bogbeagle

Oh, yeah, half-built. Only 90% left to do.

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

Grounded by the FCC.

ackroyd

My Feedback: (8)

More ARFs which will be super expensive and all made in the worlds only superpower (China), less kits which will be even more expensive.

Gas and electric will be the main powerplants. Nitro will be a vintage fad. Continued improvements in lipo and brushless technology will mean lighterweights and larger capacities.

Telemetry and autopilot systems will become much cheaper and more advanced; TXs will really start looking like cockpit HUDs. Flybarless heli will become the standard and much cheaper.

Solor panels or micro alternators that allow the battery to be recharged in flight.

either that, or the proliferation of UAVs and idiot terrorists will have grounded all RC PLanes, only simulators and illegial flying will take place.[&:]

overbored77

My Feedback: (11)

I don't think things will change as drastically as some might expect. we may see a new modulation, telemetry will probably become part of
the transmitter and receiver (no extra modules needed). Gas engines will become less expensive, and nitro fuel will become more expensive.
electric power will become the primary power system in most RTF and smaller airplanes (oh wait that's happening now), Gone will be the days
of basic 4-channel radio systems, I don"t want to say that glow will fall away cause there is large percentage of modelers that use glow and will
continue, but I do foresee the sale of glow engines reducing significantly as smaller gas engines come on the market (such as the NGH 9cc).
Hopefully there will be a new group of RCers, cars boats and planes that become interested in the hobby, clubs need members, and businesses
need customers to remain open.

essyou35

My Feedback: (11)

We'll be flying RC Starship enterprises with real warp drives.  Warp Drive AMA waiver required.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Anyone notice lately how the AMA mag (model aviation) is starting to look more like the National rifle association mag? The next thing will be lists of politicians to support that are sympathetic to our cause.
I never thought it would come when model aircraft would be looked upon as a threat, but since there is no constitutional right to play with them, they are very much threatened. "Only if it would save just one life" Yah right.

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

You made my day and thank you for seeing the furture of our hobby. Last year I came accross and add for a used R/C transmitter modified to transmitt at 1.5 watts of output power. I replied to the add and told the seller they were in violation of the FCC rules. I did receive a reply and told me to mind my own business. I reported this to the moderator and they withdrew the advertisement the same day.

jester_s1

As for innovations, I definitely think we'll continue to get higher powered and lighter electric setups, simply because the electric car trend is helping to spur the development of battery and motor technology. I think the above poster is right that glow will decline in use, but I also think gas will too as big electric systems get cheaper and more practical. In airframes, I think we'll see the decline of Monokote covered balsa in favor of painted composites. That will happen because it makes for better scale realism and can be lighter, especially with electric power (no fuel proofing). Perhaps we'll also see more automation like tail gyros and such to make planes fly better, maybe even fly-by-wire systems where an onboard computer processes your control inputs then corrects for wind turbulence and such to make the plane fly smoother. What drives the changes is consumer demand. We have computer radios now because we wanted them, good electric power and small gassers because we wanted them, and ARF's because we wanted them. So I think it's pretty easy to predict what will be available in the next few years simply by looking at what people want that they don't yet have.

ackroyd

My Feedback: (8)

Maybe 3D will give way to 4D, 5D 6D

I've seen articles on indoor 4D in certain mags. I love it how we make stuff up. As far as i was concerned (as a Chartered Engineer), we only have 3 dimensions, the forth one is time and surely we don't have time travelling planes! Maybe this is the future!!

opjose

You'll get the same chuckle I did out of Aerofly's "New 4D airfields".

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

In ten more years electric power will be dominant

ES CONTROL

In 10 Years we will fly UFOs that do not use gas glo or electric.

ES CONTROL

The battery powered car and RC plane, will and has to improve before we can move forward .

CESSNA 421

My Feedback: (17)

I will probably still be using my trusted Kraft Signature Series radios only they will be 42 years old instead of their current age of 32 years old.

ES CONTROL

Good ol Missourian , thats funny right thair.

acerc

Well if the current economic climate continues, I believe the lesser of computerized radios, kit's, and gas will be most dominant. At least for the average working man. Electric is too expensive with everything required. Gas is the most economical, and easy to use. Kit's will make a comeback because Arf"s will become more expensive and a kit spread's out the initial cost. Add to that the average working man will have more time to builddue to lack of full time employment. And Parkfliers, which I consider disposable, will disappear with the disposable cash.
Oh yea, and I'm an optomist.

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

Close, but not quite right. More ARFs which will be super expensive, but they will be made in the USA and sold in China because westerners can't afford them. [X(]

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

I think there will be some amazing batteries, and probably sooner than 10 years. Cell phones and lap tops still drive this market, along with hybrid cars. I heard a news report the other day about cell phone batteries that will last weeks before needing to charge.
I will always love the sound of an engine though.

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

In a state of civil war between the helicopter pilots and fixed wing pilots.

Wait... we're already there!

Jim_Purcha

My Feedback: (8)

I remember building a Midwest Sweet Stick and a Falcon 56 MKII as a trainer in 1977-79. The Falcon 56 flew great until I spun it into the ground. The person instructing couldn't save it at all.

Jim

harve28

In ten years we will be like the jetsons and r/c will not exist. we will be flying everywhere ourselves and it will become like driving cars today and we will be tired of flying ourselves around.






"build to fly, not to crash"


great advice from an old timer when i first started trying to fly i would build a kit brace this reinforce that and it would be so heavy it wouldn't hardly fly. he said son build to fly not crash, now i drill lightning holes in surfaces and fuselages!

ES CONTROL

Remember when You would throw and swing that AM TX Antanna all over the place to get reception .

harve28

hey jim purcha i see your sweet stick. my fathers bday is later this month i'm restoring and recovering a sweet stick my father built over 35yrs ago i put dual servos in wings along with wing bolts instead of dowels and rubber bands he has no idea. i'm also adding an o.s. 55ax. you can't put a price on priceless!!!!

ES CONTROL

Ever watch, Back to the future?

wahoo

My Feedback: (59)

At the rate we are losing freedom and liberties here in the USA, I see this for our future of our hobby.............