How to Make an RC Car Circuit Board: Modules or DIY PCB
The simplest “circuit board” for a homemade RC car is not a custom board at all: a hobby receiver, an ESC for the motor and a servo for steering, plugged together. If you want to build your own, use a microcontroller with radio built in (an ESP32 for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, or an Arduino with a radio module) plus a motor driver such as a TB6612FNG, DRV8833 or L298N for small brushed motors. Below: both routes, the parts, a wiring plan and the fail-safe every build needs.
By Kyle HilsonUpdated: October 20264 min read
Two routes to RC car electronics
| Route | Parts | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobby modules | 2.4 GHz transmitter + receiver, ESC, steering servo, battery | Reliable, long range, proportional, fail-safe built in | Costs more than a few chips |
| DIY microcontroller board | ESP32/Arduino, motor driver, regulator, servo or steering motor | Learn electronics; phone or computer control; custom features | Shorter range; you must program the fail-safe |
| Recycled toy board | Board from a toy car | Free | On/off steering, fixed frequency (27/49 MHz or 2.4 GHz toy protocol) |
Route 1: hobby modules (recommended for driving)
- Receiver: 3–4 channels; steering on CH1, throttle on CH2.
- ESC: brushed or brushless to match the motor, with a BEC that powers receiver and servo.
- Servo: sized for the car (servo guide).
- Battery: NiMH or LiPo matching the ESC; use LiPo low-voltage cutoff.
Plug in, bind and calibrate: programming a remote to an RC car.
Route 2: DIY board with a microcontroller
| Part | Choice | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Microcontroller | ESP32 (Wi-Fi + Bluetooth) or Arduino Nano + nRF24L01 radio | Receives commands, outputs motor and steering signals |
| Motor driver | TB6612FNG or DRV8833 (small motors), L298N (older, inefficient), or a hobby ESC | Switches motor current forward/back |
| Steering | Micro servo on a PWM pin | Proportional steering |
| Power | 2S LiPo or 4–6 AA, buck regulator to 5 V / 3.3 V | Clean supply for the logic |
| Controller | Phone app, web page, gamepad, or a second board with joysticks | Your remote |
- Wire the motor driver’s inputs to the microcontroller’s PWM pins and its outputs to the motor.
- Power the driver’s motor side from the battery, the logic from a regulator. Connect all grounds together.
- Connect the servo signal to a PWM pin; power it from 5 V, not from the board’s 3.3 V pin.
- Program: read commands, map them to motor speed and servo angle, and stop the motor if no command arrives for about 0.5 s (fail-safe).
- Test with wheels off the ground; then move the circuit onto perfboard or a custom PCB.
Code structure, phone and computer control are covered in controlling an RC car with a computer and phone control.
Making a real PCB
- Draw the schematic and board in a free tool such as KiCad.
- Use wide traces for motor current; keep motor wiring away from the radio antenna.
- Add a capacitor across the motor terminals and near the driver to reduce electrical noise.
- Order boards from a PCB service or etch a simple single-sided board.
- Add a power switch and a fuse on the battery line.
About toy boards and 27 MHz
A toy car labelled “27 MHz” (or 49 MHz) uses that radio frequency, and its remote must be on the same frequency and channel. These boards usually give only full-left/full-right steering and on/off throttle. They are fine for experiments, but for a car you want to drive well, hobby modules or your own board are better.
FAQ
Can I make an RC car with a AAA battery?
For a very small, slow car with a tiny motor, yes, but AAA cells can’t deliver much current; LiPo cells give far better performance.
What does 27 MHz mean on a toy car?
It’s the radio frequency the toy uses. The remote must use the same frequency (and A/B channel if marked).
Can I make a solar RC car circuit?
Yes: a small solar panel charging a battery through a charge controller, then the normal driver circuit. Solar alone rarely powers driving directly.
Which is easier: Arduino or ESP32?
ESP32, for phone or Wi-Fi control, because the radio is built in.
More on this topic: the complete RC Cars guide covers the basics behind this article.
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
