www.drinkstuff.com has recently introduced a new kind of RC flying machine. Their design is modeled after the Harrier jump jet used by the military. Jump jets are jet aircraft that use thrust vectoring to hover so the can take off and land without needing much runway. They do this by altering the direction of the exhaust from the nozzles of their engines. By directing the airflow from their engines towards the ground, jump jets are able to maneuver in the same way as helicopters. This is greatly beneficial in situations where runway space is limited (like the deck of an aircraft carrier). Learn more about the Harrier Jump Jet.

Is the Jump Jet Really an RC Helicopter?

The RC jumpjet works in a similar way to the real Harrier jump jet, but instead of directing the thrust from one main engine, four small electric propellers are attached to the main fuselage. By altering the rate at which each propeller spins, the direction and speed of the aircraft can be controlled. Many different RC helicopters use this quad rotor design, including the Draganflyers. The only thing that makes this aircraft different than a quad rotor RC helicopter seems to be the added set of wings and a tail. We believe that this is purely cosmetic, included so that the helicopter looks more like the real Harrier jump jet. This video shows the flying characteristics of the RC Jump Jet, which are strikingly similar to those of a RC helicopter.

Regardless of whether the jump jet is an RC helicopter or not, it still makes an interesting toy, and should be more than sufficient for conducting bombing raids in the office.