RC Vehicles For Indoor Outdoor Use
RC Hobbies and Toys for Recreation or Gifts
Topic: Indoor - Outdoor.
What type of RC (Remote Control or Radio Controlled) vehicles are right for indoor and outdoor use.
General considerations:
Only electric RC vehicles should be used indoors. All of the "gas" powered RC vehicles produce toxic exhaust, which can quickly build up to dangerous levels. "Gas" is always in quotes because they actually require a special blend of fuel that is not gasoline, but is frequently referred to as "gas" anyway.
Almost all RC vehicles are rated with a skill level suggestion from novice to expert. There are good reasons for the skill level suggestions. One reason is because some of the vehicles behave better than others due to the scale and design being modeled. But the main reason for the skill level rating is the survivability and cost to repair damage from inexperienced operators.
Almost all RC vehicles are also rated with a minimum age. These are only suggestions but should be considered when giving RC vehicles as gifts.
For indoor use:
RC airplanes should be small and able to fly at very low speeds. Generally speaking there are few airplanes that can be flown indoors unless it is a very large room. Most of the indoor airplanes are composite foam to reduce weight and frequently are based on bi-planes for the additional lift the second set of wings provide.
RC airships or RC blimps are great for indoor use. They fly fairly fast and steer pretty well in the indoor environment. Some airships come with lighted gondolas and can be easily flown in the dark. Most come with three-axis drive systems so you can turn both left and right as well as gain or lose altitude with great precision.
RC boats are generally outdoor vehicles unless you happen to have an indoor swimming pool to skip them around on.
RC cars and trucks are also great for indoor use, but should be rather small for indoor use, 1/24th scale or smaller. Indoor RC cars and trucks should be extremely maneuverable with both forward and reverse gears. Bright colors or headlights are a good idea if they are likely to pass through shadows or under objects like furniture.
RC helicopters should also be fairly small for indoor use. It is strongly recommended that closed loop style rotors be used indoor to reduce injury or damage from running into people or things.
For outdoor use.
RC airplanes for outdoor use range from very small and inexpensive to very large and expensive. The choice of "gas" or electric is determined by your budget and the amount of flying time you want. With the vehicle running on "gas", more time can be spent in the air. Because the battery only has to power the flight controls, they retain a charge much longer, and you can refuel a lot faster than batteries recharge.
RC airships or RC blimps can be used outdoors, as well as indoors. It is strongly recommended that airships be anchored to something so the wind does not carry them away unexpectedly. Also, if an airship has fresh helium and the batteries get completely discharged they can just float away.
RC boats are great fun in a pond, lake, or slow-moving river or stream. Again the choice of "gas" or electric is mostly determined by your budget. Like airplanes, "gas" powered boats can be used for longer periods of time since the batteries do not power the boat, only the controls. "Gas" powered boats can quickly be refueled and put back into action. On the other hand, electric boats are not nearly as loud as "gas" powered boats.
RC cars and RC trucks come in all kinds of styles in both "gas" and electric. RC cars and RC trucks also come in race or off-road styles. For outdoor use, larger vehicles are better for a couple reasons. First and foremost, larger vehicles are more stable on the rougher terrain. Second, because you can see them from a greater distance. RC vehicles have had some major improvements in recent years, like active suspension and 4 wheel drive are now available on the higher priced vehicles.
Most RC helicopters can be used outdoors, although some of the really small ones struggle with the winds that are possible outdoors. RC helicopters for outdoor use can get to be very large and complicated if you have the money to spend. Some say the helicopter is the most difficult to learn to fly, but others say it is the airplanes that are the hardest to fly.
Conclusion:
Both age and skill level should be considered when buying an RC vehicle, as well as whether it will be for indoor or outdoor use. "Gas" or electric is probably the easiest choice you have when choosing an RC vehicle, whether for indoor or outdoor use. RC airplanes and RC helicopters require the greatest amount of skill and practice to learn to master. Bigger is better when intended for outdoor use. Always have extra fully charged batteries, because they never seem to last long enough.
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