I started in RC helicopters with Kalt Whisper back when I was a student at West Virginia University. It was a birthday gift from my wife... I am afraid she is sorry now that she has given it to me. Whisper is a very fragile helicopter and I've crashed it a dozen times as I was progressing with my flying skills.

Electronics is my hobby since I was 10 years old. This is just a small sample of parts that "had to go" while I was searching for the wireless video solution. I've built my first wireless video system in 1997 but interference with RC receiver prevented me from flying it.

This was my second helicopter. Shown here with 24 Sanyo Li-Ion batteries in 6x4 arrangement. I assembled the battery from 3 old laptop batteries. Each 3.6v cell weights 40 g and has a capacity of 1.3 Ah. My flying time was 25-30 minutes @rotor speed of 1200 rpm. Just FYI, newer batteries have 2.2 Ah capacity for the same weight. This means that 40 min electric flight on rechargeable battery is possible. I flew Eco-16 couple of dozen times on lithium power. Eventually I crashed it while doing  a loop. The impact speed was high and the whole helicopter was totaled. I recycled only electronics. I switched to Eco-8 after that - a lighter heli which is also more stable on the ground.

My family is the biggest casualty from my hobby... They have to put up with me spending countless hours in the basement where I check out new ideas and fix helicopter after one more "oops" at the field.