The Complete Guide to RC Electronics

By biolethal in CircuitsRemote Control

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About: Currently looking for a summer internship in engineering! Interested in everything from djing to
trebuchets, coilguns to kiteboarding. I am an avid skiier, and am currently studying integrated engineering.
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Hello, my friends.

I have often found hobby RC electronics to be of interest in my projects due

to their apparent simplicity and ease of use. However, it took me a while to
figure out how to put together all the different components, figure out where
to get all of the stuff, and read all of the (rather peculiar) ratings when I was
trying to build something. Therefore, I hope that this guide will speed things
up for you and lead to successful projects.

Quick reference:
1 - Where to obtain parts
2 - Transmitter
3 - Reciever
4 - Servos
5 - Motor controllers
6 - Motors, Propellers and Gears
7 - Batteries
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Step 1: Where to Procure Components

After much research, i have found the following to be reliable, have a

reasonable price, and have good selection:
- Hobbyking: A Chinese-based distributor with a huge selection of motors,
controllers, and everything else. mostly flying things. Shipping takes forever.
- Horizon Hobby: Based in the USA, also have a large selection of items,
but mostly ground-based vehicles.

There are other, cheaper websites, (like GoodLuckBuy) however I have

heard that the reliability and customer service of these is often compromised.
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Step 2: Transmitter
 6 More Images

Also often abbreviated as Tx, this is the thing that actually takes your
commands and sends your receiver the commands for the servos and the
motors.

There are many Transmitters available on the market nowadays, and the
low-cost ones start around $30. However, remotes for RC airplane or
helicopter pilots, with programmable features, model memory, and computer
simulators can start around $150 and go to nearly $3000.

All RC Remotes have a certain frequency that they operate on. Older,
analog remotes operate on lower frequencies, which were determined by a
crystal. Modern, digital, remotes usually operate in the Gigahertz Range,
often at 2.4GHZ.

RC airplane and helicopter remotes have control sticks, which are mostly
self explanatory. Usually, one of the two control sticks on an airplane remote
is the throttle control stick, and is not spring loaded in the vertical direction,
which means it will not spring back when you let go. Remotes are usually
available with this stick on either the left or the right side, and are sold as
mode 1 or mode 2. RC car remotes have a trigger and a knob to control
different things.
Most RC remotes have something next to the Control sticks called the trim.
this basically slightly alters the position of your control sticks, and is useful
for finely altering the position of the servos, or the starting point of a motor
controller. Transmitters also often have reversing, which reverses the output
signal of the control sticks. this is usually controlled by a series of switches at
the bottom of the transmitter.

The number of channels a remote has shows how many things it can control.
For example a three channel remote could control three things, such as
three servos, three motors, or a combination of any of those. Motor
controllers and servos receive the same type of signal.

Expo, Telemetry, Limited travel and Model memory are all things seen on
better, more expensive transmitters, but are not necessary for the average
project. Expo stands for exponential rates, so that linear movement of your
control sticks will result in an exponential output signal curve. Telemetry
transmits information from the vehicle (such as battery voltage, altitude,
motor temperature, etc.) back to the transmitter and displays these on the
transmitter. Limited travel means that by moving your control sticks to their
maximum will only send out a 30% signal, or whatever you set it to. both of
these features are beneficial to sensitive mechanisms and airplanes, so that
one can maintain better control over them. Model memory simply allows you
to store your trim settings in the transmitter, so that you can recall them for
later use, or eliminate the need of having to readjust with every time if you
have multiple devices. RC car remotes are often equipped with dual rates,
expo, memory, and even telemetry.

Most Transmitters need to bind to your Receiver to ensure proper

communications. How to do this depends on your Transmitter/receiver.

Many transmitters need 12v to operate, usually supplied by 8AA batteries.

this is 8 batteries too many for me, so i got a small, 0.8Ah battery and
hooked it up to my remote, so that i only have one battery to worry about,
instead of 8 small ones.

A cheap, beginner-level Transmitter that i can recommend from personal

experience is the HobbyKing 6S.
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Step 3: The Reciever
The receiver, abbreviated as Rx, receives the signals of the transmitter, and
sends them out to the individual channels through PPM, or Pulse Position
Modulation commands.

The Receiver must operate on the same frequency as the transmitter, and
the two will usually be sold together. Replacement or extra receivers are
commonly available, so that they do not need to be switched out if one has
more than one devices requiring a receiver.

The receiver usually receives power from a motor controller, simply by

plugging it into one of the signal ports. Servos receive power from the
receiver.

The Polarity of the plugs is usually found out by trial and error, in one way it
will work, and the other way it probably will show a flashing light or
something similar. Make sure to never connect one wire one way and
another with opposite polarity to that wire, because depending on what those
two things are, they will most likely be damaged, because one is going to be
reverse polarity.

Some servo or motor controller connectors have a small plastic tab on them,
and can therefore only be used with RC car receivers that can easily be
removed with wire cutters.

Be careful with the antennae of digital receivers, because they are rather
difficult to reattach.
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Step 4: Servos
 3 More Images

Servos are geared motors connected to potentiometers that are usually

capable of 180 degree rotation, but with RC control usually only rotate 90
degrees. They take the receiver's commands in PPM form and rotate to a
set position. they will attempt to hold this position if f force is applied.
Although normal servos have a limited range, there are extended range
servos, which rotate 360 degrees or more, and even continuous rotation
servos, which have no control electronics and function as a normal gear
motor.

They all have the standard three pin connectors, with ground (black), +4.8 to
7.4v (red), and signal (white).

Servo s are usually classified by weight, and also have a torque rating. This
rating is usually given in Kg.
What this means is that the servo has x Kg force one centimeter out from the
axis of rotation. So a 50Kg servo could supply 50Kg of force 1cm out from
the axis (or 25kg 2cm out from the axis, etc...).

Some Large servos need a separate power supply because of their current
demands, and would most likely just burn through your speed controller's
power supply or your receiver's PCB traces. Use an UBEC with these. this is
basically just a step down voltage regulator that provides a constant voltage
to your servos.
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Step 5: Motor Controllers
 2 More Images

Motor controllers, also known as ESC's (Electronic Speed Controller) are

very simple to use. Their purpose is to take a low power input signal in the
form of ppm, and the battery voltage, and convert it into something useful for
the motor. They also have a voltage output through the signal wire, and are
often used to power the receiver.

There are essentially two types of motor controllers: brushless and brushed
controllers. Brushed motor controllers only work with brushed motors, and
send them a PWM, a Pulse Width Modulated (not PPM, Pulse Position
Modulated) power input. These are simple and cheap, and can also be used
to control lights and anything else that requires DC power. Brushless motor
controllers are quite different. They switch power between the three
combinations of two of the three poles of a brushless motor, and modulate
the speed of this according to the PPM signal.

The difference between Car ESC's and Airplane ESC's is that car ESC's
usually come with a power switch, heat sink and a reversing ability, while
airplane ESC's have no reversing capability (Switch any two of the motor
wires to reverse spin of the motor), no power switch and usually only a
minimal heat sink.

ESC's are also programmable, usually through a programming card or

through the reciever and transmitter. This will vary depending on the ESC,
but usually they have programmable braking, starting, and battery voltage
cutoff settings.
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Step 6: Motors, Propellers and Gears
 5 More Images

Motors come in two variants: Brushed motors, which have small brushes that
switch the power through the coils, and brushless motors, which need an
external controller to do the switching for them.

Brushless motors are usually more efficient, can handle higher speeds and
torques, can handle huge amounts of power, and are longer lasting because
they do not have brushes to wear out. they usually come in out-runner or in-
runner styles. Outrunners have the permanent magnets on the outside, and
their housing spins with the axle. Inrunners have the permanent magnets on
the inside and have a non-rotating housing. Outrunners have more torque,
but less speed, and are usually used with larger propellers. Inrunners have
less torque, but can reach very high speed, and are therefore used in geared
applications, such as RC cars, or with small propellers.

Motors in the RC world often have an interesting rating called Kv. Although
one would expect this to mean Kilovolts, it actually means rotations per
minute per volt. A 300Kv motor would, in theory, rotate at 900rpm at 3 volts.
the lower the Kv rating, the more torque but the less speed a motor has, and
the higher, the more speed but less torque a motor would have.

When looking for a suitable propeller, the prospective buyer may be

confronted with such things as "1247" or "12x4.7". These define the
propeller's size and pitch. in this instance, one would be looking at a 12 inch
diameter, 4.7 inch pitch propeller. Pitch is defined as the distance a propeller
would move in the air under ideal conditions in one full rotation. Propellers
are also often classified into "slow fly" and normal propellers. Slow fly
propellers are usually for geared applications or low speed applications, and
have a curved leading edge for more efficiency. Normal Propellers have a
straight leading edge for better efficiency, and are usually used with faster
motors.

Gears in the RC world are usually only sold as a replacement for RC car
gearboxes. they are never sold by diameter, but only by the pitch (spacing of
the teeth) and the number of the teeth. A Spur gear is usually a large gear,
that is turned by the pinion, a smaller gear directly attached to the motor.
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Step 7: Batteries and Chargers
 6 More Images

Batteries come in many different Shapes and sizes, chemistries, and ratings.

The two most common chemistries for RC applications are NiMH or NiCd
and Lithium polymer batteries.

NiMH (Nickel metal hydride) and NiCd (Nickel-Cadmium) batteries are

heavy, weak and outdated. the only benefit is that they may be marginally
cheaper, and less sensitive to shock, vibration, overcharging, and deep
discharge.

Lithium Polymer Batteries are lighter, smaller, can deliver huge currents, and
have a very large capacity for their size. A 5000mAh Lipo battery is about as
big and heavy as 2500mah worth of NiMH batteries. however, if pierced,
discharged too far, or charged too far, they will "puff", or expand. This means
that the battery is close to exploding. do not use this battery anymore, and
dispose of it safely. If you keep going, it will most likely erupt in a large ball of
flame and launch chemicals and burning things everywhere. Never short
these batteries, they will most likely explode.
Charging: get yourself a good charger, I can recommend the Turnigy
Accucell-6. Most chargers do not come with a built in power supply, so make
sure you have an adequate power supply for your charger. Follow all the
charging instructions that come with the charger, and place your battery in a
fireproof container or bag. Never leave it unattended while charging.

Batteries have a number of different ratings:

mAh or Ah: Stand for milliamp hour or Amp hour. this is the capacity of the
battery. 1Ah=1000mAh, which means a battery can supply one amp for one
hour (or 1000milliamps for an hour)
S and P: Stand for number of Series cells and number of parallel cells.
the number of cells in series determines voltage, parallel determines
capacity.
C ratings: This is how much current the battery can give you. Multiply the
battery's capacity in amp hours by this rating to get the current in
amps. There are usually two specified. the lower one is the continuous
rating, and the higher one is the pulse discharge rating.

I usually use one standardized connector for all of my batteries, so that I can
use any battery with any device, and can interchange them easily. It doesn't
matter what you use, I use the XT60 connectors, just make sure that you
have one type of connector for all of your batteries.

Get some silicone wire for your power connections, because it is a flexible,
multi-stranded wire that will in general make your life many times easier.
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Step 8: Final Comments
Thanks for taking the time to look at this guide. I hope you enjoyed it and
that i could be of some help. I am by no means an expert in this area, and
would love to get some tips on how to improve this guide, things to add,
questions or comments.

Please VOTE FOR ME in the Remote Controlled Challenge!

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121 Discussions

Borg101
7 years ago on Step 8
ReplyUpvote
For a complete RC noob, like myself - This guide was very helpfull.
1 reply

AdnanA101
Question 4 months ago
AnswerUpvote
I am completely new to RC i have two questions whether we can change frequency of
transmitter and receiver or not and can we make ESC at home?

bgriffgriff
Question 4 months ago
AnswerUpvote
Hi , I like your article on setting up the plane , however the one problem I have remained
unanswered . I have an in plane receiver with a three pin male connection for the power input .
Howevever the Turnigy 1300mah 3C battery has a four pin female connector ! Have I got the
wrong battery or do I need some sort of adapter ?
thanks if you can help .

elijah02
Question 4 months ago on Step 8
AnswerUpvote
I'd like to start out by saying thank you for this helpful article...it helped me out a ton. However, I
still have a couple questions. First of all, I have an 18v drill battery and its corresponding drill
motor, switch, and clockwise/counter-clockwise switch. Along with this I own a 3d printer. With
these and some other parts I'm hoping to make a fast, torquey rc car/truck with what I have. As
I'm new to the hobby, I need some advice on what I need to buy. Should I buy 18v compatible
parts separately or, I was thinking, is it possible to use a cheap car and use the power originally
going to the cheap motor to regulate power going from the 18v battery to the 18v motor. If so,
what do I need to look for? Going through with this plan, I could just use the original steering
motor to steer. That way the Tx trigger would activate a switch to the drill motor. My only
problem then would be how to reverse....hehehe a slight problem. Anyways, if you could help
me out a bit with this I would forever be in your debt lol.

Thanks in advance!
-E

DuaneN5
9 months ago on Step 8
ReplyUpvote
I would like to thank you as a newcomer to the hobby I found your article to be very informative .
I am a retired mechanic and as such I was thinking of things I might have mentioned but then I
thought about where would a person draw the line as to what information you would share. After
thinking about that I think it was almost perfect.It is not like you were writing a manual but simply
sharing some of the basics(although if you were to write a manual I think you would do a great
job) I was thinking I would warn of loose connections or changing wire gauge could cause
resistance & or heat but you gave just the amount of info as you intended without specializing
on a particular perspective.
Thank you for the hard work & keep it up.

ijeee
Question 10 months ago
AnswerUpvote
Hey bro? can i ask you a question? I have a esc here bought from lazada a 20A esc with brake
the thing is after testing it on channel 1 and channel 2 the motor works fine and the esc but
aftwe changing it to. channel 3 as soon as i throtle the tx the motor starts spinning and when i
stop throttlingmotor wont stop so i remove the source and when trying again on channel 1 the
esc malfunction constantly flicking red light do you know what caused this problem?
Fatfreddyscat70
Question 1 year ago on Introduction
AnswerUpvote
What 2 sites for people that want to purchase in the USA.

I’m dealing with planes. Ele planes

CHEFBOYAUBOY
Question 1 year ago on Introduction
AnswerUpvote
I am having problems with the hook up of my MiniBipe with a FlySky 10 channel 2.4 GHZ
transmitter and receiver. It is bound, the brushless motor works fine, but when I plug in the two
servos for the rudder and elevator they make a noise and rotate in one direction only and do not
respond to the transmitter

raghu4414
2 years ago
ReplyUpvote
Hi,
Guys I am not into electronics, and I have bought a RC car running with batteries from hobby
king,, and the problem I am facing is without going for the on bottom which is below the car, and
plug in the battery with car ,,the wheels are moving,, and a kind of spark comes as soon as the
battery connector is joined to car,, and all this is happening with the car in off condition..
Please help.
1 reply

tjt1957
2 years ago
ReplyUpvote
Very concise simple guide, however I'm looking for a more detailed guide in order to make
custom units, mostly amphibious boats, etc..Like how to water proof in case of tipping or a shaft,
how to run two different motors at different speeds off one Tx, etc...

tpace3
2 years ago
ReplyUpvote
I'm trying to add a motor, battery esc, and receiver (Not using steering for now) onto an existing
build.
Do you know if there are any cheap kits I can buy and drop into it? I'm looking around $50 - $70
A very high torque motor, rechargeable battery is the only real important parts.

ThomasY19
3 years ago
ReplyUpvote
I am in the process of wiring three Turgery motors three electronic speed controles to a vosper
torpedo boat , some where i found a link on doing this with two motors is to cut the white wire
from the second motor so your receiver does not conflict and uses only the one motor to start
and the other will start at the same time i tried this on my vosper and i can only get the center
motor working tho it only runs for a few seconds could this be the speed controler over heating
as they are water cooled so i am just sorting these problems out the way i have wired the
motors in three lives three neutrals into one of each from the battery 30 amp fuse on the live
each speed controler is 30 amp rated the motors are 25 amp rated these are inrunners (motors)
, regarding the white wires is it possible that to get all three motors running cutting the outer two
white wires from the reciver was wrong is it possible either the red or black is the wires to cut ? i
should be able to sort this out as i am an electrical enineer working on large electric motors and
small single phase and three phase units , the only thing that i can think is that each motor is
going to need its own power sorce ?right now three power leads from one battery ,three receiver
leads from speed controlers to receiver, can you point me why i cant get the two outter motors
to run with the center motor , tom yarwood

banerjeesaby
3 years ago
ReplyUpvote
My first read up on RC Components and it all made sense. Thanks for keeping it simple.

JeffR110
3 years ago
ReplyUpvote
ok guys, stupid question, I want to install a two step on my gas rc car, can this be done?

jemats02
3 years ago
ReplyUpvote
need help with my electronics.. I have a 30A esc, flysky 6channel transmitter and reciever, and
a 3s 11.1 v 30c batt. I successfully bound the reciever and controller, but the motor won't turn,
just making a continous beep, heeellllppppp please!!
1 reply

Neonherz
3 years ago
ReplyUpvote
Very nice guide! Any reccommodations on a budget Friendly, brushed (ha learned something!)
ESC? Needed for 3 DC Motors - thank you!
1 reply

jemats02
3 years ago
Reply Upvote
all my servos are working by the way, just the motor. the month is a 2200kv A2212/6T

Insha-789
3 years ago
Reply Upvote
Want to buy arduino for rc car and RX and TX set, please suggest some cheap and good
website

Alexander heron the inventor

4 years ago
Reply Upvote
is it normal for me to buy 2 (8 gram)servos,1 motor 720 kv,a esc,and a 2200 mah lipo battery for
120$?if itsn't i just got fooled(i live in indonesia so it should include a 10%tax)
1 reply

BrettR19
4 years ago
Reply Upvote
so i have an rc boat and on the controller i have to be on a cretin spot on the trigger for the
propeller to move. its not even that fast. any help?

FrankA35
4 years ago
Reply Upvote
I'm going to start building a 4' rc lobster boat. But don't know how big of a motor I'll need any
help would be appreciated

centralcodigo
4 years ago
Reply Upvote
NOT near a complete RC tuto ,lacks technical issues
e.g A drain from a motor&proper ESC

jwegat
4 years ago
Reply Upvote
Hey this is kinda new to this but any idea what to get to controll two motors in an rc boat and
controll them sepperatly to make the boat turn. Like have only one out of two motors run to turn
the boat
3 replies

RWaggs
4 years ago
Reply Upvote
Thank you so much. I knew absolutly nothing about rc and this guide was easy to follow and
understand. Thanks again

YoYoKulbirSingh
4 years ago
Reply Upvote
Thank you SIR/MADAM !

Aung Win Htut

4 years ago
Reply Upvote
Thanks for your tutorial bro

froe
4 years ago on
Reply Upvote
I've been trying to get into RC stuff, but i don't like buying things when I could make them for
cheaper. (I also just like making stuff) this is just what i needed to figure out how to start making
rc things.
I am first going to build a rc boat mount that I can attach to anything to turn it into an RC boat.
1 reply

voaferro1
5 years ago on Step 2
Reply Upvote
"Older, analog TX"? MY LEFT FOOT is analog... Ever since about 1966 that these are known
as Digital Proportional - GO READ YOUR HISTORY ON THIS:
http://www.radiocontrolhalloffame.org/
2 replies

sTeV tAuRuS
4 years ago
Reply Upvote
This is awesome...it was really good..thx

mfarooqi
4 years ago on
Reply Upvote
This is very brief and one page understanding of complete RC stuff. very helpfull. I would
definitely vote for it.
I'm a newbie in RC hobby, and it's great collection of words :)

paulsantony6
4 years ago on
Reply Upvote
how much does all cost

nuelma
4 years ago on
Reply Upvote
so completed ;-)
rumeth
4 years ago
Reply Upvote
Please tell me the rc plane part sizes

bodger-bill
5 years ago on
Reply Upvote
Thank you for a very interesting article, however I still couldn't find the small piece of information
I have been searching for
How slow will these motors go, assuming a slow pulse driver is connected !
It looks as though one of these motors could be modified to have a hollow centre shaft,
therefore, they probably would be suitable for driving the cross slides on a small mill, power
would be no problem, and it would not be necessary to disengage the shaft before changing to
manual mode
Any thoughts would be helpful, but please don't just say I should be using stepper motors
2 replies

SamB4
5 years ago on
Reply Upvote
Just what I've been looking for, thanks very much!

Robert_Hatalla
5 years ago on
Reply Upvote
I must say, This has to be one of the best "Welcome to the World of RC" posts I've ever read.
Thank you immensely for your post.
1 reply

A Diabetic
6 years ago on Step 8
Reply Upvote
Awesome guide! I am making an RC submarine and had no idea why I needed an ESC or how
to connect my servos and motor to the transmitter. Thanks a ton.
2 replies

excalibur2811
5 years ago on Step 8
Reply Upvote
An excellent all round guide! Thank you for taking the trouble to put this together.
There is one area which is still a mystery to me. Namely I cannot understand why some motors
have such high current requirements. frankly speaking the motors I am familiar with are those I
scavenged from various printers (which are brushed 12 Volt motors which do not seem to
require much current but spin quite fast) and also brushless motors such as those used in a cd
drive (which also seem to need little current and spin very fast), so when I see adverts for ESCs
that can deliver 30 Amps or more, I get a little confused. Could I use the typical CD motor for a
quadcopter for instance and if so why are such heavy current demands and dangerous LIPOs
needed?
2 replies

sangam_cm
5 years ago
Reply Upvote
Sir, I read your article. Liked it a lot. I'm interested in building a rc helicopter. What all extra
electronic components are required other than what you've mentioned?
2 replies

AutoPus
5 years ago
Reply Upvote
Hey I loved reading your guide and I would just like to know if you could give me a few more
suggestions for a transmitter am looking for the same basic cheap type and would like to know if
I have any other options... a bit more expensive wouldn't hurt either. Thanks.
1 reply

jmaag
6 years ago on
Reply Upvote
i would like to use a nano hooked to my futaba rc receiver to control multiple lites on my quad.
Can you help me
4 replies

fatdumpa
6 years ago on Step 8
Reply Upvote
anyone know where to find info on pairing props/motors/escs/batteries/chargers? me and a
mate are thinking of building a simple tri-copter on the cheap.
2 replies
rfalconbridge
7 years ago on Step 4
Reply Upvote
What servo would you recommend for a helicopter?
1 reply

Thaikarl
6 years ago on
Reply Upvote
Thanks so much! I only recently got interested in RC planes. There's a lot of information out
there, but it gets confusing - so many numbers, specs, techs. this is really helpful to see the
whole system ias components without a lot of clutter. I feel like i have a place to start from now.

coolghoul
6 years ago on
Reply Upvote
actually,this was really helpful.Thanks!!!

vodinhanhtuan
6 years ago on Step 8
Reply Upvote
Very good guide and instructions clearly . Thank you

acunliffe1
6 years ago
Reply Upvote
Thanks for the great guide. Really helped me. Although you say you connect the battery to the
esc but I will be having two motors and therefore two escs'. Do I connect the battery to one esc?
And what battery do you recommend; there will be 1 servo and two motors on the boat

DJNASHA
6 years ago on Step 8
Reply Upvote
canu tell us what type of transistor used in r/c recivers thanks
acunliffe1
6 years ago
Reply Upvote
Great guide for the beginner in rc which I am. Although you say you connect the battery to the
esc but I will be having two motors and escs so do I connect it to just one esc? And what battery
would you recommend? I am having two motors and a servo.

michaelmacnz
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
Fabulous.... You've answered heaps of the jargon for me...
1 reply

double_g
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
Thanks for the instructable! This cleared up some things which I've struggled to find answers to
such as how to convert C ratings into current! Already favorited!
1 reply

MohitJindal
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
I am planning to buy a new DC motor driver board which can run 5amp motor but I don't know
how to connect it with Atmega 8A chip. Please see the pdf I attached for Atmega 8A.

Here are the 7 pins in DC motor controller:-

Pin No. Pin Functionality

1 GND Ground
2 IN-1 Logic input for the motor direction.
3 Diagnostic 1
(DG-1) Output pin with logic 1 output in normal operation. Represents side of the internal
H bridge corresponding to IN-1. Pin is pulled to logic low by the motor driver in
case of over temperature or overload due to short circuit.
4 PWM Used to apply Pulse Width Modulation to control motor velocity
5 Diagnostic 2
(DG-2) Output pin with logic 1 output in normal operation. Represents side of the internal
H bridge corresponding to IN-2. Pin is pulled to logic low by the motor driver in
case of over temperature or overload due to short circuit.
6 IN-2 Logic input for the motor direction.
7 CS* Current Sense output to measure the current flowing through the driver

Processor.pdf

Download

1 reply

budhaztm
7 years ago on Step 5
Reply Upvote
What ESC did you use?
3 replies

wolfgang64
7 years ago on Step 8
Reply Upvote
Could you comment on the new LIpo and LIfo4 batteries?
2 replies

tboultwood1
7 years ago on Step 3
Reply Upvote
I bought a cheap helicopter from a retail store called maplin. The controller says its 2.4ghz.
Could I buy a cheap receiver from ebay and connect the two? Will it connect straight away?
Thank you for your instructable I find it mighty useful!
1 reply

bumsugger
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
A good guide however,it does'nt go quite far enough in section 4,for instance,there is no
explanation of the differences between digital and analog servos or a discussion as to their
respective pros and cons.
1 reply

bumsugger
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
A good guide however,it does'nt go quite far enough in section 4,for instance,there is no
explanation of the differences between digital and analog servos or a discussion as to their
respective pros and cons.

swapnil5775
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
For to make Quadrocopter,
Which controller i Use?
8051 ?

And For Little bit programme Just guide how to start it to control motor too..
1 reply

swapnil5775
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
what is the big difference between servomotor and Brushless Motor?
And For Propellers, how can i get it in india ?
1 reply

FAM17
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
How does the battery connect to the receiver?
2 replies

The nerdling
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
simple, good.
what is the truggy in the last picture?
9 replies

seamster
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
Well done. This will get a lot of people off to a good start in rc. Good luck in the rc challenge!
1 reply

jpcwebb
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
Not sure I'd call this a 'complete' guide - more of a beginners overview. But a handy resource
nevertheless, so thanks.
1 reply

WhiteTech
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
Great guide! Just a few things though

HobbyKing is sometimes swing and miss, I placed an order and nothing came right, it was either
broken or missing, but I've also placed orders and they turned to be much much better then I
expected! Same with shipping. I had stuff come to Canada in a week, but also waited 2
months....

HorizonHobby is very good. Super fast shipping even in Canada. Good support. Only complaint,
lack of Team Associated things

and lastly all RC car style transmitters do have trim, or the car wouldn't go in a straight line or
would "creep" as they call it. Meaning throttle trim is off. Most have dual rates and of course the
fancier you go the more stuff you get like Expos, Model Memory, Telemetry ect
3 replies

kevinlc77
7 years ago on
Reply Upvote
try hobbypartz dot com they dont sell kits, but have all the necessary esc servos motors batery
etc. and fast shipping. i've ordered from them numerous times.