When Latrax released the Alias some two years ago, it became an instant hit. The Alias offered fantastic flying characteristics, sporty performance, great stunts and great looks. However, it sold for about $150 which put it on the pricier end when compared to other similar-sized toy-grade quadcopters of the time.
Two years down the road, the Alias is now a lot more affordable at $100 but despite this significant price drop, it still costs more than its competitors. So what do you do if you want a Latrax Alias but find it too pricey? The good news is there are a few affordable alternatives out there that are quite similar to the Alias in both looks and performance.
One of them is the WLToys Skylark V636. At roughly $50, the V636 is about half the price of the Alias but offers very similar flying performance though it is not capable of doing the more advanced aerial acrobatics that the Alias is famous for. It also comes with a frame and motor arms that are nearly identical to the Alias. In fact, some owners have managed to fit Alias canopies on the V636 without any issues. The stock canopy that comes with the V636 is actually quite ugly, in my honest opinion. So it’s good to know that you can swap it with the better looking Alias canopy.
With the V636, WLToys has produced a very good clone of the Latrax Alias, though not everything on the V636 is exactly the same as on the Alias. For instance, the plastic used for the LED diffusers are quite vulnerable to cracking — a sign WLToys had obviously chosen to use lower quality materials to keep costs low. However, the V636 is still a very competent quadcopter as you will find out soon.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 17 x 17 x 2.5cm (without prop guards)
- Diagonal motor distance: 240mm
- Motor size: 8.5mm coreless
- Weight: 103g (with battery)
- Flight time: 9 to 10 minutes
- Battery: 3.7V 730mAh Li Po
- Charging time: 30 minutes
- Control distance: approximately 100m
- Transmitter power: 6 x 1.5V AA batteries (not included)
Like the Alias, the V636 has its battery tucked neatly underneath its fuselage. While the Alias comes with a 650mAh battery, the V636 battery has a slightly larger capacity at 730mAh and is connected to the quad via a JST connector. No power switch is available so the only way to turn on the quad is by manually connecting the battery. This is not really an issue since there is no enclosed battery compartment which means gaining access to the power connector is easy.
I like the fact that WLToys has added a few finishing touches to the V636 such as the high silicone landing stubs that do a great job in absorbing impact during hard crashes or when the quad makes contact with hard ground surfaces when flying fast and low. The motor arms also double as flexible landing legs that help to further cushion any hard impact. This approach not only looks good visually but also saves a lot of weight and simplifies the entire design. The built-in LED lights on the arms also look sophisticated.
Spiked silicone landing stubs absorb a lot of the impact during hard landings
Flight Performance
Flight performance is the jewel in the crown for the V636. This is the main reason why anyone would want to buy it — for the sheer pleasure of flying. The first thing you’ll notice when flying the V636 is its sporty flying characteristics. This is one quadcopter that makes its rivals such as the Syma X5C-1 feel like boring family sedans.
The V636 actually feels like a finely-tuned Ferrari. It is highly responsive and razor sharp in its handling, making it a lot of fun to fly, especially when flown low and fast. Three speed modes are available — 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%. At 100%, the V636’s fullest potential is released and you’ll notice a decent yaw rate and more aggressive flying angles. Speed is something that comes in abundance with the V636 and it can easily beat most other toy-grade quadcopters in a drag race. The only quads that can fly significantly faster than the V636 are 250-sized racer drones equipped with brushless motors.
The V636 also comes with “headless mode” — a feature which allows you to fly the quad without worrying where its front is facing. When headless mode is turned on, the quad will fly in any direction you order it relative to your transmitter’s position, irrespective of where its front or “head” is facing. So if your quad has its front facing right at you, it will move to the left if you push your right control stick to the left.
Although WLToys had clearly intended the V636 to be a cheaper alternative to the Latrax Alias, the V636 lacks the advanced aerial stunts such as double and triple flips that the Alias is capable of. It is also less configurable compared to the Alias. Where stunts are concerned, the V636 can perform basic maneuvers such as forward and backward flips. If you can’t live without advanced aerial acrobatics and a higher level of customization then the only option would be to get the pricier $100 Alias or anything similar. At $50, you can only expect so much from the V636.
Transmitter
The V636 comes with a 4-channel 2.4GHz transmitter which is also used by a number of other RC models. It is significantly larger than the more compact transmitter that comes with the Alias. Personally, I prefer something that is more compact as this helps a lot in portability. Strangely, the transmitter is powered by 6 AA batteries which I believe is simply overkill. I wonder why WLToys didn’t just use a transmitter that is powered by 4 AA batteries instead of 6.
A blue LCD screen at the bottom of the transmitter displays important information such as transmitter battery level, speed mode, throttle level, trims and so on. A number of buttons are available for various features. There is a total of 4 dedicated buttons that allow you to toggle between the 4 different speed modes. There is also a button that allows you to turn the quad’s LED lights on or off and another button that turns on the headless mode. Flying the V636 in headless mode can be a bit of a pain since the transmitter will beep continuously when headless mode is turned on.
Like many other RC transmitters from Chinese manufacturers, the V636 transmitter is exceptionally ugly. When it comes to aesthetics, it is a far cry from the sleek-looking compact transmitter that comes with the Alias. However, it makes up for its ugliness by being reliable. After several test flights with the V636, I’ve not had any serious issues with it. The only thing that annoys me the most is the continuous beeping that occurs when headless mode is turned on.
Optional Accessories
If sports flying isn’t enough for you, the V636 can also be used with a number of optional accessories such as a mini bubble blower, HD camera, rescue kit with basket and pellet gun. The bubble blower can be attached to the bottom of the quad and will blow a stream of bubbles at the press of a button on the transmitter. This is an excellent option if you plan to annoy your cat.
Things get even more interesting with the rescue kit. The kit comes with a basket and motorized grappling hook that allows you to “rescue” stuff such as other small quadcopters that have crash landed on hard to reach spaces such as rooftops or tree branches.
If you’re into aerial dogfights, then getting a pair of V636s armed with pellet guns can provide for some thrilling aerial engagements. These accessories undoubtedly make the V636 a good buy. It is not only a good flyer but also provides some interesting amusement when the need arises.
Conclusion
The WLToys V636 is clearly a very good alternative to the more pricey Traxas Alias. Although it lacks the advanced aerial stunts and level of customization that the Alias is famous for, it more than makes up for it with a highly affordable price tag and optional accessories that can provide you with many hours of amusement.
Its strongest selling point is its fantastic flying characteristics — very smooth and stable yet still capable of some truly aggressive flying when the need arises. The V636 has a very sporty feel to it and offers plenty of speed and thrills. It also comes with coreless motors that are quite reliable with a low failure rate based on the positive feedback from various owners.
The V636 frame shares plenty of similarities with the Traxas Alias and can even fit an Alias canopy perfectly — good news for those who don’t fancy the looks of its stock canopy. The motor arms that double as landing legs on the V636 are a good design approach that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. The built-in LED lights in the arms also give the V636 a sophisticated appearance.
To wrap things up, the WLToys V636 is one of the best sub-$100 toy-grade quadcopters in the 240mm size category. Although it doesn’t come with a camera like most other quadcopters these days, the V636 impresses with its sporty flying performance, highly affordable price tag and the fun it delivers with its optional accessories such as the mini bubble blower. It also makes for an excellent trainer drone.