UMX Radian Review

I am now going to review the UMX Radian! I have heard that it is a GREAT ultra micro glider, but does it live up to the hype? Read on to find out!

Back Story:

In January of this year, I saw that a new product, the UMX Radian, was coming out. It even had AS3X! So, I decided that I would buy the UMX Radian at some point this year.

Well, I decided to get it in early August and I ordered it from Amazon.com..

First Impressions:

Upon opening the box, I saw that it was as nicely packaged as the Champ was (see my review on the Champ here). The only flaw in my opinion was the way that you have to assemble it.

Assembly/ First Flight Preparation:

Assembly had a lot to be desired. The wing did not come attached to the body. So, I proceeded to try to screw the screws that attach the body to the wing into the holes in the airframe. I promptly lost one in the carpet. Then I lost another one. I ended up just taping the wing to the body.

Tip: do NOT attempt to put the screws into the plane over carpet. Also, cover the hole were the battery wire comes out while installing screws.

Other than that just plug the included USB charger into a USB port (I used my iPad/iPhone USB wall adapter), slide the included E-flite 150 mAH battery into he charger, and wait about 15 minutes for the first charge. 30 minutes for additional charges.

Takeoff:

Hand launching was very easy. Just set the motor power to 25%-50% and give it a gentle toss. It will eagerly fly up to about 200 feet.

Flying:

It turned tight, crisp turns and flew very nicely at an altitude of 10 feet and at 25%-50% throttle.

The gliding performance was superb (full disclosure: I have NEVER flown a glider other than his plane). I took it over my house, cut the throttle, and I was able to slope soar on the lift generated by the edge of the house!

The AS3X really helps in wind! I was easily and comfortably flying in 10+ MPH winds! 15 MPH was my limit. It felt like the wind was about to snap off at 15 MPH!

Landing:

Belly landings on the grass were uneventful.

Recommended timer settings if using a Spektrum computerized transmitter:

Dx6i transmitter:
Timer: 10 minutes

Any Other Spektrum Computerized Transmitter:
Timer: 10 minutes; start/stop at 10% throttle (one time)

The Specs:

Skill Level: Intermediate

Wingspan: 28.7 inches

Length: 16.5 inches

Flying Weight: 1.5 oz

Full Specs Here

Equipment I Used:

1. Thunder Power TP103CQ-ACDC Charger (link)

2. Spektrum DX6 DSMX Transmitter Only (link)

Verdict:

This is a great all around plane and glider, while with some assembly issues in the opinion of some flyers (including me), for a great price.

Total Rating:

8/10

Thanks for reading! Check back next Sunday for a new post!