r/RCHeli

Hello. I own a Traxxas Xmaxx RC model, but I'm starting to get interested in RC helicopters. I would be willing to spend 1500 euros, but I was very surprised that I have to put it together myself. I'm a complete beginner and it's one thing to put it together and another thing to set it up. Another thing that makes me a little sad is that compared to RC cars, where I bought the Xmaxx, I just unpacked it and was able to drive it right away, with RC helicopters I actually only buy a kit without electronics, motor blades and everything else. Is this sport suitable for a complete beginner??? Small helicopters don't appeal to me at all. I rather like the M7 and the like. Just as I write, I'm sad that there is no model that would have everything already put together and ready to drive right away, including the motor etc...

NOTE: This is just my $.02.

I've been back in the RC heli hobby for about 1.5 years now. When I first started researching what to get last year, I landed on SAB. I thought they were worth the premium and I didn't have enough experience to know how the other brands compared.
After building 6 SAB kits, I am now down to one in my fleet (IL 420). I retired the 520s (two of them) and the Kraken. My issues with the 520 and Kraken are documented in other threads. The 520 in particular burned me really badly.
I had to replace these with something different, which was a little scary and a little exciting. I had always read about how other heli brands made great helis, but they had little quirks or compromises. It was time to decide about that for myself.
I first got a Goosky RS5 about a month ago. I got it built and it only took me about 5 flights to get everything trimmed out. All of the SAB helis I had built used belts from the pinion to the "main gear", so setting up the more traditional pinion\main gear mesh took just a little fidgeting. I got it figured out and after those few setup flights, the RS5 legitimately flew WAY better than any of the SAB helis I built. After fighting with the 520 for months, I was pretty shocked that the RS5 got trimmed and locked-in after just a few batteries.
I really hoped the Kraken experiment with 600mm blades had worked out, but that did not go well (as explained in another thread). I decided to keep trying to find a 600 that would run (WELL) on 6S. After a LONG and shockingly detailed conversation with ChatGPT, I decided to get an OMP M6. My experience with building and setting it up was very similar to the RS5. A little jank, and one major failure, but overall it was a good build (though the manual was also poor). Setup was a little quicker since I already knew how to set the gear mesh, but it took me a few extra flights to dial in the tail gains. After about 6 flights the M6 is all set up and it also flies incredibly well.
So now I have a 560 and a 600 (from two different brands) that are both just incredible. I genuinely look forward to flying both of them, and I know my skills will probably begin to progress since I have confidence in my helis in a way that I never really had with the SABs.
I also want to say that after the debacle with the 520s, I was a little suspicious regarding my heli building skills. I had built two helis and both failed in the same way, and nobody else seemed to have any of the same issues. I worried that I might have borked something somehow. Now that I have recently built two different helis from two different brands, and they both are perfect, I know I am able to build helis just fine. That's a good confidence booster.
Anyway, I just thought I would share my experiences. If you're just coming into the hobby (or are coming back), don't hesitate to buy whatever it is that you like. All of the brands have their quirks, but now I know I made a mistake when I disregarded certain brands because I thought they were not "premium".

https://preview.redd.it/lywofcgc75kh1.png?width=1989&format=png&auto=webp&s=7cdeb5259d34236fda06a5133dc90f2c88fa6075

Hi everyone, I'm in need of a bit of help finding an appropriate esc for a non-extortionate price. I am designing a heavy lift drone that is based around a lot of the architecture used by 700 series helicopters.

I need:

• Input Voltage: Must take 12s (50V)
• Current: 130A to 160A continuous minimum.
• Helicopter Support: Must explicitly list a Heli Governor Mode in its features so it doesn't strip my gears on startup.
• A built in BEC for my servos etc
• be able to work with Ardupilot mission planner. (I assume they would all work but let me know if thats not the case)

I really do not know a lot about helicopter electronics, so if I can add an external BEC easily or cheaply, please tell me and give ANY ADVICE YOU CAN. I'm pretty sure that an external BEC is going to be the way forward to save on £££, but if I can find an integrated BEC then that is preferred, as it saves precious weight.

cheers for any engagement))

So after about 10 years out I was enticed by an M2v3 pro. Having watched videos on setting it up, I thought great it’s also a nice bind and fly experience. However, as I sit here after hours of frustration, I now seek help..

Using a radiomaster TX15 (years ago I was on a spektrum dx7se). I updated to ELRS 3.6.4. I updated the TX15 to the latest version. I downloaded the OMP app and bound to the heli using ELRS. Job done? Well no, seems that out of the box, the pitch isn’t zeroed at zero collective and any amount of negative pitch has the servos clashing with the main frame or reaching angles they shouldn’t. Am I doing something really wrong here? Please help (and thank you in advance)

So, as far as I know, not much was announced at IRCHA 2026 as far as new heli stuff goes. Here is what I know of:

- SAB IL 590 (though no real info/specs have leaked)
- OMP Nitro *something*
- Goosky RS5 Ultra

Please tell me I am missing something!!

hi, new to the hobby, my stock swash plate broke, so I reckoned I might as well upgrade it to the metal one, was difficult to install it, some of the parts didn't fit properly, the swash plate servos seems to fight with each other and it doesn't really fly well now, any ideas what to do?

Hey everyone.

Since the RS5 is now my main bird (damn I love that thing), I really want change/update the Kraken in some way to put some distance between the models. I got the Kraken flying well again and I wanted to add 600mm blades to it. I put 600mm blades on and it WAS NOT HAPPY. If I just changed the pinion, it might work ok on 6S, but it would be limited in power and ability.
My options seem to be the following:

- Change the ESC, motor, and pinion on the Kraken and run 12S. That would allow the 600s to run perfectly and it would be a real monster of a heli. I don't "need" a monster of a heli, but it would definitely feel much different/bigger than the RS5 and that is the main goal.

- Sell the Kraken and buy a 700. This would be the more expensive and cumbersome option, but in the end I would have a proper 700-sized heli and that would absolutely be a completely different experience than flying the RS5.

Have any of you been in a similar boat and made the right call? I am interested to hear if any of you run the Kraken with 600s on 12S.

Thanks for your insight!!

One flip too many and I bent the tail, it snapped when I tried to straighten it 🤣

Flying normally, it absolutely rips, love it 😃
Got 4 tails on order.

So I recently purchased a RC Era Apache

I landed super hard and tore up the rear rotor blades

I used the replacements blades for a fix, but it’s still yaw extremely to the left, even though all the bindings are in the middle (trimming)

Any advice?