How does a remote control car work?

Invisible light carries your commands to the model. The remote sends flashes of infrared light — too red for your eyes to see. The receiver on the model watches for these flashes and turns them into power for each motor. It needs to "see" the remote, just like a TV.

Try RC Tank for free

Complete MightyCog booklet collection: 82 PDF booklets for $12.99. Instructions only; individual booklets remain free.

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Try it yourself

Hide the receiver behind your hand. Does the model still listen?

Build it: 11 builds that teach remote control

  • 🪖 RC Tank: Two motors, two tracks, one remote. Spin on the spot and climb over anything! (level 4 of 5, about 60 minutes, 27 steps)
  • 🚂 Floor Express: A remote-control locomotive with headlights, a chimney and a log wagon. (level 4 of 5, about 40 minutes, 17 steps)
  • 🎮 First RC Car (Servo): Your first remote-control car: one dial drives, the other dial steers. (level 4 of 5, about 50 minutes, 27 steps)
  • 🛵 Front-Drive Servo Trike: One front wheel does everything: its own motor drives it and the Servo swings it round. (level 4 of 5, about 50 minutes, 21 steps)
  • 🚜 Skid-Steer Loader: No steering at all: left motor, right motor — spin it round on the spot! (level 4 of 5, about 65 minutes, 25 steps)
  • 🔒 Diff-Lock Mud Truck: Stuck in the mud? Slide the diff lock and both wheels are forced to turn together! (level 4 of 5, about 60 minutes, 33 steps)
  • 🏆 RC Racer: A real remote-control car: motor drive, differential, servo steering and headlights. (level 5 of 5, about 75 minutes, 38 steps)
  • 🤖 Robot Arm with Servo Claw: Swing, lift and grab! Three motors and a remote turn you into a factory robot operator. (level 4 of 5, about 60 minutes, 30 steps)
  • 🏆 Independent Rally Car: Every wheel on its own springy arm, a differential, universal joints and Ackermann steering. (level 5 of 5, about 90 minutes, 47 steps)
  • 🌐 AWD with Central Diff: All four wheels driven, with a differential in the MIDDLE of the car — like a rally car. (level 5 of 5, about 90 minutes, 28 steps)
  • 🚧 Twin-Motor Dozer: Wide caterpillar tracks, one motor per track, and a blade that cranks up with a worm gear. (level 5 of 5, about 100 minutes, 33 steps)

In the classroom

Common engineering questions

How can I try remote control at home?

Hide the receiver behind your hand. Does the model still listen?

Which builds teach remote control?

11 MightyCog builds teach it: RC Tank, Floor Express, First RC Car (Servo), Front-Drive Servo Trike and Skid-Steer Loader and more. Start with RC Tank: 27 steps, about 60 minutes.

Ideas that go with it