RC Plane Dogfight Guide: Combat Formats, IR Systems and Gear

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Type "RC plane dogfight" into a search bar and you will get a pile of half-answers: forum threads about paper streamers, product pages for infrared gadgets, and plenty of queries about planes that shoot. Underneath the noise are a handful of genuinely different activities, each with its own gear, its own rules and its own learning curve.

A note on method: this page is built from AMA documents, Model Aviation articles, FAA pages, a US patent and maker pages and manuals. It is not based on our own flying, and quotes from makers are marketing claims unless a document says otherwise. Check current rules with your club and the AMA before you organize anything.

Four things people mean by "RC dogfight"

One thing is missing from that table on purpose: a plane that fires projectiles.

The thing you cannot do: shoot

Let's get the hard line out of the way. The AMA Member Safety Handbook is direct on this. A model must not carry any incendiary or explosive devices "that creates hostile fire or weaponizes the aircraft" (Air Show Teams have separate allowances under their own program). The handbook also says devices that propel hazardous projectiles are prohibited, dropping any object that creates a hazard to persons or property is prohibited, and launching a rocket or any other missile from a model aircraft is prohibited.

That is why every legitimate dogfight format in this guide simulates the fight with paper, soft foam or infrared light. If a plane that fires pellets is what brought you here, the sanctioned answer is the IR system section below, which gives you the hit-and-miss contest without the projectile.

Separately from club rules, the FAA's recreational exception also says nobody may operate a drone in a way that endangers the safety of the national airspace system. A stunt that puts people or property at risk is a problem however the hobby labels it.

Streamer combat: the organized version

Streamer combat, usually called RC Combat, is the activity most searches are pointing toward, whether or not the searcher knows its name. The basics, per Model Aviation: you tow a 30-foot streamer and get points for cutting other pilots' streamers and for keeping your own intact. You also score for getting into the air on time and for surviving the round.

A round lasts five minutes, with a minute and a half to get started and into the air. Most contests run roughly six to ten rounds, and if more than seven or eight pilots turn up they are split into multiple heats so the sky does not fill. The RC Combat Association (RCCA) is the organization behind the classes and rules, and RC Combat is flown at the AMA Nats in Muncie, Indiana. The 2019 Nats report lists SSC, Limited B, Scale 2948, E1000, GNat and Open B all being flown that year.

The classes

Model Aviation's 2018 column counted six classes flown across the country, and the electric E1000 class has been added since:

• GNat: the starter class. Per Model Aviation, the planes are simple in design, most parts come from a hardware store, and plans are available online. It is the recommended start if you do not want a large initial investment.
• SSC (Slow Survivable Combat): called the most popular combat series in the country and flown at most events. The class started in 2003 and has rules that limit weight and engine size.
• Limited B: more power than SSC, though not as much speed as an open class.
• Open B: flown mostly at larger events that last several days, with engines up to .30 cubic inch allowed.
• Scale 2610 and Scale 2948: scale combat designs. 2610 is mostly flown in the northwest; 2948 is flown elsewhere and at the Nats. Per the Nats report, 2948 planes are World War II fighter designs with an engine limit, an rpm limit and a minimum weight.
• E1000: the electric class, added after 2018.

Class names have shifted over the years. A 2008 column listed the second scale class as 2548, so check the current RCCA rulebook rather than relying on older lists.

E1000: the electric entry point

E1000 is the class most relevant if you want to build an electric combat plane from scratch. Per Model Aviation, the rules are short and clear:

Other details from the same article: any airframe is allowed, the battery must be secured with a safety strap or a screwed or bolted hatch, and average power use over a five-minute round is around 133 watts (about 12 amps at 11.1 volts), so a 20-amp ESC is recommended. The author describes a well-designed E1000 model as able to pull a full streamer in 20 mph wind, and notes that the class's power is similar to a 1/2A glow engine, which is far below what an open-class model has.

If you are building a pack for this class, brush up on the basics first. Our LiPo battery guide covers storage, charging and handling, and those rules matter just as much on a combat plane that will be hit.

Safety distances

Combat has its own safety code, AMA Document 525. It sets the distance between the engagement line and the spectators at 500 feet per cubic inch of engine displacement, with an electric power equivalent chart. For example, the chart pairs a .15 two-stroke glow engine with 300 watts and 75 feet, and a .25 with 500 watts and 125 feet. The code also points to the RC Combat section of the AMA Competition Regulations for further requirements. If you plan to organize a combat day, read both before you plan the layout.

Getting into a heat

The fastest route into streamer combat is people, not parts. Combat is club-based, so start by finding an RC club near you and asking whether anyone flies it. Some clubs hold relaxed "Club Combat" days where scores and times are not kept, which the 2008 column described as a low-pressure way to chase each other's streamers without disturbing normal flying. Watch a few rounds before you build anything.

If solo flying is not second nature yet, work through our beginner's flying guide and put some hours on a flight simulator first. You will lose planes in combat, and it helps if keeping one in the air is already automatic.

Contact and formation games

Not all dogfighting involves cutting paper. Crash Test Hobby, a maker of EPP flying wings, describes a very different style on its site, and clubs in other places play versions of it. The maker says it grew out of six local fliers flying their foam wings in formation in 2004. Instead of avoiding each other, pilots chase and deliberately make contact.

The maker's list of "rules of engagement" is a useful template if you ever organize something similar:

• The motor must be at the back.
• Planes should have a soft leading edge, not a glassed or hard-spar one.
• Keep planes light. The maker says 48-inch wings are usually under 36 oz and 40-inch wings under 22 oz, including batteries.
• Fly slowly. The maker recommends 20 to 50 mph and describes "faster is better" as a misconception.
• Enforce the flight line, never fly over the crowd and do repairs behind the line.

The maker also lists games. Fox and Hound has a group circling low while those behind try to catch up for the hit, with a "Nudge" for contact and a "Hit" if a plane rolls over. Other entries include streamer cutting, a limbo pole, pylon racing, a spot-landing contest, a balloon bust and night combat with LED lights. One entry has ground shooters firing paintballs or airsoft at planes passing at low power, which the maker says leaves small dents. That is a game played at your own risk and under your own club's rules, not something this guide endorses.

IR laser tag for FPV

Streamer combat needs a visual reference: you watch the other plane's streamer. IR combat exists to bring the same "did I get you" contest to pilots flying on goggles, where the target is another aircraft on a video feed.

The best-documented system is the A.C.E. (Advanced Combat Electronics) Combat System from Video Aerial Systems and designer IBCrazy, covered by US Patent 10,821,371 B2. The patent describes a 38 kHz infrared transmitter, a 38 kHz filtered IR receiver, a display and a processing unit. When a hit is detected, the system manipulates the control output to the vehicle to simulate damage. It also disables the IR receiver while the transmitter fires, so it does not hit itself, and it has user-adjustable settings for land vehicles, RC aircraft and drones.

From the maker's description, the system has two modes. In Race mode, a hit makes the target's motor stutter and its LED strips flash. In Battle mode, damage is adjustable: motor stutter, trim manipulation or a disabled weapon. A receiver interface board connects to a spare receiver channel through PWM. Availability is the catch. The maker does not list current stock on its page, and some retailer listings show it as sold out or discontinued, so check availability before you plan around it.

A second system is FPV Combat, which its maker describes as a platform for any RC vehicle with an FPV system, using IR technology similar to laser tag. The maker says its dedicated OSD shows ammo, lives, battery voltage and a sight, and that it now supports digital FPV systems (DJI, Walksnail and HDZero) as well as analog. It controls addressable LED strips for visual hit feedback and is configured through a single RC channel. Its game modes include Fox Game and Battle Game; in Battle Game each player has 10 points to distribute across defense, shoot power and shoot rate. The maker notes the games need additional HC-12 433 MHz modules, so check radio rules for any extra transmitter you add. A smaller version weighing 1.5 grams exists with reduced range for indoor use.

FPV combat means a spotter

This is where the fun meets the rulebook. AMA Document 550 covers FPV and says every FPV flight needs a spotter next to the pilot who keeps the aircraft in line of sight throughout. The spotter is briefed on duties and hand-over, must be ready to take the transmitter, and if the pilot has a safety issue that is not a brief glitch, the pilot abandons FPV and flies by sight. Novices should be able to fly the aircraft without FPV first, and an RC test flight without FPV is required after installing or changing FPV or essential flight systems. The federal rule underneath is the visual line of sight condition in 49 U.S.C. 44809: the aircraft stays within sight of the operator or a co-located visual observer.

If you are not there yet, start with our FPV camera guide and the FPV plane guide before adding combat electronics.

Payload drops and novelty gear

Dropping something from a plane is a different activity: no opponent, no score, just a payload and a target. Clubs use it for games such as dropping washers on a target or parachute drops.

A ready-made release

The E-flite Servoless Payload Release (EFLA405) is the plug-and-play option, listed as in stock by Horizon at the time of checking. Per its manual:

• It plugs into any unused receiver channel (AUX 1, GEAR or FLAPS).
• It weighs 18 g, measures 79 x 15.5 x 27 mm and has a payload limit of 12 oz (340 g).
• A lever on the side retracts the pin so you can load the payload, and the manual warns that a loose payload can affect flight performance.
• Five release modes cover zero delay, 250, 500 and 750 millisecond delays, and an individual release. Several units can be daisy-chained, limited by the power your BEC can supply.
• It can also work as a tow release for sailplanes.

E-flite Servoless Payload Release EFLA405

For cheaper or custom setups, browse a plain search for a servo payload release and check the listing details. A ready-to-drop "bomb" kit named the Quanum RTR Bomb System also exists, but the Amazon listing showed as unavailable when checked and no maker documentation could be found, so this guide has nothing to say about it beyond the name.

The DIY version

Crash Test Hobby's how-to is the simplest design: a servo pulls a pin or rod that releases a rubber band, and whatever is under the band falls. Ideas on the maker's list include store-bought or homemade parachutes, pop cans, water bottles and rolls of crepe or toilet paper. A few practical points from the same page:

• Stop the propeller before releasing so the payload does not go through the prop.
• Mount the payload under the center of gravity so the balance does not change when it drops.
• Use a brass or metal tube where the wire passes through foam so it does not tear out.
• Mount the rod where you will not stab yourself while hand-launching.

Be sensible about what goes under the band. The AMA handbook prohibits drops that create a hazard to persons or property, so keep the drop zone clear of people and stay inside your club's rules.

Airframes that survive

Whatever format you choose, the airframe matters more than the electronics. Combat assumes the plane will take more abuse than a typical sport model.

Crash Test Hobby's wings are built around EPP foam. The maker says EPP flexes and springs back where EPO or EPS crush, which is its own marketing claim, though it matches why EPP is common in combat circles. The Assassin 39" has wing cores and elevons cut from 100% EPP with a flat carbon spar, reinforcing tape, shock cord and laminate, and the maker says a build around 20 oz is in the range of 15 to 75 mph with its recommended motor. The Titan 57" is described as a good combat wing that can fly without fins, while the Grim Reaper has a deeper wing that carries bigger batteries and a camera. The maker's reinforcement tape is described as tested to 150 pounds per inch, but heavier, so use it sparingly. Model Aviation's E1000 article names the Crash Test Hobby Scythe and the Flite Test Arrow as airplanes its author has flown in the class.

A foam-board-style build is the cheap, disposable end of the spectrum. The FT Spitfire MKR2 from Flite Test's store is a 42.5 inch (1080 mm) kit weighing 14.9 oz without a battery, built from four lasercut Maker Foam sheets, with a stated 2.5 hour build time. The store calls it an introduction to scale warbirds and four-channel flying. It is not a purpose-built combat design, so treat it as a trainer-sized warbird that suits our beginner plane guide.

If it is the warbird shape you like, our warbird guide and best RC warbirds roundup cover scale models. Scale combat classes use dedicated combat designs, not off-the-shelf warbirds.

Picking a path

Frequently asked questions