Introduction
Hey, everyone who is ready to enter the pit FPV treasures!Are you looking at the dazzling array of FPV remote controls and listening to the big guys discussing ELRS and CRSF, feeling confused?
Don't worry, let's talk about this core issue today-how to choose your first FPV remote control?
Let's not bombard those complicated terms, just like chatting with friends, to help you sort out your thoughts.
Details
Chapter One: What “slang” are you talking about?——Talk about protocol compatibility
Imagine that you are a Chinese-speaking person and found an English-speaking receiver for your drone. Can you two communicate?Of course not!This "language" is the remote control protocol. It determines whether your remote control and the receiver installed on the plane can “talk to each other". At present, the agreements on the market are mainly divided into two major factions： "Exclusive to Giants" agreement This kind of agreement is like an exclusive agreement for a certain brand, and traditional major manufacturers have their own agreements.The advantage is stability, but the disadvantage is that it is not open.If you use the remote control of the A family, you basically have to be equipped with the receiver of the A family. There are few choices and low degrees of freedom. Sometimes they upgrade to a “dialect version” by themselves. The old and new equipment may not be compatible, which is a headache. "Esperanto" open Source agreement (highly recommended!） This is currently the mainstream of the FPV circle, and I highly recommend it for novices to choose.It is like an open and free "Esperanto". Everyone follows this standard and can communicate seamlessly. CRSF: You can understand it as an efficient and fast “grammar standard”.Its biggest feature is two-way communication, which can not only send instructions, but also transmit the signal strength, battery voltage and other information on the aircraft back to your remote control screen in real time, so that you have a bottom line when flying. ExpressLRS: This is currently the hottest and most powerful open source protocol (it uses the “syntax” of CRSF).With its amazing speed (extremely low latency), super anti-interference ability and terrifying distance, it has become a new benchmark in the FPV circle. Key points: For novices, just look for ExpressLRS!It has the broadest community support and hardware options, and is cost-effective, which is a trend in the coming years.
Chapter 2: Choose your "cockpit”-see here for the core functions of the remote control
After understanding the agreement, let's take a look at the remote control itself. In addition to the agreement, what points should we pay attention to? Number of channels: How many operating permissions do you have? Simply understood, one channel controls one action. The channel is the basis: throttle, yaw, roll, pitch. This will be able to fly.
Think about what else your plane has to do: unlock the motor, switch the flight mode, turn on the BB sound to find the aircraft, control the angle of the gimbal, release the cargo... These all need to occupy a separate channel. Therefore, for FPV traversers, it is recommended to choose at least a remote control with more than 6 channels to leave room for future upgrades. Brain system: Look for EdgeTX This is like the operating system of the remote control.EdgeTX is currently the most powerful open source system with a friendly interface and unlimited functions.It allows you to freely customize the function of each switch, display rich telemetry data, and is compatible with almost all peripherals.To buy a remote control, EdgeTX is a required option. Extensibility: “Add plug-in” to your remote control There will be a module compartment behind a good remote control, which can be inserted into an external tweeter.It's like adding an external lens to your phone.Even if you buy a remote control with built-in ELRS, this interface guarantees that you can easily upgrade to an updated protocol or increase power in the future, and it will never go out of date. Rocker feel: Hall rocker is the first choice The hall rocker adopts magnetic field induction and has no physical contact, so it will never wear out, has extremely high accuracy, and there will be no “rocker drift”.The standard configuration of the high-end remote control, you can't go back after experiencing it.
Chapter 3: Check in and take a seat-according to your gameplay, choose this way!
After understanding the basic knowledge, let's make some real recommendations.You don't need to remember the specific model, just remember what performance remote control you need. Scenario 1: Getting started/Indoor Small Airplane Requirements: Cost-effective, portable, to meet basic exercises. Remote control performance recommendations： Protocol: Built-in ExpressLRS is enough, and the power does not need to be top-notch. Form: The form of a game controller is more compact and easy to carry. Channels: 6-8 channels are enough to handle all basic functions. Scenario 2: Mainstream FPV traversing players (Huafei, racing) Requirements: extreme performance, low latency, and high reliability. Remote control performance recommendations： Protocol: It must be a high-performance ExpressLRS, paying attention to its refresh rate and transmit power. Form: Standard board-controlled form, with a more stable feel and higher rocker accuracy. Channels: At least 8-10 channels, reserve space for various functions. System: It must be an EdgeTX system to facilitate in-depth adjustment of parameters. Scenario 3: Special applications such as voyage/exploration
Requirements: ultra-long distance, super anti-interference, absolutely stable. Remote control performance recommendations： Protocol: It must be a high-power ExpressLRS tweeter (usually requires an external one, with a power of up to 1W or even 2W). Form: Board control is preferred, which is more suitable for long-term grip and fine operation. Telemetry: The two-way telemetry function is essential to monitor the link status at any time
Well, the final suggestion for the treasures is one: choose a remote control with built-in ExpressLRS protocol, running the EdgeTX system, and a hall joystick and module compartment. Then according to the budget and the main gameplay, choose between “handle type” and “board type”, and you can find the one that suits you best.
