7 Best RC Planes for Kids of 2024

The AeroScout from HobbyZone is often slated as the best hobby-grade RC plane for beginners, and we have to agree.

There is some basic assembly required but you do not need any tools, glue, or technical knowledge to put the AeroScout together. We found the instructions clear and easy to follow, putting the plane together in just a couple of minutes.

SAFE technology prevents enthusiastic new pilots from over-banking and accidentally sending their new plane into a disastrous spin to the ground. There is also a panic recovery facility that will reset the plane to a level flight, without having to figure out how to do it yourself.

However, it also allows you to gradually move from beginner to intermediate to advanced flyer as your skills improve.

The SMART battery charger determines how much to charge and at what rate, and it comes with a USB-C cable for convenience.

The E-flite comes fully assembled. Therefore if you have a transmitter and fully charged battery ready, you can fly this RC airplane straight out of the box.

What makes this an especially good choice for teens is that it has an optional SAFE system. This allows teens new to the hobby to turn the system on and work up through the beginner, intermediate, and advanced modes.

Then, if your teen becomes a confident flyer, the SAFE system can be turned off and the pilot can perform exciting acrobatics. In addition, the E-flite Turbo Timber has recently been updated with a more powerful motor allowing you to climb out vertically and hover.

The landing gear is already in place and designed for multiple take-offs and landings. In addition, the STOL, Short Take-Off, and Landing system means you can fly with minimum runway space.

For maximum realism, the E-flite comes with LED navigation, landing, and simulated strobe lights which are powered from the flight battery.

For younger budding pilots, the Top Race Trainer provides three channels of control. The three channels control the propeller, rudder, and elevator. Plus, there is a 6 axis gyro system that keeps the airplane stable, making it exceptionally easy to fly for young beginners.

Also important for graduated learning are the three speed control settings. These prevent those who are new to flying a RC plane from going too fast, losing control, and crashing. Not only can a crash be dispiriting, it can also cause expensive damage to your airplane.

But fear not. If you or your child do crash, Top Race has an extensive line of spare parts for repairs or upgrades. The spares are affordable and readily available, so you don’t have to worry about trying to track down a rare, expensive item.

Because the Trainer is relatively compact, and lightweight, it takes up minimal room at home and is easy to transport to your flying location.

The Sports Cub from Hobby Zone has beginner, intermediate, and experienced modes. This allows complete beginners to learn the ropes without becoming too overwhelmed by multiple controls.

The beginner mode on the HobbyZone limits the plane’s pitch and bank capabilities, minimizing the possibility of losing control. In addition, simply letting go of the control sticks will allow the airplane to return to level flight. This prevents discouraging crashes for newbies.

Panic recovery mode allows you to press a single button and have the plane return to level flying at a preprogrammed altitude. This gives new flyers some breathing room if they go a little beyond their capabilities.

You can launch this model by throwing it like a paper airplane, which is convenient if you do not have a suitable runway area for take-off.

The downside to this RC plane is that you have to buy the transmitter and battery separately, although that isn’t a budget breaker. Purchasing each item separately costs no more than buying them all in one—it’s just a few more steps you have to take.

Many good-quality RC companies sell their models, batteries, and radio units separately, so experienced flyers can buy the precise setup they want.

Inside the box of the Top Race TR-C385 you’ll find everything you need to begin flying straight away. Although you will, of course, need to charge the battery up first. The battery takes roughly two hours to fully charge.

You can set the plane to Beginner, Intermediate or Expert mode. Then the six-axis gyroscope will kick in — or not — to keep the plane level and stable in flight.

The four channels control the propeller, rudder, elevator, and aileron and you can control the plane on the ground as well as you can in the sky. This enables you to drive this RC plane to your taking position, giving it an additional layer of realism.

There is also a stunt button that causes the airplane to perform aerial stunts. This gives new flyers the thrill of stunt flying sooner than if they were learning to fly stunts themselves.

For the youngest would-be flyers, the Hawks Work 2 channel airplane is an affordable, simple option. Two sticks on the remote allow you to control left and right and up and down but there are no other functions to master.

The simplicity of the plane makes it an excellent choice for younger children who are excited by RC planes but haven’t yet developed the dexterity and coordination required for a more complicated model.

It’s also great if your little one is the kind of kid who is deeply passionate and focused about something one minute, only to lose interest 20 seconds after they try it. For those kids this is just expensive and solid enough to work, but not so costly you waste a lot of money if it’s not a hobby that sticks.

The landing gear is rated as a single use part, but we found it was solid and in workable condition after 12 take offs and landings.

We, and our RC friends have always found E-flite to be a solid company for hobby grade RC airplanes. So we were a little disappointed in their T-28 model. Not because it isn’t great but because it didn’t provide a fun experience for new flyers.

To be fair, this model is not aimed at first-time or even newer pilots, but that information isn’t immediately obvious. So even though it has SAFE technology with beginners, intermediate, and advanced settings, you’ll want to give this a miss for younger first timers.

However, if you have a teen who is patient or has some previous RC plane experience, this model is extremely fun to fly and reaches incredible speeds.

Because the T-28 Trojan can achieve faster speeds, it is relatively easy for a newbie to feel like they are losing control of the plane. This can cause a lot of frustration and put your budding flyer off of their new hobby.