Giants of the Micros

The two inventors who fueled the rise of the living room helicopter. By Adam Salter

Photography by Federica Pischiutta

M icro-sized indoor R/C helicopters that launch from your palm and hover in midair never fail to make the uninitiated gawk like cats tracking a moth. Toy stores are filled with these inexpensive miniature marvels, and it got me wondering: how did they come into being? I learned that the story of their development includes years of hard work, hobbyist passion, and an undeniable streak of brilliance.

The giants of the micro R/C scene are Alexander Van de Rostyne of Antwerp, Belgium, and Petter Muren of Nesbru, Norway. These two have made possible the affordable, ready-to-fly indoor R/C helicopters. Van de Rostyne’s models from Silverlit Toys and Muren’s from Interactive Toy Concepts (ITC) are the market leaders and the original products that started the current micro R/C heli craze.

Van de Rostyne is an electromechanical and computer science engineer who has worked in marketing and management at Motorola and Apple Computer, where he says he “got the bug for simple and user-friendly high-tech products.” He’s currently CEO of a 50-person web agency and partner in a software company.

Muren is an R&D engineer who studied hydro- and aerodynamics and has experience in mechanical engineering, electronics, and software development. He manages a team of 20 engineers developing videoconferencing systems at Tandberg ASA, does consultant work for the UAV industry, and also runs his own company, Proxflyer.

Of course the two men’s “hobby” is their true obsession, and has become a profession in itself. Van de Rostyne explains, “I have been a passionate

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