Anyone know or seen an article explaining the process that goes into RC plane product development? From idea, design, testing to market etc...

Development of what? Airframe? Electronics? Mechanical systems?

I know a couple fairly senior designers and they start with a full-size aircraft and work it down to scale. If the model is unstable they start toying with airfoil and horizontal & vert. stab. dimensions. Once the bugs are worked out the plans are offered through one of the magazine plans services. Modern types use CAD programs and design components ready to be laser-cut into prototypes almost completely off the PC.

If you look currently on the "Sport Flying" section here you can see where someone is overthinking a simple stik variety aircraft ad nauseum. Marketing is by beating a dead horse on a free forum.

Meant airframe. Thanks!

there are basic design parameters that have been posted many many times over the years in the various magazines.. you can tweak the looks of everything else and still have a very good flying plane.. If you look at all the "sport" arfs today that is exactly what is done... They all look the same except for cockpit placement, wingtip shape, tail shape.. etc etc... Hlaf the stuff coming out of great planes is all the same plane.. but people buy it anyway.

Model Avaition had good things to say about the book "RCadvisor's Model Airplane Design Made Easy" by Carlos Reyes.


www.rcadvisor.com