ORIGINAL: xe2
[&o] ALONG VOICE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. What we're really talking about is copyright and intellectual property. As an example, if you make a scaled down working model of a Ferrari F-1 race car which you then manufacture and sell, for a profit, you are using the intellectual property of Ferrari and as well as riding on there name and reputation. They have every reasonable expectation that you should pay royalties and that you not be allowed a free ride. After all your using their property for your own benefit and profit. So it appears to be with the manufactures of scale aircraft. Royalty agreements are common in the business world where it is recognized that there is no "free lunch".
Perhaps that's true in the US, but there's certainly a "Free Lunch" (and a big one) for companies in some foreign countries that routinely ignore US royality & copyright laws.