Griffin Technology has announced plans to launch a new iOS accessory called Helo TC, which is an indoor helicopter that can be controlled using your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Helo TC is part of Griffin’s latest range of AppPowered Accessories, which also includes a Helo TC app that will be available in the App Store.

Here is a snippet from Griffin’s press release about Helo TC:

The Helo TC is simple to operate; charge the helicopter from any computer or USB power source, before sliding your compatible iOS device into the included flight deck module. The flight deck transmits infrared signals to the helicopter giving you total flying control. There are two flight modes available, you can use the Multi-Touch display to control the Helo TC’s throttle and flight controlled joystick – the cyclic – or enable Helo TC’s Tilt-to-Fly, which uses the iOS device’s accelerometers,and tilt the device forward, back and side to side to control the helicopter’s flight.

The helicopter itself is built on a light weight metal frame with a black polycarbonate body. The twin rotor design is very easy to fly and gives a stable flight but just in case you get a little too over-zealous with your flying techniques; the Helo TC comes with replaceable main and tail rotor systems. And if you are interested in some night-flying the helicopter also has 5 super-bright LEDs. The Helo TC app can record and store up to 3 flight plans, perfect for launching flying-attacks on unsuspecting friends and family.

Helo TC will be available for £34.99 (approximately $56.5) in Christmas, while the iOS app will be available for free in the App Store.

If you don’t have the budget to buy the $300 AR.Drone by Parrot, then Griffin’s Helo TC also appears to be a pretty cool and cheaper alternative.

Let us know what do you think about Helo TC in the comments below.

[Griffin Technology via Engadget]