In the real aeronautical world, flying a plane is like riding a bicicle. Flying an helicopter is like riding a monocycle, while doing jugglery with the hands and playing a guitar with your tongue, all at the same time.
The airplanes are stable by design (except the flying wings), if you get the hands off the controls nothing is gonna happen, at least inmediately. The helicopters need continuous control inputs to stay in the air.
The same applies to RC models, with the added detail that you are not onboard and don't have any instruments, except your eyes
So forget it, if Honeywell and other avionics companies have not being able to create an autopilot for a full scale helicopter, I predict the same destiny for your heli.
Instead, get a cheap RC airplane, I'm pretty sure that, with your PC experience, you will be able to get better results and be less frustrated. You only need 4 channels, for elevator, ruder, ailerons, and throttle