Best GPS For RC Speed Runs: 4 GPS Speed Meters Compared

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Horizon Hobby, ARRMA’s parent company, rates the INFRACTION 6S BLX (Horizon Hobby) and FELONY 6S BLX (Horizon Hobby) at 80+ mph out of the box, and the LIMITLESS V2 roller at 110+ mph (Horizon Hobby), but the only way to know what your own car does is to put a GPS meter on it. This guide compares the four GPS speed meters that make the most sense for RC speed runs in 2026, using the specs each maker publishes, and explains how to mount one so the number you get is worth bragging about.

Quick answer: For most ARRMA owners, the Spektrum GNSS Wireless GPS Speed Meter (SPMXGPS100) is the easiest pick: Horizon’s own 10 Hz, 35 g logger that reads out on your phone. The SkyRC GSM020 lists the same size, weight and test modes. If you want a screen on the meter and no phone at all, get the SkyRC GSM-015. If you want the highest update rate here, the RaceBox Mini S samples at 25 Hz, but it is about three times heavier at 106 g.

GPS Speed Meters for RC Cars Compared

Meter	Update rate	Satellite systems	Weight	Battery life (maker)	How you read it
Spektrum GNSS Wireless (SPMXGPS100)	10 Hz	GNSS + GPS	35 g	Up to 6 hours	Phone app (SPM GNSS)
SkyRC GNSS Performance Analyzer (GSM020)	10 Hz	GPS + GLONASS	35 g (manual) / 38 g (product page)	5 hours (page), up to 6 hours (manual)	Phone app
SkyRC GSM-015 GNSS Speed Meter	1 to 10 Hz (1 Hz default)	GPS + GLONASS	45 g	Up to 150 minutes	LCD screen on the meter, PC software
RaceBox Mini S / Mini	25 Hz	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou	106 g	Over 20 hours	Phone app (Mini S also logs on its own)

All figures come from each maker’s product page or manual, linked in the sections below and in the Sources list. Prices change often, so check the current price through the links.

1. Spektrum SPMXGPS100: Best for Most ARRMA Owners

The Spektrum GNSS Wireless GPS Speed Meter and Data Logger is the GPS logger Horizon Hobby sells under its Spektrum brand, so it comes from the same company that sells ARRMA. Spektrum lists a 10 Hz update rate and a weight of 35 g on its product page. The manual lists a size of 39 x 40 x 16 mm, a 3.7V 500mAh internal battery that lasts up to 6 hours, a charge time of no more than 3 hours, and three test modes: Drag, Track and Flying. It measures acceleration, G-force, speed, height above ground, distance and time.

You read everything in the free SPM GNSS app on iOS or Android. The manual is clear that you pair through the app, not through your phone’s Bluetooth settings. Spektrum includes a USB-C cable and two silicone protective cases (one orange, one black), which matter when the car tumbles at the end of a run.

Pros: Horizon support and parts channel; small and light enough for a 1/10 car; USB-C charging; two protective sleeves in the box; drag mode can time acceleration runs, not just top speed.

Cons: No screen, so you need your phone at the track; 10 Hz is less than half the RaceBox’s 25 Hz; the barometric altitude sensor means you can’t seal it in an airtight bag (the manual says it must be exposed to air pressure).

Spektrum GNSS Wireless GPS Speed Meter and Data Logger (SPMXGPS100)

10 Hz, 35 g, up to 6 hours per charge (Spektrum)
Drag, Track and Flying modes in the SPM GNSS app
USB-C cable and two silicone cases included

Check current price on Amazon

2. SkyRC GSM020: Same Format, Logs Out of Phone Range

The SkyRC GNSS Performance Analyzer (GSM020) is the closest match to the Spektrum. SkyRC’s GSM020 manual (version 1.5, dated 2021) lists the same 39 x 40 x 16 mm size, 35 g weight, 10 Hz update rate and Drag, Track and Flying modes. It tracks GPS and GLONASS. SkyRC’s product page gives the weight as 38 g and the battery life as 5 hours, while the manual says up to 6 hours, so expect somewhere in that range.

The GSM020 has 1M of memory that holds up to 50 records and overwrites the oldest one when it is full. In Drag mode it starts logging on its own once it has a satellite fix and sees more than 1.0 km/h, then stops when your preset target is reached. The manual gives a Bluetooth range of up to 30 feet (10 m), and says the meter keeps recording if the phone drops out of range. SkyRC says results can be exported to Excel, but only from Drag mode.

Pros: Keeps logging when your phone is out of range; auto start and stop in Drag mode; Bluetooth range and logging behavior are spelled out in the manual.

Cons: Micro USB rather than USB-C; SkyRC’s own page and manual disagree on weight and battery life; Excel export is limited to Drag mode.

SkyRC GNSS Performance Analyzer (GSM020, SK-500023)

10 Hz, GPS + GLONASS (SkyRC manual)
Stores up to 50 records, keeps logging out of phone range
Micro USB charging

Check current price on Amazon

3. SkyRC GSM-015: Best If You Want a Screen

The GSM-015 is the one meter here with its own LCD. Its product page says the screen shows current, peak and average speed, altitude, trip distance and coordinates, and it holds the top speed and top altitude for recall after the run. It tracks GPS and GLONASS, weighs 45 g and measures 65.7 x 39.6 x 20.8 mm (SkyRC manual).

One setting matters a lot for speed runs. The update rate can be set from 1 Hz to 10 Hz, and the manual says the factory default is 1 Hz. Change it to 10 Hz in SkyRC’s GNSS LOGGER software (Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.12 or later) before your first run. At 10 Hz the 1M memory holds about 1 hour 48 minutes of track, against about 18 hours at 1 Hz. The built-in 200 mAh battery runs up to 150 minutes, and the manual also shows a servo port for a 6V external power source.

Pros: Read your top speed right on the meter, no phone needed; tracks can be mapped on a computer; optional servo-port power from the car.

Cons: Ships at 1 Hz, so you must change the setting on a computer first; the shortest battery life here at 150 minutes; the largest SkyRC unit at 65.7 mm long; the screen is no help when the meter is strapped under a body.

SkyRC GSM-015 GNSS Speed Meter (SK-500024)

LCD shows current, peak and average speed (SkyRC)
1 to 10 Hz selectable, 1 Hz out of the box
200 mAh battery, up to 150 minutes

Check current price on Amazon

4. RaceBox Mini S and Mini: 25 Hz, but Heavy

RaceBox builds lap timers and drag meters for full-size track days. Both the Mini and Mini S use a 25 Hz receiver that tracks GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, and RaceBox says they are splash resistant (RaceBox tech specs). RaceBox claims accuracy as fine as 10 cm and over 99.5% agreement with official timing equipment. That is the maker’s own claim, and it is about full-size vehicle timing, not RC.

The catch for RC is size. Each unit weighs 106 g (3.7 oz) because it carries an 1100 mAh battery that RaceBox rates for over 20 hours. The Mini is not a standalone device and needs a constant phone connection to record, with a Bluetooth range of up to 20 meters. The Mini S adds internal storage of about 130 minutes at 25 Hz (325 minutes at 10 Hz), so it records without the phone. Mounting is by grip pad, hook and loop, or a 1/4″-20 thread.

Pros: 25 Hz is the fastest rate in this guide; four satellite systems; splash resistant; very long battery life; the Mini S also works with several third-party apps.

Cons: 106 g is about three times the Spektrum or SkyRC GSM020, which is a lot of mass on top of a speed car; the standard Mini will not record if the phone drops out of range at the far end of a run; it is built for full-size cars, so RC mounting is up to you.

RaceBox Mini S (standalone logging) (Mini S)

25 Hz GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou (RaceBox)
Records about 130 minutes at 25 Hz without a phone
106 g, splash resistant

Check current price on Amazon

RaceBox Mini (needs phone connection) (Mini)

25 Hz, same receiver as the Mini S (RaceBox)
No internal storage: phone must stay connected
106 g, over 20 hours of use

Check current price on Amazon

What about the Dynamite GPS Speed Meter 2.0?

It still shows up in searches, but Horizon Hobby lists the Dynamite Passport GPS Speed Meter 2.0 (DYN4403) as discontinued on its product page. If you find one used, it is a GPS and GLONASS meter with an LCD and a 1 to 10 Hz update rate, like the GSM-015 (Dynamite manual). For a new purchase, the Spektrum meter is the current Horizon option.

Which One Should You Buy?

You run an ARRMA and want the simplest setup: Spektrum SPMXGPS100.
You want the same format with a longer user base: SkyRC GSM020.
You do not want to carry your phone, or you want a peak-speed readout at a glance: SkyRC GSM-015, set to 10 Hz first.
You have a big 1/7 or 1/5 speed car and care most about sample rate: RaceBox Mini S. The extra 70 g matters less on a heavy car.

Why 10 Hz vs 25 Hz Matters at Speed-Run Pace

A GPS meter does not watch your car continuously. It takes a fix a set number of times per second, and your peak speed is the highest value it happened to log. At 100 mph a car covers about 44.7 meters per second. That works out to about 4.5 meters between fixes at 10 Hz and about 1.8 meters at 25 Hz. On a long pass where the car holds its top speed, both rates will catch the peak. On a short pass where the car only touches top speed for a moment, the faster rate has more chances to log it.

A higher rate is not the whole story. Signal quality, mounting and the run itself usually matter more, which is what the next section covers.

How to Get a Speed Number You Can Trust

Mount it on top, with nothing metal above it. SkyRC and Spektrum both say the antenna can see through plastic and glass but not metal, and Spektrum adds carbon fiber to that list. A meter under an aluminum chassis brace or a carbon wing mount will lose signal.
Leave it exposed to air. The Spektrum and SkyRC GSM020 manuals say the barometric altitude sensor must not be sealed in an airtight container.
Wait for a real fix. The GSM-015 manual says a fix normally takes about 30 seconds, and can take 3 to 5 minutes the first time or after a long break. On the Spektrum and GSM020, wait until the GPS LED is solid green.
Use hook and loop tape on a clean surface. All three makers recommend it. Add a strap if your body has a lot of flex.
Run both directions and compare. A tailwind or a slight slope can add speed one way. Report the lower of two passes, or both.
Check the unit setting. The Spektrum and SkyRC meters switch between metric and imperial, and a km/h number can look like a record by accident.

Why not just use the speed your ESC or radio telemetry shows? That number is calculated from motor RPM and gearing, so it counts tire growth and wheelspin as speed. GPS measures how fast the car actually moves over the ground. Tires change the picture too, and our guide to RC tires for speed runs covers that.

What ARRMA Says Its Speed Cars Can Do

These are the maker’s ratings to compare your GPS numbers against:

INFRACTION 6S BLX V2: 80+ mph, which Horizon says is “achievable in optimum conditions using a 6S LiPo and the included speed pinion gear” (Horizon Hobby). See our Infraction review. Horizon gives the Felony 6S BLX the same 80+ mph rating (Horizon Hobby); see our Felony review.
LIMITLESS V2 roller: 110+ mph, and Horizon says it is optimized for 8S. It is a roller, so the speed depends on the motor and ESC you install (Horizon Hobby). More in our LIMITLESS V2 review.

For how those ratings stack up against the record holders, see the fastest RC car in the world. If your GPS number comes in well under the rating, start with how to make your RC car faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 10 Hz enough for RC speed runs?

For most runs, yes. At 10 Hz a car doing 100 mph moves about 4.5 meters between fixes, which is fine on a long pass where the car holds top speed. A 25 Hz meter like the RaceBox Mini S logs more points on short passes, but it weighs 106 g against 35 g for the Spektrum and SkyRC GSM020.

Where should I mount a GPS speed meter on an RC car?

On top of the car with a clear view of the sky, on a clean surface with hook and loop tape. Spektrum and SkyRC both say the antenna cannot receive through metal, and Spektrum adds carbon fiber. Do not seal it in an airtight bag, because the barometric sensor needs air pressure.

Do I need a phone to use an RC GPS speed meter?

For the Spektrum SPMXGPS100, SkyRC GSM020 and RaceBox units, you read results in a phone app. The SkyRC GSM-015 has its own LCD that shows current, peak and average speed. The RaceBox Mini needs a constant phone connection to record, while the Mini S records on its own.

Is the Dynamite GPS Speed Meter 2.0 still available?

Horizon Hobby lists the Dynamite Passport GPS Speed Meter 2.0 (DYN4403) as discontinued. The Spektrum GNSS Wireless GPS Speed Meter (SPMXGPS100) is the current Horizon GPS meter.