Remote Control Helicopter Modes

At this stage we have highlighted two key points regarding the control system of a remote control helicopter

1. You should not purchase a remote control helicopter with less than 4 channels
2. You should only consider rc helicopters that operate on the 2.4GHz frequency

The next TX characteristic we will discuss is the mode setting. This should be outlined in the spec for the  particular helicopters you are considering.

The main two options are mode 1 or mode 2 and most helicopters come set up using mode 2 .

On mode two, the left “stick controls the throttle and yaw and the right stick fore / aft and left / right. This configuration is the same as you would find in a real helicopter.

No mode is better than the other. The fact that most helicopters are sold in mode 2 is more convention than  a statement of quality. It is highly unlikely that once you start flying on one mode that you will change. It is a difficult transition and it offers no advantages.

If you do find that the helicopter you purchase is set up in a mode not to your liking it is still posible to change the setting using the TX.

As you can see the mode setiing is not a crtial factor but you should certainly be aware of what it is and how it can be  changed.

RC Helicopter – Transmitter Configuration

As we suggested in our last post there are certain things relating to the control system that you should clarify before deciding to purchase any particular remote control helicopter. The first is the frequency at which the transmitter works. We  recommended that it should operate using the 2.4GHz frequency

The second thing you should check is the number of controls / channels. Very often you will see references made to the number of channels that a rc helicopter has. This refers to the number of control inputs that are available. We highly recommend that you do not buy a helicopter that has less than 4 channels. Anything with less than 4 channels will be very basic and should be classified  as a toy and is certainly not a hobby grade remote control helicopter.

The TX for a 4+ channel heli will have two sticks and each stick will control two channels. These are the primary controls. The TX will also have other trims and toggles on the top of the TX casing.

On a 4+ channel TX both “sticks ” will move forwards / backwards as well as left / right and when the position of a stick is changed a signal is sent via the antenna and picked up the reciever on the helicopter.

The way in which the helicopter reacts to the change in control input will depend on the mode of the helicopter. In the next post we will go through the different mode settings.