sentineldrone

Now kids can take to the skies without leaving the ground.

With the Air Hogs Helix Sentinel Drone, from Spin Master, kids ages 10 and up can soar through the air without ever having their feet leave the ground. Featuring a first-person view (FPV) through live HD streaming, this R/C copter will undoubtedly have kids’ spirits in the clouds. Along with the drone, the set comes with one controller, one set of goggles, and a 4GB Micro SD card.

What makes the Helix Sentinel drone so unique is its versatility and its handful of neat features.

The Helix Sentinel Drone features a high-definition wide-angle lens camera that shoots in 720p Wi-Fi streaming video. The 120-degree-wide viewing area allows flyers to see almost everything in front of them as they navigate through the air. This gives the footage somewhat of a fisheye effect, a visual distortion that comes with the territory of wide angle shooting.controllerThere are two ways kids can enjoy the live HD streaming the Sentinel has to offer. They can either mount their smart device onto the front of their controller, or they can insert it into the included pair of goggles for a more immersive, first person experience. They can even record their captured footage to their smart device or to the included Micro SD.

The controller features a padded holder for virtually any smart device thanks to an adjustable height lock. There are also two notches on each side that can be lifted up to firmly hold the device in place. While these features are great, there is no option to adjust the space between the two side locks, making them useless when larger devices are in play. I’d like to see this changed in any future iterations of the design. headsetThe goggles are also pretty sweet. They feature comfortable padding and the ability to adjust the distance between the two eyepieces as well as the distance between the eyepieces and the smart device, which is housed in a separate compartment.

The Helix Sentinel flies smooth, and it operates even better after some practice. There’s also a height lock feature so pilots can set the drone at a fixed height.

And as if a protective foam ring around each blade wasn’t enough, this drone also has obstacle avoidance technology, which is just as cool as it sounds. If kids fly too close to a wall, tree, or let’s say, the face of an unsuspecting sibling, the Helix Sentinel will take action. Before impact, the drone will quickly tilt itself in the opposite direction and level out, avoiding catastrophe as if it had a mind of its own. @AirHogs @SpinMaster can you put this in cars too?packagingThe Helix Sentinel’s best friend, however, is its packaging. It comes in a large black case with a hard shell and locking clasps to ensure it’s protected from knocks, scrapes, and any other physical beatings it would otherwise take when not in use. This rugged protection makes it easy for kids to pack up their aerial explorer and take it with them on any adventures they may go.

*Spin Master’s Air Hogs Helix Sentinel Drone is part of the Toy Insider’s 2016 Top Tech 12.

About the author

Joe Ibraham

Joe Ibraham

Joe Ibraham is the Art Director at the Toy Insider, the Toy Book, and the Pop Insider. He creates all graphic content for the Toy Insider, the Pop Insider, and the Toy Book social channels, including promos and stagnant graphics, as well as all signage, programming, and media graphics for various networking events. Joe shoots, edits, and manages all YouTube content for the Toy Insider and Pop Insider brand, including Play by Play videos, event videos, and other promotional videos. When he's not in the office, you can find Joe in the gym or hanging with his friends and family. He loves music, basketball, and art in a variety of forms. He STILL wonders why Drake and Josh is not available on Netflix.

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