Inside a Cheapo Toy Grade RC Car

The car operates at 27 MHz. There is no channel selection option so running two cars near each other will result in interference. 3 AA batteries are required for the car and 2 AA for the controller.

This cheap RC uses two 1.5 DC motors for the forward and backward movement and for turning the car sideways. A simple arrangement of gears takes the high speed of the rear motor and slows it down.

There is no servo for steering. A motor with gear and a simple gear reduction system is used to steer the car left or right. A linkage puts the wheels on an angle. A spring centers everything. It cannot do angles in between.

The cheapo R/C vehicle responds to commands at distances of 5-10 metres. You can see what the transmitter contains. There are trottle and steering contacts, antenna and battery connections. When one of the two metal strips makes contact on the board, it will complete the circuit.

It is not a hobby-grade electric RC truck. There is a circuit board instead of a receiver and speed controller with wires running to the front and rear motors, to the battery and working lights for a night driving.

HX703 3.5 Channel Infrared RC Toy Helicopter

What is great about toy RC helicopters is they are inexpensive. With low mass, they do not break easily, sturdy enough to withstand crashes. Hitting objects, most of the time, will not be a big issue. Designed for kids and beginners, toy radio controlled helicopters come with limited controls. However, they still offer lots of fun. This V-MAX alloy model costs less than $30. It will not last long, depending of course on how it is treated. The half channel refers to a light switch.

The all-up weight is 53 gram. It measures 260mm (L) x 195mm (W) x 120mm (H). The small flying device is ready to fly straight from the box. Just charge up the battery for 30 minutes, and you can start flying. No assembly is required. When you plug in the included adapter to the charging port of the heli, a red led goes on until is fully charged. Powered by a lightweight lithium polymer battery (3.7V 180mAh), it has a flight time of 10 minutes. The transmitter uses 6 AA batteries.

A number of functions is available that include forward/backward, ascending/descending, and turn left/right. The 3.5 channel toy-grade RC heli comes equipped with two counter-rotating main rotors for more stable flight. The dual main rotors provide Z-axis movement and level turning. Increasing RPM to only one rotor allows the heli to turn left or right. Two separate motors control the main rotors. Located in the tail is a small rotor that points upward rather than sideways. It is used for going forward and backwards. Simple controls and slower speed make it easy to fly.

It uses infrared (IR) remote control rather than radio. The downside of infrared based RC helis is they are very susceptible to interference. They cannot be flown outdoors since sunlight is full of IR light. Never fly it behind an obstruction. It must be flown in line of sight. The range of the HX703 3.5 Channel RC is limited to about 30 ft. It has a channel selector in the TX. According to the seller you can fly up to 3 helicopters together at any one time.

The gyro stabilization system makes flying easier for first time flyers. The controls have relatively slow response. Spot landings are not so easy. Furthermore, it cannot fly sideways. Do not compare it with a 6-channel acrobatic collective pitch heli. That being said, the indoor electric heli is still a good starting point. In addition to the charger cable, the box also contains a spare rear propeller. There is a small compartment on the back of the controller for storing a tiny cord to charge the heli battery in case there is no AC wall socket.