🏎️ Vehicle Types

🏎️ RTF

Ready-To-Fly — the aircraft/heli/drone equivalent of RTR: comes complete with radio, motor and battery, just charge and go.

What it actually does

RTF means Ready-To-Fly — the aircraft equivalent of RTR. Everything needed is in the box, usually including a transmitter, receiver, battery and charger, so a beginner can be flying without choosing a single component.

In practice

The related terms describe what is missing. ARF (Almost-Ready-to-Fly) needs you to add radio gear and often the motor. BNF (Bind-N-Fly) includes everything except a transmitter and expects you to already own a compatible one. PNP (Plug-N-Play) has motor and servos fitted but no receiver, battery or transmitter.

Worth knowing

BNF is the one that catches people out. "Bind-and-fly" only works if your existing transmitter speaks the same protocol as the receiver fitted — check that before buying, not after.

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