Griffin’s helicopter toy can be controlled by your iPhone, sells for $50

Griffin has just announced a new toy that could prove to be a hot buy during the holiday season. Called the Helo TC, it’s a remote-controlled helicopter that can be controlled using a proprietary app running on an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. It’s way less-complicated than the Parrot AR.Drone – the Helo TC doesn’t come with a camera, it doesn’t feature augmented reality, and hell, it doesn’t come with four rotors – but for one-sixth the price, it’s definitely way more affordable if you just like flying toy choppers using an iOS device.

The Helo TC is powered by batteries that can be charged via USB, and is controlled by a flight deck module that clips onto your iOS device to add an IR transmitter. An app lets you control the chopper using touch controls, or enabling a tilt-to-fly mode that uses the iOS device’s accelerometer.

The chopper itself is rigged with five LED lights for “night missions,” as well as memory for storing three flight plans for recreating successful flights.

Priced at £34.99 (or around $50), the Helo TC is due out in time for the holidays.