In the FPV world, drones change often. Some crash, others get sold, and new ones get built. But one piece of equipment usually stays with you the longest — the controller.
Why is the controller often more important than the drone itself??
The FPV hobby has one “strange” characteristic — the number of drones you own usually only grows over time. Depending on the season, you can fly different drones. For example, during winter I fly my little BetaFPV Air65 and BetaFPV Meteor75 Pro. I can even fly them around the rooms at home. During summer, I fly my 5-inch freestyle, 3-inch Cinewhoop, and even 10-inch Long Range drones. And I always use the same controller to fly all of them.
You’ll use your controller for years. If you buy a larger, more configurable controller, over the years it will gradually become a more sophisticated control system (different configuration profiles/models for different types of drones, monitoring telemetry data not only in your goggles but also on the controller’s screen, and so on and so on).
For those who are just taking their first steps into the FPV hobby and still don’t know whether they’ll enjoy it, I recommend not buying one of the most expensive controllers. There are definitely budget options from every major manufacturer. Of course, I’ll contradict myself here — there’s nothing wrong with buying a more expensive one either. If FPV doesn’t work out for you, you can always sell the controller on the second-hand market. Drop the price by a few euros/bucks and someone will definitely buy it. FPV drones are booming right now and are truly going through a golden age — gear doesn’t stay on the market for long.
It’s also worth mentioning that an FPV controller is often bought even before the first drone. How does that make sense? If you buy only a drone, you still won’t be able to get it off the ground without a controller. But if you buy only a controller, what are you supposed to do with it? The answer is — simulators. That’s what the next post will be about.
Your first flights should almost be mandatory in an FPV simulator, otherwise you’ll most likely either lose your drone somewhere and have no idea where it went, or crash it. That might sound a little negative, but getting started really isn’t easy. Personally, during my first few hours, I had already started thinking that there was no way I was ever going to get the hang of this and that starting the hobby had been a mistake. But somewhere around the 3-5-hour mark in the simulator, things finally started to click (using simplified flight mode). And after approx,. 10–15 hours under my belt, I bought my first little drone — the BetaFPV Meteor75 Pro.
Table of Contents
Before you start • Never Ever
Never, ever, and once again, never turn on your controller without the antenna attached. The radio frequency energy that should be transmitted through the antenna is reflected back into the radio module, which can cause it to overheat and damage or even burn out the transmitter.
Most Popular Manufacturers
There aren’t many of them — at least that makes things less confusing:
- Radiomaster,
- Jumper,
- TBS,
- BetaFPV,
- DJI (compatible only with DJI FPV drones and their VTX systems)
RadioMaster is currently one of the most prominent leaders in the FPV controller market, both in terms of the range of controllers they offer and their quality. BetaFPV focuses more on the budget segment (although I’ll contradict myself again here — with its recently released T8L controller, RadioMaster is also moving into the budget segment).
Main FPV Control Systems
These are mainly related to the receivers (RX) installed in the drones. Several control link systems are used: ELRS and TBS Crossfire. You can also still find controllers using the historic FrSky system in second hand market. I’m only mentioning them so the FPV veterans don’t get offended. FrSky is still used in older builds, but new pilots today usually choose ELRS. When buying a controller, you should already know which one you’re going to use: ELRS or Crossfire. If you choose ELRS, you really can’t go wrong. Just make sure that when building or buying your drone, you don’t accidentally choose something other than ELRS. 😉
Some controllers have connectors on the back that allow you to attach external radio modules. This is more relevant for pilots with specific needs who, for example, need a transmitter more powerful than 100 mW. From what I’ve been able to find, in the European Union, a 100 mW (20 dBm) power limit is commonly encountered in the 2.4 GHz band (ETSI EN 300 328 standard), while in the U.S., 250 mW, 500 mW, and even 1 W modules are commonly used. I haven’t looked deeply enough into the 900 MHz band, so I don’t want to pretend to be an expert here.
Controller Form Factors
I’d say this is one of the most difficult questions you need to answer for yourself before choosing a controller.
There are two main controller form factors: gamepad-style and traditional full-size controllers. Those who spent their teenage years playing games on PlayStation or Xbox consoles often prefer gamepad-style controllers because their hands are already used to that shape.
If you have the opportunity, try at least a few different controllers before buying one. Ask friends, colleagues, or a neighbor who flies FPV drones. Hold the controller in your hands and see how it feels. Are the switches and buttons conveniently positioned? Is it too heavy or too large, or, on the contrary, too light or too small?
Gamepad
Their main advantages are that they are compact and convenient for traveling. However, they also have fewer switches, smaller gimbals (which may not provide enough precision for larger fingers), and smaller screens (if they have one at all). And, of course, because of their small size, they usually come with lower-capacity batteries.
Popular models:
Full size
These are the classic, larger controllers, usually with a square-shaped design. They have larger screens, higher-capacity batteries, and, most importantly, more switches. Their larger size and greater number of switches also allow those controls to be laid out more conveniently.
Of course, the trade-off is that they take up more space in your backpack and are less convenient when traveling.
Popular models
Compact size
This is a kind of compromise between full-size and gamepad-style controllers. It is often the first “more serious” controller in a pilot’s collection. It offers a good balance between portability and the number of available switches.
Popular models
Batteries
Controllers usually come without batteries. To avoid paying for shipping twice, order the batteries together with the controller. In most cases, two 18650 cells are all you need. Stores that sell controllers will usually also have at least one type of 18650 cell available.
Switches
At the very beginning, you only need a few of them — to arm the drone (basically, turn it “on” for flight) and to activate the beeper when the drone crashes somewhere in the grass and you need to find it. Later, you start adding things like an additional arming safety switch to prevent accidentally arming the drone, switching flight modes, changing flight profiles, adjusting video transmission power, enabling flip-over-after-crash mode, and so on.
Over time, the need for more switches grows. But there’s no need to overdo it either. Some drone pilots also fly fixed-wing aircraft (also known as RC models or RC airplanes), and for them, controllers with the maximum number of switches can definitely come in handy.
Screens
The screen is rarely used during flight (because you’re wearing FPV goggles). However, from time to time, you’ll need it when configuring various functions.
Gamepad-style controllers either don’t have a screen at all or have a very small one. Full-size controllers offer a wide range of screens: different sizes, black-and-white or color, basic or touchscreen.
Color touchscreens are very convenient for configuration, but that convenience comes at a cost — the controller’s battery drains faster. If you’re out flying in a field all day and didn’t bring a power bank, that can become a bit of a problem.
Gimbals
Controller gimbals are the main sticks used to control the drone’s movements. There are two of them. Gimbals are usually either potentiometer-based or Hall effect.
Potentiometer Gimbals
This is the oldest and simplest technology. The position of the stick is determined using a potentiometer — a mechanical contact that wears over time. The main advantage is the lower price. However, after prolonged use, you may experience center drift, reduced accuracy, or the need to calibrate the controller more frequently.
If you’re buying a new controller, there’s little chance it will have potentiometer gimbals unless you choose one of the cheapest models. But even in the lowest price range, Hall effect gimbals are already being used (for example, the RadioMaster T8L).
Hall Effect Gimbals
This is the current standard in the FPV market. Instead of a mechanical contact, a magnet and a Hall effect sensor are used, so the gimbals experience practically no sensor wear.
They offer greater precision, a more stable center, and a longer service life. Because of this, even most modern budget FPV controllers now come with Hall effect gimbals.
The construction of these gimbals can also be divided into two types: plastic and CNC (machined from aluminum using CNC machines). Plastic gimbals are, of course, simpler and cheaper, while CNC gimbals are generally more rigid, mechanically more precise, and provide a nicer feel when moving the sticks. However, CNC does not mean a better sensor — it simply means a higher-quality mechanical construction.
Gimbals are the most frequently used part of a controller. A comfortable and solid feel when holding and moving them is an important part of the drone flying experience. Personally, I have very little experience with different gimbals. All of my controllers still use their factory-installed gimbals. I’m not a professional drone racer, so for now, the standard ones (plastic Hall effect gimbals) are more than enough for me. But once the ones I have wear out (if that’s even possible), I suspect this is one part of the controller I would invest in.
Finally, some gimbals are available in different colors, so if controller styling is important to you, that can also be a reason to consider replacing the stock gimbals.
Firmware
Most controllers currently being manufactured and sold come with the open-source EdgeTX firmware. It is the standard in the FPV hobby.
Previously, that standard was OpenTX, which is no longer actively developed. EdgeTX started as a fork of OpenTX and is better optimized and adapted for controllers with touchscreens.
I suspect you can still find controllers running OpenTX on the second-hand market, but there generally shouldn’t be any problems flashing them with EdgeTX instead (unless, of course, the controller is really old).
Control Modes
Control mode – determines which functions are assigned to which controller gimbals.
In practice, this topic is much more important in the FPV world than it might seem at first, because your hands develop very strong muscle memory for the control mode you choose. Relearning a different mode later can be quite difficult.
In the FPV world, Mode 2 is by far the most popular. Mode 1 is more commonly found among fixed-wing pilots. The difference between the two is that the Pitch and Throttle controls are swapped.
I’m only mentioning control modes because if you decide to buy a controller online from outside Europe/US, there is a small chance you might come across a Mode 1 version. Even if you do end up buying a Mode 1 controller from one of the popular manufacturers, it’s not a disaster. On most controllers, this can be reconfigured. You’ll just need to spend a little time digging through the EdgeTX menus.
My Personal Experience
Personally, I started my FPV journey with a RadioMaster Boxer and still use it today. If I were choosing a controller now, I would probably still go with the same Boxer with AG01 or AG02 gimbals, or the TX15, which can be considered an improved Boxer (color screen and a foldable antenna). I would still think twice about the TX15, though, because the color touchscreen most likely drains the battery faster.
That said, I’m very happy with my Boxer controller — it has enough switches, and two 18650 cells last quite a long time. I also have two gamepad-style controllers: the DJI FPV Controller 3 and the RadioMaster T8L. I use the DJI with simulators or my Avata 2. The T8L caught my attention because of its price — less than €50/$60/£50 — so I was very curious to try it. I use it less often, and at the same time, I don’t mind handing it to other people to try. 🙂
If someone asks me to recommend a specific model, I have two: either the RadioMaster Pocket or the TX15. The Pocket is smaller and significantly cheaper (together with an FPV simulator, you can get started for under €100/$120/£100 — a financially painless way to begin your FPV journey). Once you outgrow it a little, you can upgrade to the TX15.
If money isn’t an issue and you want to buy a controller right away that will last you a long time, the TX15 is a safe choice. It has an optimal number of switches and should meet the needs of the vast majority of pilots.
Leave a Reply