The hobby of radio-controlled (RC) cars, boats, and aircraft used to be a lot more DIY oriented back in the early days. This means that apart from building their own vehicles, hobbyists had to build the radio equipment as well. Luckily, quite a lot has changed since then, but one thing remains the same – it is the hobby of choice for creative minds who like to see their vehicular ideas and designs come into life in a tangible form.
If you are a beginner, there is a basic division you ought to be aware of: there are toy grade and hobby grade items. To put it simply, it is safe to say that just about any RC gadget purchased from a big-box store is going to be a toy-grade item. That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to have fun with it, but these items are built to be disposable. Performance-enhancing hop-ups or customizations are not something you can expect to be able to do if you buy such toys. What's more, in case they break, you probably won't be able to find RC electronic replacement parts and keep them going.
Hobby-grade equipment, on the other hand, is going to cost you more up front, but the performance will be better and long-lasting. These items can be found in a hobby shop. With good maintenance, a hobby-grade RC toy can last more than twenty years. The only thing is that you'll need to get are replacement or upgrade RC electronic parts when needed.
While on the topic of parts, a huge part of the amusement this hobby provides is that the items can be extensively customized. There are numerous companies that cater to these needs so with a little research, you'll be able to buy custom tires and/or wheels, shock oils, gears, springs, etc.
RC vehicles can be powered by electricity or by gas, much like regular cars. Electric models are usually considered a better starting point for newbies as they are inexpensive. Another feature you might like about these is that they are quiet. Electric models are powered by rechargeable batteries and speed wise, they can run 30-50 km an hour. In contrast, gas models are much louder and feature engines similar to those on lawn mowers. Some people find these models more exciting since they resemble real cars (they got the smoke, the sound the smell and all that jazz coming out from the exhaust). Speed-wise, they are also more advanced as they can go from 50 – 75 km an hour.
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