FPV rally is full immersion RC driving built around the idea that the camera view should feel like a real cockpit, not a camera attached to a car. The goal is scale realism at speed, where lens choice, camera placement, dash geometry, and telemetry presentation all work together so the driving experience feels natural and believable.
For us, FPV rally is not just a style of filming. It is a new motorsport direction that blends building, tuning, and driving into a single discipline.
Kairuhs is spearheading the scale FPV rally experience by focusing on the details that actually create realism. Correct lens depth and perspective. A true dashboard view. A high quality one eighth scale interior that looks right and drives right. Telemetry that feels like it belongs inside the vehicle instead of floating over the footage. We build for immersion first, then prove it by driving fast on real terrain.
What Makes Our FPV Rally Different
Most FPV RC car footage misses the cockpit feel because the view is wrong. The lens is often too narrow or too distorted. The camera sits too high or too far forward. The dashboard is missing or low detail. Telemetry is usually missing or presented as a standard OSD overlay, which is effective, but does not feel like sitting inside a car.
Our approach is simple. Get the view right, then make the cockpit real.
This build is a complete one eighth scale 2001 Impreza rally cockpit centered around a high resolution resin dashboard, a correct driver perspective, and dual in dash displays. That combination creates a view that feels grounded, realistic, and consistent.
What FPV Rally Is
FPV rally is driving an RC rally car from the driver seat view using a video link to goggles or a display. It is about building a car that can handle real terrain while maintaining a stable and believable perspective. It is about making the cockpit feel like a cockpit, not a camera mount.
It is also about how the car is driven. Whether that means time trials, pace runs, or sustained high speed trail driving, FPV rally rewards smooth inputs, clean lines, and consistency. The long term vision is repeatable performance, not just one good run.
From a financial standpoint, this is about as close as you can get to real rally driving without spending a fortune.
The Build
HPI WR8 Nitro 2001 Impreza
This FPV rally platform is built on the HPI WR8 Nitro 2001 Impreza, a chassis known for its durability and long standing reputation in high performance RC. The WR8 platform is designed to handle sustained speed, vibration, dust, and extended run times, making it well suited for demanding FPV rally use.
For FPV rally, reliability matters as much as speed. The WR8 Nitro provides a stable foundation that can survive real trail driving while maintaining consistent handling and predictable behavior. This allows the cockpit view and FPV link to remain usable and believable, rather than turning the footage into an action camera perspective.
The interior and mounting system are engineered specifically for this environment. Components are reinforced to manage vibration and impacts, ensuring that the dash view stays stable and the immersive experience holds up.
While some people are understandably tired of seeing the same familiar Subaru rally shapes, the Impreza remains iconic for a reason. Its widespread recognition and unmistakable silhouette make it a perfect platform for FPV rally, where realism and familiarity help sell the illusion. In this case, the popularity of the car works in favor of immersion, making the experience feel instantly authentic.
Why Nitro Instead of Electric
Choosing nitro was intentional. For this build, the goal was to go as scale and as realistic as possible. While electric platforms are extremely capable, they did not align with the experience we were trying to create.
There are very few true one eighth scale gasoline options, so the WR8 Nitro chassis became the right foundation. One eighth scale is a sweet spot for FPV rally. It is large enough to support a detailed cockpit, proper camera placement, and in dash displays, while still being compact enough to carry, transport, and run casually without turning into a full size project.
Nitro brings an element of realism that electric simply cannot replicate. The sound of the engine. The smell of fuel. The visible exhaust smoke. The vibration and mechanical presence. All of it contributes to an experience that feels alive. When combined with a true cockpit view and immersive telemetry, the result feels closer to real rally driving than anything else in RC. Nitro also gives builders the freedom to tune and upgrade the engine to match their driving style, from carburetor adjustments and clutch setup to exhaust and performance upgrades, reinforcing the hands on mechanical aspect of the experience. Nitro is not dead. It has evolved.
At Kairuhs, realism is what drives our builds. Nitro fits that philosophy perfectly. It adds character, immersion, and authenticity in a way that supports the entire FPV rally experience rather than just delivering speed.
Other Chassis Options
The HPI WR8 Nitro is a strong foundation for FPV rally, but it is not the only option. FPV rally is flexible by design, and many different RC platforms can be adapted successfully with the right camera placement, suspension setup, and telemetry integration.
Used nitro RC cars are often available for under two hundred dollars, and they can make an excellent starting point for an FPV rally build, especially for those working within a tight budget. Durability, wheelbase, and suspension travel matter more than brand name when it comes to creating a usable driver seat view and stable FPV experience.
What matters most is choosing a chassis that can handle vibration, rough terrain, and extended run times. With thoughtful setup and a focus on perspective, even budget platforms can deliver a convincing and immersive FPV rally experience.
Vehicle and Interior
HPI WR8 Nitro 2001 Impreza, powered by a 3.0 cc nitro engine producing approximately 2.1 horsepower. In its current FPV rally configuration, the car runs an average top speed of around 37 miles per hour, with gearing options available to reach higher speeds depending on terrain, setup, and tuning.
The body has been fully modified for a true cockpit view. The windshield and front side windows are completely cut out to allow an unobstructed driver perspective. The fuel tank has been relocated to create space for the dashboard and interior structure while maintaining reliable fuel delivery during aggressive driving.
Removing window sections leaves the door frame areas between the windshield and front windows thin and structurally fragile. To restore strength, those areas are reinforced using thirty gram woven fiberglass cloth and epoxy. Additional reinforcement is applied around the body mounting holes and the wheel well arches to prevent cracking and tearing during high speed trail driving.
The interior features a high resolution dashboard, steering wheel, gimbal mount, roll cage, and fuel tank modification printed in tough resin for strength and vibration resistance. Additional components are printed in PLA and TPU, including wheel well guards, roll cage body mounts, and the dashboard mount pieces. An Outerwears 2 inch pre filter is installed to protect the engine during dusty high speed trail driving.
While the reinforcement work prioritizes strength over cosmetic perfection, durability is the priority. These reinforcements allow the body to survive repeated high speed runs and aggressive terrain without destroying the shell, which is critical for sustained FPV rally driving.
FPV System
The FPV system is based on an OpenIPC Thinker running at 1080p and 70 frames per second with a 20 Mbps bitrate. Video capture is handled by a Sony IMX335 camera paired with a Foxeer 1.8 millimeter lens. Dual Foxeer antennas are used for reliable signal transmission.
The main OpenIPC Thinker board is powered directly from the flight controller. The WiFi card is powered separately using a dedicated five volt, three amp battery eliminator circuit to ensure stable operation and consistent video performance.
Control and Navigation
The system is built around a SpeedyBee F405 flight controller running INAV Rover 7.1.2, configured specifically for nitro vehicle operation. INAV Rover logic and conditions are tuned for nitro throttle, brake control, and failsafe behavior, allowing safe engine management and predictable response during signal loss or system faults. The entire electronic system can be powered by a 2 to 6 cell battery. For this build, we use 3 cell lithium ion flat packs mounted at the front due to their compact form factor, stable voltage delivery, and ease of packaging within the chassis.
Control input is handled through a Taranis QX7 stick transmitter equipped with a RadioMaster ELRS bay module, paired with a RadioMaster ELRS RP3 receiver on the vehicle. ExpressLRS supports up to sixteen control channels, allowing nearly any function to be mapped and controlled. The transmitter provides extensive flexibility through two position and three position switches, rotary knobs, and trim switches. This makes it possible to manage driving functions, camera pan, modes, display interactions, and auxiliary systems while maintaining low latency, superior range, reliable link performance, and full telemetry feedback to flight controller and transmitter.
A separate battery eliminator circuit is used to power the servos, as the flight controller cannot supply sufficient current for high load steering and throttle operation. A dedicated five volt, eight amp BEC provides stable power to the servo system, ensuring consistent steering response and reliable operation under load.
Position and speed data are provided by a Foxeer M10 250 GPS, enabling accurate GPS based speed measurement. Camera pan control is handled by a GDW RS 0708 350 degree digital metal gear servo, allowing smooth and precise camera movement that matches the driving perspective. The pan axis can be controlled either through transmitter inputs or via goggle head tracking, allowing the camera view to follow natural head movement.
A three axis C20T gimbal was originally tested for this build. While it performed well mechanically, the amount of movement was not suited to the FPV rally driving experience we were aiming for. Even when the vehicle was not rolling, there was noticeable gimbal jitter, and during acceleration and braking there was excessive pitch sway.
Because the cockpit displays are hard mounted and visible within the camera view, this movement caused the displays to wander within the frame more often than desired. For FPV rally, consistency of perspective is critical. We prefer the camera view and the cockpit displays to move together as a single unit, maintaining a stable and predictable visual reference while driving.
For these reasons, a hard mounted camera with controlled pan was chosen over a fully stabilized gimbal. This approach reduces visual jitter, minimizes pitch induced motion, and keeps the cockpit view consistent during high speed driving and rough terrain.
Kairuhs Immersion and Telemetry
Kairuhs kit 1.14 inch telemetry displays are integrated directly into the dashboard, presenting real time vehicle data as part of the cockpit rather than as an external overlay. This allows critical information to remain visible without breaking immersion.
A Kairuhs kit engine temperature probe provides live engine temperature data inside the cockpit, helping monitor engine temp during extended high speed runs and aggressive driving.
The cockpit also features a functional steering wheel driven by a standard servo that is mechanically linked to the front wheels. As the wheels turn, the steering wheel turns with them, reinforcing the sense of scale realism and providing visual feedback that matches the vehicle’s actual steering input.
Chassis and Steering Upgrades
Upgraded Miuzei 25 kilogram digital metal gear servos
Upgraded Yeah Racing BBG 0090 shocks with 50 weight oil on hard springs
Why Displays Matter in FPV
Displays inside the dashboard are not about adding more data. They are about how information is experienced. Traditional OSDs are extremely useful and not inherently distracting. They are the standard because they are flexible and efficient.
Cockpit displays serve the same purpose. They are tools first. The difference is where the information feels like it lives. When telemetry is presented as part of the dashboard, it supports immersion instead of competing with the camera view. At speed, especially on rough terrain, this keeps the experience grounded and believable.
Both approaches work. One prioritizes efficiency. The other prioritizes immersion.
Building an RC Car for Real FPV Rally
If you want FPV rally to feel real, the view comes first. Choose a lens that matches scale depth. Place the camera where a driver would realistically sit. Find a dashboard with real geometry so the view has context.
From there, the car needs to survive the environment. Suspension that absorbs trail impacts. Steering that stays precise at speed. Proper filtration for dusty conditions. A control system that provides stable telemetry and reliable GPS for logging, time trials, and repeatable runs.
Finally, decide how you want to experience information. A clean OSD is extremely effective. A cockpit display shifts the experience toward full immersion. Neither is wrong. The choice depends on how you want the vehicle to feel.
Why FPV Builds Benefit From a Flight Controller
Many RC car builds avoid using a flight controller because it adds complexity. Traditionally, RC cars are simple systems, and adding a flight controller can feel unnecessary or intimidating, especially for builders who are used to running everything directly from a receiver.
That hesitation is understandable. A flight controller introduces setup, configuration, and a learning curve. However, once integrated properly, it unlocks capabilities that fundamentally change what an FPV build can do.
A flight controller turns an RC car into a data driven platform. Air vehicles are not the only ones that get to enjoy advanced telemetry and control.
With a flight controller, the vehicle gains awareness of its own attitude, orientation, speed, and position. Pitch, roll, yaw, and acceleration data become available in real time. GPS allows for accurate speed measurement, position tracking, logging, and repeatable runs. Engine and system monitoring can be tied into warnings and alerts. Telemetry becomes structured instead of fragmented.
Most importantly, all of that information can be presented cleanly, either through a traditional OSD or through cockpit style displays that integrate directly into the dashboard.
More Than Stability
A common misconception is that flight controllers are only useful for stabilization. In FPV builds, stability is only a small part of the picture. While flight controllers are not used to actively steer the car, they do help maintain consistent heading reference and smooth directional behavior by monitoring yaw and vehicle orientation as the car moves forward over uneven terrain.
The real value comes from context.
Knowing vehicle attitude helps interpret terrain changes. GPS based speed is more accurate and consistent than wheel based estimation. Telemetry warnings allow drivers to push harder while staying aware of limits. Data logging makes it possible to compare runs, tune setups, and improve driving consistency over time.
Once a flight controller is in place, the build stops being just a fast RC car and starts behaving like a real vehicle system.
OSD and Cockpit Integration
Flight controllers are what make advanced telemetry presentation possible. Without one, information is limited and disconnected. With one, data can be routed cleanly to an OSD, cockpit displays, or both.
This flexibility allows builders to choose how they want to experience information. Some prefer a minimal OSD. Others prefer full cockpit immersion or both. The flight controller does not force a single approach. It enables options.
For scale FPV rally, where immersion and awareness matter at speed, that flexibility is critical.
Learning Curve and Payoff
There is a learning curve. Setting up a flight controller takes time, especially for builders new to platforms like INAV Rover. It requires understanding configuration.
The payoff is long term.
Once configured, the system becomes stable, repeatable, and expandable. Adding new sensors, displays, or features becomes easier, not harder. The build grows with the driver instead of hitting a ceiling.
For FPV rally, where realism, data, and immersion all intersect, a flight controller is not just an extra component. It is the foundation that makes everything else possible.
FPV Rally as a New Motorsport
FPV rally sits at the intersection of RC engineering and real driving culture. It combines vehicle setup, camera tuning, telemetry integration, and driving skill into one loop. The skill ceiling is high because the driver is operating entirely from perspective, not from a standing viewpoint.
As more drivers build proper cockpit view systems, FPV rally naturally evolves into time trials, stage runs, and organized competition. The foundation is immersion that holds up.
Kairuhs is building the tools and platforms that support that evolution, with a focus on scale realism that remains believable under real driving conditions.