Comparison RadioMaster GX12 M2 ELRS vs RadioMaster Boxer M2 ELRS

— For copters (FPV drones). Controllers for controlling unmanned aerial vehicles - quadcopters, multicopters and FPV drones (with first-person view). The entire functionality of the drone rests on the shoulders of the remote control: moving in the air, maneuvering, transmitting a video signal from the camera, etc. Quadcopter controllers typically have knobs, levers, or buttons that allow the pilot to control the drone's movement. In addition, the remote control can be equipped with various switches and controls for other functions (activating the camera, turning on the autopilot, and much more).

— For helicopters. Control equipment for RC helicopters. When choosing such a controller, preference should be given to multi-channel remote controls (see “Number of channels”) - this is important for flexible control of all movements of the helicopter in the air (acceleration, climb, flight direction, rolls, auxiliary functions for switching various model options) .

— For airplanes. Control controllers for aircraft models - airplanes, biplanes, flying wings. Such remote controls are assigned the functions of adjusting flight altitude, aircraft speed, changing flight direction using ailerons, flaps, etc. In advanced aircraft models, the controller can be used to control engine starting, landing gear extension and other advanced functions.

— For gliders. Controllers for controlling the flight functions of gliders - aircraft models with a large wingspan (it can be more than 2 times the length of the fuselage). Radio-controlled gliders are equipped with engines, but due to the characteristics of the wing, constant operation of the engine is not required for stable flight - it is supposed to be started and “switched off” from the remote control, as well as to control other aspects of the flight.

- For cars. Devices and devices used to control the movement of model cars, buggies, truggies, crawlers and other RC vehicles. The remote control for such self-propelled vehicles usually contains handles, levers or joysticks that control various aspects of the model's movement. The functionality of car controllers often includes control of speed, direction, braking and other additional functions (for example, turning on headlights or sound effects in some models).

— For special equipment. Remote controls for large and “heavy” special equipment using radio control. This category includes buses, trucks, tractors, excavators, cranes and other models. The specificity of such controllers is often tied to expanded functionality, because in addition to banal movements, it is important to take into account the special capabilities of special equipment - control of the operation of lifting mechanisms, buckets, bodies for transporting goods, etc.

— For boats. Controllers for radio-controlled water transport - boats, yachts, submarines, catamarans, jet skis. Remote controls for such models allow you to control the movement of the boat and additional functions such as turning on/off the camera, lighting or sound effects.

- Gamepad. Remote controls in the gamepad form factor are supposed to be held with both hands. The controls in them are represented by buttons, levers, etc. The control elements are placed in such a way that they can be conveniently reached without changing (or almost without changing) the grip.

— Rectangular (box). Advanced controllers for controlling RC models usually have a rectangular or almost square shape. This category includes both remote controls with a screen that occupies the lion’s share of the front part of the controller body, and models with an extensive set of control elements for maximum control of all parameters. Such remote controls are supposed to be held with both hands. Often their design includes a service display for telemetry (see “Telemetry support”).

— Motion controller. Controllers for controlling the RC model using gestures and body movements. In most cases, they are devices held in the hand. Such remote controls have buttons and other traditional controls, but it is the movements tracked by the manipulator that play an important role. The action of the motion controller is often based on the use of mechanical sensors - an accelerometer and a gyroscope, but some models may include special additional equipment to improve accuracy.

— Pistol. Remote controls of this form factor are h...eld in the hand like a pistol—hence the name. In the overwhelming majority, such controllers are designed to control RC machines, special equipment and boats. The gas trigger in pistol controls is usually placed under the index finger, and on the side of the body there is a ring that is responsible for turning the RU model. These organs can be supplemented with other elements to control auxiliary functions.

The presence of a display controller in the design and the type of installed matrix.

The screen in remote controls for RC models can play different roles. Thus, it is possible to display a picture from the camera in real time on a color display, and service parameters are often superimposed on top of it (for example, flight altitude, speed, remaining battery charge level, all sorts of service notifications, etc.). Monochrome screens are usually assigned other tasks - first of all, they are responsible for tracking telemetry (for more details, see the corresponding paragraph).

It is customary to equip advanced controllers for RC models with a display. Simple remote controls are often presented without a display. And according to the types of matrices, there are the following screen options in controllers:

- OLED. In the context of control controllers, OLED screens usually mean the simplest solutions with a black backing and white symbols for displaying settings and/or various service information. Such displays are based on organic light-emitting diodes, and their key advantage is the ability to easily read the displayed information in poor ambient lighting.

- LCD. As a rule, these are the simplest monochrome screens - either segmented to display a limited set of characters, or based on a single-color...LCD matrix, suitable for text and basic graphic information. LCD screens provide additional convenience: they can display various important data, for example, the flight altitude of a conventional quadcopter, the speed of movement of the RC machine, the signal level, the remaining battery charge, notifications of problems, etc.

- TFT. A TFT display means a screen consisting not of segments, but of full pixels and suitable for displaying various types of data: graphic symbols, images, and even streaming video from an installed camera. TFT screens provide the most extensive visualization of settings; they are used in controllers for controlling drones and other RC models in FPV (First Person View) mode.

The frequency at which communication takes place between the controller and the RU model.

In cars and radio-controlled special equipment, the most widely used analog standards are 27, 35, 40, 49 and 75 MHz. The base frequency is considered to be 27 MHz, and other options are used as an alternative to it, which ensures that signals from different remote controls are not mixed when located in the coverage area of several transmitters.

The 915 MHz frequency (or 868 MHz for certain regions) is often used in controllers to control drones using the ELRS protocol (see “Communication Protocol”). It provides increased range but requires large antennas.

Digital data transmission for controlling RC models and quadcopters can be performed at frequencies of 2.4 GHz, 5.1 GHz, 5.8 GHz. A significant advantage of these options is the channel separation technology, thanks to which the remote controls can operate in close proximity to each other without creating problems. The gigahertz bands differ in their communication range and throughput. Note that theoretically the 2.4 GHz frequency may be more susceptible to interference, because Many modern Wi-Fi modules work on it. However, thanks to the aforementioned channel distribution, such problems rarely arise.

The operating range of the transmitter in the control panel, in other words, is the maximum distance that the RC model can move away from the transmitter without losing control. The greater this distance, the more convenient it is to operate the car, but at the same time, powerful “long-range” transmitters have corresponding dimensions, weight and cost. In practice, the range may be less than stated - for example, due to the presence of obstacles in the signal path or due to weak batteries. Therefore, it is best to choose according to this parameter with some reserve.

The option to connect an external transmitter to the controller via micro or nano connectors allows for expanded functionality in managing RC models by supporting various communication protocols (see the relevant paragraph). For example, the default remote control operates on the TBS Crossfire protocol, while using an external transmitter allows for operation on the ELRS protocol.

The total number of controls in the remote control directly depends on the design, manufacturer, model and, most importantly, the purpose of the controller. This paragraph specifies all switches, buttons, sticks, sliders, scroll wheels and other elements used to control the RC model.

One of the options for implementing feedback. Vibration is the controller’s reaction to certain events occurring with the RC model. For example, it may indicate that the permissible speed or altitude limit has been exceeded, signal a strong headwind or low batteries, etc. The remote control vibrates to inform the operator about important events that should not be overlooked.

The presence of a built-in speaker in the controller design.

The specific implementation of this function varies depending on the device itself. In its simplest form, the speaker provides audible warnings about low battery charge, loss of connection with the model, and other problems. The built-in speaker can also play sound effects to confirm the completion of certain actions or commands. And in the most advanced implementations, the speaker is used to provide voice alerts.