I've got an idea...
If the hotwire has the bluetooth embedded in it rather than the ESC, it can be compatible with portable devices and still be removed from the ESC to eliminate the cheating aspect. It would need to be powered by the ESC unless it has a small rechargeable battery inside.
There can still be a connector hardwired into the ESC yet isolated from the wire that connects to the receiver. This way it won't add any more size or weight to the existing footprint and can be located in a convenient spot for programming.
Just a suggestion...
