Gamepad & Transmitter Guide

Quick answer

Absolute RC works with any gamepad, Xbox controller, or RC transmitter that your operating system recognizes as a game controller. If the device shows up in your OS's game controller list, it will show up in the simulator.

Tip: Most browsers only report a gamepad after you press a button or move a stick on it. If the sim says "No gamepad detected", just wiggle a stick once.

Why an RC-style transmitter is better than a regular gamepad

Regular gamepads (Xbox, PlayStation, generic) have a spring-centered throttle stick. That's perfect for driving games — but wrong for RC flying. A real RC plane's throttle stays at whatever position you set it to; you need to actively pull it back for descent, not have it snap to idle every time you let go.

An RC-style transmitter has a ratcheted throttle stick that stays where you put it. This one difference makes the difference between "I'm playing a game" and "I'm practicing RC flight".

Two paths to a real RC feel

Option A — USB simulator transmitter Recommended

A dedicated controller that looks and feels like a real RC transmitter, but connects directly via USB. No batteries, no pairing. Plug it in and it shows up as a gamepad.

Our top pick Best

BETAFPV LiteRadio 2 SIM Drone Flight Simulator Controller — about $40 on Amazon. Purpose-built for simulator use, so it doesn't need batteries and skips the RF radio hardware you don't need. We fly with this every day: precise sticks, solid build, works on every major platform.

Second choice — budget option

FLYDrone S8 FPV Flight Simulator Controller — about $28 on Amazon. Same platform compatibility as the BetaFPV. A bit less precise on the sticks but still a good RC-style feel for the price. If budget matters, this one is hard to beat.

Note on iOS: the FLYDrone S8 uses a different "enter USB mode" gesture than the BetaFPV — instead of holding both sticks in and down, you press the button on the face of the controller when plugging in. See the iPhone/iPad section below.

Option B — Your existing RC transmitter + a USB simulator cable

Already own a real RC transmitter for planes, helis, or drones? You can use it directly. You'll need a USB simulator cable (sometimes called a "4-in-1 sim cable" or "trainer-port USB dongle"), typically $10–20 on Amazon. It plugs into your transmitter's trainer port (or DSC port) and the other end into your computer's USB.

Many modern transmitters (e.g., RadioMaster, FrSky, FlySky, Jumper) have a built-in USB-HID mode — just plug a USB-C cable from the transmitter straight into the computer and select "USB Joystick (HID)" mode on the transmitter. No dongle needed.

Tested compatibility (BetaFPV LiteRadio 2 SIM & FLYDrone S8)

Platform	Works	Notes
Windows 10 / 11	✓	Plug and play. Appears in "Game Controllers".
macOS (Intel / Apple Silicon)	✓	Plug and play.
Linux	✓	Plug and play on any modern distro.
iPhone / iPad (iOS, iPadOS)	✓	See special procedure below.
Android (phone / tablet)	✓	Use a USB-C OTG cable if the transmitter ships with USB-A.

iPhone / iPad — special connection procedure

iOS is picky about USB-HID devices. To get a USB simulator transmitter working on an iPhone or iPad, follow the procedure for your specific device below.

Hardware you'll need for both: A USB-A (female) to USB-C (male) adapter. Apple's "Lightning to USB Camera Adapter" works on older iPhones; on USB-C iPhones/iPads use Apple's "USB-C to USB Adapter" or a generic equivalent.

BETAFPV LiteRadio 2 SIM

Connect the adapter to your iPhone/iPad first (no transmitter yet).
On the transmitter, push both the left and right sticks fully down and inward (toward each other) — hold them in that "X" position.
While still holding the sticks, plug the transmitter's USB cable into the adapter.
You may hear a tone or see a mode indicator on the transmitter — release the sticks once it's connected.
Open Absolute RC in Safari or Chrome. Wiggle a stick. Your transmitter should appear under Controls → Gamepad.

FLYDrone S8

Connect the adapter to your iPhone/iPad first (no transmitter yet).
On the transmitter, press and hold the button on the face of the controller.
While still holding that button, plug the transmitter's USB cable into the adapter.
Release the button once connected.
Open Absolute RC in Safari or Chrome. Wiggle a stick. Your transmitter should appear under Controls → Gamepad.

Why does it need a gesture? Both devices have multiple USB modes. The stick combination (BetaFPV) or button press (FLYDrone) at plug time tells the transmitter to boot into USB HID Joystick mode — the one iOS understands.

After plugging in — calibrate

Open the menu (top-left hamburger icon) → Controls.
Set Input Method to Gamepad.
Your transmitter appears in the Gamepad section as a "Click To Setup" button. If multiple pads are connected, you'll see one button per device.
Tap the button to run the calibration wizard (center sticks, then move each stick fully in one direction, then optionally set gear & flap switches).
Calibration is saved per-device. If you unplug and come back later, it's still there.

Troubleshooting

"No gamepad detected"

Press a button or wiggle a stick on the controller. Most browsers don't report gamepads until they see input.

Axes feel reversed or mapped to the wrong control

Re-run the calibration wizard from the Click To Setup button. Then check Stick Mode (Mode 1/2/3/4) — this maps physical sticks to throttle/elevator/aileron/rudder. Most pilots use Mode 2 (throttle on left, elevator/aileron on right).

Two controllers connected and the wrong one is active

Each connected gamepad gets its own button in the Controls menu. The one marked ✓ Active — Click To Setup is the one the sim reads. Click the other to switch.

Transmitter recognized but sticks don't move

Some transmitters have multiple USB modes (HID Joystick, Mass Storage, etc.). Check the transmitter's settings for "USB Joystick (HID)" or "Simulator" mode. On OpenTX / EdgeTX, this is usually SYS → Hardware → USB Mode → Joystick.

Still stuck?

Open a support ticket with your device name, operating system, and browser. We usually reply the same day. Responses appear on the support page — come back and check with the same email you used to submit.