How to use a remote control transmitter for model plane model car

# Radio Control Systems

A radio control (RC) system is required if you want to manually control your vehicle from a handheld transmitter. This topic explains a little about how RC works, how to choose an appropriate radio system for your vehicle, and how to connect it to your flight controller.

PX4 does not require a remote control system for autonomous flight modes. You can disable RC checks by setting parameter: COM_RC_IN_MODE to 1.

# How do RC Systems Work?

An RC system has a ground-based remote control unit that is used by the operator to command the vehicle. The remote has physical controls that can be used to specify vehicle movement (e.g. speed, direction, throttle, yaw, pitch, roll, etc.) and to enable autopilot flight modes (e.g. takeoff, land, return to land, mission etc.). On telemetry-enabled RC systems, the remote control unit can also receive and display information from the vehicle (e.g. battery level, flight mode).

The remote control unit contains a radio module that is bound to, and communicates with, a (compatible) radio module on the vehicle. The vehicle-based unit is connected to the flight controller. The flight controller determines how to interpret the commands based on the current autopilot flight mode and vehicle state, and drives the vehicle motors and actuators appropriately.

The ground- and vehicle- based radio modules are referred to as the transmitter and receiver respectively (even if they support bidirectional communication) and are collectively referred to as a transmitter/receiver pair. The remote control unit and it’s included radio module are also referred to as a «transmitter».

An important quality of an RC system is how many «channels» it supports. The number of channels defines how many different physical controls on the remote control can be used to send commands to the vehicle (e.g. how many switches, dials, control sticks can actually be used).

An aircraft must use a system that supports at least 4 channels (for roll, pitch, yaw, thrust). Ground vehicles need at least two channels (steering + throttle). An 8 or 16 channel transmitter provides additional channels that can be used to control other mechanisms or activate different flight modes provided by the autopilot.

# Types of Remote Controls

# Remote Control Units for Aircraft

The most popular form of remote control unit for UAVs is shown below. It has separate control sticks for controlling roll/pitch and for throttle/yaw as shown (i.e. aircraft need at least 4 channels).

There are numerous possible layouts for the control sticks, switches, etc. The more common layouts have been given specific «Mode» numbers. Mode 1 and Mode 2 (shown below) differ only in the placement of the throttle.

The choice of mode is largely one of taste (Mode 2 is more popular).

# Remote Control Units for Ground Vehicles

An Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/car minimally requires a 2 channel transmitter in order to send the values for steering and speed. Commonly transmitters set these values using a wheel and trigger, two single-axis control sticks, or a single dual-axis control stick.

There is nothing to stop you using more channels/control mechanisms, and these can be very useful for engaging additional actuators and autopilot modes.

# Choosing RC System Components

You will need to select a transmitter/receiver pair that are compatible with each other. In addition, receivers have to be compatible with PX4 and the flight controller hardware.

Compatible radio systems are often sold together. For example, FrSky Taranis X9D and FrSky X8R

(opens new window) are a popular combination.

# Transmitter/Receiver Pairs

One of the most popular RC units is the FrSky Taranis X9D. It has an internal transmitter module can be used with the recommended FrSky X4R-SB (S-BUS, low delay) or X4R (PPM-Sum, legacy) receivers out of the box. It also has a custom radio transmitter module slot and customizable open source OpenTX Firmware.

This remote control unit can display vehicle telemetry when used with FrSky radio modules.

Other popular transmitter/receiver pairs

433MHz: ImmersionRC EzUHF set with a compatible remote (e.g. Taranis)

# PX4-Compatible Receivers

In addition to the transmitter/receiver pairs being compatible, the receiver must also be compatible with PX4 and the flight controller hardware.

PX4 and Pixhawk have been validated with:

# Connecting Receivers

As general guidance, receivers connect to the flight controller using the port appropriate to their supported protocol:

(opens new window) (PPM-Sum receivers use a single signal wire for all channels).

Instructions for connecting to specific flight controllers are given in the following quick-start guides:

See the manufacturer’s flight controller setup guide for additional information.

# Binding Transmitter/Receiver

Before you can calibrate/use a radio system you must bind the receiver and transmitter so that they communicate only with each other. The process for binding a transmitter and receiver pair is hardware specific (see your manual for instructions).

If you are using a Spektrum receiver, you can put it into bind mode using QGroundControl: Radio Setup > Spectrum Bind.

# Set Signal-Loss Behaviour

RC receivers have different ways of indicating signal loss:

Choose a receiver that can emit nothing (preferred) when RC is lost, or a low throttle value. This behaviour may require hardware configuration of the receiver (check the manual).

Английский язык, ответы на вопросы

Помогите ответить хотя бы на часть следующий вопросов из курса общетехнического английского:
Motion
1. What is a land vehicle? What directions can it move in?

2. What is an air vehicle? What directions can it move in?

3. Which directions can helicopters fly? What directions can’t it fly and/or rotate?

4. Which directions can/ can’t planes fly?

5. Can a helicopter fly sideways? What directions can it fly in?

6. Name parts of the control panel in a car. Explain their functions.
7. How to use a remote control transmitter for model plane/model car?

8. How can you control the movement of a car?

9. What directions do you know in English?

10. What words are used to describe movement?

11. What is the difference in robot arm and human arm movements?

12. How does the heating system work? What are the parts of a typical house heating system? How does water move in this system?

13. What is a valve?

14. What is an inlet?

15. How does the car cooling system work?

16. What parts does a car cooling system have?

17. What parts of a water-cooling system do you know?

18. What is a solar panel and how does it work?
19. Where and why are heating/cooling systems used?

20. What is an electrical circuit? What are its parts?

21. How are materials classified?

22. Give the opposites for: rigid, hard, weak, conductive.

23. What types of materials do you know? Give the examples.
24. What metals do you know? Name their properties.
25. What materials are flexible? Hard? Rigid?

26. What is a composite? Give some examples.

27. How can you test glass? How can you test plastic?

28. What is an alloy? How can you test alloy? Give some examples of alloys

29. What is fiberglass? What are the properties of fiberglass?

30. What is ferrous metal? What is nonferrous metal?

31. How can you test rubber? Is it a pure material or a composite?

32. Translate the following words: to break, to melt, conductive. How can you test metals?

33. Translate the following words: properties, flexible, conductive. What properties does steel have?

34. Translate the following words: tough, brittle, to solute. How can you test fiberglass?

35. Name 3 rigid materials.

36. What can you do with rubber? (Can you burn, crack, break etc. it?)

37. Where is plastic used?

38. What materials do you use in your project? Why?

39. What are composite materials and what are their properties?

40. What can you do with fibreglass? (Can you burn, crack, break etc. it?)

41. What different materials do you know? Name at least 5 materials.
42. Name 3 brittle materials.

43. How can you test the properties of different materials?

44. Where is rubber used?

45. What are the properties of ceramic?

46. Name 5 different properties of materials.

47. Characterize properties of ceramic.

На вот сколько есть. А дальше я устал

21. How are materials classified?
Materials can be classified into four main groups: metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites.

25. What materials are flexible? Hard? Rigid?
lithium, Potassium are flexible
Tungsten is Hard
manganese; Chromium are Rigid

27. How can you test glass? How can you test plastic?

28. What is an alloy? How can you test alloy? Give some examples of alloys
A metal alloy is a substance that combines more than one metal or mixes a metal with other non-metallic elements. In order to determine the chemical composition of an alloy a lot of chemical methods can be used e.g. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) or optical emission spectroscopy (OES).

29. What is fiberglass? What are the properties of fiberglass?
Fiberglass is considered to be a strong, lightweight material that consists of thin fibers of glass that can be transformed into a woven layer or used as reinforcement. Fiberglass is versatile and has shown excellent strength, low weight, bendability and dimensional stability.

30. What is ferrous metal? What is nonferrous metal?
A ferrous metal is any metal that is primarily composed of iron and has magnetic properties.
non-ferrous metals are metals or alloys that do not contain iron in appreciable amounts.

31. How can you test rubber? Is it a pure material or a composite?
Rubber is a pure material that can be produced naturally from various plant sources or synthetically through a variety of chemical processes.
Rubber are usualy tested using various tension, compression, and adhesion tests.

35. Name 3 rigid materials.
Diamond, boron nitride, tungsten carbide are the most rigid on the Earth.

36. What can you do with rubber? (Can you burn, crack, break etc. it?)
Rubber can be burnt, torn apart, folded

37. Where is plastic used?
Plastic is a very versatile material that can be literally found everywhere. Some examples of its use: in packaging (PP, PE, PETF), in building and construction (styrofoam as an insulation), in consumer products (toothbrush, comb), in textiles (Polyester, nylon), in electrical industry (PVC).

38. What materials do you use in your project? Why?
I prefer to use some epoxy resin in my projects. It’s a very versitile material. It can be used as a very strong adhesive or can be casted in molds to craft some small things, details or parts. The process of casting is very easy, not time-consuming and cheap.

Typical properties of ceramics

High hardness
High elastic modulus
Low ductility
High dimensional stability
Good wear resistance
High resistance to corrosion and chemical attack
High weather resistance
High melting point
High working temperature
Low thermal expansion
Low to medium thermal conductivity
Good electrical insulation
Low to medium tensile strength
High compressive strength
Medium machinability
Opacity
Brittleness
Poor impact strength
Low thermal shock resistance

How Radio Controlled Toys Work

By: Jeff Tyson | Updated: Mar 30, 2021

You have probably seen the ads on Saturday morning television proclaiming the amazing abilities of the «Super Ultra Road-rippin’ Devastator» or some other radio controlled (RC) car. And you may have seen people at the park flying a model airplane or blimp, or controlling a miniature boat sailing serenely across a pond.

In this article, you will learn all about radio control. You will find out what frequencies are used for RC toys, what the different components are and how they all work together. You will also learn what the difference between radio control and remote control is when talking about toys or models.

Types of RC Toys

RC toys come in a large variety of models, including:

While the mechanics of how they operate can differ greatly between different toys, the basic principle is the same. All radio controlled toys have four main parts:

The transmitter sends a control signal to the receiver using radio waves (see How Radio Works for details), which then drives a motor, causing a specific action to occur. The motor in a car may cause the wheels to turn, while the motor in a plane may adjust the flaps. The power source is typically a rechargeable battery pack, but sometimes it’s just normal batteries.

In many of the RC toys, the radio controlled motor provides guidance while another source of power provides the locomotion. Here are some examples:

Now let’s take a closer look at each of the main components. ­

Visit Consumer Guide and check out radio controlled cars, radio controlled boats, radio controlled hovercrafts, radio controlled tanks, radio controlled planes, radio controlled helicopters and even radio controll insects. Or build your own with a radio controlled toy kit.

RC Toy Transmitter

RC toys typically have a small handheld device that includes some type of controls and the radio transmitter. The transmitter sends a signal over a frequency to the receiver in the toy. The transmitter has a power source, usually a 9-volt battery, that provides the power for the controls and transmission of the signal. The key difference between radio controlled and remote controlled toys is that remote controlled toys have a wire connecting the controller and the toy, while radio control is always wireless.

Most RC toys operate at either 27 MHz or 49 MHz. This pair of frequencies has been allocated by the FCC for basic consumer items, such as garage door openers, walkie-talkies and RC toys. Advanced RC models, such as the more sophisticated RC airplanes, use 72-MHz or 75-MHz frequencies.

The majority of RC toys are labeled with the frequency range they operate in. For example, the RC truck below has a label designating it as a 27-MHz model.

Most RC toy manufacturers make versions of each model for both frequency ranges (27 MHz and 49 MHz). That way, you can operate two of the same model simultaneously, for racing or playing together, without having to deal with interference between the two transmitters. Some manufacturers also provide more specific information about the exact portion of the frequency band that the toy operates in. A good example is Nikko of America, who offers the option to create racing sets of up to six toys with each model tuned to a different part of the 27-MHz frequency range.

Transmitters range from single-function simple controllers to full-function controllers with a wide range of options. An example of a single-function controller is one that makes the toy go forward when the trigger is pressed and backward when it is released. To stop the toy, you have to actually turn it off.

Most full-function controllers have six controls:

In most full-function controllers, not pressing any buttons or turning any knobs causes the toy to stop and await further commands. Controllers for more advanced RC systems often use dual joysticks with several levels of response for precise control.

Is it feasible to use an RC car transmitter/receiver to control an RC plane?

I am a beginner to the hobby and I’ve been constructing chuck gliders out of foam board and card for a few years. I’d like to start making models that I can control, but I don’t have much of a budget. I do, however, have a hobby-grade RC car with a receiver/esc/servo combo and matching transmitter. I am planning on removing this unit and using it to control the one channel (pitch) of a foam board glider. Is this a feasible idea? What are some major problems I might come across?

3 Answers 3

Let’s take a look at what parts from the RC car we might be able to reuse for an RC plane. You haven’t shared any specific details about the RC car you’re looking to salvage parts from or the RC plane you’re trying to build, so I’m not able to make a specific analysis.

RC Transmitter and Receiver

One major concern is how many analog channels the RC car control system has. analog channels allow you to vary the control signal through its range of motion as opposed to having the channel just be on or off. AFAIK most RC cars only have two channels (throttle and steering) and you’ll need 4-6 channels to control an RC plane (ailerons, elevator, rudder, throttle, any aux channels you may need). You probably won’t be able to reuse the RC TX/RX if it doesn’t have >=4 analog channels.

The RC transmitter might also be less than ideal for RC aircraft control. If you have one of the pistol-grip type devices, like this one from Radiolink, you might find that operating the plane becomes cumbersome even if it has enough analog channels.

Most RC aircraft controllers are shaped quite differently for ergonomic reasons, like this one:

The major factor to consider here is the current rating of the RC car ESC. Depending on the size plane you plan to pair it with, you may need an ESC capable of supplying >20-30 amps of current to the propeller’s driving motor.

Assuming that the current rating for the ESC is adequate, the chances are good you’ll be able to reuse the RC car ESC.

BLDC Motor

This is something you didn’t ask about in your question, but I thought it would be good to mention anyway. It’s possible you may be able to reuse the drive motor to power the propeller, although it’s difficult to give a more specific answer without knowing more about the RC car and airplane.

As @JacobB notes:

Most RC cars use comparatively low voltage batteries (2-3s) and have a spur and pinion gear to create the necessary torque.

And because many RC cars use brushed motors (and the ones that are brushless have high Kv, like 4000 or 5000), having the motor attached directly to a propeller would likely result in either a severe lack of power and/or extremely inefficient performance.

Servos

Servos are rated for how much deflection they can provide (e.g. 45°, 90°, 180°, 360°, continuous/infinite rotation) and how much force/torque they can deliver. Again depending on the size of the aircraft you want to control, the servos you find in your RC car may be too small to control the aerodynamic surfaces of your plane.

The aerodynamic surfaces on a plane can experience decently strong forces in-flight, so it’s important to make sure your servos are appropriately sized and can maintain control.

Back in the early days of RC, people only had single channel radios, and vintage models were designed to be flown with only the rudder (and a small amount of fuel in the tank to limit the maximum height).

Vintage models were typically high-wing with lots of dihedral and a forward CG to make them very stable. Car RC gear should be fine in this sort of model, and they also make good trainers.

You can buy prop adapters that will fit the shaft of the motor; the shaft sizes are a fairly standard range of sizes.

Also, check the frequency of your radio is legal for air use in your country. In particular, 40MHz is for ground use only in the UK. In the US 72 was for air use and 75MHz for ground use. 2.4GHz can be used for air or ground in most countries.

RC Car transmitters explained : An overview guide

Tom Begglesworth 11 August 2019

Remote controller, transmitter, radio controller, whatever you call them they are core to the enjoyment of any model. In this article we take a look at the variations out there, how they work and how they can be adjusted to get the most from your car.

Transmitter types

When it comes to remotely controlling your RC car there several options available, but by far the two most popular ones are:

Pistol Grip transmitter

As the name suggests, these have a ‘hand-gun’ style layout. The trigger operates the throttle whilst the wheel mounted on the side is in charge of the steering. Typically the batteries are held in the butt of the handle for weight balance. Whilst not always suited to left-handed operators, when it comes to controlling RC cars, the trend has moved towards this style of transmitter thanks to the compact, ergonomic profile and self-centering rotating steering input.

Stick transmitter

Drone pilots and RC enthusiasts of a certain age will be more familiar with stick controllers. Highly configurable (and adjustable) these controllers feature two input ‘thumb/joy’ sticks that provide a two-dimensional input. These devices tend to be more expensive and aren’t as intuitive to use for novices.

Transmitter Channels

Traditionally channel one would be connected to your steering servo and channel two linked to your speed controller to control the throttle. On sets with a third or fourth channel, this tend to be reserved for remotely operating lights or a winch.

Transmitting over 2.4Ghz

To remotely operate your model a robust wireless data link needs to exist between your hand controls and the model. The days of using narrow-band 27/35/40 Mhz crystals (with their propensity to interference) are thankfully behind us.

Modern digital radio systems employ direct sequence or automatic frequency hopping technologies to distribute their transmissions over a wider selection of frequencies (or in the case of frequency hopping, completely different channels) in the 2.4Ghz spectrum. These systems are incredibly robust, resistant to interference and provide impressive range despite their compact external antennas.

Binding a transmitter

The majority of transmitters that arrive bundled with models come pre-bound (already connected) to their respective receivers, but should you ever need to replace components in the package, you will need to follow these steps to rebind them. For this you will need a charged battery in the model, the receiver accessible (remove the lid etc) and charged batteries in the transmitter.

Syncro System (Kyosho)

The Syncro system is used on the Outlaw Rampage, Fazer Rage, the Fazer T1 drift car and many more. Using the included binding stick, hold down the bind button whilst powering up the model, the transmitter LED will flash quickly, turn the transmitter on before releasing the bind button. The receiver LED will re-light to confirm. Full details can be found in the PDF manual.

TQi Top Qualifier (Traxxas)

Traxxas’ radio is a fantastic highly-ergonomic high-performance system found on the TRX-4 Land Rover and Merc G500, through their Unlimited Desert Racer up to the top end X-Maxx. To rebind this radio press and hold the red set button on the top of the transmitter as you turn it on, the led should flash red slowly and you can then release the set button. On the receiver end press and hold the link button as you turn on the speed controller (power up the model) then release it when powered up. Both the transmitter and receiver lights should turn green for successful confirmation. See the model manual PDF for further details.

Tactic TTX300 Binding (Axial)

This is the transmitter and receiver system currently found on the RTR Axial SCX10ii. To bind it you power up the transmitter, power up the receiver (turn on the car), push and hold the ‘link’ button (found on the receiver box) until it turns red before shortly turning off. The receiver LED will then flash once and then return to a solid on. Full instructions are available in the Tactic manual available as a PDF here.

Transmitter adjustments

Transmitters feature adjustment controls that alter the signals the receiver controls the model with. These refinements allow the driver to remotely alter things like the steering dead point and how sensitive the steering or throttle controls are.

High-end radios from Spektrum or Flysky may include a backlit LCD to assist with adjusting the settings, but the vast majority rely on potentiometer dials for alterations as seen on the controllers above.

Trim Adjustment

Trim adjustment allows you to finely tune the inputs from your transmitter. Its the dial you reach for when your RC car isn’t tracking straight. In the example below we have the trim adjusted anti-clockwise to rotate the steering wheels left, compensating for a servo/servo-horn fitted a spline or so out. Note that the steering is moving without any input.

Trims are also relevant for throttle, adjusting the neutral position to ensure the car doesn’t accelerate or reverse by itself. They are especially useful for refining inputs on transmitters that offer a physical ratio adjustment (50:50 to 30:70) in the throttle.

Dual Rate Adjustment

In terms of analogue adjustment on RC Cars, rate adjustment will scale and cap the input. It adjusts the ‘throw’ of the input, meaning the entire travel of the steering/throttle inputs are in use but they are scaled down. With the dual rate turned right down on the throttle, ‘hammering the gas’ will result in the transmitter telling the ESC to go say 30% throttle. Similarly for steering, winding the wheel all the way over will only give a fraction of the steering angle it normally would.

Such adjustment is useful when driving a car at higher speeds (without any gyro assist or traction control) where extreme steering-angle changes would result in loss of control. Whenever we are attempting a top speed run in our carpark we will always dial the steering dual rate down to avoid this.

As mentioned the concept also applies to dual rate adjustment of throttle. Throttle dual rate adjustment can be used to cap power when driving on particularly loose surfaces, or when you let a beginner drive a powerful RC car.

Reverse switches

This is pretty self explanatory, flicking this will reverse the signal sent from the transmitter to the receiver. If you find your car is turning left when you rotate the dial right, reversing CH1 will fix the issue right away.

End-point Adjustment

End points can be adjusted individually for left and right, as well as forward and back. If you feel your car doesn’t turn as far left as it does right this can be employed to fix that. More commonly this is adjusted to ensure your rc car is going ‘full throttle’ with the transmitter trigger held ‘at full throw’. If you feel your car isn’t going as quickly as it should, after checking the battery/ESC/wiring it is worth checking your end points are set correctly.

If your transmitter does not have manual end point adjustment it is often possible to configure it on the transmitter by entering a programming mode. These typically have you holding your throttle/steering at that desired point before pressing a button on the receiver and setting the next end point, etc. See your model manual for more information.

Exponential Adjustment

Found on higher-end controllers, an exponential adjustment will allow you to modify the behaviour of your transmitter inputs. Perhaps you would like to soften the initial steering input without sacrificing the full steering lock, making the car more stable when inputting slight steering adjustments at high speed. You could use an exponential adjustment to slow the initial values up to say half a turn of the steering wheel, before scaling the last half of the steering rotation to provide the remaining 80% of the steering angle.

Powering up

The majority of transmitters have a power switch to turn them on and an LED to show their power status. Often this light can tell you if the battery of the transmitter is low or if the connection status is changing, refer to your manual for further clarification. It is important to ensure you power down your transmitter as few have warning buzzers or power-down timeouts.

Most transmitters accept four AA batteries (some more advanced models needing the 12v of eight batteries) however many of the premium transmitters now feature removable battery trays. Once you have identified the (often JST) style of connector, these can be replaced with larger-capacity rechargeable NiMH battery packs.

Advanced transmitter features

The majority of us use the bundled transmitter that comes with our models, but there are advantages (beyond custom batteries and improved comfort) in purchasing a higher-end transmitter from the likes of Spektrum.

Multi model support

Professional transmitters often feature profiles, allowing you to bind the controller to multiple models, each with their own setup and refinements. This also means less to carry when heading out with more than one car, not to mention less batteries to find.

Simulator support

Higher end models feature a USB port for updating their firmware, but some like Flysky’s GT3B will also allow you to use the controller as a PC controller. This allows you to master driving with your transmitter in a virtual simulator game environment, without the risk of trashing your expensive RC car!

RC Fail safe

More relevant to the receiver than the transmitter, many models feature a ‘fail safe‘ fall-back mode. Should the connection between the transmitter and receiver be interrupted (such as driving out of range, the transmitter batteries failing, breaking the transmitter due to a fall and so on) the receiver will return the signals to the ESC and servo to neutral, effectively stopping the model from driving any further.

You can safely test (or discover the existence of) your model’s fail-safe by placing it ‘wheels up’, accelerating so the car wheels spin before turning off the transmitter with the throttle still applied.

RC Geeks : RC Enthusiasts

If you are looking to purchase an advanced transmitter for your RC car, check our range of spektrum controllers, in particular the DX5 units.

We are currently producing a series of short guide articles aimed at novices to the RC scene, browse our site to learn more. Alternatively, if you have a topic you’d like us to tackle or explain, or have spotted any errors or emissions leave a suggestion in our comments section below.