The Nano Tracks N320 is a miniature remote-controlled excavator. It might look like a toy, but in reality it’s a fully-functional excavator. It features 6 fully independent, proportional motors, giving you precise control over every movement, as well as an electronic slip ring, independently controlled boom, dipper, bucket, swing, and individual tracks. You may not be able to fit in its cabin to manually operate it, but its remote control features extremely precise controls. One offers the industry standard ISO controls (Caterpillar controls), while the second allows you to control the tracks independently, just like a real excavator. So, why bother building a functional excavator of this size? According to Nano Tracks founder Jonathan Abbott, it all started a couple of years ago when he discovered a hobby group on YouTube that loved playing with tiny, fully functional RC excavators. He was intrigued, so he started searching for these miniature excavators online, but he came up empty-handed. That’s when he decided to build one for himself. Jonathan taught himself to use CAD, bought a 3D printer, and the rest, as they say, is history. The Nano Tracks N320 prototype took around 2,300 hours of hard work to complete, but Abbott and his team now have a repeatable procedure that they can use to bring the world’s smallest functional excavator to the masses.
