Micro Mosquito & FireFly

Manufactured by Interactive Toy Concepts Ltd. and part of the Bladerunner Series of RC helicopters, the Firefly and Micro Mosquito are two of the most popular mini indoor RC helicopters on the market today. We hope this FAQ and troubleshooting guide will help you diagnose any problems you may encounter with your favorite little RC heli. If you require spare parts we sell a complete selection of spare parts for both the Micro Mosquito and Firefly on our Web site or you can order by phone by calling 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907.

How much space do I need to fly my Firefly or Micro Mosquito?

At least a mid size living room, clear of any obstructions is needed. Be sure to keep the Firefly or Micro Mosquito away from walls, ceiling and other fixtures. Because of the aerodynamics of the rotors the Firefly or Micro Mosquito will seem to get sucked towards any obstacle/wall if it gets too close.

What about fans, air conditioners, vents and windows?

The Firefly or Micro Mosquito is very light weight and hence sensitive to wind, any air movement from heating vents, fans, windows, etc will make it more difficult to control.

Can I fly outdoors?

The Firefly and Micro Mosquito are indoor helicopters. The same innovations that make it super stable also makes it easily effected by wind and turbulence. Even the calmest out door day has wind that will effect the Firefly or Micro Mosquito’s performance.

The Rotors are tilted an not level, is this okay?

When the rotors are not spinning it is normal for the rotors to rest in a tilted position. This is normal even if they are properly balanced. In hover the rotors will level out; however, in moving flight the lower rotor will usual tilt sideways due to aerodynamic and gyroscopic forces and is necessary to maintain stability.

Repairing the rotor blades.

Repairing the rotor blades is possible. Buy Firefly or Micro Mosquito Rotor Blades.

If the ring broken	Replace with new rotor – spare parts kit available separately
If the blades are broken or cracked	Use clear tape to fix. Hold the broken or cracked blades in the correct position and using as little tape as possible, secure the rotor together. Trim or fold over any extra tape. If too much tape is used it will throw out the balance and hinder your stable flight
If the centre (head) is broken	Replace with new rotor – spare part kit available separately
Bent or deformed center (head)	Use some force to permanently bend it back again NOTE: Be careful to not destroy the hinges, the rotor must be able to tilt absolutely freely (when you tap on it, it should tilt up and down for at least 2 seconds before it comes to rest again – if this is not the case the helicopter will be unstable and start to oscillate)

Replacing the rotor blades

Rotor Replacement kits are available for the Firefly or Micro Mosquito and have detailed instruction to replace the rotors.

The top rotor will not side on the rotor shaft.

The upper rotor has been keyed to match the D shape of the drive shaft. When replacing the upper rotor you must ensure to orient it properly so that the D shape of the rotor’s central opening matches the D shaped drive shaft.

The Firefly or Micro Mosquito tips over during take off.

Launch the Firefly or Micro Mosquito from hard flat surfaces only. When taking off briskly move the throttle stick forward to get the Firefly or Micro Mosquito airborne quickly. Letting the helicopter sit on the ground with the rotors spinning will almost always result in the helicopter tipping over.

How long will the Firefly or Micro Mosquito Fly?

This is very dependent on the condition of the battery and how you are flying the Firefly or Micro Mosquito. Typical flight times are between 8 and 10 minutes. Should you be able to fly over 10 minutes you should land and let your motors cool down to ensure you do not burn them out, this will ensure many more fun flights.

How long does it take to charge the Firefly or Micro Mosquito?

This depends on the condition of the charger batteries (the six C sized alkaline cells) and the condition of the helicopter battery. After a long flight of 10 minutes or more it can take 30 to 45 minutes to fully recharge the battery. If the charge batteries are old, performed multiple charges, or been used in other product then the charge time can be longer. If the charge time becomes excessive or you are having short flights from a charge replace your charger’s batteries with new alkaline batteries. You can purchase an AC adapter so you don’t need the 6 C batteries in the charger/base station. This will ensure you always get a full charge.

What if I disconnect the Firefly or Micro Mosquito before the charge is complete?

Stopping a charge cycle before it is finished will not effect the helicopter battery or the charger, it is just like not completely filling a car’s gas tank. Just like the car will not drive a far before running out of gas if the tank is not full, the Firefly or Micro Mosquito will not fly as long if the charge is stopped early.

Why does my controller (transmitter) light flash when I turn the ON/OFF switch to ON?

The helicopter is programmed with a safety feature that helps prevent damage to the helicopter. When the controller is turned on the helicopter will not respond to it until the helicopter control is initialized. To do this you must cycle the throttle from 0% to 100% to 0%, at which point the LED will stop flashing and be steady. The flashing is to remind you that the speed control is not initialized.

Firefly or Micro Mosquito has a lost or broken leg

Buy a replacement body or use clear tape or Crazy glue to reattach the broken leg (under adult supervision). If the leg is lost then try to use a piece of the plastic tube from a Q-tip to replace the broken part of the leg (plus a little glue). If you lost the leg use a piece of the plastic tube from a Q-tip to replace the broken part of the leg and glue in place.

Micro Mosquito has a broken tail rotor

Buy a new Micro Mosquito tail rotor. Simply pull off the broken propeller and press on the new one.

Micro Mosquito tail motor quit working

Buy a replacement body or remove the propeller and add a little weight to the front e.g. a metal paper clip attached to the motors (hold by the motor magnet) to get a slow constant forward speed.

Loose / Broken Firefly or Micro Mosquito tail boom

Buy a replacement body. The tail boom will normally not break under normal operations, it requires excessive force or misuse to break the tail boom. If the tail boom has a loose connection with the body glue the boom to the body without pulling it out first. NOTE: be careful as there are two very thin wires for the tail motor going inside the boom, the thin wires can be damaged.

Firefly or Micro Mosquito motor gears / pinions not meshing

The upper motor pinion should mesh with the upper large gear, and the lower motor pinion should mesh with the lower large gear. If either of these does not, carefully guide the large gear over the lip on the small gear, until the gears mesh properly. If your gears are broken purchase our rotor shaft and drive gears combo. If you lost your motor pinions purchase new ones.

Firefly / Micro Mosquito Troubleshooting Table

Need Replacement Parts?

Draganfly Innovations Inc. sells replacement parts for your Firefly or Micro Mosquito. We have a complete line of replacement parts available through our Web site or by calling 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

Installation of the Bladerunner series replacement rotor blades onto the Bladerunner, Micro Mosquito, and Firefly indoor rc helicopters is quite easy. Follow these steps:

1. Remove the semi transparent stopper from the top of the rotor shaft.
2. The top rotor, the 2 spacers, and the bottom rotor should pull off the rotor shaft from the top.
3. Install your new bottom rotor. It will be the rotor with the longer stem at the bottom with the notch in it. It will mesh with the gear that sticks out.
4. Slide on your spacers.
5. Slide on your top rotor. There is a notch in the rotor, so make sure it lines up with the rotor shaft.
6. Put on the stopper tube, and you are ready to fly!

Hint, Keep all small items in a small bowl or jar so you can find them again and they don’t get lost.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

This Bladerunner spinning/rotating problem is due to the torque created by the spinning rotor blades and an imbalance in the pitch of the Bladerunner’s rotors. Since all Bladerunner series RC helicopters use the same general design of rotor blades (although different sizes) these instructions can be used for Bladerunner, Micro Mosquito and FireFly. If the rotor blades are not matched exactly, the helicopter will spin in one direction. This can usually be fixed by adjusting the trim on the transmitter.

If the Bladerunner RC helicopter continues to spin with the trim fully maxed out, you can remedy this easily:
Bladerunner Spins to the Left:
If the helicopter is spinning to the left, you will have to adjust the top rotor blades by bending more pitch into them. This is done by carefully bending the trailing (back) edge of the individual blades down.

Bladerunner Spins to the Right:
If the helicopter is spinning to the right, you can adjust the bottom rotor blades by bending more pitch into those blades. Use very light pressure to gradually bend the blades.

We also sell replacement rotor blades for all makes of Bladerunners.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

If the Micro Mosquito or Firefly will not fly there may be a problem with the rotor blades. Use the simple steps below to troubleshoot possible causes. We hope you can find the solution. If your rotor blades are broken we sell replacement Micro Mosquito & Firefly rotor blades. Order online or by phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907.

1. Ensure that when the rotor blades spin they are rotating in opposite directions. If they both rotate in the same direction, it won’t fly. If this is the case, make sure that the upper large gear only meshes with the upper small motor gear, and that the lower large gear only meshes lower small motor gear.
2. Check that the lower rotor is the one with the two notches in the bottom of its stem, and that those two notches interlock fully with the notches on the top of the large gear.
3. Ensure that the blades are on the right way, and that the trailing edge of the blades curve down. If the trailing edge of the blades curve up remove the rotor, flip it over, and re-install.
4. Check for excessive free play in the main shaft by gently tugging up and down on the top of the shaft while holding the body of the mosquito. If it moves up and down more than 1/32″ (0.8mm) then press the large lower gear down on the shaft while pushing up on the cap on the bottom of the shaft until this free play is reduced, but do not eliminate it entirely. If there is no free play at all, or the shaft does not spin freely, increase the free play by pulling up on the large lower gear.
5. Check for free play in the spacer between the two blades by gently sliding it up and down while holding the shaft. If there is more than 1/32″ (0.8mm) of free play, press the transparent retainer at the top of the shaft down until this free play is reduced, but do not eliminate it entirely. If there is no free play at all, or the spacer can not be rotated with out resistance while the shaft is held stationary, increase the free play by pulling up on the transparent retainer at the top of the shaft.
6. The trailing edge of the blades normally curve down. If they have flattened out over time, they may need to be gently re-curved by hand, in order for them to provide enough lift.
7. Over time, friction may cause the build up of powdered plastic where the main shaft goes through the large upper gear, the lower rotor, and the spacer. Removing these parts and cleaning them by passing a small pipe cleaner or a very small rolled up strip of paper towel can improve flight performance.
8. If the helicopter will fly but is not stable, ensure that the four metal pins that make up the pivot points of the universal joint at the center hub of each of the two rotors are all present. If any of the pins are missing, replace the rotor.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

After many hours of flying your Micro Mosquito / Firefly main drive motors may begin to fade and wear out. Don’t worry, we have new replacement parts. All you’ll need is a soldering iron, solder, some tape, a Phillips screwdriver and a flathead screwdriver. Follow the simple steps below and you’ll be flying around the house in no time.

1. Remove the “C” clip that holds on the rotor shaft. It is located on the underside of the unit near the middle. It will pull out towards the back. The rotor shaft, gears, and rotors should then be able to pull upwards out of the main body. Please be careful not to break any of the gear teeth when taking them out of the motor pinions.
2. The motor pinions should slide off just by pulling on them. If more force is needed, use a small flathead driver to pry the pinions off. Place them in a bowl or jar for safekeeping. Many of the parts on this unit are very small, and are easily misplaced. Make a note of which pinion goes on which side.
3. Remove all of the small screws from the bottom of the body. There will be 3 on either side and one in the middle for a total of 7. There will be two more on either motor you will have to remove.
4. Remove the caps on the bottom of the motors. They are just held on by friction and a bit of glue. They will just pull off.
5. Open up the body between the front LEDs. A small flathead screw driver will suffice. There will be a single screw holding in the circuit board down. Remove it.
6. Release the motors by pushing them up through the bottom, and out through the middle of the body. You should have access to the wiring then. If there are some problems getting the motors out of their mounts (pull halfway out, then stop) you may have a later version of the Micro Mosquito / FireFly that has an extra ground point on the motors. This can be snipped off and resoldered on later.
7. The next step will be to remove the motors. Snip one wire at a time, trying to keep the length of the wires leads close to what the new motors have. There isn’t a ton of space underneath and more wiring can cause putting the body together tricky.
8. Basic soldering of the wires together will follow. Strip the ends of the wire and pre-tin the exposed areas. Use heat shrink or tape to seal the connections.
9. Place the new motors back into the body, making sure if you have the ground points on the motor, to resolder them. Attach everything back together, making sure that none of the wires are being pinched by the two body halves.
10. Place back in all of the screws and you’ll be back up in the air!

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed