Radio-controlled model: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:11, 30 July 2023

Revision as of 21:25, 4 September 2023

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Radio control has been around since [[Nikola Tesla]] demonstrated a remote control boat in 1898. [[World War II]] saw increased development in radio control technology. The [[Luftwaffe]] used controllable winged bombs for targeting [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] ships. During the 1930s the Good brothers Bill and Walt pioneered [[vacuum tube]] based control units for R/C hobby use. Their "Guff" radio controlled plane is on display at the National Aerospace museum. Ed Lorenze published a design in Model Airplane News that was built by many hobbyists. Later, after WW2, in the late 1940s to mid 1950 many other R/C designs emerged and some were sold commercially, Berkeley's Super Aerotrol, was one such example.

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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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 was developed by Hershel Toomin of Electrosolids corporation called the Space Control. This benchmark system used two tones, pulse width and rate modulated to drive 4 fully proportional servos, and was manufactured and refined by Zel Ritchie, who ultimately gave the technology to the Dunhams of Orbit in 1964. The system was widely imitated, and others (Sampey, ACL, DeeBee) tried their hand at developing what was then known as analog proportional. But these early analog proportional radios were very expensive, putting them out of the reach for most modelers. Eventually, single-channel gave way to multi channel devices (at significantly higher cost) with various audio tones driving electromagnets affecting tuned resonant reeds for channel selection.

[[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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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 by Orbit for a transmitter specially designed for Associated cars It has been widely accepted along with a [[wikt:trigger|trigger]] control for [[throttle]]. Often configured for right hand users, the transmitter looks like a pistol with a wheel attached on its right side. Pulling the trigger would accelerate the car forward, while pushing it would either stop the car or cause it to go into reverse. Some models are available in left-handed versions.

== Mass production ==

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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://rctanks.net/| RC Tank All In One Website]</ref>

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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=== Combat robotics ===

{{main article|Robot combat}}

The majority of robots used in shows such as [[Battlebots]] and [[Robot Wars (TV series)|Robot Wars]] are remotely controlled, relying on most of the same electronics as other radio-controlled vehicles. They are frequently equipped with weapons for the purpose of damaging opponents, including but not limited to hammering axes, "flippers" and spinners.

== Power ==

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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: