Cybird Imitations and Clones

Beware of fake "Cybirds" being sold on ebay and other web sites. We have heard from countless people who bought a "Cybird" on ebay and couldn't get it to fly. They paid what seemed like a good price, but the bird didn't fly, so their money was wasted. RC ornithopters being sold under the name "Cyberhawk", "HX2 Bird", "Eastern Dragon", etc. are all fakes. Sometimes the vendors even use the word "Cybird", or photos of real Cybirds, in their adds. How can you tell the difference?

A little Cybird history will help. Sunny Kim originally developed the Cybird, working for Neuros, a company in South Korea that makes industrial equipment. The Cybird P2 was the first Cybird. Why was it called "P2"? Because originally, they planned to make a series of three models, ranging in size from small to large. They would be called P1, P2, and P3, in order of size. The P3 was never introduced, but the P1 came out after the P2 and incorporated several improvements. The P1 was manufactured by Skytech, also located in Korea, under license from Neuros.

Cybird P2 or Clone 39" wingspan 3-ch radio	Cybird P1 or Clone 29" wingspan 2-ch radio

The P1 was originally sold with a cheap, push-button radio in order to lower the cost. However, the bird itself is more durable and more stable than the P2. Some improvements include: stainless steel wing posts, reduced use of hollow tubing, built-in dihedral for added stability, head fits on over the body instead of inside it, which looks nicer and keeps out dirt better, and some parts such as the wing posts are the same size in the smaller model, making them more durable. The older model P2 had three channel control, with an extra servo for moving the tail up and down. This elevator function made it easier to maintain altitude in a turn, but I was glad to give this up for a better-made, nicer-looking ornithopter. The P1 maneuvers just fine with only two-channel radio control.

The P2 was copied illegally by one or more Chinese companies and sold under various names such as Eastern Dragon, HX2 Bird, Cyberhawk, etc. These clones usually do not fly. Maybe with a lot of work and expertise it is possible to get some of them flying. Generally the wings are made too poorly for them to be flyable. For example, one I looked at had a cambered wing (looks nice) but the wing would pop into an inverted shape while flapping. This happened only at a high throttle and only to one wing, so if you got it up near full power it would go into a spin and crash. Also the tail angle was incorrect. It should be about 15 degrees.

Most of the clones are based on the older "P2" design. so they have three channel control and a 39 inch (1 meter) wingspan. The genuine P2 from Neuros was discontinued a long time ago, so if you see any "Cybird" advertised with three-channel radio and a 39 inch wingspan, it's probably a fake!

There may also be some clones of the P1, having a 29 inch wingspan and two-channel radio. The genuine Cybird has a 72 MHz radio system, which is legal in the US and compatible with other RC aircraft radio systems. If you see a Cybird that operates on a different frequency, it is either a fake, or it might be a real Cybird that was intended to be sold outside the US.

Spare parts were available for the genuine Cybird P2 and P1. We still have most of the spare parts in stock, even though both models are now out of production. However, the original spare parts might not be compatible with the clones, and I'm not aware of any parts or other support having been provided by the clone manufacturers.