How to Make an RC Helicopter: Kit, Parts and Scratch Build
The practical way to make an RC helicopter is to build a kit, such as the Align T-REX 470LP kit, and add your own motor, ESC, servos, flybarless controller and radio. Building one completely from scratch is possible but hard: the rotor head, swashplate and tail drive need precise parts, and a helicopter can’t fly without an electronic gyro. This guide lists every part, what it does, and the three routes from easiest to hardest.
By Kyle HilsonUpdated: October 20267 min read
Kit, partial scratch or full scratch build?
| Route | What you make | What you buy | Difficulty | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit build | Assemble mechanics, install electronics, set up | Kit (e.g. Align T-REX 470LP, 500X, 700X) + electronics | Medium | Anyone who wants a heli that flies well |
| Partial scratch build | Frame, landing gear, canopy, maybe tail boom | Rotor head, swashplate, tail rotor, gears, electronics | High | Builders with a 3D printer or CNC |
| Full scratch build | Everything mechanical | Motors, bearings, electronics | Very high | Engineering projects; expect many test failures |
If you only want “something that flies that I built”, a small quadcopter is far easier to make from scratch: no moving rotor head, and the flight controller does all the balancing.
Which parts does an RC helicopter need?
| Part | Job | Example for a 470 build |
|---|---|---|
| Frame, landing gear, canopy | Hold everything together | In the kit |
| Main rotor head + swashplate | Change blade pitch: collective (up/down) and cyclic (tilt) | In the kit |
| Main blades | Lift | 380 mm blades (T-REX 470LP) |
| Tail rotor + drive (belt or torque tube) | Cancel torque, turn the heli | In the kit |
| Brushless motor | Drive the main and tail rotors | Size recommended by the kit maker for 6S |
| ESC with governor | Motor control, constant head speed | Rated for the motor’s current on 6S |
| 3 cyclic servos + 1 tail servo | Move swashplate and tail pitch | Micro/mini digital heli servos; fast tail servo |
| Flybarless controller (gyro) | Stabilise all axes; a heli is unflyable without it | Systems like Spektrum’s AR-series FBL receivers or standalone FBL units |
| Transmitter + receiver | Control; needs heli mixing (swash types, pitch/throttle curves) | 6+ channel computer radio |
| LiPo battery + balance charger | Power | 6S 1400–1900 mAh (T-REX 470LP spec) |
The heli versions of these parts are explained in the RC helicopters guide; size classes and matching batteries are in RC helicopter sizes explained.
Cost: a kit is only part of the price. Motor, ESC, four servos, a flybarless unit, a radio, batteries and a charger often cost as much as the kit or more. “Combo” kits that include motor, ESC and servos are usually cheaper than buying them separately.
How to build a helicopter kit, step by step
- Read the manual first and sort the parts bags by step. Kits like Align’s are built in a fixed order.
- Build the main rotor head: grips, bearings, dampers. Use threadlocker on metal-to-metal screws only, never on screws into plastic.
- Assemble frame and main gear; check the main shaft turns freely without play.
- Install the tail boom and tail drive. Set belt tension as the manual says: too loose skips, too tight wears bearings.
- Mount the motor and set the gear mesh with a strip of paper between pinion and main gear.
- Install servos, centre them electronically with the flybarless unit before fitting servo arms, and connect the links to the lengths in the manual.
- Set up the flybarless unit: swash type, servo directions, level swashplate at zero pitch, pitch range (often about ±12°), cyclic limits and tail direction.
- Program the transmitter: heli model, throttle hold switch, pitch and throttle curves or governor mode. Bind as in binding a transmitter and receiver.
- Balance and track the blades, then check all directions with the motor disconnected.
Can I build one from scratch?
Yes, and people do, but plan for these problems:
- Rotor head precision. Play in grips or links causes vibration and loss of control. Most scratch builders buy the rotor head and swashplate and make the rest.
- Vibration. 3D-printed frames flex; carbon plates or aluminium are stiffer. Balance everything that spins.
- Electronics. Use off-the-shelf flybarless controllers. Writing your own stabilisation from PWM signals and an IMU is a project in itself; the board side is covered in making an RC helicopter circuit board.
- Coaxial is simpler. Two counter-rotating rotors on one mast need no tail rotor and are more stable, which is why small toys use them. Real control still needs servos on a swashplate.
Before the first flight
- Fly the model in a simulator first if you’re new to collective pitch.
- Check the flybarless corrects the right way: tilt the heli forward, the swashplate must tilt back.
- Set throttle hold and test it every time before connecting the battery.
- First spool-up with blades on, outside, with people well away. Look for vibration and tracking.
- Rules: a 470 class heli weighs well over 250 g, so registration and test rules apply in the US (FAA TRUST) and EU.
Won’t it take off? See why an RC helicopter won’t lift off.
FAQ
How do I make a remote control helicopter at home?
Buy a helicopter kit and electronics and assemble them at home; that is the realistic way. A full scratch build needs precise rotor head parts and an electronic gyro.
Can I make an RC helicopter with PWM?
Yes: servos and ESCs are driven by PWM signals from the receiver or flybarless unit. A microcontroller can generate them, but you still need gyro stabilisation to keep a helicopter flying.
What does it cost to build an RC helicopter?
For a 450–500 class, the electronics (motor, ESC, servos, flybarless unit, radio, batteries, charger) often cost as much as the kit. Micro helicopters are cheaper to buy ready-made than to build.
Which kit is best to learn on?
A 450–500 class kit from a brand with good spare-parts supply, such as Align. Crashes will happen while learning, so parts availability matters more than top performance.
More on this topic: types, controls, setup and repairs are in the complete RC helicopters guide.
About 20 years in RC. Mostly boats in the NAVIGA Mini Eco Expert class, with many self-made parts; also a King Motor Baja 5B, a home-built electric plane, home-built nitro planes he has flown, and an RC helicopter. More about SwellRC
