Eric Robb RC Eric Robb RC RC Builds · Custom Parts · Backyard Engineering
Gear Guide

Recommended RC Gear

Not a wall of random links. These are the standard, beginner-friendly parts I'd actually point a new builder toward — organized by what you're building, with a note on what each one is good for.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases; FMS Hobby, Bambu Lab, and OMTech links are affiliate links too. Every card links to one specific product I picked for the spec — not a generic search — but listings change, so always double-check specs and your airframe's limits before buying.

Last reviewed: July 2026

How to read these picks

  • What it's best for & what it fits — every card says the job it's good for and the size of build it suits.
  • Why it's here — recommendations include equipment I use personally and clearly relevant alternatives chosen for a specific type of build. Always verify compatibility with your aircraft before ordering.
  • Its limits — watch the ⚠ notes and check your own airframe's limits before you buy.
  • Pair it right — parts have to match. The Checklist Builder and Wiring Designer make sure your motor, ESC, battery, prop and servos work together.
  • Links kept current — every link is checked automatically each day. If a listing disappears, the button falls back to a live search for the same part, so you're never stuck on a dead link.
Buyer's Guides & Kits

Not sure what to buy? Start here

Start here

The Complete Beginner Kit

Everything to build and fly your first plane, matched and ready to order in one list.

See the kit →
Buyer's guide

Best RC Transmitter

Channels, ecosystems, and the receiver-matching trap — the radios I'd buy first.

Compare radios →
Buyer's guide

Best LiPo Battery

What S, mAh, and C mean, how to match a pack to your plane, and the packs I fly.

Compare batteries →
Buyer's guide

Best 3D Printer for RC

What matters, the two Bambu printers I'd buy, and the filament that makes printed parts fly.

Compare printers →
Buyer's guide

Best Laser Cutter for RC

Cut perfect balsa & ply rib sets at home — four OMTech machines ranked, with 5% off.

Compare lasers →
Kit

Night-Flight LED Kit

Controller + matched 12V WS2815 strips + wire and power — the whole lighting kit.

See the kit →

Everything you need is on the bench

This is my RC workbench — the parts to build a plane laid out on it, with the gear laid out to grab. Tap any part to jump straight to that gear — and see how it all wires together below.

Eric Robb's RC workbench: airplanes, tools, glue, foam board, propellers, an LED strip and radios, with a printed wiring map showing battery, ESC, motor, receiver, transmitter and servos.

How the electronics connect

Five parts, four connections — tap any part to shop it.
power 3-phase throttle + power wireless channels BATTERYpower pack ESCspeed control MOTORspins the prop TRANSMITTERyour radio RECEIVERthe brain SERVOSmove the surfaces

Want this mapped to your exact motor, ESC, battery and servos — with the hookup steps? Open the Wiring Designer.

Not sure what your plane needs?

Use the Electronics Checklist Builder — answer a few questions about your build and get a complete starting-point parts list.

Open the Checklist Builder New to RC? Start Here →