Interesting that something that's such a big deal along with being the best thing since sliced bread is getting zero coverage. After it is the " 2016 National Drone FPV Racing Championships" being held at the AMA National Flying Site.


Mike

Geez, you were thanking god about the event yesterday, why the change of heart today? Fox News not broadcasting hourly updates on the event? Might not be a big deal to you, historically nothing involving quads/drones are to you, you've consistently downplayed any event involving them as if they didn't exist. Ironic since you sell them too, so you know how popular they are. It's funny at this point, since we all know they are going on and building in size and popularity, while "traditional" fly ins and fun flies decrease in attendance.

But hey, you might not be seeing anything on it because there is no event named the "2016 National Drone FPV Championships" being held at Muncie.

If you get the name right....you might be more successful with updates. Try this:
[h=1]2016 MultiGP Drone Racing Championship[/h]http://www.multigp.com/page/2016-MultiGP-Drone-Racing-Championship

Ya...that org has just capped 10,000 members, so ya, it's a real flash in the pan kinda thing.

And yet....the whole MR racing thing seems to be popular doesn't it? At least for some folks. And sponsors.

This year, FPV multirotor races are expected to be bigger and the stakes will be higher. The World Drone Prix, that was held March 11-12 in Dubai United Arab Emirates, had $1 million in prize money. To qualify for this competition, teams had to compete in other races throughout the world. Several Americans were among those who raced in the World Drone Prix.


Later this year, pilots from more than 30 countries are expected to travel to Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii, to compete for $200,000 in prizes.

The 2016 World Drone Racing Championships, an AMA-sanctioned race, will be held October 17-22. Kualoa Ranch has been the filming location for several popular movies, such as Jurassic Park and Godzilla.


Any FPV race that is sanctioned by AMA requires the racers to have an AMA membership. On a smaller scale, the AMA-sanctioned US National Drone Racing Championships will be held August 5-7 in New York City. Teams will be vying for a cool $50,000.


Have you heard of any other "traditional" events going off like this lately? Or ever? Those good folks at PAU hosting any events like this, awarding this kind of money to contestants? How Fromeco, BVM, Extreme Flight/3D Hobby Shop, Smart Fly, Dalton Aviation, ZDZ,J-Tec, MKS Servos, or perhaps R/C Aircraft Components? If those names sound familiar, they were all signatories to that disastrous "open letter to the AMA" that went nowhere. How about DA, DLE, Balsa USA,Chief, Pilot, SkymasterUSA, Dubro? How about Tiano and his world famous FTE self promoting for profit events that cater to a tiny fraction of the hobby? Any of those good folks dishing out a millions dollars...$200,000 dollars.....$50,000...heck...how about $5,000?

Do tell if I've somehow missed the coverage on it.

Ummm... You might want to do a little research on the Tucson Aerobatic Shootout before you start dissing Dave Johnson and Desert Aircraft

It's not a diss, it was a request for information...."Do tell if I've missed the coverage on it"....right?

So let's talk about the numbers. I know for instance that there were some DA engines for raffle at Clover Creek this weekend, were they purchased for the raffle, or were they donated? Where's the coverage on that event.

So I googled Tuscson Aerobatic Shootout, found the site, and note the $100,000 in cash and prizes. Nice, impressive...sort of a low number though considering how long this company has been around, and the size of the event, and style of "traditional" flying that has been around though no? Granted it's no Dubai at a million bucks but even the MR racers got 200,000 together for the second year of events. Nonetheless, it's still a considerable amount.

But hey, if I employ the same flawed logic that Mike does every time a MR racing event is talked about, I guess since these shootout and other events aren't broadcast live on the evening news and show up in newspapers, they aren't really relevant or happening? Or perhaps it miiiight just be that the folks interested and participating in the events know about them already, and know where to get the information. Ya, that's probably it. And of course different sites that cater to the specific genre of flying usually have threads on them, and in some instances the AMA will do a follow up story on them later.

I look forward to Mike updating the thread on all the other "traditional" flying events that boast cash and prizes equal to or more than $200,000. I won't expect any close to the Dubai event, that would be far to hard for anyone to do as no RC event comes even close.

You can be sure it will be in the AMA magazine...........in a couple of months or so!!! LOL!

Astro

Are you at all concerned that if the SIG grows "enough," they could just break off and be their own CBO?

The birds will love it!

You can check on the website earlier if you're interested.

How's that worked for Tiano and his giant scale/jets so far? Or any of the SIGS so far. Remind me which ones have broken off on their own over the past 80 years.

In general, competition has never concerned me, I'm all for it. It's good for consumers, and strengthens the marketplace, regardless of the widget being offered. We see what happens when one company holds a monopoly....the Epi pen situation of late highlights that reality.

If you recall I've asked and asked til I'm blue in the face where the alternative to the AMA is? I keep knocking on the door to the secret invite society Plan Jim has talked about..I've huffed and puffed but he won't let me in! I wonder, will they have shirts, pins, and decoder rings? Hmm...

I'm waiting for the fabulous 14 signatories to that epic open letter to the AMA to get something together other, alas it doesn't appear to be coming anytime soon. Just more talk, no action.

I think you better go back and read what the fab 14 were saying. They weren't talking about a new organization, simply asking the leadership of their organization to have a listen. That was their action. Mission accomplished,

Your continued bashing of those that have a different opinion than you is not only getting old, it is really a shame, especially coming from an AMA leader member. You continue to bash on companies that have poured their hearts and souls into this hobby over the years, providing innovation and products to modelers that would never have been available to us from the large, "monopolies", simply because there wouldn't be enough $$ at stake for them to even give a second look at.

Your mantra, "do something" is exactly what every one of the fab 14 have done for the hobby at one time or another. You, on the other hand, just sit on your imaginary, enlightened, pulpit bashing good, passioniate modelers. Not very becoming of a leader member, but each to their own.

Astro

lol, more LM shaming, too funny. I "do" something, and still get attacked. Still intolerant of another persons opinion, do you ever respond without more personal attacks?

I know you wanted to get a response out quicky and try to fit as many references to my Leader Member status as you could, but you might want to go back and check that letter again, as you are wrong. They did ask for something, not "just to be heard". Much like Bush 2 standing on the aircraft carrier in front of the "mission accomplished sign", well...we know how that ended up right? The Fab 14 accomplished nothing other than embarrassing themselves with that horrible diatribe of a "letter", so yes, I guess you could say they accomplished something.

As for all the other kind deeds and works of charity from the others well good on them. While you're waxing philosophic on all of their saintly deeds, let's not forget they are businesses that have products to sell right? Money, profits, status....samo samo right? Let's not upset the apple cart and lose business to those droners. It's great that the AMA continued to adapt and change and afford all of them, and us, the benefit of accepting them and their products into the fold right? I don't think there was ever this much hatred and us versus them angst when any of the other types of flying machines were coming on board.

If you're interesting in learning more about the LM program, click on the link below. You might stop trying to bash me for having that if you understand it a bit more. But as you say, to each their own!

What's concerning is that the AMA ever accepted FPV in the first place and then compounded that by saying the FAA would NOT enforce the rule while they clearly could.

So did the FAA step in and stop the MR/FPV racing this weekend, or was this yet another in the doom and gloom forecast that we see here so often? Seems like they went off without a hitch!

Some might say that the AMA accepting Turbine jets was a problem as well, how many of those pilots/aircraft represent the membership as a whole? 1% perhaps?

The same has been said of helicopters, 3D, electrics, giant gliders, jet turbines et all.

FPV can be a part of the hobby just like the rest, as long as its LOS and the participants follow the safety rules and have a spotter.

LOL, personal attacks. no attack there whatsoever.

You bash all those that have differing opinions. That is a FACT. If you call that an attack, maybe you better change the way you communicate here.

Those who live in glass houses.....

Astro

Andy , In the "unusual RC" section here at RCU I was reading of "RC Parachuting" the other day , and of the event that was being held at Muncie devoted to those who practice it . Gotta admit , I've been into RC a while , and never before had I heard of RC Parachuting until I read of it here the other day . I mention this only to say there are quite a lot of offshoots of our RC hobby and I will give the AMA credit for trying to be all inclusive . For real . My own personal feeling is that #550 FPV of course should be allowed , just like things like RC Parachuting are , but I favor #550 in it's original form where the pilot in command is LOS and the goggle wearing pilot is the trainer side of a buddy box . I just don't think in a , for instance , loss of video link situation the spotter is going to do much if the FPV pilot looses contact with the plane and has to pull the goggles off and gain sight and control of the model before it's demise . How many will instantly cede the TX to the spotter if the goggles go dark VS try to pull them off and regain control himself ? It's funny , when folks talk crashes it's always how a "radio glitch" crashed the plane , as if radio failure is such a common thing and yet when talking FPV it's always how "rock solid" the FPV link is and that the video downlink is absolutely infallible . I may be wrong , but It's my opinion that the FAA would be far more receptive of the original #550 VS the one we have now ....

Lets agree to disagree. Keep the comments focused on the comments, rather than those making the comments, I think you'll do fine.

Radio glitches, gotta love that one . Had our giant scale event this weekend and had 6 warbirds go in for one reason or another. Giant P-51 ran out of gas going downwind and had plenty of room to just glide down to a belly landing into short or tall grass. Nope, instead he tries for hard dive and turn into the wind for a short approach on the runway. As soon as he turned in his wing dropped and he literally fell out of the sky. I hear later that he says his 2.4 system got "shot down", perhaps a brown out. Um, no, not a single person there didn't realize what he did. As for the spotter issue, I don't think many will be able to "save" the pilot if something goes wrong, although I have seen a few cases of that at our field. For the most part though these MR units are not that high off the ground and tend to fall within feet of where they lose it.

Right. Just seems like something this important to the organization would get top billing along with some timely updates. Unless there was nothing to see....................................

Mike

I understand what your trying to say but must point out that the FAA really pretty much left us to "self police" ourselves until recently. Pretty obvious whats changed to get their attention.
I'm still trying to understand how someone wearing a headset has "line of sight"...........................but I'm not very smart.
Mike

Yep , just once I'd like to see someone do what I do when I dumb thumb one , before the wood even stops flying I yell "FREE BALSA !!!! GET YOUR FREE BALSA HERE !!!!" and when the first flying buddy says "what happened ?" I say "Damn ground got in my way again , , see that ? , ,I almost missed it" with a wink and wouldn't shame myself nor insult their intelligence by claiming it as anything else other than good ol fashioned dumbthumbs , just like what everybody saw ......

Mike , this is exactly why I was in favor of the old #550 , and don't much like the new one , and it's also why I think the new #550 don't set well with the FAA ; No PIC's eyes directly on the prize ....

Accelerated stall type fall out of the sky?

People could put up 100 website links for you, video of the action, show you the spectators, and then the awards ceremonies where over a million dollars in checks were handed out and you would still hold true to your denial stance that you've had from day one. Even Franklin isn't disputing the events, LOL. You just don't want to see it, don't want to admit it's happening, and don't want to admit that's it's popular, and it's growing. You deny people have or will sign up with the AMA, deny that it takes any skill to fly MR/Quads and/or drones, and deny the AMA and the membership had benefited from MRs. Do you see a trend here yet? It's fine that it's not your cup of tea, but continuing to deny their presence is just ridiculous.

Here's a pic of the assembled crowd from video shot by FW flier:


Same guy flew behind the flight line (right over heads of pilots) a couple times.

Bingo. No rudder either, just all aileron. The second the wing dipped you could see if coming a mile away. Yanking back on the elevator probably didn't help. Ten minutes later a Corsair did almost the same thing, he lost it turning inbound to land in a corner of our field that's notorious for stalling. Three planes had landing gear issues, two did nice jobs saving the landing, one not so much. Yesterday we had a Yak go in after servo froze up, We had two guys doing Freestyle flights together and the crowd loved it. Sat was picture perfect weather wise and we dodged the storm on Sunday, but it got windy in the afternoon. Ended up with 45 pilots, which I was thrilled with. Minimal line to wait to fly, and folks tended to fly with similar planes. We had 4 Carbon Z T-28's up at the same time doing a loose formation routine. Mine as the white one with orange accents, lol. Normally we have Dean Lampron (lives in Mass) and Tyler McCormack (lives in NH) fly as well, they are a HUGE crowd favorite but both were at Clover Creek competing. The crowd loves watching them, and they are fantastic guys to hang around and chat with as well. Most times they help out up and coming pilots of all ages with radio issues and dialing their planes in. We missed the turbine and glider guys this year, the glider guys put on great show last year and were crowd favorites.

I see the top right of this picture has the logo of "the black sheep squadron" , Trappy's FPV group , I believe .