Originally Posted by
Silent-AV8R
There is no question that the AMA has had a major focus shift the last couple of years as they try to embrace the multirotor community in an attempt to stay relevant and viable. I think some of it is the AMA taking a "if you can't beat them" type of attitude. They understand that a huge number of these things are being sold and are trying to help to corral them in and foster safe operating habits of their owners. I believe this effort is failing miserably because just like the ill-fated Park Pilot program the new drone owner has very little reason to join the AMA. They are not dependent on clubs for a flying site, do not need the AMA competitions structure, and could not care less about the insurance benefit.
I agree. The entire mentality is a carbon copy of the Park Pilot fiasco. In this case, the drone guys are even FURTHER away from a traditional modeler mindset. They are not modelers, they are social media junkies. If the thing did not have a camera and a place to post the video and get comments and "likes" they would not even be doing it.
Originally Posted by
Silent-AV8R
To be clear, I own multicopters and enjoy using them to take photos/videos. They are an interesting new technology and can be a great hobby. But they are NOT the hobby of flying model aircraft that I have enjoyed for 49 years now. In the AMA's attempt to embrace this new hobby and to bring it under their umbrella (most of the drone people do not even recognize it is raining) I think they have lost sight of the large number of traditional modelers who have formed and sustained the AMA for over 6 decades.
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I agree, I have them too. The technology is very interesting. But I agree with you. A semi autonomous camera platform, feeding an insatiable need to post videos to the social media juggernaut is not modeling. It is an entirely different hobby, and I am sure it can afford its own advocacy organization, be it member based or (more likely) trade based