Yeah, I still don't see why this couldn't be shipped without costing an arm and a leg. Ship it in a kit of multiple pieces (body, cockpit, arms, blades) and throw in LED light battery compartments on each arm and in the main body. Put in a metal simple metal skeleton in each arm that connects to a bit of metal rigging in the main body (which can also connect to the cockpit), and include a display stand that functions like the one in the article pics. None of that would be all that expensive. And the blades don't need to spin on their own (both on the main body and in the arms). Taking out the motory bits will lighten the overall weight of the vehicle, particularly in the arms. In fact, while it's more impressive, I don't even need LED lights, if that's a hold up.
Making the above changes would offer stronger structural support, make it lighter, and make it more durable for shipping. And having the whole front end come as multiple separate pieces reduces the overall dimensions of the item and the box, making it smaller and more cost effective for shipping.
