Parts of a Remote Control Helicopter
Remote control helicopters have become popular as children's toys, well-crafted enthusiast and hobby models, and even military spec surveillance tools. All of these various designs share key parts in common. These parts determine the use of the vehicle as well as the aesthetic design feature. Knowing the parts of your remote control heli is important for maintenance and preventive care as well as making informed purchase decisions.
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Fuselage
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The fuselage is the main body of the helicopter. It can be constructed of materials ranging from lightweight plastics and fiberglass to composite materials and metal alloys. Weight is a key factor for the fuselage--he total and distribution. A front-heavy fuselage will accelerate rapidly forward, while one with a centered weight will usually display greater agility. The fuselage will typically have skids or pontoons on the bottom to allow for a safe landing.
Rotors and Motors
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Rotors are the helicopter's propellers that provide lift for the vehicle. Typically each helicopter will have at least two rotors with one spinning clockwise and the other counterclockwise. This balances the craft and makes it easier to hover. The motor powers the rotors, drawing energy from the batteries or engine to convert into mechanical movement. There may also be a swashplate to redirect the motion of the rotors for forward and even backwards flight.
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Servos and Gyros
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Servos activate the advanced features of the helicopter, such as the swashplate for pitch and ailerons for cyclic rolls. Gyroscopes are used to stabilize the craft in flight and are typically found on high-end enthusiast and military craft. They make the vehicle more expensive, but less likely to be damaged if the radio controller loses its signal. These may be mechanical or electric depending on the design of the heli.
Batteries and Engines
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The batteries or engines are the main power supply for the remote controlled helicopter. Batteries store an electric charge and are typically of lithium-ion polymer construction. Engines typically burn nitromethane, creating greater thrust than most batteries. Batteries may be more expensive at first glance, but nitro fuel costs can easily exceed this over the life of the product. Nitro mixtures also leave behind a residue that must be cleaned from the engine's exhausts and fuselage regularly.
Controllers and Receivers
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Controllers typically come in two models: Pulse Position Modulation or PPM and Pulse Code Modulation or PCM. PPM has the advantage of maintaining its current headings if the radio signal is lost whereas PCM devices can cause crashes on signal loss as the servos reset to their default positions. PPM controllers are more expensive than their PCM counterparts. Receivers are typically located in the rear of the fuselage and translate the information from the controller to the rest of the craft.
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