work that will be needed to be put in to get the plane finished. You should know exactly what it takes to make a radio controlled plane before starting on it. Some of them might give up easily as it doesn't have much in return even after so much hard work; some continue to pursue their work for the passion of it.

Building a model of the project is the toughest and the important part of the whole process. Though the model is a mere bunch of wood and glue in the shape of a plane, it is very essential. Models can play a huge part in the outcome of the whole project. How much time and hard work you will have to put in will depend on the type of plane you want to achieve. Do you want to watch something that will just get off the ground? In that case, the style of the plane won't matter much. But hobbyists, generally, like creating real-like representations of airplanes. This involves a lot of creativity and these hobbyists use balsa wood for their airframes as it is incredibly light. The sides of the planes are covered up with any kind of plastic material. The model of the plane is the basis of this construction and they are usually scale representations.

On the basis of the model created by the hobbyist, he will move on by installing the radio and other motor components. They are fixed in such a way that they are easily removable. Everything is fit into place and is compared with the model created earlier. Usually, one buys all the radio and motor equipments as one set and by following a basic procedure, everything gets fixed together. After installation, you should ensure everything is perfect and take it all out. Make minute changes and get the finer details right. Adding decorative materials or even painting it would give it a rich look.

Your plane wouldn't be ready now, unless you have followed every page of the guide methodically and diligently. All you can do is probably take it outdoors and attempt a take-off to check out how good it has come out. Sometimes you might even be lucky to have got it perfectly in the first attempt but for others, they shouldn't panic. However perfect it could have been, it might need some fine-tuning so that there could be no flaws at the end of it all. But this isn't easy. You will have to figure out where the mistake lies and finding it takes time. It might be a problem with aerodynamics or the radio and motor equipments could be faulty. If you find it hard to sort out the problem, consulting an expert in this arena wouldn't be such a bad idea.

It is evident that this process of making an airplane takes a lot of effort and time. But one should realize that it could be worthy and give immense satisfaction at the end of it all. The take-off of the airplane would be a sight to behold as it is the result of a lot of hard work and involvement that has gone through the making. Enjoy the work with a lot more plane enthusiasts around. Discuss issues related to it and get the dose of what is in stall in the future.

Radio Controlled Aircraft - LiPo Batteries - How to Use and Care For Them

Radio Controlled Aircraft - LiPo Batteries - How to Use and Care For Them

LiPo Do's and Don'ts

There is a lot of confusion about LiPo batteries out there especially after problems where they have caught fire. This is mainly because of people that do not have a clear understand of how to work with LiPo batteries and the do's and don'ts. Hopefully some of these tips will help people in the right direction.

LiPo batteries are big in the world of rc planes, rc jets and radio controlled models in general, where the advantages of both lower weight and greatly increased run times can be sufficient justification for the price for the rc hobby. However, lithium polymer-specific chargers are required to avoid fire and explosion. Fire can also occur if the battery is short-circuited, as tremendous current passes through the cell in an instant. Radio-control enthusiasts must take special precautions to ensure their battery leads are properly connected and insulated. Furthermore fires can occur if the cell or pack is punctured.

Using LiPo's properly and charging them correctly is no trivial task. There are many things to consider before using lithium cells for e-flight. But none is more important than safety!

Safety is IMPORTANT!

Until you are willing to follow all safety precautions, DO NOT use lithium batteries. If prefer just to just plug in a battery and not worry about it, run it flat, charge it hot then LiPo technology is not for you!

Lithium cells must be charged very differently than NiCD or NiMH cells. Firstly they require a special charger specifically designed to charge lithium cells, NEVER use NiCD or NIMH only chargers on LiPo batteries! You must use a Lithium Ion or Lithium Polymer charger that is designed to handle the number of cells you are trying to charge. Charging Lithium cells is the most hazardous part of using lithium batteries. EXTREME care must be taken when charging them to avoid damaging the cells or worse causing them to catch fire. It is important to set your charger to the correct voltage or cell count. There have been fires directly caused by lithium batteries so PLEASE BE RESPONSIBLE when charging lithium batteries.

Here are some IMPORTANT guidelines when using LiPo batteries:

1. Only use a charger approved for lithium batteries! You should clearly see Li-Po, Li-Ion marked on the charger or specified in the operations manual of the charger. Both batteries are charged in exactly the same manner.

2. Make sure you set the correct cell count on your charger. This is important as it depicts the total voltage for the pack. Ensure that charger displays the correct cell count when you start charging. If you don't know how to do that, consult your chargers manual or get a charger that displays this information. Each cell must never be charged to more than 4.2 volts. Overcharging a cell will cause the chemical composition of the Lithium to become unstable which could lead to flames coming from the cell.

3. Balance charge your LiPos. Having an unbalanced pack can cause damage to the cells if cells are not within 0.1 volts of each other. Most proper LiPo chargers come with a balance option, if yours does not have it we strong suggest you get one. Depending on how much current you drawing from you LiPo each flight you may want to balance your packs every 3-5 flights to ensure each cell is individually charged to 4.2 volts so that they are all equal. If after every flight the cell of the pack is unbalanced you may have faulty cell. Balance the cells more frequently to see if you can correct the problem. If the problem persists consider replacing the pack.

4. NEVER leave your batteries charging unattended. This is the number one reason for house fires. If something goes wrong you want to attend to it quickly!

5. Charge your batteries on a surface that will not be damaged by fire. Should a LiPo catch fire you want to avoid the problem spreading to other surfaces. Vented fire safes, pyrex dishes with sand in the bottom, fireplaces, plant pots, are all good options to consider. The most practical solution today is to purchase LiPo safe bags for charging.

6. NEVER CHARGE AT MORE THAN 1C unless the battery pack vendor has explicitly proven it is safe to do so. Keep it at less than or equal to 1C of the battery's capacity rating if you are unsure. Many LiPo related fires are due to people charging at a greater current than what the LiPo is rated to be able to handle. The concept of fast charge should never be applied to LiPos!

7. Never discharge your LiPo cells to less than 3.3volts per cell, not the total pack voltage. Most ESC's today will do a soft cut-off at 3.3volts per cell and a hard cut-off at 3.0volts per cell. However some will not give you and warning. Best advice is to fly with a timer and monitor the voltage and adjust your flying time if needs be.

8. NEVER puncture the cell, ever! If a cell balloons rapidly place it in a fire safe place immediately. If this happens and smoke and heat is coming from the LiPo get it clear of all other items and be prepared for flame to come out! If after many hours have passed (days) and the pack is still ballooned but have not combusted, discharge the pack slowly and dispose of it in a proper way.

9. If you have a crash with your lithium cells they may be damaged internally! The pack may look fine but may only balloon in time. If you have crashed, carefully remove the battery pack from the model and watch it carefully for at least the next 30 minutes. Ensure the pack is cool to touch before transporting it.

10. Charge your batteries in an open well ventilated area. If a battery does become unstable you want the hazardous fumes and material to be vented from the room.

11. Keep a bucket of sand nearby when you are flying or charging batteries. This is a cost effective way to extinguish fires.

12. Do not think it won't happen to you! Safety is no accident!

Some useful tips for keeping your LiPos healthy:

1. Let your packs cool down before recharging. It is very important to the internal chemical composition of the cells not to run hot or worse be hot when charging as only more energy and heat is being put back into the cells. So wait 30min to 1hour before charging your packs again.

2. Stick to the 80% rule! This basically means never push more than 805 of its discharge rate and drain more than 80% of the capacity of your LiPo battery pack. When one drains more than 80% the capacity it starts to cause allot internal heating in the cell and basically start eating away at itself. So basically if you have a 2200mah pack, you want to only put back 1760mah when charging. Most chargers display the number of mah on a charge so you can adjust your flight time, gearing, etc based on this figure to make your LiPos last longer.

3. Discharge your packs to storage levels if you not going to use them within a week or two of the last charge. This will help make packs last longer especially if you don't fly every week. If you leave LiPos fully charge for long periods it start causing deterioration internally to the cell. Most new chargers have storage discharge options these days for this reason. If yours does not have this option simply discharge to between 3.8 to 3.9volts per cell. Then you can store them in a safe place. Some people also refrigerate their packs when in storage.

4. Break-In (Cycle-In) your LiPo! LiPos don't really need a break in period as such like a Nitro motor but they do require a few cycles to reach their full power potential. After a few charge/discharge cycles you get the chemical reaction established in the pack and they do start performing a little better after this. So ideally a pack should by cycled 3-4 charges before you make use of the battery's full potential. There are several ways to cycle your pack, simply charge/ discharge them on your LiPo charger. If you use them in your helicopter you can do short 2-3min hover flights and recharge.

How puffed is puffed?

When you get you LiPo packs the covering looks like it have been vacuum sealed together. If after a number to cycles they might develop a slight bit of air between cells it probably not a total wreck. I mean we are talking a millimetre or so then you can most likely continue using them. Just monitor that it does not get worse. If the battery is puffed up like a bicycles inner tube then dispose of it.

How to dispose of a LiPo?

There is a couple of suggested ways of disposing of LiPos. The most common one is to take a bucket and fill it with salt water mixture. The put the LiPo in the salt water with the idea that the salt water creates a low conductive current to drain the LiPo battery. Secondly the salt water will seep into the cells and neutralize the chemical reaction.

Fire risk?

The most common reason for LiPo batteries to catch fire is because of improper charging. Whether it is using the incorrect charging, wrong cell count setting on the charger or charging the cells to over 4.2volts each. What happens at this point is the chemicals stay going into a thermal overload failure and start heating up, causing hydrogen gas to be emitted which cause it to puff to the point of fracture where then it vents fire. Best solution here is to buy some LiPo-safe charging bags to do your charging in or store potentially fragile packs.

Secondly you never want to short the cells or puncture the casing as will also cause the chemical reaction explained above and can cause a fire risk. LiPos won't just combust in storage unless there is some damage to the pack externally or internally. Therefore if you take care charging and using your packs you should have no problems.

Hope this helps people understanding how to work with LiPos. If you follow these guides you should have good success with LiPos and enjoy the RC Hobby.

Radio Controlled Glider

Radio Controlled Glider

The most basic radio controlled model airplanes are gliders which are a great way of gaining radio model airplane flying experience before moving on to powered craft. A radio controlled glider uses the natural air currents and basic aerodynamics to fly. The flyer controls adjust the various control surfaces on the glider.

Getting into the air.

By hand, which must be the simplest way to get a model glider into the air. Throw it horizontally, giving it sufficient speed to get it to fly. A slope or hillside comes very useful too.

Towline launch. A person runs along the ground with the glider,pulling a long piece of string with the glider attached to the other end, while the pilot steers it.

Bungee launch. This launch use an elastic band attached to the ground.

The spectacular 'Piggyback' launch.

This method uses a 'tug', which takes the glider into the air. A 'tug' is powerful radio controlled airplane which either tows or carries the glider into the air. This just like the real thing but it requires a very experienced pilot to steer the 'tug' or towing airplane.

For more advanced flyers, there is what is known as the Discus launch.

This uses a special type of glider - a DLG (Discus Launch Glider (DLG), Radio Controlled). Here the pilot holds the model by the tip of a wing, spins 360°, rotating the model around and then releases hold of the model allowing it to launch at high speed. DLGs are a fairly new type of gliders. They are gaining popularity due to their ease of launching and efficient flight characteristics.

OK, so we are now in the air with our glider. Things you can do now that you are in the air. The most basic of course is to learn how to fly your glider. Try and find the warm rising air currents or thermals, to gain hight. For the more aggressive and quite entertaining, there is combat. Combat, is quite simply trying to knock the other guy out of the sky.

Another activity is Ridge racing or pylon racing when using marker. Use the slope lift to race along the "lift zone", which where you can gain hight. Here 2 to 4 planes compete against each other on the same course. The first pilot to complete the course receives one point, second two and so on, with lowest score winning.

For the dedicated radio controlled glider racer using the is F3F. This is one of many competition categories for model and full scale aircraft that are defined by the FAI. Here the pilot is against the clock, timed on the course for 10 legs of 100 meters for a total distance of 1 kilometer.

If you thought fly a radio controlled glider was dull, try it it may surprise you.

Have fun.

Radio Controlled Scale Model Aircraft

Radio Controlled Scale Model Aircraft

This is usually a scale model aircraft (the exceptions are reconnaissance aircraft purpose made); controlled remotely using a hand held transmitter, which in turn sends a signal to a corresponding receiver which controls the servos on the aircraft to adjust the necessary rudders and wing flaps.

Radio controlled scale model aircraft come in various sizes, some are very basic with the purpose purely on flight and manoeuvrability. Whilst for obvious reasons all do need these anyway, some are built to be highly detailed replicas of the original plane. This may be for the love of the aircraft and attention to detail, or to be used in photo or film shoots, which can be used very effectively in historical films or documentaries. (Although there's no denying CGI technology is probably now more widely used.)

There are various clubs and organisations around the world dedicated to this hobby, and as all enthusiasts generally very helpful (and passionate). At a glance one may easily incorrectly assume that this is a simple toy, but if you stop and think about the aerodynamics and precision that needs to go into these machines; it may not always be for the faint-hearted. For example if you were to build a scale model aircraft from scratch, (or even kit form), after many hours and money spent you take it for its maiden flight. If that flight should go wrong and end in a crash, this would equate to a long and frustrating task of putting it all together, not to mention examining what went wrong.

Lets take for example someone who decides to build a scale model aircraft from scratch, an exact replica of his favourite plane. This would involve researching the plans of the original aircraft, deciding on a suitable material with which to build it, which would have to be light and strong, as well as able to be shaped easily. (As with real aircraft manufacture the person has a limited budget, so he has to consider the cost.) After much research you then need to construct the plane, critical issues like the angle of the wings and body need to be accurate as these variations will affect the aerodynamics and thus the in flight performance.

After all of this, you still need to decide on how to power the aircraft; electric, jet, internal combustion? Again weight and size to fit into your model will be crucial as will cost. (Weight to size ratio will also affect aerodynamics). As you don't have a miniature pilot you now have to find space to accommodate your radio receiver and servo. All through this journey you will encounter problems which you need to overcome, and ingenuity and home engineering are pretty much your only options.

When you see some of the finished products you can only admire the beauty and attention to detail, but spare a thought for the engineering that would have gone into cleaver piece of kit.

Another stage is of course actually flying them; I often used to think that they generally didn't perform as well as they could. I have since realised, that beside the difficulty of flying remotely, external factors like wind are a far greater than that of a full sized aircraft.

If you do get the chance, go and see radio controlled scale model aircraft in action, it is a fascinating experience.

Radio Control Aircraft For Beginners

Radio Control Aircraft For Beginners

Maybe you've seen those RC hobbyists flying their aircraft, performing incredible aerobatics and thought you might like to get involved but be aware you are unlikely to succeed by just splashing out and spending your hard earned cash on the most impressive and advanced model in the shop.

Performing those stunts and even just flying your aircraft comfortably and confidently takes practice, sometimes lots of it. You might be better advised in a less complicated trainer airplane to start with while you get to understand just how much concentration is really required to control a model airplane, then you can consider moving up to the bigger league.

Buying and flying your first radio control airplane should be a good experience that encourages you into the hobby. It is often recommended that beginners learn to fly with a high-wing trainer. What is it? A high-wing airplane is one with the wing on top of the fuselage, a build which allows for slower and gentler flights and fairly forgiving of control errors so making them ideal for new RC pilots.

High-wing trainers are a great way to learn the basic skills before trying faster low-wing airplanes which require considerable skill to fly safely. You can buy trainer airplanes in an almost ready to fly kit, requiring just some assembly to get going, or as fully assembled airplanes that just need their batteries charged.

Try to look for trainer airplanes that are specially built for durability and which can be easily fixed because like all beginner RC pilots you will have a small number of  'imperfect landings'. Easily repairable construction means you can be back in the air quickly having hopefully learnt from your experience. Airplanes with tricycle style landing gear are easier to control on the ground than those with low tails (sometimes known as tail-draggers) so take that into consideration when making your purchase too.

Don't worry too much about the power and electronics of RC for now. There are any number of combinations of power units and radio controllers possible but your first airplane will have that side of things all matched up for you. The guys at the hobby store will explain all you want if you have any questions.

There is no substitute for expert advice. Try to visit a radio control flying area and observe the airplanes, maybe wait until aircraft have landed before asking questions, though you'll notice the RC hobbyists, like most other hobbyists, are happy to chat. Then you're probably ready to go to a good hobby store and talk with the guys there. They will be happy to help you make the right choice, it's in their interest to encourage you and they really want to encourage newcomers into their world, the world of radio control airplanes.

Aircraft Radio Communications

Aircraft Radio Communications

How many times have we adored the aircraft flying overhead like one big bird with wings? The pain and hard work that goes behind navigating an aircraft to its destination is not an easy task. Therefore, effective and high speed communication is imperative between the pilot and the control tower. Aircraft radio communication system is an important component which demands the highest level of quality. Icom communication is a trusted source for such highly secured and effective aviation communication systems in the industry.

What is Aircraft Radio Communication?
The Aircraft Radio Communication system used to command and control the aircraft through very high frequency radio receivers. Aviation uses a special communication system called air band or VHF (very high frequency), which aids radio navigation of the flights. Icom specialises in varied types of communication systems and they have a rich portfolio of high frequency receivers, handheld devices and long range transceivers.

The communication between the control tower and the pilot is very important and even the slightest of mistakes or miscommunication will risk the life of the passengers and the crew on board. Thus, the need for an effective communication device with transceivers of high quality is very important. Well, branded and highly proficient professional communication systems are manufactured and distributed by Icom and it is a trusted brand all over the world in the aviation industry.

The varied and diverse portfolio of Icom stands proof of its professionalism in aircraft radio communication systems. Icom understands the need and takes up the responsibility to protect everyone involved by providing high quality and fool-proof VHF systems. Aircraft radio communication systems made by Icom are easy to operate and versatile. The noise reduction technology used helps to keep the noise of communication to a bare minimum. The signal is very strong and no building tower or mountain can weaken the signal of icon communication system receivers. The communication system also depends upon the type of aircraft, and the usage of the device at large. It has to be fool proof and it should be custom made for aviation purpose.

Icom aircraft radio communication system has addressed all the necessary requirements for high quality long range communication and hence it is considered to be the best in the industry. Updated technology, secured communication, easy handling, fast and high speed data transmission, etc are some of the features which are needed for an effective aircraft radio communication system. Icom always designs products with these features and constantly involve in research and development to improve the performance of the products. Aircraft radio communications are mission-critical applications and when you talk about such applications, precision and quality are of utmost importance. Icom has a dedicated testing centre where each and every product is tested for highest quality and precision. Icom understand the need of the hour and we help in providing the best possible products for all kind of aircraft radio communication needs.

Think Aircraft Communication Radios, Think Icom!!!

A123 Battery Cells For Your Radio Control Model Airplane

A123 Battery Cells For Your Radio Control Model Airplane

Electric model airplanes have been around for roughly three decades. A huge problem in the early days was battery energy density. In other words, they simply weighed too much for the amount of juice you could get out of them. This situation has improved dramatically in recent years with the advent of Li-Poly cells, but a battery pack for a larger model can easily cost hundreds of dollars. The advent of electric cars, such as the Toyota Prius has spurred an enormous amount of research into new battery technologies. In this article, I will describe an alternative to Li-Poly batteries that offers intriguing possibilities.

A123 Systems produces Lithium-Ion Nanophosphate cells. These cells have a nominal voltage of 3.3 volts and can withstand continuous discharge rates of 30C. They can be safely discharged down to 2.0 volts. The voltage remains fairly constant through the discharge cycle, but they do have a sharp drop-off at the end. Expect 300 cycles before you notice any reduction in capacity while at 1,000 cycles you'll have 75% of the original capacity. They are very safe. Overcharging or over discharging will not cause an explosion and will have little effect on the life of the battery. Balancing the cells when they are charged is still a good idea, but not absolutely required. They can be charged immediately after use in 15 minutes.

The cells are available in two sizes. The original M1 cell has a capacity of 2.3 Ah and weighs 70 grams (2.47 oz). A newer, smaller size can hold 1.1 Ah and weighs 40 grams (1.41 oz).

The primary source for A123 M1 cells has been DeWalt 36-volt portable power-tool battery packs. Each pack contains 10cells. I purchased two of these for $100 each through Ebay. The prices appear to have gone up recently to the $120-$130 range. Single cells can also be purchased online for $15 from a growing variety of vendors. You can find two of the smaller cells in a Black & Decker VPX battery pack which sells for about $15. The smaller cells can also be had for $12.50 each.

There are many Li-Poly chargers that support or can be modified to support the charging of these A123 cells. Because of the sharp voltage drop-off when discharged, you are probably better off using a timer when you fly. Otherwise you need your ESC to shut off the motor when 2.0 volts per cell is reached.

Bottom line? These cells give you 70% the energy density of Li-Polys for about 45% of the price. For many of us, that is a good trade-off. They are extremely safe and can be charged in 15 minutes. If you end up buying half as many battery packs because of the shorter charge time, then they become a much better value.