An introduction to ELRS - including the Channel 5 conundrum!

If you haven’t heard of ELRS, then you soon will, because it’s an exciting RC protocol which is finally coming of age. 

Compared with traditional protocols, ELRS offers longer range while using lower cost hardware. However, until recently ELRS was almost exclusively for use with flight controllers. 

Fortunately, thanks to receivers like the RadioMaster ER series, ELRS is now a perfectly viable option for line-of-sight flying including F5X and F3X sailplanes. 

So what exactly is ELRS, and what do you need to get started?  Read on, while I take you on a tour! 

RadioMaster Pocket: a fine little EdgeTX / ELRS / MPM transmitter!

What's this dinky transmitter on my desk? It's the Pocket - the smallest in a series of compact transmitters from RadioMaster! It fits in a pouch, comes with a choice of modules (ELRS or CC2500 MPM) and is very keenly priced.

I've had a lot of fun with it, checking it out on the bench and flying my Sting F3F racing glider.  Spoiler alert: the setup used for flight tests would be a challenge for any radio, let alone a radio costing £65! We're talking of functionality at least on a par with £1000+ radios beginning with 'J'. Crazy stuff :-)

Read on and find out if the Pocket is for you...

Review of RadioMaster ER6G, ER6GV, ER8G and ER8GV receivers for ELRS

Good news: RadioMaster have released a bunch of ELRS receivers specially for gliders and electric models! These  are notable for being some of the first ELRS receivers to have servo connectors integrated on the main board. 

I've had a lot of fun evaluating these receivers, including flight testing them in DLG and F3F models. In this review, you'll find detailed descriptions, with example configurations, best practice, and tips for ALT telemetry. 

Let's take a closer look! 

RadioMaster Zorro review: pushing the boundaries

RadioMaster have a new baby transmitter. Yes, it's the Zorro! You'll probably already know that it's packed with features, supports OpenTX and EdgeTX, and comes with a choice of Multiprotocol or ELRS modules.

However while most of the Zorro reviews focus on its use with drones, this review takes a different approach - it's geared towards pilots of sailplanes, DLG and electric gliders. If that sounds like you, then read on!  

Supertrim - a better interface for trimming crow brakes

In this article, I describe an improved user interface for trimming out crow brakes. It uses the standard features of OpenTX - no Lua script is required.

The best font for your CAA Operator ID

If there's one aspect of the UK drone laws which is particularly grating, it's the requirement to display your operator id on every model. To add insult to injury, it's now a whopping 19 characters!

There is something we can do though: make the actual label as small as possible...

RadioMaster AG01 CNC gimbal - is it worth it?

The AG01 is a new, high-quality CNC gimbal for the TX16S transmitter. My TX16S came with version 1 gimbals, so I was very interested to try the AG01. Would it be easier to adjust? Would it deal with the drift issue? Would it improve my flying?

In this review I check out the AG01 in detail, so you can decide it it's worth the premium price!