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{{Short description|Scale model steered using radio control}}
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[[File:97rcsonn2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|1:10 scale [[radio-controlled car]]<br />([[Saab Sonett|Saab Sonett II]])]]
A '''radio-controlled model''' (or RC model) is a [[Physical model|model]] that is [[steering|steerable]] with the use of [[radio control]]. All types of model [[vehicle]]s have had RC systems installed in them, including [[radio-controlled car|ground vehicle]]s, [[radio-controlled boat|boat]]s, [[radio-controlled airplane|planes]], [[Radio-controlled helicopter|helicopters]] and even [[radio-controlled submarine|submarines]] and scale railway locomotives.▼
▲A '''radio-controlled model''' (or '''RC model''') is a [[Physical model|model]] that is [[steering|steerable]] with the use of [[radio control]] (RC). All types of model [[vehicle]]s have had RC systems installed in them, including [[radio-controlled car|ground vehicle]]s, [[radio-controlled boat|boat]]s, [[radio-controlled airplane|planes]], [[Radio-controlled helicopter|helicopters]] and even [[radio-controlled submarine|submarines]] and scale railway locomotives.
== History ==▼
▲== History ==
Originally simple 'on-off' systems, these evolved to use complex systems of [[relay]]s to control a rubber powered [[Servo (radio control)#Escapements|escapement's]] speed and direction. In another more sophisticated version developed by the Good brothers called TTPW, information was encoded by varying the signal's [[mark/space ratio]] (pulse proportional). Commercial versions of these systems quickly became available. The [[reed receiver|tuned reed]] system brought new sophistication, using metal reeds to resonate with the transmitted signal and operate one of a number of different relays. In the 1960s the availability of [[transistor]]-based equipment led to the rapid development of fully proportional [[servomechanism|servo]]-based [[proportional control|"digital proportional"]] systems, achieved initially with discrete components, again driven largely by amateurs but resulting in commercial products.<!-- such as? ... --> In the 1970s, integrated circuits made the electronics small, light and cheap enough for the 1960s-established multi-channel digital proportional systems to become much more widely available.
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Before radio control, many models would use simple burning fuses or clockwork mechanisms to control flight or sailing times. Sometimes clockwork controllers would also control and vary direction or behaviour. Other methods included tethering to a central point (popular for model cars and hydroplanes), [[Round-the-pole flying|round the pole]] control for electric model aircraft and [[control line]]s (called u-control in the US) for [[internal combustion]] powered aircraft.
The first general use of radio control systems in models started in the late 1940s with single-channel self-built equipment; commercial equipment came soon thereafter. Initially remote control systems used [[escapement (radio control)|escapement]], (often rubber driven) mechanical actuation in the model. Commercial sets often used ground standing transmitters, long whip antennas with separate ground poles and single vacuum tube receivers. The first kits had dual tubes for more selectivity. Such early systems were invariably [[Regenerative circuit#
The advent of [[transistor]]s greatly reduced the battery requirements, since the current requirements at low voltage were greatly reduced and the high voltage battery was eliminated. Low cost systems employed a superregenerative transistor receiver sensitive to a specific audio tone modulation, the latter greatly reducing interference from 27 MHz [[Citizens' band radio]] communications on nearby frequencies. Use of an output transistor further increased reliability by eliminating the sensitive output [[relay]], a device subject to both motor-induced vibration and stray dust contamination.
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In the late 1950s, RC hobbyists had mastered tricks to manage proportional control of the flight control surfaces, for example by rapidly switching on and off reed systems, a technique called "skillful blipping" or more humorously "nervous proportional".<ref>{{Cite web|title = Special Exhibit 11 : First Proportional? Doig's Ulti Multi|url = http://www.radiocontrolhalloffame.org/Exhibits/Exhibit11/index.html|website = www.radiocontrolhalloffame.org|access-date = 2016-01-29}}</ref>
By the early 1960s transistors had replaced the tube and electric motors driving control surfaces were more common. The first low cost "proportional" systems did not use servos, but rather employed a bidirectional motor with a proportional pulse train that consisted of two tones, pulse-width modulated (TTPW). This system, and another commonly known as "Kicking Duck/Galloping Ghost", was driven with a pulse train that caused the rudder and elevator to "wag" though a small angle (not affecting flight owing to small excursions and high speed), with the average position determined by the proportions of the pulse train. A more sophisticated and unique proportional system
[[Crystal oscillator]] [[superheterodyne receiver]]s with better selectivity and stability made control equipment more capable and at lower cost. The constantly diminishing equipment weight was crucial to ever increasing modelling applications. Superheterodyne circuits became more common, enabling several transmitters to operate closely together and enabling further rejection of interference from adjacent Citizen's Band voice radio bands.
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PWM is most commonly used in radio control equipment today, where transmitter controls change the width (duration) of the pulse for that channel between 920 [[microsecond|μs]] and 2120 μs, 1520 μs being the center (neutral) position. The pulse is repeated in a frame of between 10 and 30 [[millisecond]]s in length. Off-the-shelf servos respond directly to [[servo control]] pulse trains of this type using integrated decoder circuits, and in response they actuate a rotating arm or lever on the top of the servo. An [[electric motor]] and reduction [[gear]]box is used to drive the output arm and a variable component such as a resistor "[[potentiometer]]" or tuning capacitor. The variable capacitor or resistor produces an error signal voltage proportional to the output position which is then compared with the position commanded by the input pulse and the motor is driven until a match is obtained. The pulse trains representing the whole set of channels is easily decoded into separate channels at the receiver using very simple circuits such as a [[Counter (digital)|Johnson counter]]. The relative simplicity of this system allows receivers to be small and light, and has been widely used since the early 1970s.
Usually a single-chip [[4017#4017 decade counter|4017 decade counter]] is used inside the receiver to decode the transmitted multiplexed PPM signal to the individual "RC PWM" signals sent to each [[Servomechanism#RC servos|RC servo]].<ref>Achim Walther.
[http://www.voidpointer.de/servoswitch/index_en.html "Servo Switch"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425123651/http://www.voidpointer.de/servoswitch/index_en.html |date=2012-04-25 }}.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.circuitstoday.com/remote-control-circuit-through-rf-without-microcontroller|title=Remote Control Circuit Through RF Without Microcontroller|date=January 3, 2011}}</ref><ref>
[http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/norcimradiocontrol/Radio6.htm "Radio control transmitter encoder circuit, uses bog standard components" ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122010641/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/norcimradiocontrol/Radio6.htm |date=2012-01-22 }}</ref>
Often a Signetics NE544 IC or a functionally equivalent chip is used inside the housing of low-cost [[Servo (radio control)|RC servos]] as the [[motor controller]]—it decodes that servo control pulse train to a position, and drives the motor to that position.<ref>
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Typically the transmitter [[Multiplexer|multiplexes]] and modulates the signal into [[pulse-position modulation]]. The receiver demodulates and demultiplexes the signal and translates it into the special kind of [[pulse-width modulation]] used by standard [[servomechanism#RC servos|RC servos]] and controllers.
In the 1980s, a Japanese electronics company, [[Futaba RC|Futaba]], copied wheeled steering for RC cars. It was originally developed
== Mass production ==
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{{main article|Radio-controlled aircraft}}
Radio-controlled aircraft (also called RC aircraft) are small [[fixed-wing aircraft|aircraft]] that can be controlled remotely. There are many different types, ranging from small park flyers to large jets and mid-sized aerobatic models.
The aircraft use many different methods of propulsion, ranging from brushed or brushless electric motors, to internal combustion engines, to the most expensive [[gas turbine]]s. The fastest aircraft, dynamic slope soarers, can reach speeds of over {{convert|450|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} by [[dynamic soaring]], repeatedly circling through the gradient of wind speeds over a ridge or slope.<ref>[http://www.hsl.org.au/articles/ds.pdf | ''Dynamic soaring- the challenge'', by Klaus Weiss , retrieved 2011 06 27]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Newer jets can achieve above {{convert|300|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} in a short distance.
===Tanks===
Radio-controlled tanks are replicas of armored fighting vehicles that can move, rotate the turret and some even shoot all by using the hand-held transmitter. Radio-controlled tanks are produced in numerous scale size for commercial offerings like:
1/35th scale. Probably the best known make in this scale is by [[Tamiya Corporation|Tamiya]].
1/24 scale. This scale often includes a mounted [[Airsoft]]gun, the possibly the best offering is by Tokyo-Marui, but there are imitations by Heng Long, who offer cheap remakes of the tanks. The downsides to the Heng Long imitations are that they were standardized to their [[Type 90 Kyū-maru|Type 90]] tank which has 6 road wheels, then they produced a Leopard 2 and M1A2 Abrams on the same chassis but both of the tanks have 7 road wheels.
1/16 scale is the more intimidating vehicle design scale. [[Tamiya Corporation|Tamiya]] produce some of the best of this scale, these usually include realistic features like flashing lights, engine sounds, main gun recoil and - on their [[Leopard 2A6]] - an optional gyro-stabilization system for the gun. Chinese manufacturers such as ([[Heng Long]] and [[Matorro]]) also produce a variety of high-quality 1/16 tanks and other AFVs.<ref>[https://
Both the [[Tamiya Corporation|Tamiya]] and the Heng Long vehicles can make use of an [[Infra Red]] battle system, which attaches a small IR "gun" and target to the tanks, allowing them to engage in direct battle.
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As with cars, tanks can come from ready to run to a full assembly kit.
In more private offerings there are 1/6 and 1/4 scale vehicles available. The largest RC tank available anywhere in the world is the [[King tiger]] in 1/4 scale, over {{convert|8|ft}} long. These GRP fiberglass tanks were originally created and produced by Alex Shlakhter
=== Cars ===
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=== Combat robotics ===
{{main article|Robot combat}}
The majority of robots used in shows such as [[Battlebots]] and
== Power ==
=== Internal combustion ===
[[Internal combustion engine]]s for remote control models have typically been [[two stroke]] engines that run on specially blended fuel. Engine sizes are typically given in cm
Since 1976, practical "glow" ignition [[four-stroke cycle|four stroke]] model engines have been available on the market, ranging in size from 3.5 cm
Glow engines tend to produce large amounts of oily mess due to the oil in the fuel. They are also much louder than electric motors.
Another alternative is the gasoline engine. While glow engines run on special and expensive hobby fuel, gasoline runs on the same fuel that powers cars, lawnmowers, weed whackers etc. These typically run on a two-stroke cycle, but are radically different from glow two-stroke engines. They are typically much, much larger, like the 80 cm
=== Electrical ===
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In aircraft, cars, trucks and boats, glow and gas engines are still used even though electric power has been the most common form of power for a while. The following picture shows a typical brushless motor and speed controller used with radio controlled cars. As you can see, due to the integrated heat sink, the speed controller is almost as large as the motor itself. Due to size and weight limitations, heat sinks are not common in RC aircraft [[electronic speed controller]] (ESCs), therefore the ESC is almost always smaller than the motor.
== Controlling methods ==
Remote Control:
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Phone and tablet control:
With the influence of touch screen devices mostly phones and tablets many RC vehicles can be controlled from any Apple or Android devices. On the operating system store is an app specifically for that particular RC model. The controls are almost identical to those on a physically used remote control when using virtual remote control but sometimes can vary from an actual controller depending on the type of vehicle. The device is not included with the vehicle set but the box does come with
[[File:dc motor and controller.jpg]]
== See also ==
* [[Anderson Powerpole]] connector▼
* [[JST connector]]
▲* [[Anderson Powerpole]] connector
* [[Drone racing]]
* [[Model yachting]]
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{{Commons category|Remote-controlled models}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Radio-controlled models}}
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