Very skilled RC pilot. If you have never flown one and think you can just jump into to it and do this, you will be crying as you pick up the pieces scattered across the ground. Best bet for learning to fly any RC is buy a RC flight trainer for your computer. Like Real Flight or any other sim that does this. They come with a RC training controller like the real ones.
Yes and you won't find that as an RTF or ARF there are many configurations and the parts are purchased individually for custom set-ups. It also would require a Radio for Helicopters, and the ability to program all the functions, not a simple toy but a very complex surveillance tool/ camera platform and yeah it is cool.
Never understood the appeal of these things, but there are some models available, starting at about $300 for the unit only....you'll need to provide a radio.
Just my opinion but regarding using simulators to learn how to fly - when it comes to rotor flight, simulators can help a little with throttle control but not much else.....certainly not enough else to justify their price tags. For rotor, start small, start coaxial, take it slow, and move up from there. Again, just my opinion....
I wonder if anyone has tried to make a full scale Quad-copter for a human pilot? Looks like they can haul come serious butt. Image this with some weapons on it?
For a beginner, there is now a perfect quadcopter: the Blade mQX. It's only $125 if you already have your transmitter, or there is a $150 (I think) with a cheap transmitter in it. Skilled people can put it into looping and other aerobatics antics, but if you don't push it it's also very stable (but nowhere as near as the feeling of stability that a simulator might wrongly give you!).
I'm using it as a cheap trainer to move on bigger hexacopters later (for work) and I think it's perfect for complete beginners wanting to feel how multirotors handle.