Radio Equipment

Everything you need to control your quad

Radios, TX modules, receivers, antennas, and any other misc accessories for radios, all you need to get control over your craft

If you're trying to decide, or don't even have any prior experience, this list will hopefully help you!

Prices may depend on where and when you source the parts, (prices and specs are sourced from the manufacturers website at the time of the writing when possible)

  • Budget
  • Mid-range
  • High-end
  • Highly varied
Radios

Protocol:

  • CC2500 - The main chip used in FrSky radios, used for ACCST transmission
  • 4in1 - A collection of the 4 chips used in nearly all 2.4GHz Radio controllers, allowing you to bind it to pretty much anything. FrSky, FlySky, Spektrum, Futaba, and a lot more
  • ELRS - Currently the best option for pretty much everything. It performs as well if not better than all the existing long range systems, costs the same if not less than the existing budget systems, and is open source. It's the best of all worlds, it's best to go with it if you can

Gimbals:

Refers to the sensor type used to get the angle of the stick, we mainly see these two used:

  • Pot - Potentiometer, relies on physical contact to measure, susceptible to wear
  • Hall - Hall Effect sensors, use magnets to measure. It should practically last forever

Module bays:

The slot in the back of the radio where you can put a TX module. Higher output power, protocols that the radio itself is incapable of. There are mainly two standard-ish sizes:

  • JR (Full-size/Micro) - An older standard. physically larger, so more room to fit cooling, more features like an external screen, etc...
  • Lite (Nano) - First introduced on the FrSky X-Lite radio, a more compact option for smaller radios. Less available options and the smaller space
Gamepad style
$64.99
CC2500 ?
Protocol
CC2500 Protocol
ELRS ?
Protocol
ELRS Protocol
Hall Gimbals
100mW ?
Output Power (CC2500)
100mW Output Power (CC2500)
250mW ?
Output Power (ELRS)
250mW Output Power (ELRS)
Lite/Micro Modules
288g
Hands down the best entry-level radio on the market right now. This is it if you're after an inexpensive but still fully featured ELRS radio. It's great! It's better than pretty much everything in this group, maybe except the Zorro, it even has fancy colors available. Please get this if nothing else!
$59.99
ELRS ?
Protocol
ELRS Protocol
4in1 ?
Protocol
4in1 Protocol
Hall Gimbals
150mW ?
Output Power
150mW Output Power
Lite/Nano Modules
258g
The V1 used to be the best budget option for a while, about the cheapest you could've gotten a multiprotocol radio. It got hard to find as Jumper discontinued it a while back, but now it's back! Though lacking slightly in the power output.
$99.99/119.99
CC2500 ?
Protocol
CC2500 Protocol
4in1 ?
Protocol
4in1 Protocol
ELRS ?
Protocol
ELRS Protocol
Hall Gimbals
100mW ?
Output Power (CC2500/4in1)
100mW Output Power (CC2500/4in1)
250mW ?
Output Power (ELRS)
250mW Output Power (ELRS)
Lite/Micro Modules
350g
Proven to be one of the best options in this price range, would be one of my top 3 picks. Good hardware with room for individual upgrades and adjustments, a large screen which is a luxury for this kind, overall a good radio. Though it doesn't use standard-size batteries, you'll need 18350 cells
$89.99
ELRS ?
Protocol
ELRS Protocol
FrSky ?
Protocol
FrSky Protocol
Pot Gimbals
100mW ?
Output Power
100mW Output Power
Lite/Nano Modules
280g
Comes stock in some BetaFPV kits, it's their only radio which runs regular firmware for the OS and transmitter module. Not amazing value, but if it's included in a kit you're buying... 
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
$159.95
Crossfire ?
Protocol
Crossfire Protocol
Hall ?
Gimbals
Hall Gimbals
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
Lite/Nano Modules
345g
If you want a small game-pad style radio, with top-end build quality, this is the one to go for. A large internal battery, and integrated crossfire for those who already run it. TBS make good quality stuff, but for users who don't already run crossfire, it is recommended to get an ELRS module, even though you'd be limited to 250Hz
Compact style
$99.99
CC2500 ?
Protocol
CC2500 Protocol
ELRS ?
Protocol
ELRS Protocol
Hall Gimbals
100mW ?
Output Power (CC2500)
100mW Output Power (CC2500)
250mW ?
Output Power (ELRS)
250mW Output Power (ELRS)
JR/Micro Modules
412g
A successor to the older TX12, improving a lot of the key features. Better gimbals, and internal ELRS, while keeping the good bits like a full-size module bay and nice ergonomics for smaller hands, and an overall increase in the build quality
Full Size
$139.99
4in1 ?
Protocol
4in1 Protocol
CC2500 ?
Protocol
CC2500 Protocol
ELRS ?
Protocol
ELRS Protocol
Hall Gimbals
100mW ?
Output Power (4in1/CC2500)
100mW Output Power (4in1/CC2500)
1000mW ?
Output Power (ELRS)
1000mW Output Power (ELRS)
JR/Micro Modules
532.5g
Right between a TX16S and a TX12. It comes with pretty much all of the features of the TX16S - full-size gimbals, a 6-value button array, a lot of switches, and an internal transmitter module capable of transmitting at up to 1W with ELRS
$199.99
4in1 ?
Protocol
4in1 Protocol
ELRS ?
Protocol
ELRS Protocol
Hall Gimbals
100mW ?
Output Power (4in1)
100mW Output Power (4in1)
250mW ?
Output Power (ELRS)
250mW Output Power (ELRS)
JR/Micro Modules
750g
The radio to end all radios, if you want the top of of the top, this is the one to get. A large color touch screen, all the switches and pots you'd ever need, faster charging and better ergonomics from the original, and amazing build quality make this radio very futureproof and versatile for not only quadcopters
TX Modules
ELRS
$28.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
250mW ?
Output Power
250mW Output Power
JR/Micro Size
9.5g
The original ready-made ELRS module to hit the market. It still holds its ground, as it's one of the best modules for the price if you're just getting into ELRS without intent to go the full range with 1W of output power
$37.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
JR/Micro Size
51g
An upgrade for the ES24, its 1W of output power will be way more than what you will reasonably need, but if you want to have the confidence of almost never failsafing, it's a great option. No extra fancy features also help to bring the price down too
$47.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
Lite/Nano Size
50g
If you want to upgrade your Tango2 as recommended above or a different radio that uses the Lite bay, this would be your best bet. Even if 1W is overkill, it's still a great module to get the best even out of the most compact radios
$49.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
JR/Micro Size
51g
One of, if not the best value modules out there is made by a surprisingly unknown manufacturer. It includes all the things you'd want and adds a small screen to change settings without ever turning the radio on, with its external power port
$84.90
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
JR/Micro Size
105g
If you want overkill, this is the way to go. More than enough power for anything you'd want, the color screen and full external control make it a universal module for radios that might've not supported it otherwise, and it's overall really well built
$29.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
500mW ?
Output Power
500mW Output Power
Lite/Nano Size
37g
Back to lower prices again, the Jumper AION is a very affordable module for Lite bays, great if you want to upgrade a small radio to ELRS at an affordable price. You also get a screen to also give you full external control, a rarity at this price. But you only get 500mW of output power
$39.99/49.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
900MHz ?
Frequency
900MHz Frequency
500mW/1W ?
Output Power
500mW/1W Output Power
JR/Micro Size
100g
And lastly, two more modules from BetaFPV. Comes in both black and white versions, to possibly fit your preferred radio color, as well as RGB that will most definitely make you a better pilot ;) It's overall a pretty nice module for the price as well
$29.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
900MHz ?
Frequency
900MHz Frequency
500mW ?
Output Power
500mW Output Power
Lite/Nano Size
28g
Similar to the Micro, just made for Lite bays, and missing its screen and black color variant. Still a nice module, but if you want more than 500mW of output power (same goes for the AION), you might want to reconsider the Happymodel ES24TX Slim Pro
$39.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
JR/Micro Size
50g ?
With Antenna
50g With Antenna
Radiomaster's brand new ELRS module, with great build quality and performance. Only having the features you actually need also makes it quite reasonably priced, and even more so with the starter bundle that includes 3 receivers for only an extra $20
$39.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
Lite/Nano Size
48g ?
With Antenna
48g With Antenna
Very similar to the bigger one in terms of features, in a Nano bay size. One of the only few Nano TX modules to also use 1W to get the most out of even the smaller radios on the market
Misc
$41.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
100mW ?
Output Power
100mW Output Power
JR/Micro Size
45g
One of the original 4in1 multiprotocol modules available to buy, it still holds up pretty well today, both with its price, and reliability. Decently well known, and at a lower price than the TBS one, while offering something for the radios with full-size module bays
$45.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
100mW ?
Output Power
100mW Output Power
JR/Micro Size
32g
Pretty much a direct competitor to the TBS MPM, but (in my opinion) better in pretty much all aspects. Cheaper, better known, officially supported by the Multiprotocol project, and better documented. The same goes for the larger one as well
$39.99
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
100mW ?
Output Power
100mW Output Power
JR/Micro Size
42g
Another offering in the 4in1 category, this time from Jumper. They have a lot of experience manufacturing radio hardware, as well as 4in1 systems in specific. For an even lower price, it's a good alternative to the IRX4
$59.95
2.4GHz ?
Frequency
2.4GHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
Lite/Nano Size
50g
Designed in collaboration with Radiomaster, it offers the four main RF chips as described above with the 4in1 radios. Made by TBS, it offers higher quality than some other external 4in1 modules
TBS
$69.95
900MHz ?
Frequency
900MHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
JR/Micro Size
48g
The original go-to protocol for anything long-range, and the best option to get Crossfire compatibility. Fits into most radios with the JR bay, and 1W output will give you comparable range to ELRS... and that's the thing. I wouldn't recommend the TBS systems for new users unless you're already in the ecosystem
$69.95
900MHz ?
Frequency
900MHz Frequency
1W ?
Output Power
1W Output Power
Lite/Nano Size
48g
A sized-down version of the standard Micro TX, to fit into any other radio that uses the Lite bay. Outputs the same 1W to compete, just in an even smaller form factor, but still falls into the same trap as its bigger counterpart
Receivers
ELRS
$16.99
(TCXO) ?
Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator
(TCXO) Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator
0.41g
One of the first ELRS receivers to hit the market, it is still widely used to this day. Good price-performance, well known, and now with the new TCXO variant, it makes it even more reliable
$16.99
(TCXO) ?
Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator
(TCXO) Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator
0.44g
Along with the EP1, it was one of the first to come out. Meant for micro quads, it uses a tiny on-board ceramic tower antenna for the easiest and smallest possible installation. Also now available in a TCXO variant
$21.99
(TCXO) ?
Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator
(TCXO) Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator
1g
A newer addition to the Happymodel receivers, this receiver uses two antennas in a true diversity configuration for an even better signal reception. Ideal whenever you need the most range and reliability. Also with TCXO variants
$19.99
TCXO ?
Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator
TCXO Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator
PA ?
Power Amplifier
PA Power Amplifier
LNA ?
Low Noise Amplifier
LNA Low Noise Amplifier
1.1g
Another true diversity offering for a slightly lower price than the Happymodel ones. It was the first receiver to hit the market with both true diversity, TCXO, and other nice features
$18.99
2.2g ?
RP1 + antenna
2.2g RP1 + antenna
0.55g ?
RP2
0.55g RP2
Grouping external/internal antenna receivers, it's pretty much in the same difference as the Happymodel EP1/EP2. The radiomaster RP series receivers have nice big pads to make soldering a breeze, and also good and durable antennas