Mini RC terms explained

RC has a vocabulary problem. Half the words on a product page sound like they were written for people who already own a soldering iron. Here is the plain version, limited to the terms that actually change what you buy.

What is in the box

RTR / RTF (Ready to Run / Ready to Fly). The car or aircraft, transmitter, rechargeable battery, charger and basic tools are included. No kit building, no separate radio. Everything on our site is sold this way unless the title says otherwise.

BNF (Bind 'n Fly) / kit. No transmitter, and often no battery. Common in FPV parts, not in our car range. If a listing says "DIY" or "self-assembled", read the package list before you assume RTR.

Transmitter batteries. The one common exception. Most of our cars need 2×AA, some need 4×AA, and they are not in the box. Each product page says which.

Size and handling

Scale (1/43, 1/24, 1/10...). How much smaller the model is than the real thing. It is a proxy for physical size and for the space you need, not for quality.

Gyro / drift gyro. A sensor that detects a slide and adds a little counter-steer to stop the tail spinning out. On a micro car it is the difference between learning to drift and chasing the car across the room.

Full proportional. Steering and throttle respond to how far you move the control, not just on/off. Cheap toy cars are not proportional; all the drift cars we recommend are.

4WD vs RWD. Four-wheel drive is planted and forgiving; rear-wheel drive is the realistic drift layout and needs more throttle control. Beginners should start with 4WD plus a gyro.

Wheelbase. The distance between front and rear axles. Adjustable on a few models, which changes how readily the car rotates.

Electronics and power

2.4GHz. The radio band almost everything here uses. It allows multiple cars on the same floor without fighting over a frequency.

LiPo / Li-ion. Two types of rechargeable pack. Capacities in our 1/43 cars run from 240mAh to 380mAh; bigger generally means longer runs. Both need the supplied or manufacturer-recommended charger.

mAh, runtime, ESC, servo. mAh is tank size, runtime is how long it lasts (20–35 minutes across our 1/43 range), the ESC is the speed controller, and the servo is the tiny motor that turns the wheels. A "2g digital servo" is a size, not a quality grade.

Shipping words worth knowing

DDP. Delivered Duty Paid: duties are handled up front, so nothing is collected at the door. Our standard shipping marks its DDP routes on each product page.

DDU. Delivered Duty Unpaid: local customs may charge duty or VAT and the carrier collects it on delivery, sometimes with a clearance fee. Our express option is DDU.

Dispatch time vs transit time. Two separate clocks. We inspect and test-run every vehicle, which takes 1–5 business days before it leaves; tracked shipping then takes roughly 7–18 business days depending on destination. Battery orders can add 2–4 days.

More answers in the FAQ. Not sure which scale fits your space? Start with the scale guide.