The POWERUP 4.0 is one of our favorite toys. We had the opportunity to test it a couple of years ago. It is a DIY paper plane that you can control with your smartphone. You can always build your own models or buy new ones to experiment. The POWERUP 4.0 Dragon Paper Craft Kit comes with everything you need to build your own dragon plane. We recently had the chance to test one. Let’s see what was included:
Our POWERUP 4.0 Dragon Paper Craft Kit came with 2 motors, stabilizer, extra propellers, and cable. It also included an accessory kit with landing gear, clip, and connectors. You can easily remove the laminated paper parts to fold and assemble the dragon. Step-by-step instructions are available online, so you are never on your own. The motor module can be charged via a Micro USB port.
Once you have put the dragon together, you can connect to it via Bluetooth. The connection process was seamless for us. You just have to select the model you are planning to fly and the rest is easy. The POWERUP 4.0 app has intuitive touch controls, so you can fly and change direction with simple gestures, such as a slide or tilt. It also tracks your flights and gives you encouragement as you get better.
The front and rear landing gear give this plane a whole new dimension. They are easy to install but unfortunately, we lost the front part after a bad crash. The good news is this dragon plane will fly without the landing gear. We decided to fly this dragon in our backyard first. While it is fun, you are going to hit trees, sheds, and everything in between. It is much better to fly in a large open area to avoid obstacles. Our backyard cats were particularly fond of this toy.
We found this flying dragon to be a bit tougher to control than the original Invader model. It does fly smoothly once you get the hang of it. Our RC dragon’s tail was damaged after a few rough landings, so we had to reinforce it with tape to prevent it from striking the propellers.
We are not experienced pilots but POWERUP 4.0 planes are super easy to fly. Each model has its own unique flight characteristics, so it could take you a bit of time to get used to them. The Invader model has higher speed and maneuverability. The dragon is a bit slower, though. You can always use the app to make adjustments.
Overall, we found this kit to be very easy to put together. It flies differently from the default Invader model, so even though the motor module remains the same, you get a completely new toy to play around with. Best of all, this is great for teaching kids STEM concepts.
[where to get it] [Amazon link]
