The frog has been cooking in the pot for a long time. It (we) just didn’t know it. There are a lot of reasons for the decline of the hobby and many people here have touched on it. I think one that needs to be unscored is how increasingly difficult it is to get to a place to fly a model airplane. It’s even more effort to find a field. In the old days you could go to a hobby shop and someone could tell you where to go. Now you have to have some dedication and do multiple Google searches. Which parent and child has that kind of patience when you can buy a drone and fly it in your living room? Both the parent and child have been satisfied... they are flying.
Another realm of RC that makes RC seem dated is FPV drone racing. Being “in the drone” uses much more of your senses and makes regular RC feel like control line for kids.
Finally, the regular camera drones have unlocked another hobby - aerial photography and videography that requires another dimension of skill and creativity that people overlook when they bash drones by saying they require no effort to fly. I personally do not care about the “flying” aspect of drones. I practice the technique of getting good shots. Perfecting various shots can be as difficult as 3D flying. I’m very much guilty of this... I recently purchased a DJI Inspire 2 to replace a s900 and my son and I hike parts of California coast to get some amazing views through our own eyes as well as the camera. When I get home I spend hours editing with Final Cut Pro and After Effects. It’s another creative outlet. Ultimately isn’t that what we are looking to get out of modeling?
Last edited by dubd; 01-15-2018 at 03:53 PM.