Is It Possible...

[RoyBro]

Is it possible to fly a plane using a 3 channel car (surface) radio? Or in my case, is it possible to drive an RC car with an air transmitter.

I ordered an RC car from Hobby King with the idea of mounting a camera on board and using it to get used to my Fat Sharks without risking plane or camera. Besides, I thought it would be fun.

When I received it, the instructions really didn't say anything about connecting the receiver, but dedicated three pages to how to operate three different surface transmitters (the pistol style with the steering wheel). It made reference to special trigger switch manipulations to switch the car into reverse.

In my head, it seemed a simple matter. Two or three channels, -100 to 100... easy. Now I'm not so sure.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[jhitesma]

I've use a 2 stick 4ch TX to control cars before. It's not ideal and takes some getting used to but it works. Actually the first RC vehicle I had was a cheap buggy style car from Radio Shack that used a 2 stick setup. (That car was the best $15 I ever spent. It would go for hours on a handful of AA's and we bashed the heck out of it and never broke it. Jumped it off the roof of a two story house onto pavement one time and all it did was break off part of the front bumper!)

I was hooked on RC Motorcycles about 15 years ago when I learned they existed. I was at a Toys R Us with a friend who was picking up a video game he pre-ordered and saw a Tyco RC Motorcycle and just had to have it. I actually just dusted that one off and charged up it's pack a few weeks ago and it still runs...but the point is it's a 2ch setup with a car style pistol grip radio that feels very natural for a bike. I then found a bigger "Thunder Tiger" bike (cool design - the 6cell nicad pack hung in a cradle at the very bottom and to turn it would shift the weight of the battery from side to side) it came with a two stick radio and while I felt the pistol style was a bit nicer for a bike it still worked well (didn't hold up as well as the Tyco...I still have it but it doesn't run anymore.) I rounded out the collection with a smaller Kyosho HOR (Hanging On Rider) which actually has an articulated rider who shifts from side to side as you turn. Beautiful little bike and a fun kit to build...it uses a 2 ch 2 stick futaba radio as well...but man is it a hard one to ride!

I wouldn't worry about reverse, most of my cars were nitro and only my Kyosho QRC Ram had reverse which I mostly just used to do wheelies

Don't think a pistol style transmitter would be very easy to use to fly a plane though...seems like it wouldn't translate well....

 

[BridgeInspector]

I would think so. Can you set up a switch to change the range of the throttle stick. Say position 0 has throttle 0-100 and position 1 is 0 to -100?

 

[Maingear]

I ordered 3 surface orange RXs by mistake from HK. I tried to bind to a spectrum air TX dx6 and no luck.
Can you put an air RX on it or is the electronics non capatible?

Justin

 

[Balu]

My adventures in RC started (and stopped) years ago with a Tamiya "The Frog". I had a 2 ch, 2 stick, 27MHz transmitter for that.

I'm thinking about buying the "remake" of that model and don't think it should be a problem to control it with my Taranis. People have a lot more channels on their cars to switch lights, etc. so why shouldn't it work?

 

[willsonman]

Tried this as a kid. Range was a joke... led to a pile of splinters.

 

[Bbjen]

I have this car, and I love it! For sure your going to break it often and loose a lot of dog bones but the price of the parts are ridiculus.

As for the configuration with a plane transmitter, no problem. This car can be setup with a 2 channel radio.
On mine, Thrittle/brake is on channel 2 and steering is on channel 1

I tried the fpv with my fatshark on it and it works great, just keep in mind that since it is on a plane surface, video transmission might get lost because of the multiple obstacle possible and reflections of the signal.

I suggest to glue a piece of foam board and put the camera inside the car to protect it.

 

[RoyBro]

Thanks Bbjen,

I am totally new to RC cars. What's a dog bone?

 

[BridgeInspector]

Dog bone = drive axle between wheel and transmission. When removed looks like a dog bone. The shape allows for suspension travel and still rotate.

 

[RoyBro]

Ok, so I see them in the HK International Warehouse. I guess I'll have to add them to my wish list and get a few each time I order from Hong Kong.

Thanks,

 

[Bbjen]

Here is the list of the parts that are most likely to break...

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__14212__Drive_Gears_1_set_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor...rm_L_R_2_pcs_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor...rm_L_R_2_pcs_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__14240__Dogbone_2_pcs_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor...rag_Link_1pc_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor...mplete_2_pcs_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor...mplete_2_pcs_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor...ht_L_R_2_pcs_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__14212__Drive_Gears_1_set_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor...pright_2_pcs_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor...pright_2_pcs_118B_A2006_A2023T_and_A2035.html

Yes it's a lot but you have about 20$ worth of repairing.

 

[rcspaceflight]

Couldn't you take out the Car ESC and use a Plane ESC? ... but then you wouldn't have reverse. ... Do you really need that? lol. But seriously, if you're aware that you don't have reverse and drive with that in mind you don't actually need it. I used to mow the lawn with a riding lawn mower with a broken transmission. It was stuck in 3rd gear and I could mow the lawn just fine. Well, I didn't get as close as I would have liked to some areas, but that's what weed whackers are for. And I'm getting horribly off subject. At least with an RC car you can just go pick it up and turn it around if you have to. Unlike that busted old lawn mower that I had to get out and push if I made a mistake.

 

[Crash_Expert]

I have a Traxxas truck running on a Spektrum AR6115e air receiver.
It's a 6 channel receiver. I know. I'm stupid.
Works fine.

You just need to figure out the subtrim and travel for the throttle.
I have all of my control on the right stick.
Elevator is the throttle and aileron is the steering.

edit:
I also get a ton more range out of it to.
I can FPV around my neighborhood.
It's a ton of fun.

C_E

 

[RoyBro]

I have three channel receivers, but I was thinking of putting my Turnigy 8 channel receiver on board and then use the extra channels to control pan and tilt on the camera.