Big Squid RC – News, Reviews, Videos, and More!

<<FEATURED POSTS>>

What's new: Wednesday, March 5th, 2014

Estes Syncro Quadcopter

By Brian @ 1:06 pm. Filed in: New Products

As you all know, we LOVE the Estes Proto X around here. It’s fun to fly, durable, and easy on the budget. We all own at least one. Well Estes just announced the new Syncro Quadcopter. The Syncro is still nano sized, and almost identical to the Proto X, though it looks like it’s going to have a little more back end support.

We just discovered that you will be able to buy a replacement battery ($5.50) as well as motors ($9.99 for 4). Something that was not available on the Proto-X. We are very excited about this, as our months of abuse have taken a toll on our quads, and having the ability to replace some parts will be a huge plus!

Specifications include-

* Weight: 11.5 grams
* Dimensions: 1.75″in diameter.
* 100mAh 3.7v Lipo w/ USB charge cord
* LED lights to indicate front of quad
* 2.4GHz radio system w/ digital trims
* One piece PCB frame
* Requires two AAA batteries for transmitter
* Comes with 4 spare blades.

The part number for the Estes Syncro is #004609, it has a street price of $39 and they will be available very soon.

Click Here for more Estes news on BigSquidRC.

Estes Syncro Gallery

tagged

Lego Quadcopter?! Put those bricks to good use!

By Kevin @ 11:23 am. Filed in: News, rc helicopter

I keep getting more and more impressed about the types of projects that show up on Kickstarter, and this one is new exception. Presenting a quadcopter frame made of…wait for it…LEGOS. Yes, the construction toy of our youth (and landmine to parents) has a new RC implementation where combined with 3D printed motor mounts creates a working quadcopter frame that can even carry a GoPro camera with the right motor and ESC setup. Feel free to support this project by donating money to the cause, and if you feel really generous (about $130 so) you can even get a quadcopter frame shipped to you around August! More details about the project can be found on its Kickstarter page Right Here.

Lego Quadcopter Frame from Kickstarter

For more Kickstarter news on BigSquidRC, click HERE.

tagged

2014 Edition Hobby Pro PRS1 2wd Buggy

By Tim Mohr @ 9:02 am. Filed in: miscellaneous, New Products

For 2014 the Hobby Pro PRS1 2wd buggy has gotten some updates and improvements. The PRS1 still comes with mid and rear motor capabilities, but boasts upgrades like new carbon fiber shock towers and US spec springs. Some of the other updates include-

* Worlds Edition shock pistons
* Larger spring cups to fit 12mm springs
* Gold shock shafts
* 25 degree kickup & new top plate

The 2014 Hobby Pro PRS1 has a street price of $289, is scheduled for a late March release date, and is available from Hobby Pro USA and their dealers.

Click Here for more Hobby Pro news right here on BigSquidRC.

Hobby Pro 2014 PRS1 Buggy

tagged

What's new: Tuesday, March 4th, 2014

Amazing RC SUBARU WRX STI vs Stick Bomb Video

By Brian @ 10:18 pm. Filed in: video

If you watch one RC video today, it should be this one! It has drifting, scale looks, action, and a crazy premise. It’s also really well done. I was amazed to see they didn’t wimp out and go all CGI special effects but actually really did the full setup.

Don’t believe it? You can watch the ‘making of’ RIGHT HERE.

Not satisfied with that for your RC video fix of the day? Check out some Big Squid RC Videos Here.

tagged

Upgrading Your RTR Axial SCX10: Stage 2

By Doug @ 4:52 pm. Filed in: Axial, Features, Pro-Line

If you read Part 1 of this guide (CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT) you may remember that for the Part 2 portion of “Upgrading Your RTR Axial SCX10″ I planned on limiting the budget to $100. Well, in the grand tradition of every single r/c project I’ve been apart of…we are going over budget! Besides, if your rig isn’t over budget then you aren’t a true scaler! Right?! Yeah, this excuse never works on my wife either. I digress. Click the “Read More” button to see what kind of trouble we can get into this time.

tagged

Pilot Profile – Jared Bachman

By Tim Mohr @ 3:19 pm. Filed in: In Other News, miscellaneous

Last weekend one pilot rose above the rest to take home the overall win at the 2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships, that pilot was Jared Bachman. At only 14 years of age, Jared easily won the Micro 6″ class and finished second in the Nano 2″ class, giving him more than enough total points to secure the overall title.

In the Micro 6″ class Jared used an unmodified Blade Nano QX controlled by a JR X9503 to out fly the other pilots, while he used a bone stock Estes Proto-X to finish second in the Nano class.

While Jared has been flying airplanes for 2 years, he has only been flying quads for about 4 months, but that didn’t stop him from flying circles around the other guys. Congrats to Jared on a job well done last weekend, he really showed what could be done with a quad in the hands of a skilled pilot.

To read more about the BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships check out This Link.

Quadcopter Champion Jared Bachman Gallery

tagged

O.S. Speed R2101 Nitro Engine

By Tim Mohr @ 1:57 pm. Filed in: New Products, O.S. Engines

For those of you looking for truly big power on-road, O.S. Engine has announced their new R2101. The R2101 is a .21 cubic inch nitro burner that should put some serious power into your 1/8th scale on-road machine. It features a DLC coated crank with pressed in weights, a 7+3 port design, and is based off the legendary 21XZ-R.

* Weight- 11.99 oz
* Bore- 0.633″
* Stroke- 0.677″
* Practical RPM- 4,000-45,000
* Output- 2.7 hp @ 33,000 rpm

The R2101 has a part number of #OSMG2043, a street price of $499, and it is expected to hit hobby shops later this month. Hit up This Link for more information over on the O.S. website.

Click Here to read even more O.S. news right here on BigSquidRC.

tagged

Keep Your Quadcopter Safe with the 350QX Case!

By Kevin @ 11:21 am. Filed in: New Products, rc helicopter

With the Blade Helicopter’s 350QX becoming a quick heavy hitter in the consumer quadcopter market, it was nice to hear that Horizon Hobby just announced a case for their current model 350 size quadcopter that will also fit the 350QX AP that will be out in a few months. This new case also touts the following features:

Sturdy foam insert provides protection for everything you need to fly your 350 QX and more
Accommodates the 350 QX with long landing gear
Accommodates the GB200 gimbal
Holds up to 6 flight batteries
Holds various tools and accessories
Holds charging or camera equipment
Fits DX5e up to DX18
Locking design with keys
Brushed aluminum with bright graphics

The part number for the case is BLH7849 and will sell for $140 when it starts to ship later this month. More details can be found on Horizon Hobby’s website via This Link. For more Blade Helicopter information on BigSquidRC, click here.

Blade 350QX Case

tagged

Sneak Peek – Pro-Line Phantom Body for the Associated RC10B5M

By Tim Mohr @ 8:59 am. Filed in: New Products, Pro-Line

Our friends over at Pro-Line have released a teaser image of their Phantom series body for the Associated RC10B5M. As you can see from the picture, the latest Phantom is ready for the track, and it looks pretty sharp with the murdered out paint job. More information will be coming soon, until then you can click This Link to check out all the cool products over on the official Pro-Line website.

For more Pro-Line news on BigSquidRC, This Is The Link you want.

tagged

JConcepts Silencer Body for the TLR 22-4

By Tim Mohr @ 7:52 am. Filed in: JConcepts, New Products

The new JConcepts Silencer clear polycarbonate body for the TLR 22-4 has been specifically designed for high speed tracks. Featuring a low profile cab forward design, with a shark fin in the back for added stability and roof stiffness, the Silencer for the 22-4 will set your buggy apart from the crowd.

* Includes two 6.5″ wings
* Shark fin for added stability
* Comes with window mask, decal sheet & protective film
* Forward cab design with dual channeling rear escape
* Air outlets available throughout the body

The part number is #0271, it has a retail price of $26, and you can get more information at This Link over on JConcepts official blog.

Click Here for more JConcepts news right here on BigSquidRC.

tagged

What's new: Monday, March 3rd, 2014

March 2014 Desktop Wallpaper Calendar

By Brian @ 11:30 pm. Filed in: Big Squid RC

Welcome to March! Who needs the new Big Squid RC Desktop Wallpaper Calendar? Every month we bring you a new wallpaper calendar for your PC screen. This month’s shot is the Pro-Line PRO-2 Short Course!

We have several different resolutions available. Just right click these links, and do a ‘SAVE AS’ for the one matching your PC’s desktop ratio. Basically we have a wide screen version, and a standard 4:3. Your computer should resize as needed. Then all you need to do is right click on your desktop, and change wallpaper to the picture for your calendar!

Grab one below:
Wide Screen: 1920×1080
Standard Screen: 1280×1024

You can also use these on your phones!
We are using the most popular resolutions, but if you are having trouble scaling it, or if there is a different resolution you need, leave us a comment below and we will try to add a few more links.

tagged

Big Squid RC Calendar

Event Coverage – 2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships

By Tim Mohr @ 6:14 pm. Filed in: Big Squid RC, Events

The 2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships are officially in the books. Hosted by HobbyTown USA Orland Park Illinois last Saturday, it marked one of the first organized quadcopter competitions ever held. The event was made possible by its major sponsors- Ares RC, Blade, and Heli-Max.

Several events were used to determine winners in three different size classes. A tricky obstacle course was set-up to test the precise control a pilot had over his quad, drag racing tested speed and how quickly a pilot could land, and 5 lap pylon races were held to really let the pilots open up the throttle on their quads.

The pylon racing seemed to be everyone’s favorite event as it was a good mix of speed, skill, and competition. Drag racing, which consisted of taking off from the ground and landing on a pedestal about 40 feet away, sounded easy enough, but under the pressure of racing proved to harder than anyone imagined. Many pilots would quickly get to the landing pedestal, only to miss the landing, giving up a bunch of time. The obstacle course was quite challenging with the more skilled pilots navigating the course in about 50 seconds, while it took up to 4 minutes for others.

In true BigSquidRC fashion, the word “Championship” may have been in the title, but the event was extremely laid back and focused more on fun than anything else. A friendly helping hand could always be found and there were smiles all around. The 2014 Quadcopter Championships will not only be remembered for being one of the first of its kind, but also for being an incredibly fun day of flying with some great people.

BigSquidRC would like to thank everyone that participated, as well as Kevin and 3D Bill for all their hard work making the event happen, and Steve from HobbyTown USA for providing the facility. We consider the event a success and are looking at doing another one this summer, as well as a 2015 Quadcopter Championships again next year.

Results-

Nano 2″ Class-

1. Brian Smolik – Estes Proto-X
2. Jared Bachman – Estes Proto-X
3. Bill Smith – Estes Proto-X

Micro 6″ Class-

1. Jared Bachman – Blade Nano QX
2. Brian Smolik – Heli-Max 1Si
3. Kevin Ragauskis – Blade Nano QX

Mini 8″ Class-

1. Bill Smith – Blade MQX
2. Kevin Ragauskis – Blade 180 QX
3. Tim Mohr – LaTrax Alias

Overall Champion – Jared Bachman

To read more about the 2014 Quadcopter Championships, check out This Link right here on BigSquidRC.

Quadcopter Championships Gallery 1

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 2

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 3

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 4

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 5

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 6

Quadcopter Championships Gallery 2

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 7

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 8

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 9

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 10

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 11

Quadcopter Championships Gallery 3

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 12

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 13

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 14

2014 BigSquidRC Quadcopter Championships 16

tagged

Carisma USA News

By Tim Mohr @ 5:45 pm. Filed in: Carisma, Industry News

Carisma vehicles are officially for sale here in the USA. We have learned that there will be 6 different models offered initially, and that both the vehicles and parts are on the ground here in the states and ready to go.

If you are a consumer and want to check out all the Carisma models available Click This Link that takes you over to the Falcon Hobby Supply Website. If you are part of a hobby shop and are interested in picking up the Carisma line, Click Here to contact their distributor The Jeric Group.

Click Here for more Carisma news on BigSquidRC.

tagged

All content © 2004-2014 Big Squid RC, Inc., all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted.
Big Squid RC, Basher Approved, and the Big Squid Logo are registered trademarks of Big Squid RC, Inc.
All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.