Build Your Own Quadcopter: Power Up Your Designs with the Parallax Elev-8

CHAPTER 6

Radio-Controlled Systems and Telemetry

Introduction

The remote control by radio waves of devices ranging from battleships to insect-sized flying machines has been ongoing since Nikola Tesla’s experiment in 1898. I will not repeat the history here but instead refer you to the interesting Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_control. This chapter focuses on how a modern 2.4-GHz radio-controlled (R/C) system functions and explores additional features that will make your quadcopter flying experience more enjoyable, and maybe even a little educational.

Evolution of Model R/C Systems

The R/C systems used to control model aircraft first appeared in the early 1950s. The practical reason for this was the advent and availability ...