All instructions, warranties and other collateral documents are
subject to change at the sole discretion of Horizon Hobby, LLC.
For up-to-date product literature, visit horizonhobby.com or
towerhobbies.com and click on the support or resources tab
for this product.
Meaning of Special Language
The following terms are used throughout the product
literature to indicate various levels of potential harm when
operating this product:
WARNING: Procedures, which if not properly followed,
create the probability of property damage, collateral damage,
and serious injury OR create a high probability of superficial
injury.
CAUTION: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create
the probability of physical property damage AND a possibility
of serious injury.
NOTICE: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create
a possibility of physical property damage AND a little or no
possibility of injury.
2
WARNING: Read the ENTIRE instruction manual to
become familiar with the features of the product before
operating. Failure to operate the product correctly can
result in damage to the product, personal property and
cause serious injury.
This is a sophisticated hobby product. It must be operated
with caution and common sense and requires some basic
mechanical ability. Failure to operate this Product in a safe
and responsible manner could result in injury or damage to
the product or other property. This product is not intended
for use by children without direct adult supervision. Do not
attempt disassembly, use with incompatible components or
augment product in any way without the approval of Horizon
Hobby, LLC. This manual contains instructions for safety,
operation and maintenance. It is essential to read and follow
all the instructions and warnings in the manual, prior to assembly, setup or use, in order to operate correctly and avoid
damage or serious injury.
Age Recommendation: Not for children under 14 years.
This is not a toy.
NOTICE: This product is only intended for use with unmanned,
hobby-grade, remote-controlled vehicles and aircraft. Horizon
Hobby disclaims all liability outside of the intended purpose and
will not provide warranty service related thereto.
* Not Included
** Programming port located directly
on ESC case on some models
5
Throttle Signal
SMART Throttle*:
Spektrum™ Avian™ ESCs are compatible with SMART Throttle.
SMART Throttle combines throttle signals with telemetry data from
the ESC on one normal three-wire servo connector. SMART Throttle
compatible receivers will automatically detect a SMART Throttle
ESC and begin to send telemetry information to your transmitter.
Using the SMART Throttle connection, this ESC can send
voltage current and other telemetry data. It can also pass along
battery data from compatible Spektrum SMART batteries.
Spektrum SMART battery with an IC™ connector is required for
battery data. EC™ connectors are compatible for basic operation, but
will not provide SMART battery data.
Only certain Spektrum telemetry receivers include
Throttle
; check your receiver manual for more information.
ESC is not connected to a SMART Throttle compatible receiver,
no telemetry data from the ESC will be available, but the ESC
will operate normally with a common servo signal (PWM).
*A Spektrum DSMX transmitter with telemetry is required for
SMART Throttle.
Normal Servo Signal (PWM):
If you plug the Avian ESC into any common RC receiver the
ESC will still be compatible with a conventional servo signal for
basic operation.
A
SMART
If the
6
Installation and Wiring
1. Select a location to mount the ESC with good ventilation for cooling.
Mount the ESC with double sided tape or hook and loop material if
mounting tabs are not included on the case.
2. Connect the three motor wires from the ESC to the motor wires in
any order. In the event the motor spins the wrong direction, reverse
any two wires.
3. Connect the throttle lead to the throttle channel on your receiver.
4. Secure all wiring so it is protected from damage or being caught
by moving parts.
NOTICE: Do not connect a dedicated receiver battery to the receiver if
it is connected to the ESC. When the ESC is turned On it will power the
receiver with regulated voltage from the main battery through the throttle
connection. The ESC may be damaged if the receiver is also connected
to a dedicated receiver battery.
ESC/Radio Calibration
1. Begin with the transmitter powered on at full throttle.
2. Connect a battery to the ESC. The motor will emit a series of three
ascending tones.
3. The motor will emit two short tones to indicate the high throttle position
has been accepted.
4. Move the throttle stick to the low position within five seconds after the
two short tones.
TIP: If more than 5 seconds passes before you lower the throttle, the
motor will motor emit another series of tones, indicating the ESC has
entered programming mode.
5. The motor will emit a number of tones to indicate the number of
detected LiPo cells.
6. The motor will emit one long tone to indicate the calibration is
complete.
7
Stick Programming
Power on your transmitter
with the throttle at the full
position.
Connect the battery to the
ESC.
The motor will emit short two
tones, then another series
of tones to indicate the first
programming parameter.
The ESC will indicate
the parameter option
with a series of tones.
8
TIP:
If a selection is not made
the ESC will return to the
beginning of the list and cycle
through the options again.
TIP: There are twelve
programming parameters. See
the table below for full details.
To select a programming
parameter, move the throttle
stick to the bottom position
within three seconds.
The motor will emit of series of
tones for the selected parameter.
See the Parameters Options table
for details.
After making a
selection the ESC will
continue down the list
of parameters.
To make a selection, move the
throttle stick to the full throttle
position.
Select the last parameter
(#13) to save the settings
and exit programming.
After exiting programing and
with the throttle at the low
position, the ESC will arm and
operate normally.
Programming Parameters
Number of Tones
One short tone1. Aircraft Type
Two short tones2. Brake Type
Three short tones3. Brake Force
Four short tones4. Voltage Cutoff Type
One long tone5. Number of LiPo Cells
One long tone and one short tone6. Cutoff Voltage
One long tone and two short tones 7. BEC Voltage
One long tone and three short tones8. Start-Up Mode
One long tone and four short tones9. Timing
Two long tones10. Motor Rotation
Two long tones and one short tone11. Freewheel Mode
Two long tones and two short tones12. Factory Reset
Two long tons and a series of short tones 13. Exit
Programming
Parameter
9
Other programming options include the SPMXCA200 Smart
Parameter Options
Avian ESC programming box and the SmartLink USB updating
and programmer application. See SpektrumRC.com for more
details about Avian ESCs.
Program-
Parameter
1. Aircraft
type
2. Brake
type
3. Brake
force
4. Voltage
Cutoff
Type
5. Number
of LiPo
cells
6. Cutoff
Voltage
7. BEC
Voltage*
7. BEC
Voltage**
7. BEC
Voltage***
ming
One
Two
Three
Four
short
short
tone
Airplane
Disabled
Disabled
Soft
Auto
Calc.
Disabled
5.2V
6V7.2V
6V7.4V 8.4V
short
tones
tones
Helicopter
Normal
Proportional
Level 1 Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 6Level
Hard
3S4S5S6S
2.8V 3.0V 3.2V 3.4V 3.6V 3.8V
short
tones
One
long
tone
One
long
and
one
short
tone
One
long
and
two
short
tones
One
long
and
three
short
tones
7
10
8. Start-up
9. TimingLowMed
10. Motor
11. Free-
12. Factory
13. ExitExit
7. BEC Voltage
Avian 15A*
Avian 30A, 45A, and 60A**
Avian 80A, 100A***
Mode
rotation
wheel
mode
Reset
Normal
Soft
CW
CCW
Enabled Dis-
abled
High
The blacked out cells
with white text are the
default settings.
Programming Options Descriptions
1. Aircraft Type
• Fixed-wing: in this mode, the motor only starts up when
the throttle amount reaches 5% or above and it responds
to the throttle input rapidly.
• Helicopter (Governor): in this mode, the motor only starts up
when the throttle amount reaches 40% or above. The motor will
start up very slowly and enters the speed-governing operation
after the soft start-up completes and the RPM is stable.
When changing the Aircraft Type from fixed wing mode to
helicopter mode, you need to program flat throttle curves
in your transmitter to define the RPM in each flight mode
otherwise the speed-governing function will not work correctly.
TIP: Choose the “Fixed-wing” mode if your helicopter is
using an external governor, disabling the Freewheel mode.
11
2. Brake Type: The throttle range changes depending on the
Brake Mode
-100%
0%
The motor brake will activate when the throttle stick is moved
to the low position. In this mode the strength of the braking is
set with the Brake Force selection.
0%
Signal position as shown on
Spektrum transmitters
-60%60%
0%
20%
Throttle signal (pulse position)
50%
Normal Brake
Throttle Signal
80%
100%
100%
100%
Brake activates
at low throttle
0%
12
Throttle and Brake Response
100%
Proportional Brake
With this option selected, the throttle range changes so the ESC
will not start below 20%. The throttle will operate as normal above
20%, but moving the throttle below 20% will apply the brakes,
increasing in strength as the signal drops to 0%.
100% Brake
Brake
Range
Throttle and Brake Response
100% Throttle
0%
Throttle/Brake
Throttle Signal
0%
3. Brake Force
4. Voltage Cutoff Type
5. LiPo Cells
20%
(-60% as shown on Spektrum
transmitter screens)
This option is adjustable from level 1 to level 7. The higher
the level, the stronger the braking effect. Brake Force is
only effective in the “Normal brake” mode.
Soft Cutoff: Selecting this option will gradually reduce the
ESC output to 50% of the full power within 3 seconds after
the low-voltage cutoff protection is activated.
Hard Cutoff: Selecting this option will immediatly cut off the
ESC output when the low-voltage cutoff protection is activated.
Select Auto Calc to cause the ESC to automatically
calculate the number of LiPo cells based on a 3.7V/cell
default. Alternatively, you can select a specific sell count to
set the ESC to a fixed battery configuration.
100%
13
6. Cutoff Voltage
Use this option to adjust the cutoff voltage from 2.8V to
3.8V/cell or disable the cutoff voltage completely.
WARNING: Discharging a LiPo battery below 2.8V/
cell may damage the battery. Attempting to charge
or discharge a damaged battery will cause a fire.
7. BEC Voltage
Select the BEC output voltage.
8. Start-up Mode
Normal Start-up: If this mode is selected, the motor will immediately
increase in RPM to correspond to the throttle stick input.
Soft Start-up: If this mode is selected, the motor will gradually
increase in RPM to correspond to the throttle stick input.
TIP: We recommend using this soft start-up mode when
using large diameter motors or gear drives.
9. Timing
Select Low, Medium, or High motor timing.
10. Motor Rotation
Adjust the rotation direction of the motor without changing wires.
11. Freewheeling
This option can be set to Enabled or Disabled. Freewheeling can
help provide better throttle linearity or smoother throttle response.
Programming with the SMART Programmer Box
1. Begin with the ESC powered off.
2. Connect the programming lead to the programming port on the
programming box.
3. Connect a battery to the ESC.
4. Power on the box and select the parameter with the SELECT button.
5. Change the values of the selected parameter with the EDIT button.
6. Press the SAVE button to save the changes.
14
Operation
1. Leave the transmitter throttle at the low position and connect a
battery to the ESC. The ESC will cause the motor to make several
tones.
The number of tones indicates (1) the ESC is in operation (2) the
LiPo cell count detected and (3) the ESC is in a ready-to-use state.
2. Unplug the battery to
turn off the ESC.
Failsafe Protections
Start-up Protection:
The ESC will monitor the motor speed during the startup process. If the RPM of the motor is not responding as
expected, the ESC will detect a start-up failure.
In the event of a start-up failure;
• If the throttle is less than 15%, the ESC will try to restart
automatically.
• If the throttle is more than 20%, the throttle stick must
be moved back to the bottom position before the ESC will
allow a restart.
ESC Thermal Protection:
1. The motor will not start if the temperature exceeds 70˚C when the
ESC is powered on.
2. If the ESC temperature goes above 110˚C during operation, the
ESC will redu
power reduction helps protect the ESC from failure while
still providing some power to the motor to prevent a crash.
The ESC will gradually resume normal operation when the
temperature drops back within the operating specifications.
ce the output power to 60%. This automatic
15
Throttle Signal Loss Protection:
When the ESC detects loss of signal for over 0.25 second,
it will cut off power to the motor immediately. The ESC will
resume normal operation when throttle signals are received.
Overload Protection:
The ESC will cut off power to the motor if there is a sudden
load that exceeds predetermined limits.
Over-current Protection:
The ESC will cut off power to the motor if the peak current
goes above the rated value.
Low-voltage Cutoff Protection:
The ESC will limit the output to 60% when the input voltage
drops below the LVC value.
Troubleshooting Guide
ProblemESC
Tones
Two short
tones
repeating
Motor won’t
operate and
continues to
emit tones
One long
repeating
One short
repeating
tone
tone
Possible
Causes
Input voltage
is beyond the
operating range
of the ESC
The ESC is
not receiving
a throttle
signal from the
receiver
The throttle
input is not at
the low position
Throttle range is
set too narrow
Solution
Ensure the operating
voltage is within the
specs for the ESC
Verify the transmitter and
receiver are connected,
check the throttle lead
is in the correct servo
port, and check channel
assignments
Move the throttle
control to the low
position
Re-calibrate the
throttle range
16
Motor stutters
during operation
above 60%
throttle and
continues to
emit tones at low
throttle
Motor output
is suddenly
limited to 60%
power during
operation and
continues to
emit tones at
low throttle
Two short
tones
repeating
after
operation
Three
short
tones
repeating
after
operation
The ESC has
gone over the
temperature limit
and activated
the thermal
protection feature
The voltage of
the battery has
dropped too
low and the
LVC feature has
been activated.
Reduce the load on
the motor
Improve heat dissipation
for the ESC with better
airflow (fresh air intake
and hot air exhaust)
Verify the battery is
charged
Change to a larger
battery or a higher C
rated battery to increase
the load the battery can
handle
Verify the motor is not
damaged; If a motor
is damaged it may
still function but draw
excessive current,
resulting in early LVC
activation
Reduce the load on
the motor
17
Motor stutters
at start-up
Motor stops
during
operation
N/A
N/A
Poor wiring
connection
between the
ESC and motor
Excessive
drag on motor,
propeller,
gearbox, etc
ESC has
activated
overload or
over-current
protection
Verify all wiring
connections are solid
and well insulated,
re-flow any cold
solder joints
Check for parts rubbing,
bent shafts, rusted
bearings, tight gears,
or anything that could
cause extra drag on the
drive system
Verify the motor is not
damaged; If a motor
is damaged it may
still function but draw
excessive current,
resulting in over current
protection.
Reduce the load on
the motor
Change to an ESC
with higher current
capabilities if the
chosen ESC cannot
handle the load
demands for your
model
18
1-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
What this Warranty Covers - Horizon Hobby, LLC, (Horizon)
warrants to the original purchaser that the product purchased (the
“Product”) will be free from defects in materials and workmanship
for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase.
What is Not Covered
This warranty is not transferable and does not cover (i) cosmetic
damage, (ii) damage due to acts of God, accident, misuse, abuse,
negligence, commercial use, or due to improper use, installation,
operation or maintenance, (iii) modification of or to any part of the
Product, (iv) attempted service by anyone other than a Horizon
Hobby authorized service center, (v) Product not purchased from
an authorized Horizon dealer, (vi) Product not compliant with
applicable technical regulations, or (vii) use that violates any
applicable laws, rules, or regulations.
OTHER THAN THE EXPRESS WARRANTY ABOVE, HORIZON
MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION, AND
HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE PURCHASER ACKNOWLEDGES
THAT THEY ALONE HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE PRODUCT WILL
SUITABLY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PURCHASER’S
INTENDED USE.
Purchaser’s Remedy
Horizon’s sole obligation and purchaser’s sole and exclusive
remedy shall be that Horizon will, at its option, either (i) service,
or (ii) replace, any Product determined by Horizon to be defective.
Horizon reserves the right to inspect any and all Product(s)
involved in a warranty claim. Service or replacement decisions are
at the sole discretion of Horizon. Proof of purchase is required for
all warranty claims. SERVICE OR REPLACEMENT AS PROVIDED
UNDER THIS WARRANTY IS THE PURCHASER’S SOLE AND
EXCLUSIVE REMEDY.
19
Limitation of Liability
HORIZON SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSS OF
PROFITS OR PRODUCTION OR COMMERCIAL LOSS IN ANY
WAY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH CLAIM IS BASED IN
CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY
OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY, EVEN IF HORIZON HAS
BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Further,
in no event shall the liability of Horizon exceed the individual price
of the Product on which liability is asserted. As Horizon has no
control over use, setup, final assembly, modification or misuse, no
liability shall be assumed nor accepted for any resulting damage
or injury. By the act of use, setup or assembly, the user accepts all
resulting liability. If you as the purchaser or user are not prepared
to accept the liability associated with the use of the Product,
purchaser is advised to return the Product immediately in new
and unused condition to the place of purchase.
Law
These terms are governed by Illinois law (without regard to conflict
of law principals). This warranty gives you specific legal rights,
and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Horizon reserves the right to change or modify this warranty at
any time without notice.
WARRANTY SERVICES
Questions, Assistance, and Services
Your local hobby store and/or place of purchase cannot provide
warranty support or service. Once assembly, setup or use of the
Product has been started, you must contact your local distributor or
Horizon directly. This will enable Horizon to better answer your questions
and service you in the event that you may need any assistance. For
questions or assistance, please visit our website at www.horizonhobby.
com, submit a Product Support Inquiry, or call the toll free telephone
number referenced in the Warranty and Service Contact Information
section to speak with a Product Support representative.
20
Inspection or Services
If this Product needs to be inspected or serviced and is compliant
in the country you live and use the Product in, please use the
Horizon Online Service Request submission process found
on our website or call Horizon to obtain a Return Merchandise
Authorization (RMA) number. Pack the Product securely using a
shipping carton. Please note that original boxes may be included,
but are not designed to withstand the rigors of shipping without
additional protection. Ship via a carrier that provides tracking
and insurance for lost or damaged parcels, as Horizon is not
responsible for merchandise until it arrives and is accepted at
our facility. An Online Service Request is available at http://www.
horizonhobby.com/content/service-center_render-service-center.
If you do not have internet access, please contact Horizon Product
Support to obtain a RMA number along with instructions for
submitting your product for service. When calling Horizon, you will
be asked to provide your complete name, street address, email
address and phone number where you can be reached during
business hours. When sending product into Horizon, please
include your RMA number, a list of the included items, and a brief
summary of the problem. A copy of your original sales receipt
must be included for warranty consideration. Be sure your name,
address, and RMA number are clearly written on the outside of
the shipping carton.
NOTICE: Do not ship LiPo batteries to Horizon. If you
have any issue with a LiPo battery, please contact the
appropriate Horizon Product Support office.
Warranty Requirements
For Warranty consideration, you must include your original sales
receipt verifying the proof-of-purchase date. Provided warranty
conditions have been met, your Product will be serviced or
replaced free of charge. Service or replacement decisions are at
the sole discretion of Horizon.
21
Non-Warranty Service
Should your service not be covered by warranty, service will be
completed and payment will be required without notification
or estimate of the expense unless the expense exceeds 50%
of the retail purchase cost. By submitting the item for service
you are agreeing to payment of the service without notification.
Service estimates are available upon request. You must include
this request with your item submitted for service. Non-warranty
service estimates will be billed a minimum of ½ hour of labor.
In addition you will be billed for return freight. Horizon accepts
money orders and cashier’s checks, as well as Visa, MasterCard,
American Express, and Discover cards. By submitting any item
to Horizon for service, you are agreeing to Horizon’s Terms and
Conditions found on our website http://www.horizonhobby.com/
content/service-center_render-service-center.
ATTENTION: Horizon service is limited to Product
compliant in the country of use and ownership. If
received, a non-compliant Product will not be serviced.
Further, the sender will be responsible for arranging
return shipment of the un-serviced Product, through
a carrier of the sender’s choice and at the sender’s
expense. Horizon will hold non-compliant Product for
a period of 60 days from notification, after which it will
be discarded.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2)
this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
CAUTION: changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
23
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is
no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different
from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.
Horizon Hobby, LLC
2904 Research Rd.,
Champaign, IL 61822
Email: compliance@horizonhobby.com
Web: HorizonHobby.com
Compliance Information for Canada
CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B)
This device complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt
RSS standard(s).
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1)this device may not cause interference,
(2)this device must accept any interference, including inter-
ference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
24
Compliance Information for the European Union
EU Compliance Statement: SPMXAE1015,
SPMXAE1030, SPMXAE1045, SPMXAE1060,
Horizon Hobby, LLC hereby declares that this product is
in compliance with the essential requirements and other
relevant provisions of the EMC Directive.
A copy of the EU Declaration of Conformity is available
online at:
http://www.horizonhobby.com/content/support-rendercompliance.
Instructions for disposal of WEEE by users in the
and recycling of your waste equipment at the time of disposal will help to conserve natural resources and make sure
that it is recycled in a manner that protects human health
and the environment. For more information about where
you can drop off your waste equipment for recycling, please
contact your local city office, your household waste disposal
service or where you purchased the product.
SPMXAE1080, SPMXAE1100
European Union
This product must not be disposed of with
other waste. Instead, it is the user’s responsibility to dispose of their waste equipment
by handing it over to a designated collections
point for the recycling of waste electrical and
electronic equipment. The separate collection