Got an old product that can be controlled via an old fashioned remote?  Want to breathe life into it?  How you ask?  Just develop a compatible iPhone app.  That’s what Griffin did…sort of.

The HELO TC Helicopter is your standard, cheapo remote controlled helicopter.  Don’t get us wrong, by cheap we mean expendable, and by expandable we mean you won’t lop off someone’s ear or lose a night’s sleep when it burns and crashes.  But we digress.  What separates this helicopter from the rest of the pact is that it can be controlled using an iPhone or iPod Touch.

Unlike the A.R. Drone, which is also controlled via an iPhone, the HELO TC Helicopter receives it’s commands via infrared.  So you’ll need to disable your iPhone’s wireless signal and attach the included “flight deck,” which connects to the handset’s headphone jack.

The accompanying app has two modes of flight: Touch Control, using the Multi-Touch display to control the HELO TC’s throttle and joystick; and Tilt to Steer mode, which uses the iOS device’s accelerometers – you tilt your device in the direction you want the helicopter to travel.  The app can record and store up to three flight paths so you can repeat a favorite flight pattern automatically.

The HELO TC is a twin-rotored, indoor helicopter built on a lightweight metal frame with a polycarbonate body.  The built-in battery recharges via USB, while the Flight Deck is powered by 4 AAA batteries.

The HELO TC from Griffin is currently out of stock, but should be available soon for $49.99.

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