Step-by-step build log: Beginner-friendly collective pitch RC helicopter.

Step-by-step build log: Beginner-friendly collective pitch RC helicopter.

I decided to document a full build of a small collective pitch helicopter aimed at hobbyists who want to move from fixed-pitch machines to something more capable and rewarding to fly.

Step 1 was parts selection and sprint planning, because the right choices here make the rest easier and safer to tune later on.

• Carbon frame kit with swashplate compatible head.
• Single-cylinder brushless motor and matching ESC rated for 3S–4S battery operation.
• Collective pitch head, ball links, and cyclic servos with metal gears.
• Flybarless controller (FBL) with integrated gyro and tail stabilisation features.
• Tailboom, tail rotor assembly or tail motor, main and tail servos, blades and landing gear.
• Transmitter and receiver with at least three channels plus a gyro gain channel.

Step 2 was mechanical assembly, starting with the head and swashplate so the collective pitch geometry could be set before installing electronics, and I recommend fitting the rotor head, setting the swashplate height, and checking parallelism carefully before tightening blade grips.

Step 3 covered linkages and collective pitch setup, where I measured neutral blade pitch with blades horizontal, set symmetrical travel on the swash servos, and used a simple gauge to ensure both blades moved the same amount per degree of collective so the helicopter would not develop a cyclic bias during pitch changes.

Step 4 focused on electronics and flybarless controller setup, because modern FBL units simplify cyclic stability and tail control, and I walked through connecting the servos and receiver, powering the FBL separately for configuration, and running the initial auto-trim and sensor calibration routine supplied by the manufacturer to establish a clean baseline.

Step 5 addressed tail tuning and maiden settings, where I used conservative tail gyro gains, ensured the tail boom was straight and the tail rotor balanced, adjusted tail servo endpoints to prevent overtravel, and dialled in collective and throttle curves on the transmitter to keep rotor speed steady at low collective for easier handling as a beginner.

For first flights I recommend reduced pitch limits, lower head speed, and short, gentle hops to establish a feel for the collective pitch response, and you can find build photos and additional setup notes at WatDaFeck to help with visual checks during your own build.

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