Can I use ExpressLRS with a cheap PWM receiver on a wing?

Question: Can I run ExpressLRS with a cheap PWM receiver on a wing?

Answer: ExpressLRS is designed primarily for digital protocols like CRSF, which offer low latency and high reliability. Cheap PWM receivers work by outputting standard servo pulses, which ExpressLRS transmitters and modules don’t directly support as a receiver input. To use ExpressLRS on a wing, you’ll need a compatible ExpressLRS receiver that communicates via the CRSF protocol, usually over a UART connection. If you already have a PWM receiver, it won’t interface directly with ExpressLRS gear.

If you want to upgrade to ExpressLRS, follow these steps: 1) Purchase a dedicated ExpressLRS receiver compatible with your transmitter module. 2) Connect the receiver to your flight controller or servo outputs appropriately, usually via UART for CRSF. 3) Bind the receiver to your ExpressLRS transmitter module. 4) Configure your flight controller to accept CRSF inputs instead of PWM, if applicable.

This setup ensures you get the low latency and long range ExpressLRS is known for, rather than relying on slower, less reliable PWM signals.