What HOBBYRC LTD does

HOBBYRC LTD is a UK-based online retailer operating under the legal entity Optinium Ltd, an entity established in 2002 and trading via its current e-commerce model since 2014. The company is family-run and headquartered in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, where it operates a same-day dispatch fulfilment operation for orders received before 16:00 GMT. HOBBYRC sells radio-controlled models and FPV (first-person view) drone components, including fixed-wing aircraft, ready-to-fly and almost-ready-to-fly quadcopters, quad frames, FPV systems, transmitters and receivers, flight controllers, electronic speed controllers, motors, propellers, batteries, and chargers.

The business model is direct-to-consumer online retail, with revenue generated through unit sales of SKUs priced between approximately £8.75 and £195.20. The company differentiates through exclusive UK vendor relationships, holding exclusive UK stockist status for HDZero digital FPV systems and serving as the main UK dealer and authorised repair agent for Radiomaster. Free technical advice is offered via telephone and email, and the company ships to the UK, Europe, the United States, Canada, and additional international markets. Marketing and community engagement are conducted through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a company blog. The company is VAT-registered, pays full UK corporation tax, and discloses no parent company, private equity, or venture capital backing.

Name

HOBBYRC LTD

Legal name

Optinium Ltd

Website

https://hobbyrc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Short description

HOBBYRC LTD is a family-run UK online retailer selling radio-control models, FPV drone components, and hobby electronics, with exclusive UK stockist rights for HDZero and main-dealer status for Radiomaster.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

RC Hobby Retail

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

RC Model Kits & Parts (Cars, Drones, Boats, Planes) (CRALAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Drone Parts, Batteries & Accessories Retail (CRACAHAL)

Keywords

• Radio control models
• FPV drone components
• Drone racing equipment
• RC hobby supplies
• Radio transmitters

Headquarters

HQ city

Fleetwood

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Hardware Sales: Revenue generated from direct online sales of radio control model parts, specializing in drone racing components. Products include FPV equipment, flight controllers, ESCs, motors, batteries, frames, and accessories. The company sells third-party branded products (HDZero, Radiomaster, RunCam, etc.) as an authorized retailer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HobbyRC is an online-only retailer based in the UK selling radio control model parts and electronics with a specialization in drone racing and FPV (First Person View) flying components. The company offers third-party branded products including the HDZero digital FPV system (as exclusive UK stockists), Radiomaster radio transmitters and spares, quadcopter frames, flight controllers, ESCs, motors, propellers, batteries, chargers, fixed wing aircraft, RC vehicles and related accessories. Revenue is generated through direct online sales with same-day dispatch for orders placed before 16:00 GMT and shipping across the UK, Europe and internationally.

Product overview

HobbyRC is a UK-based family-run e-commerce business supplying radio control model parts, specializing in drone racing products. The company operates exclusively online under the trading name HobbyRC. Their product portfolio centers on FPV (First Person View) equipment for drone racing, including the HDZero digital video system (their exclusive UK product line), Radiomaster radio transmitters and spares, and comprehensive RC components across categories: Fixed Wing aircraft, quadcopters, FPV systems, radio transmitters/receivers, flight controllers, ESCs, motors, propellers, batteries and chargers. They also offer RC vehicles (cars, boats, helicopters) and merchandise. The HDZero product line is a key offering, comprising digital VTX units, cameras, goggles, and accessories. As exclusive UK stockists for HDZero products, they provide comprehensive support for this FPV video system alongside their broader inventory of third-party RC components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HDZero Freestyle V2 Video Transmitter (VTX or Kit) 5.8GHz digital video transmitter for 3.5-inch and 5-inch drones with CNC case, supporting 720p60/1080p30/540p60/540p90 video modes and up to 1W RF output. Sold as standalone VTX or kit to FPV drone builders.
• HDZero Race V3 Video Transmitter 3rd generation digital video transmitter for racing drones with 4-12V input, 540p90/720p60/1080p30 resolutions, 25/200mW switchable 5.8GHz power, and 1.6mm PCB with reverse polarity protection.
• HDZero Whoop V2 VTX Digital VTX for 80mm whoops up to 4-inch drones on 1-3S batteries with 25/200mW output, 720p60/540p90/1080p30 modes and thicker PCB for durability.
• HDZero BoxPro Goggles FPV goggles supporting both digital HDZero and analogue reception at very low latency, available in BoxPro and BoxPro+ versions.
• HDZero Goggle 2 Updated HDZero goggles with added features such as a built-in analogue receiver for FPV pilots.
• HDZero VRX Module Receiver module that allows compatible third-party FPV goggles to receive the HDZero digital video image.
• HDZero Nano 90 V2 Camera Compact FPV camera designed for the HDZero digital video system, suitable for small drones.
• HDZero Nano V3 Camera Lightweight camera for whoops and micro drones, manufactured by RunCam, with sharper wide-FOV lens, 720p60 4:3 mode and 10650mV/Lux-sec sensitivity.
• HDZero ECO Camera 720P entry-level FPV camera for the HDZero video system.
• HDZero LUX Camera FPV camera designed for low-light image performance, compatible with the HDZero ECO VTX.
• HDZero Micro V3 Camera Micro-sized FPV camera for the HDZero digital system.
• HDZero Nano Lite Camera Lightweight FPV camera for 1S tiny whoops.
• HDZero Monitor Standalone 720p monitor for HDZero or analogue FPV with HDMI output.
• HDZero AIO15 2S/3S Digital All-In-One module for whoop-style drones, integrating flight controller, VTX and ESC.
• HDZero AIO5 (25.5mm) All-in-one board with F4 FC, SPI ELRS receiver, HDZ VTX and 4-in-1 ESC designed for 5-inch quad builds.
• HDZero Gamma 45A HD-Ready AIO All-in-one flight controller and ESC combo for digital FPV quad builds in the 2.5 to 4 inch class.
• HDZero Halo 4in1 70A ESC 4-in-1 70A electronic speed controller for HDZero FPV drones, available in two versions.
• HDZero Halo Mini Flight Controller (20mm) 20mm flight controller for HDZero FPV builds, available in MPU6000 or ICM42688 versions.
• HDZero Halo Stack Integrated flight controller and ESC stack for HDZero FPV drone builds.
• HDZero Radio Compact ExpressLRS 2.4GHz radio transmitter with 10/25/50/100/250mW adjustable output, OLED display, built-in 4000mAh battery and VTX admin functionality for FPV pilots.
• HDZero Whoop V2 Bundle Complete bundle including Whoop V2 VTX, Nano V3 camera, 40mm MIPI cable, dipole antenna and mounting hardware for whoop upgrades.
• HDZero ECO Bundle Entry-level HDZero bundle for FPV drones, providing core components in a single package.
• HDZero Rear-Mount Battery Case with SD Card Reader External power solution accepting two 21700 Li-ion cells with USB-C charging, built-in cell balancer and ultra-fast Micro SD card reader (USB3.0); mounts on goggle head strap.
• HDZero MIPI Cables Digital HD video connectors between HDZero series VTX and MIPI cameras, available in 40mm, 80mm, 120mm and 250mm lengths for different build configurations.
• HDZero VTX Programmer Device for updating HDZero VTX firmware online with auto-detection of VTX model.
• Radiomaster Transmitters (TX16S, Boxer, Zorro, TX12, GX12) Range of Radiomaster multi-protocol radio transmitters including TX16S, Boxer, Zorro, TX12 and GX12, plus spares; HobbyRC is the UK main dealer and repair agent with all parts guaranteed genuine.
• Radiomaster 4in1 RF Module Multi-protocol RF module compatible with Radiomaster Zorro, Boxer and MT12 transmitters.
• Radiomaster AG02 CNC Hall Gimbal CNC Hall effect gimbal for Radiomaster TX15, TX16S and Boxer transmitters, available in five colours.
• Fixed Wing RC Models Fixed wing RC aircraft including model planes and branded products from VolantexRC, ZOHD and Hee Wing for fixed wing hobbyists.
• RTF / ARF Quads Ready-to-fly and almost-ready-to-fly quadcopters including 5-inch quads, small quads and whoops for pilots wanting pre-built drones.
• Quad Frames Quadcopter frames in 2-inch, 3-inch, 4-inch, 5-inch, 6-inch, 7-inch and 10-inch sizes, including branded frames from Armattan, ImpulseRC, TBS, Ummagawd and KD Drones.
• Flight Controllers Flight controllers, GPS modules, stacks/AIO boards and power distribution boards for quadcopter builds.
• ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers) Electronic speed controllers for motors in quadcopters and fixed wing aircraft.
• Motors (Quad and Fixed Wing) Electric motors for quadcopters and fixed wing RC aircraft, supplied as replacement and upgrade parts.
• Propellers Propellers in sizes from 1 inch up to larger fixed wing props, covering multirotor and fixed wing applications.
• Batteries & Chargers LiPo batteries (1S to 8S), Li-ion cells (18650 and 21700), battery accessories and chargers for RC applications.
• TX / RX (Radio Transmitters & Receivers) Radio transmitters, TX modules, receivers and accessories for controlling RC models.
• Cars / Boats / Helis RC vehicles including 1/76th scale models, helicopters, vehicles, boats and accessories from brands such as OMPHobby and Turbo Racing.
• FPV Equipment Full FPV equipment range including screens, goggles, antennae, analogue and digital cameras, VTX, receivers, cables, accessories and ND filters.
• Molicel P45B 4500mAh 45A 21700 Cell 21700 Li-ion cell with 4500mAh capacity and 45A max continuous discharge, for use with the HDZero Rear-Mount Battery Case and other RC power applications.
• HobbyRC Gift Card / Voucher Gift vouchers denominated from £20 to £100, redeemable on the HobbyRC website for any product.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HDZero (Divimath, Inc.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHobbyRC are the exclusive UK stockists for the HDZero product line. HDZero will not provide support for grey imported products sold by other UK retailers. HobbyRC actively supports HDZero in various ways to help the product succeed in the UK market.
• RadiomastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHOBBYRC is the Radiomaster UK main dealer & repair agent. All parts sold are guaranteed to be genuine. Stocks a wide variety of spares for Radiomaster transmitters including TX16S, TX16S MAX, and TX12.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• AliExpress: Global online marketplace carrying extensive RC hobby and FPV drone inventory, including HDZero products. Comparable to HobbyRC as an alternative purchase channel for hobbyists, particularly in price-sensitive segments; HobbyRC's positioning defends against grey-import pressure.
• Banggood: Global Chinese-headquartered online retailer with broad hobby, RC, and electronics inventory including drone racing components. Comparable to HobbyRC as a low-cost online alternative for RC hobbyists internationally, though operating at far greater scale and breadth.
• Heliguy: UK-based drone retailer and training provider operating across consumer, commercial, and enterprise drone segments. Comparable to HobbyRC as a UK drone retailer, though Heliguy skews toward commercial/semi-professional customers and training services rather than pure FPV hobby.

Direct peers

• Unmanned Tech: UK-based specialist retailer of drones, FPV components, and accessories serving hobbyist and commercial customers. Directly comparable to HobbyRC as a UK online-only FPV/drone parts retailer with overlapping product categories (flight controllers, ESCs, video transmitters, and FPV goggles).
• GetFPV: US-based online retailer dedicated to FPV drones, parts, and accessories with a deep specialization in racing and freestyle components. Closely comparable to HobbyRC in product depth (VTX, cameras, AIO boards, frames, batteries) and target customer (FPV hobbyists building custom rigs).
• RaceDayQuads: US online FPV retailer specializing in racing drones, components, and accessories with proprietary-build focus. Comparable to HobbyRC as a niche specialist serving the FPV racing community with curated brand selections including HDZero, TBS, and other common HobbyRC vendors.
• Quadcopters UK: UK online retailer specializing in consumer and hobbyist drones, multirotors, and accessories. Comparable to HobbyRC as a domestic UK e-commerce competitor targeting hobby drone buyers with similar SKUs across frames, motors, and flight electronics.

Emerging players

• Drone Coalition: Online FPV retailer and content publisher focused on drone racing and freestyle builds. Comparable to HobbyRC in terms of FPV-specialist positioning, brand curation, and hobbyist content marketing approach.
• Dronespire: UK-based drone retailer focused on FPV hobby and racing components. Comparable to HobbyRC as another domestic UK channel serving the same FPV buyer, with overlapping inventory and competing on selection and price.

Regional players

• FPV-UK (FPV UK): UK FPV drone community association and event organizer with affiliated retail partnerships. Relevant to HobbyRC given its UK FPV customer base and the strong role community plays in driving HobbyRC sales and product support decisions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hobbyrccouk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hobbyrccouk
• Facebookfacebook.com/HobbyRC.co.uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HOBBYRC LTD