Suppose, you’ve been using an RC radio for the last ten years. Now, it’s time to upgrade it. You went to their website and saw there were no radios available anymore.
To your surprise, you got to know they discontinued making radios. How would you feel?
You would feel the same as the Hitec radio fans felt. They weren’t able to catch up on what happened to Hitec radios.
The owners of Hitec saw the market with less opportunity and discontinued producing redios. Hitec’s Aurora 9 series radio was at its peak. Still, they took such a harsh step. Another possible reason could be rapidly increased competition from Frsky and Spektrum.
This is not enough, right? You want to know more about your favorite RC company.
Read along to know more!
What Really Happened to Hitech Radios?
Hitech has been the favorite name for all hobby lovers. Their radios are of good quality and worth every penny.
If you’ve bought Hitec radios once, you won’t switch to any other radios. Their superior customer service is like a cherry on top. Not only the radios but also Hitec servos, transmitters, and receivers were top-notch.
Everything was going so well. Most probably, the Hitec flash 8 was the last radio to make entry into the market. All of a sudden, they weren’t seen making or even interested in making new radios. But, why?
Hitech hasn’t posted about its decision publicly till now. Just like Aeroworks disappeared without any official announcement. From various sources and official forums, we found a few reasons for their discontinuation.
They didn’t feel their market had any innovative demand. There weren’t many opportunities for increasing sales according to them. Hitec predicted a stable market growth for their radios.
Since there wasn’t anything new, they stopped making radios. All Hitec admirers were in shock when they couldn’t find radios on Hitec’s official website.
We are no market analysts. So, this wouldn’t be wise for us to comment on their decision.
However, the RC radio markets are still going in full swing. In this time, will Hitec radios make a comeback? Or, have they gone forever?
Let’s try to find out the answer next!
Are Hitec Radios Discontinued for Good?
The last few models of Hitec radios were flash and aurora. Hitec Aurora has been in the market till 2018. Since then, we haven’t seen any new radio launch by Hitec.
In these four years, Hitec didn’t sell their previous radios as well. But, they promised to give support by providing parts for their radios.
Hitec served their customers with Hitec radio transmitters, and receivers until they had available parts. After that, we haven’t heard from them.
This indicates their intentions. Still, Hitec Aurora fans are in disbelief.
They still wonder if Hitec Aurora9 will be discontinued forever.
The answer is yes. Hitec Aurora 9X was the last model. But, the most popular radios ever. Now, you won’t find a single piece in the market. All the compatible receivers, transmitters from Hitec are discontinued for all its radios. Aurora 9 was launched almost ten years back and people still have it.
It’s unknown why despite so much popularity Hitec decided to discontinue its radio series. Only the owners can answer the real truth.
And yes, Hitec radios were discontinued for good until any further news. It’s similar to Bolink RC stopping their years-long venture.
But, how do people use Hitec radios without compatible receivers and transmitters? Hitec has no longer provided RX and TX support for their discontinued radios.
No worries! There are some compatible receivers and transmitters available from different companies.
Let’s check them out!
Compatible Hitech Radio Receivers And Transmitters
Hitec is no longer making or selling receivers and transmitters for its previous radio models. Therefore, people with Aurora 9X and other models are kind of forced to switch.
Hitec optima receivers have discontinued their radios. There was news of getting these receivers at Aloft Hobbies. However, it wasn’t there for long.
Now we are left with no Hitec optima/minima receivers.
It’s obvious that Hitec radios work great with Hitec receivers. If you’re lucky enough, you have a few spare Hitec receivers. Even if not, you don’t need to switch to another radio right away.
However, do your own research before proceeding. Know your radio before buying compatible receivers and transmitters.
There are some receivers and transmitters that are compatible with Hitec radios. Find out which you can definitely pick.
Frsky
In the past frsky was the competitor of Hitec radios. Now, it’s the savor.
Frsky Taranis X9D transmitters are compatible with Hitec Aurora9/9X radio. It gives you the flexibility to control and navigate. X9D also comes within your budget.
If you’re looking for an upgrade to Frsky X9D, check this Frsky Taranis X9D Plus 2019.
Frsky’s OpenTX and DSMX modules make the user experience better. In one word, Aurora9 and frsky X9D complement each other.
Spektrum
Another option is Spektrum DX9 and DX18. Since Aurora9 was discontinued, people opt to switch to Spektrum.
DX9 is so far the best option as a transmitter for Hitec Aurora9 series. It can be operated by anyone. DX9 is also worth the money. But, it doesn’t come with a receiver.
DX18 is a go-to radio. Its receiver and transmitter are also simple. You can try using DX18 as your receiver and transmitter with aurora9 radio.
Regardless of your radio, you can blindly count on Spektrum DX series receiver and transmitter. Just like DX6e 6-channel radio transmitter system with AR620 receiver.
Not only that, it’s sometimes considered better than Hitec receivers.
Hopefully, you found this article helpful. If you ever had Hitec radios, you can only understand their quality. It’s not easy to replace. But, you have to find some compatible receivers to fly the plane with a radio.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Happened to JR Radio?
JR radio stopped its operation forever. They faced loss and couldn’t recover. They publicly accepted that they lost track after the death of their founder. They couldn’t cope with the rapidly growing RC industry. As a result, they had to shut down their venture.
Who Sells Hitec Radios?
Hitec itself used to sell its radios. Along with its website, there were few third parties. Modelflight RC, Nexus modeling supplies are used to sell Hitec radios and their parts. Now, they are off the market. They don’t make any high-end radios let alone sell the previous ones.
Is Hitec Optic 6 FM Radio Control System Discontinued?
Yes, Hitec optic 6 FM radio control system is discontinued. The name is among the list of discontinued products shown on their website. Its features were sophisticated and user-friendly. Optic 6 was both for beginners and experts. It used to be one of the best seller radios.
