Radio controlled airplanes are toys that can be controlled remotely using analog or digital systems. They are made from various materials and can cost between $90 and $5000. Enthusiasts can join hobbyist clubs and participate in races and competitions.
Radio controlled airplanes almost always refer to toy airplanes designed to be controlled remotely using some type of steering and guidance system. They are popular toys with children and adults alike, and are available in a wide variety of styles.
Radio control was originally devised as a method during World War II to navigate missiles into dangerous locations without endangering the operator. However, the technology never took off and was virtually abandoned by the end of the war.
Most radio controlled devices use an analog control system, where a small pulse is sent from a handheld unit and received by the model. The model then interprets the width of the pulse to indicate in which direction and by what degree it should move. The servos in the model airplane then rotate, causing the airplane to change direction. Recently, more expensive systems have started to use digital controllers and receivers, which are much more reliable and have built-in safes in case of signal loss.
Controllers for radio control devices come in different levels of complexity. Some may have simple controls, allowing forward, left, right, up, and down directions. Others may also include a throttle, allowing speed to be varied.
RC airplanes are built from a variety of materials, including various types of wood (balsa is the most common), simple plastics, and carbon fibers. They can cost as little as $90, or as much as $5000. Radio controlled airplanes can range in power from simple two-stroke engines to larger four-stroke engines. Sizes can range from a wingspan of just over a foot (30 cm) to a total of ten to twelve feet (3-4 meters). The average radio control airplane will last 10-20 minutes in the air, flying at speeds ranging from 30 mph (48 km/h) to 200 mph (322 km/h).
There are a number of hobbyist clubs for radio control aircraft enthusiasts, found in virtually every nation in the world. The level of commitment taken by enthusiasts varies as much as any other aspect of RC airplanes, with some buying pre-built planes and getting together occasionally to fly them, and others building planes from scratch and entering races and other competitions.
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