What are the most significant R/C advances of the past 5 or 10 years?

[mikebecher]

While adding to my crawler basics post I started contemplating the biggest game-changers in R/C technology over the past 5 or 10 years.

I'm curious to hear what everyone else thinks. Select the area below to see my list.
Lithium-ion Polymer Batteries
Brushless Motors
2.4 GHz Radio Frequency
New Tire Compounds
Titanium and Carbon Fiber Components

And in just the last few years, we'll see how transformative they turn out to be:
Telemetry and GPS
First Person View
Electronic Stability Control

[2JSC]

LiPo batteries.

[mikebecher]

Originally Posted by 2JSC

LiPo batteries.

Definitely #1 on my list, and they're only getting better, quickly! I'd wager that in 5 years or less, LiPo in it's current form will be relegated to the ranks of NiMH.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by 2JSC

LiPo batteries.

Absolutely! I got out because nihm sucked. Big, heavy, long charge times along with short run times were not the hot ticket or fun. I got back in with a couple rigs running 1300 3s batteries and they had longer run times than my 3300 nihms could dream of.


Other than that I'd definitely say 2.4ghz radios. No more interference or cross frequency issues causing glitching.

[Ditchrat]

RTR's Back in the day everything was a kit, it was a big obstacle your entrance to RC.

You could buy a toy grade radio shack or a kit, then traxxas came along and opened the doors to everyone.

Now that was 86 or 87, but it was big enough that is still effects how things are marketed today.

[C*H*U*D]

10 years strong!

[Locked Up]

Lipos have been a giant game changer for sure...


I feel like RTRs are a step backwards in some ways.
I know they allow anyone to jump right in but ... I feel like forcing me to build my first one when I was 12 really helped me to understand it, gave me the knowledge to repair it myself and made it a lot more than just a toy to play with.

[Prime]

Lipos are the big game changer, after that I say brushless motors and 2.4 radios. Even the most basic radio today is leaps above basic Am radios from the past.

Also kinda agree that RTRs are a step back. They may make things more accessible to new people but seem to put off a lot of the veterans. I want a new SCX but waiting to see if a kit is coming or if it is time to buy an Ascender.

[mikebecher]

I hadn't considered RTRs but they certainly have had a big impact, for better or worse.

[rerebuilder]

I agree with Lipos, 2.4 Radios and brushless motors. But also with the upgrade choices to make your rigs how you want them.

[gottorque]

When we figured out too much flex was a bad thing.

[Gula]

1. Lipos
2. RC crawling/scalers and all their related equipment
3. The term scale
4. Chinese knockoffs

[MattTheGenus]

Brushless, LiPo, 2.4

The holy trinity

[Crawlin' Lobster]

I vote for this.

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

10 years strong!

[Deerhurst]

Brushless, Lipo, 2.4GHz and computer programmable speed controllers.

[Bry73]

The biggest in my book would be, Batteries/ Electronics technology (Brushless). I fold these 2 together since they feed off of each other. The day's of having to build your own best battery cell by matched cell, cutting brushes, and turning armatures just to be competitive on race weekends.

2.4Ghz 2nd, no more having that 3 foot sword to protect and to hang the tag of what frequency you are running. No more having to carry around a 4 or 5 sets of crystals.

SCX10 3rd. A affordable base platform scale truck chassis that has allowed more people to discover the great outdoors and get out and hit the trails, It also gave a platform for so many people to modify there r/c's to look more and more realistic and perform more like a 1 - 1 truck . There is so much more that I could wright here, but the rum is affecting my mind somewhat.

[Crispy Crawler]

I disagree with the rtr thing. RTR really opens it up. Look what the SCX 10 has done for scaling. Its still tough, customizing links snd trying to make bodies fit. How many of usare looking for new And different hard bodies? Well you gotta scratch build. The right tools and equipment anyone can vacuum form. But easier said than done. When i first got in the hobby I didnt even an allen set. If it werent for Traxxas i wouldnt have been introduced. At axial fest this year our group went from 4 to 8. All because my homies could just buy one. We're all adults with different lives. I just spent 4 hrs tinkering with links yesterday! Not everyone want to do that. Point being , ... Axialfest is gonna be a helluv alot more fun with more people. Also too i picked up an extra Deadbolt from Hobbytown, (30 dollars off out the door 270. ) for a back up rig. With out rtr i wouldnt have the time to build a spare.

[Jeepiac]

Originally Posted by Prime

Lipos are the big game changer, after that I say brushless motors and 2.4 radios. Even the most basic radio today is leaps above basic Am radios from the past.

Also kinda agree that RTRs are a step back. They may make things more accessible to new people but seem to put off a lot of the veterans. I want a new SCX but waiting to see if a kit is coming or if it is time to buy an Ascender.

Exactly!

[Jeepiac]

Cant forget 3D printers and what they are adding to the hobby.

[BDR]

Another for Brushless and Lipo

Those two things have shaken the entire RC world, some STILL say for the worse, but for the better I say.

Any one that thinks that the SCX10 did any thing for RC as a whole is an idiot