Airhogs drones

One of the largest manufacturers of drones around is not one we talk about very often, Air Hogs. They build mostly toys, but they have a huge catalog of drones in many shapes and sizes.

Producing toy-class machines, Air Hogs sells a number of quadcopters, some odd-ball designed fliers, airplanes and more. Most Air Hogs drones are built of light-weight foam, offer very little in terms of advanced flight capabilities and rarely exceed $100. Actually, they rarely exceed $43.

Before you buy, these  machines usually sell for around $35 – $45, if they are more than that now, consider holding off for a sale. 

 

Jonathan Feist, Drone PilotJonathan Feist

Why trust Drone Rush?

I’ve been a fan of flight since a young age; while I’ve had few opportunities at the helm of manned aircraft, the hours on my fleet of drones continue to grow. I enjoy putting cameras into the sky, silky smooth aerial imagery makes me happy. My goal is to help all pilots enjoy flight legally and safely.

Things to know about Air Hogs drones

Before we go much further, let me be completely clear, almost all Air Hogs drones are toy-class machines that do not have flight assist. Although very fun to fly, do not expect stable flight or self-piloted hover.

If you are looking to get into the world of drone photography, we know of no Air Hogs drone that can keep up with a purpose built camera drone. These machines start around the $500 mark, with our most recommended machine clicking in at $1000. Professionals start at around $1500 and go up from there. Air Hogs keeps their machines low cost, compromises must be made.

On the flip side of all this, Air Hogs drones are some of the most fun you’ll have flying. They are not afraid to tackle very unique craft designs, and they benefit from licensing deals from some big names. As you’ll see, Air Hogs has the biggest selection of Star Wars, Star Trek and Batman drones around, to name a few.

Air Hogs drones

Being made of foam, the cost is low, the machines are very light and fairly resilient. All good things. However, a foam aircraft is a foam aircraft. You may never damage it crashing to the ground in a hard landing, but it will certainly snap if you accidentally sit on it. If that sounds like a random possibility, I suspect you do not have children that you drive to a park to fly. Those parents understand me – stow it in the trunk.

Enough talk, let’s see a few alternative drone lists you could look at if foam is not the answer for you, explore some safety and get on with today’s list.

Finally, these may be small toy drones, but as soon as you fly outdoors in the United States, the FAA considers them aircraft. You need to follow all of the drones laws.

 

Please note: there are many, many drones from Air Hogs, we will explore some of the best, or just our favorites. Most of their machines offer the same basic flight components and characteristics, leaving you to decide on design.


Star Wars Death Star vs X-wing

More than just a drone, this is the X-wing with lasers. What is that looming before you? Yes, the Death Star, watch out, it too has lasers. This is an aerial battle game of laser tag. The Death Star flies autonomously, shooting at you as you try to lock on for the kills. Three hits wins the battle.

Air Hogs also has the TIE Fighter that can join in on the fun.

Check out the Star Wars Death Star vs X-wing set for $149 on Amazon today. (Watch for deals in the $35 range.)


Star Trek Enterprise

Continuing with the franchise favorites, who would’t ant to pilot the U.S.S. Enterprise? NCC-1701A of the Star Trek fleet has a cool dock, surprisingly accurate design and lots of cool lights and sounds.

Fly the Star Trek Enterprise for $110 on Amazon today.


Batman Batwing

The fun continues with Batman. This one is more of an RC plane than a drone, as we call them, but it’s still a fun toy to boot around the living room, stamping out crime.

Don your black mask and protect Gotham with the Batwing for $80 on Amazon today.


Titan

Allow me to squeeze this in here. The Titan is not a powered machine, it is just a big foam glider. These are tons of fun for children, or for those of us that want to play with little rockets. Truth is, this aircraft is large enough that you can cut and carve out the right bits to install the electronics for an RC plane.

You can usually find a really cheap alternative for $10-$20 at your local toy store, or check out the Air Hogs Titan for $60 on Amazon today.  


360 Hoverblade

Points for creativity, Air Hogs added a propeller to a three bladed boomerang. I would have loved this as a child. The propeller forces the boomerang to spin fast enough that it can maintain flight. Precision is not the name of the game, but if this were a much larger and tougher machine, I’d be down at the park now giving it a try.

Check out the 360 Hoverblade for $29 on Amazon today. Often sold for $18, watch for sales. 


So many more!

As I’ve mentioned, we could put dozens more drones on this list and not reach the end. Air Hogs is a superb toy maker for various things that fly. Drones, helicopters, planes and so much more. Here are a few additional items worth at least pointing you toward:

Be sure to hit the comments below to let us know your favorite drone from the extensive Air Hogs lineup.

Before you leave, check out this fun Spin Masters Air Hogs project I helped film as Joshua Vergara piloted at CES 2016.


Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy Air Hogs drones?

As with most drones on the market today, you can grab almost anything from Amazon, but you’ll find a good selection at local hobby stores, some electronics stores, some department stores, and Air Hogs drones can often be found in toy stores. We tend to shop at, and promote, Amazon as the top retailer for drones.

Do I need to register Air Hogs toy drones?

In the United States, and similarly in many countries, any radio controlled aircraft that weighs 0.55 lbs or more must be registered before outdoor flight. Also, all drones must adhere to the rules of the sky, even if they weigh less than 0.55lbs and do not need to be registered. Further, if your flight will be compensated – you are paid to fly, you sell your photos from the sky, or you upload videos to YouTube and collect ad revenue, for example – that is a commercial operation, requiring you to have your Part 107 certification.

Do I need a drone license to fly these toy drones?

Yes. In the United States, all pilots of hobby flights must be in possession of their TRUST certificate. Similarly, all pilots of a commercial flight require their Part 107 certificate. It does not matter what your drone is, the FAA distinguishes hobby vs commercial based on the operation.


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