Product Announcements

Every RC model airplane transmitter has a mode of operation, which defines which sticks control different surfaces. This article will illustrate the differences between them.

Mode 4 Transmitter

On a mode 4 transmitter, ailerons and throttle are controlled with the left stick and rudder and elevator are controlled with the right stick.

Mode 3 Transmitter

On a mode three transmitter, ailerons and elevator are controlled with the left stick and rudder and throttle are controlled with the right stick.

Mode 2 Transmitter

On a mode two transmitter, throttle and rudder are controlled with the left stick, and ailerons and elevator are controlled with the right stick.

Mode 1 Transmitter

On a mode one transmitter, elevator and rudder are controlled with the left stick, and throttle and ailerons are controlled with the right stick.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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Paper airplanes are cheap, easy to make, and fun for both children and adults. This article will show you how to make excellent paper airplanes, and allow you to download and print some exciting models. All of the paper airplanes shown here are free for download, so click, print, and enjoy!

• The Best Paper Airplane In The World – Michael O’Reilly provides instructions for folding an excellent paper airplane on his website. This plane is a little challenging to fold, but it flies as well as the balsa wood gliders found in craft stores. Once you get the hang of folding this paper airplane, other paper airplane designs pale in comparison. After you manage to fold it, try downloading some printable patterns and making colored airplanes.
• Scale Piper J3 Cub – Building this scale model makes a great weekend project, and while it’s not a flying model it makes a great display piece. The model prints out on one sheet, and includes instructions. You will need: scissors, a hobby knife, a ruler, a pencil, and some white glue. Print the model off on card stock – available at most craft stores.
• World Record Paper Plane – This paper plane design holds the current paper airplane flight duration record, at 27.6 seconds. Folding this paper airplane is relatively easy, but try to crease the nose folds firmly – it helps prevent crimping the nose later in the folding process.
• Flat Nose Paper Airplane – The flat nose is extremely easy to build, and flies well without much adjustment. The flat nose flies best indoors, tossed gently from an elevated platform. Try bending one wing slightly downward, which will cause a gentle downward spiral and very long flight times.

We hope that you enjoy folding and flying these great paper planes.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

Spread spectrum technology represents the latest advancement in RC radio control systems. This article will show you how spread spectrum technology works, and introduce you to some of the technical terms which you may encounter.

Unlike conventional PPM (pulse position modulation) and PCM (pulse code modulation) radio systems which operate on distinct frequencies, spread spectrum radios broadcast over a large range of frequencies simultaneously. These frequencies are all members of the 2.4 Ghz band, which removes them from the frequencies often used by other communication devices. Because of this, spread spectrum radio systems are already immune to interference caused by non RC radio systems.

Spread Spectrum technology has another advantage though: there is no need for frequency control.
Spread spectrum radio systems broadcast over a multitude of radio frequencies, and the user is never aware of what they are. This works because:

1. The transmitter is assigned a unique identification code when it is manufactured.
2. The receiver is programmed to seek and lock to this same code.
3. After the transmitter is powered on, it encodes the signals it sends with its identification code.
4. The receiver scans for this code, and locks to the frequencies that the transmitter is operating on.

Each identification code is globally unique, meaning that no other radio system is using it. Because of this, the individual frequencies that the radio is operating on are irrelevant, so as a result an unlimited number of spread spectrum radios can operate simultaneously.

The most noticeable consequence of this technology is that spread spectrum radios are immune to radio interference. Spread spectrum radios also allow an extremely fast servo response time, because the entire encoding, decoding, and execution of radio commands happens in milliseconds.

Spread spectrum technology is becoming more prevelant in RC radio systems, and will shortly replace conventional FM radio systems entirely.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

You should always balance your RC model airplane propellers before using them. Running your RC model airplanes with properly balanced propellers will increase motor or engine lifespan, prevent fuel from foaming, and even extend the life of your electronic components. This article will show you how to balance your RC model airplane propellers using simple and inexpensive equipment.

The best way to balance your RC model airplane propellers is to use one of the many prebuilt balancers available. Blade balancers usually come in two varieties:

1. finger prop balancers – sufficient for most modelers, you can get good results using a simple blade balancer for 5 to 10 dollars depending on the supplier. Great Hobbies has a balancer which works sufficiently well to balance most model airplane props.
2. magnetic prop balancers – produce highly accurate results and are usually more expensive than finger balances.

Use the blade balancer by unscrewing the two metal rings and then placing your propeller in between them. Tighten the metal rings so that the prop doesn’t move and support the entire apparatus with one finger tip on each hand. The prop is balanced if it remains motionless. If it tips forward or backward then you will have to adjust it according to the following procedure:

1. Mark the heavy side (which tips downwards) with a felt tip pen.
2. Sand one side of the propellers heavy end with medium to fine grit sandpaper. Do not sand the propeller tip – this will cause a dynamic imbalance when the engine is running.
3. After removing a very small amount of material from the heavy side of the propeller, test it again using your blade balancer.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the propeller remains motionless while held in the blade balancer.

This procedure will balance your propeller accurately enough to eliminate the most severe vibration during flight. 3D aerobatics, racing, or other demanding flying requires propellers to be balanced more precisely. You can get a higher end magnetic balancer for 20 to 30 dollars. It’s usage is about the same as the finger balancer except that the propeller is held between two magnets.

Check your propeller’s balance using the above method and be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions when putting the propeller in the balancer.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

The BR-ADAPTER is a power supply for charging your BladeRunner, Micro Mosquito and Firefly RC helicopters.

This power supply can be used to charge your RC helicopters, without using C batteries. Because C batteries have a limited lifespan, using this adapter will save you money over time. The BR-ADAPTER plugs in to either the transmitter, or the charging base station. When using the BR-ADAPTER, you don’t need batteries in either the transmitter or the base station.

The BR-ADAPTER plugs in to any standard 120V AC outlet, and provides 500 ma of current at 6 volts. Please note that you need to have either a base station or transmitter to use the BR-ADAPTER. Both of these products are available separately on our website.

Use the BR-ADAPTER to power your indoor RC helicopters, and save money on batteries.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

With the support of our customers and friends all over the world, 2007 was another exciting year for Thunder Power RC. Introductions of the High Grade series ESCs, along with the innovative, industry-first ‘Balance Discharge Monitoring and Protection’ equipped Smart Guide series ESCs, saw the TPRC product line grow beyond Li-Po batteries, balancers and chargers. The exciting acquisition of Insane Foamies, manufacturer of premium 3D foam airplane models from some of the world’s best pilots and designers, like Mark Leseberg Jr., further expands TPRCs product offerings in a continued commitment to bring high quality, high performance and high value products to RC modelers worldwide.

New Thunder Power Extreme V2 Series Lipo Batteries

Rounding out 2007 was the release of eXtreme V2 series LiPo batteries, the next evolution in the ever-popular 25/50C discharge capable eXtreme series of premium performance batteries. Offering higher voltage under load for added power, cooler operating temps and significantly improved cycle life, eXtreme V2 series batteries continue to be the battery of choice for the world’s top 3D airplane and helicopter pilots who demand nothing but the utmost in power and reliability, including TPRC team pilots Quique Somenzini, Alan Szabo, Jason Krause and many more. And now in 2008, hot on the heels of Align’s latest release, Alan and Jason are using the all-new eXtreme V2 series 2600mAh batteries to power their T-REX 500 helicopters, offering 6S performance that has to be seen to be believed. Available in configurations from 2S to 6S, the eXtreme V2 2600mAh series batteries round out the eXV2 line nicely while offering the perfect power solution for many larger park flyer to mid-size airplane and helicopter models.

In only a few short months, 2008 brought even more exciting product announcements and releases, including the overwhelmingly popular TP-610C ‘all-in-one’ charger, discharger and balancer. This innovative and unique charger not only offers the versatility of 1-6 cell LiIon, LiPo and LiFePo4/A123 charging and discharging capabilities, but also the convenience, added safety and increased battery performance offered by a built-in balancer that constantly communicates with the charger throughout the charging process. Best of all, the TP-610C also offers 1-14 cell Ni-Cd/Ni-MH and 6-24V Pb/lead acid battery charging (and discharging/cycling) capabilities, at rates from 0.25 to 10-amps, all at an incredibly affordable price that makes it the number one choice of demanding airplane, helicopter and surface modelers alike. Never before have so many features, so much versatility and so much convenience been available at such a great price.

The first weekend in April brought the 54th annual Toledo Weak Signals RC Expo, where the new Thunder Power RC 325mm carbon fiber main rotor blades for 400-450 class helicopters were released. These ‘true’ 325mm long (measured from center of mounting hole to tip) rotor blades offer increased disk area for reduced disk loading, while offering extra power and ‘pop’ for aggressive 3D maneuvers when compared to other similar class blades. Their unique carbon fiber and foam core construction results in incredible stiffness for unbelievable stopping power and response, while the high-quality resin and ‘painted in the mold’ finish offers great looks on the ground and in the air. A perfect fit for Align T-REX 450 and other 450-class helicopters, plus including shims for use and easy installation on E-flite® Blade® 400 helicopters, TPRC 325mm CF blades offer all the performance of top-brand blades, at a fraction of the price, making them the perfect blades of choice for almost everyone, including aggressive 3D helicopter pilots Danny Szabo, Marcus Kim and more.

We are also introducing the new 250mAh and 350mAh Pro Lite series batteries. Andrew Jesky flew the new 2S 250mAh battery to a first place finish at the 5th annual Electric Tournament of Champions, while fellow TPRC team members Jason Noll, Mark Leseberg, Ryan Archer and more took advantage of the low weight and 20C/30C discharge capabilities to finish in many of the other top spots. These 250mAh batteries, along with the new, smaller footprint 350mAh batteries, will continue to be the choice of top precision 3D aerobatic pilots worldwide for many of this year’s most demanding indoor contests. They’ll also be the perfect choice for micro flyer and slow flyer pilots looking for minimum weight, maximum performance and maximum reliability at a

Thunder Power Race Series Lipo Batteries

The Toledo show also brought a sneak peek at the all-new TPRC Race series LiPo batteries for RC cars and trucks. Factory-matched cells housed in application-specific designed, impact-resistant cases will offer a level of power, performance and reliability never before seen from Ni-MH and even other LiPo battery offerings in the surface market today. The first release of 2S 7.4V batteries, in capacities from 3300 to 5400mAh, will deliver maximum continuous discharge rates up to 30C, offering sport and serious racers alike the perfect, drop-in fit battery for almost any 1/10 scale application – from on-road oval and touring cars, to off-road buggies and trucks. Be sure to look for Race series LiPo batteries and accessories in stores this summer.

With these and many more new announcements and releases to come, we look forward to another year more exciting than the last!

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

Thunder Power RC is proud to introduce their first series of LiPo batteries designed specifically for use in surface applications. The all-new Race Series batteries further expand Thunder Power RC’s product offerings in a continued commitment to bring high-quality, high-performance and high-value products to RC modelers worldwide­­­–including those in the surface market too!

Race series LiPo batteries feature premium, factory-matched cells housed in impact-resistant cases designed to protect the cells in a variety of conditions. They also offer a level of power, performance and reliability never before seen from NiMH and even other LiPo battery offerings in the market today. The first release of 2S 7.4V and 3S 11.1V batteries, in capacities from 3300mAh to 5400mAh, will deliver maximum continuous discharge rates up to 30C, offering sport and professional racers alike the perfect, drop-in fit battery for almost any 1/10 scale application–from on-road oval and touring cars, to off-road buggies, trucks and monster trucks.

Other Race Series battery features include:

• Choice of rounded, standard or large housings to fit almost any 1/10 scale vehicle
• Factory-installed main power leads (10- or 12-gauge) and connectors (Deans® Ultra Plug® or Traxxas® High-Current)
• Thunder Power balance connector and leads
• ROAR approval (except THP50002SPRD and THP54003SSRT)
• More margin (when sold at MAP) than most other brand LiPo batteries for surface applications

Sport Race Series Batteries

Sport Race Series batteries offer incredible value and performance beyond all other batteries in their class. 20C continuous discharge rate capable cells, 12-gauge wire leads and factory-installed Traxxas High-Current connectors make them the perfect drop-in upgrade for all Traxxas electric vehicles–brushed or brushless motor powered. THP54003SSRT can even propel the popular Rustler VXL to speeds of 70mph and beyond!

eXtreme Race Series Batteries

eXtreme Race Series batteries offer the same power and performance of their 25C eXtreme V2 aircraft battery counterparts, yet are optimized for use in surface applications. With the ability to maintain higher voltage under load and to offer more cycle life than other batteries in their class, they’re an excellent choice for 1/10 scale racing applications. Plus, all eXtreme Race series batteries are equipped with 10-gauge wire leads and a Deans Ultra Plug connector.

Pro Race Series Batteries

When you’re looking for LiPo batteries that feature the lowest resistance and deliver the most power available in the surface battery market today, look no further than Pro Race Series batteries. Their incredibly low resistance, 30C continuous discharge rate capable cells, direct-soldered 10-gauge wire leads and Deans Ultra Plug connectors offer the minimum resistance possible for maximum power and performance in even the most demanding race applications.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed