The recent development and subsequent popularity of cheap 2 channel radio controlled electric helicopters reached a milestone this Christmas with the Silverlit Picoo Z being the must-have toy. Sales have been driven almost exclusively by websites such as YouTube, where videos of these tiny machines whizzing around homes and offices have fueled sales and become almost a cult. I know - I bought mine on the strength of watching YouTube vids. But the controversial Picoo Z is only one of a growing number of cheap electric 'toy' helicopters that have been developed. Advances in battery technology and electronics have enabled longer flight times and more powerful motors, which in turn means heavier, more robust manufacturing - ideal for churning out large quantities of low priced electric helicopters. Of course these models don't offer the sophistication or steep learning curve of their (much) more expensive counterparts in the R/C model field, but they do offer a lot of fun for not much money, and could quite easily become a stepping stone to the 4 or 6 channel 'proper' radio control helicopters.