It’s the kind of toy that most kids would no doubt pester their parents endlessly for — a Lego helicopter that actually flies.
Inspired by the flying machine in Lego’s 6396 International Jetport set, Adam Woodworth recently set about building a version 10 times larger than the original, which you can see perched on the tail of his creation in the video above.
Take a closer look, though, and you’ll notice that it’s not the helicopter’s rotors that get it airborne. Rather, it’s the small quadcopter on which it rests.
“This one took a little longer than anticipated, but came out flying great,” the creator wrote in a message accompanying his YouTube video.
To tell the truth, it’s not really made out of Lego, either. Instead, the contraption was constructed using polystyrene foam to keep the weight to a minimum so it could get airborne.
Clearly a man with an eye for detail, Woodworth also created the Lego pilot for his helicopter. “Really enjoyed carving this little guy, now I really can’t crash this thing,” he wrote in one of several Instagram posts detailing his progress with the build.
The final result is a wonderful testament to Woodworth’s effort and skill, with the demonstration video showing the helicopter enjoying a stable and controlled flight lasting several minutes.
Describing himself on Instagram as an “airplane stuff doer and aspiring foam whisperer,” Woodworth has said in the past how much he enjoys “having some strange project on the workbench.” Take a quick look at his YouTube channel and you’ll see a myriad of flying-machine designs, with Star Wars clearly one of his big inspirations. Check out his awesome Speeder Bike for starters.
A couple of years back Woodworth also came up with this brilliant model of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Just like the real thing, this miniature version can also land itself, though admittedly it requires a little remote control to achieve the feat. And just like many of his other designs, the “rocket” also has a small quadcopter attached to help it stay airborne.
The creator says he builds his aircraft purely for fun, and invites suggestions via his YouTube channel for ideas on “anything you’d love to see fly.” He’s also happy to offer help to anyone interesting in making their own flying machine.
