«©NCSX» UFOs or Unidentified Flying Objects aren't really that rare above the canyons of New York City. A seagull way up yonder is unidentified until it's identity is confirmed with a pair of binoculars. If the literal definition of a UFO is accepted, then we have seen such a object that we couldn't identify. It was summer a few years ago and the skies were bluer than the bluest eyes. At first it looked like a thick length of rope that was airborne but that didn't make any sense. Ropes don't fly do they? As we watched it cross the sky above us, the rope repeatedly changed shape from a loop to a double loop to U-shaped object and back again. The UFO was in our field and scope of vision for about 2 minutes before it sailed off into the horizon and became an itty-bitty speck in the distance. We dubbed it "Sky Worm" but it was probably some sort of manmade contrivance or maybe even a weird kite that got loose.
Takara Tomy released a contrivance last September in Japan that they called the "QFO." The Q refers to the "Q" series of toys in the Takara universe such as Choro Q. The QFO is constructed of two main parts:
1) A lightweight motor that powers an underside rotor
2) A Styrofoam frame which is fitted around the motor/rotor assembly
The motor is lightweight and small but it's loud. We'd liken it to the sound a mosquito makes when it buzzes near your ear but amplified through a megaphone. A handheld IR remote is included in the package which recharges the QFO and controls it with a simple lever that adjusts the power of the motor. You'll need to charge the QFO for about 30 minutes before using it which is good enough for roughly 12 minutes of flight. We found that maximum power is required to get the QFO airborne but once it's flying around, little nudges on the lever can keep it in the air. When it dips too low, give it a shot of maximum power to get it zooming upwards again. Note that there is no directional remote control for the QFO but the little device doesn't just move up and down. As the rotor and the frame of the QFO interacts with the air currents in the room, it'll veer left and right as it flies. We've also gotten our QFO to move in a circular motion a few times but by accident, not by design. All in all, the QFO is an interesting little toy that is conducive to experimentation and trial/error. Four color variants are available - Gold, Silver, Blue, and Red at US$28.90 each.
