RadioMaster TX12 - mini marvel or... ?

Looking for a compact and inexpensive radio which runs OpenTX? Well here's something which might might be of interest - it's the new TX12 from Radiomaster, and it's possibly the smallest and cheapest OpenTX transmitter on the market.

I've been playing - and flying - with a pre-production unit for the last couple of weeks. Read on and find out if this little baby is for you...

Hands on review: FrSky X9 Lite

The FrSky X9 Lite is a compact, lightweight transmitter running OpenTX. It's also FrSky's cheapest transmitter at around £70. 

The price may be tempting - but how good is the transmitter, and who is it for? In this review, we're going to find out! 

RadioMaster TX16S review: can it crush my X9D Plus?

Never has there been so much choice for OpenTX fans! While FrSky tries to steer us towards their ACCESS protocol, other manufacturers are offering an alternative pathway with their multi-protocol module (MPM) equipped radios.

One such transmitter is the RadioMaster TX16S, a fully featured radio at a highly competitive price. It features an integrated 4-in-1 MPM which works with receivers from FrSky, Graupner, Spektrum, Futaba, Hitec and others.

Can it succeed where the Jumper T16 failed, and replace my Taranis X9D+? Read on and find out!

A template for flying wings - and a new test tool!

Lockdown! Here in the UK it's been three weeks of relative quiet. On the bright side, I've been keeping busy with a couple of projects - a new template, and a testing tool for OpenTX setups...

Jumper T16 Pro - is it ready for prime time?

The launch of the Jumper T16 has attracted a lot of attention. It's well equipped, runs OpenTx, and is very aggressively priced. But is it good enough for high value sailplanes? Could it replace my FrSky X9D Plus?

There was only one way to find out, which was to get one and play with it!

Crow-aware adaptive elevator trim

In this post I describe an adaptive trim system which makes it easy to achieve perfect pitch trim at all crow settings.

Using the adaptive trim, the trim lever is repurposed so that it bends the crow compensation curve. The process is completely transparent - no special action is required by the pilot.

I'm now using this system across all my F3F models. It allow me to optimise the trim on a new model, even before the first landing.

A 3D printed CG scale

How do you measure the CG of your model? Very likely, you'll be balancing the model over a pair of pivoting arms, or - worse - your fingertips. Well, here's a better way using 3D printed parts and a couple of Arduinos...