Why are people boycotting rotor riot?

Read:
An absolutely disgusting move by rotor riot to start supplying fpv bomb drones with unusual machines has sparked a boycott by the fpv community.
Also I know this topic can get heated especially with the ukraine/russia war and how cheap fpv drones can turn the tide in some cases. im not talking about any of that in this video nor debating the morality of using anything you can to kill an attacker including our drones. im strictly talking about rr/redcat getting in the business of supplying these drones which they have no business doing while trying to remain a part of our community.
The main issue discussed in this video is not that an fpv drone has been retrofitted for war like iflight, dji and so many others have done. The problem is this is a company actively designing and advertising for sale "fpv lethal strike drones" using civilian aircraft designs.
I welcome civil discussion in the comments but not bad faith shit starers and military industrial boot lickers.
“SAY MY NAME” PATRONS
BILLY HACKETT
BRUCE LE GIBSON
CHUCK PHONIC
HUGE FAN
JROD FPV
KB CARTE
QUADAMMIT
RICK JAMES FPV
SISKEL FPV
SPEED LIMIT CHALLENGER
TRENT
TWANSOLO
UNDASOUND RECORDS, USA
WEBLEED FPV
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
Join my patreon!: / botgrinder
Bot merch: bit.ly/botsshop
Demibot: bit.ly/3xMo8go
Grinderino: bit.ly/46QD10R
Send me stuff!
botgrinder
PO Box 23959
Philadelphia, PA 19143

[@BOTGRINDER]

Please do me a favor and read the video description before you leave a comment. Mads tech's video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmK0q6Z4qNF-a6M Xjets video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2bCe3qhfJufb6c Rotor riot bomb drone: bit.ly/3VNJrJA

[@riggermortisfpv526]

The Military Industrial Complex IS the problem with this world and anyone seeking to profit from it makes me sick, and this is coming from someone that was in the forces and was deployed. If you think the idea of it scares and disgusts you ? Try the real deal....actually don't....it will break you, it breaks everyone that experiences it. The only people that win in a war are the dickheads that we elect and their cronies they enrich. The rest are left in various states of mental illness alone to deal with the now foreign civilian world. Those wounds have been inflicted on me and people I grew up around and I will never forgive or forget. I was sold a lie, the same one Redcat will fill its pockets with. I boycotted them the instant I heard of the company acquisition. But its not just them, its all of the companies making drones....profit comes before lives I suppose....I mean considering that civi's die at much higher rates than soldiers in theatre.....but hey, lets not rain on the profit parade with facts.....I hate this world so so so much man.

[@DINSTAAR-FPV]

❤

[@short3203]

I'll be giving my full thoughts later, it's sad to see another hobby/industry that I've been a part of has to be associated with war.

[@Inertia888]

The Crass?? Wow, it's not often I find people who even know about them. Brings back some memories.

[@BOTGRINDER]

@@Inertia888 you know it, lm actually wearing my crass shirt as i type this haha.

[@xjet]

The FPV community is one of the most caring, inclusive and amazing communities I've ever had the privilege of being part of. I'm pretty sure that the whole concept of "war" does not sit well with this community. Sadly however, the world is not a place where fairness, ethics and morals gets you very far. I'm pretty sure that Redcat/RR will make a fortune from their military involvement -- far more than they'd make from selling drones to hobbyists. However (for the moment at least) each and every one of us are still free to voice our opinions and vote with our wallets if we choose to do so.

[@cdramafpv]

indeed, the military bank account is endless. Sad day indeed, I will not support RR in any way!

[@Mediamarked]

Free to make our own cruise missiles, lol.

[@VolodymyrMoon]

Ahhah, that is so hilarious that youtube influencers say no to invest killing people))) really? Hey guys woke up! During all of your life you re paying taxes and work in countries that have a military that produces a lot of weapons… and you say that you don’t support it? Are you so naive? Wars exist all the time it either you kill or you being killed, unfortunately ofc. Grow up kids!

[@justanotherfpv]

Theres all kinds of low key wars going on in the community. This is clearly one of them..

[@robmulally]

Remember that next time you pass a ANZAC STATUE, there is a war going on. And a small country needs help. What are you on about?

[@pelerinc]

It's easy to be outraged at a lot of things these days. And there are legit reasons to be skeptical of Rotor Riot. But as much as I love and respect Bot, I think this is a much more nuanced issue than he presents here. First, it's important to have a solid understanding of the history and cultures of Russia and Ukraine and the details of the current conflict which began in 2014. Second, watch a couple of Brandon Mitchell's videos which show how Ukraine's military - and its civilians - are defending their homeland using off-the-shelf FPV components. It's mind-blowing to see how the skills learned in this hobby also happen to be the only way to defend yourself when one of the world's most powerful militaries invades your country. But beyond the Russia/Ukraine situation, the modern global economy is one big tangled mess of military and civilian technology and suppliers. Should we not fly on Boeing planes because they also make military weapons? Should we not buy Intel chips? Or drive Jeeps? Yes, it's frustrating to know that the companies you support also profit from killing, but it's mainly just grandstanding to demand boycotts in most cases. We should all channel that rage into promoting lasting peace and demanding more from our governments. While it's tempting, but it's too easy to point fingers and make judgments from the comfort and privilege of a wealthy country that's never been invaded. I think we'd all apply a different set of criteria if it were OUR town being bombed. And the irony (or not?) is that America contributes more to the military industrial complex than any other nation. So if we could ever manage to scale that back and more actively cultivate peace around the world, then I might be ready to boycott the likes of Drew and Bubby and Chad Kapper.

[@elouiseeverett3986]

Sage words, indeed.

[@rambozo_fpv176]

Ukraine has FPV drones because that was emergent in their dire situation fighting for their lives against a world power. Now american investors want to cash in on the idea. Greed is a helluva drug.

[@BOTGRINDER]

exactly man.

[@crunchied8]

@@BOTGRINDER there is a video of killer drone with a Ukraine fpv pilot what goes on i cant make out the drones they are using you might be able too

[@flyingdutchmanfpv]

I think Ukraine is very capable of developing and producing their own FPV drones. No RR needed nor is the war by proxy greed mentality.

[@EvilResin]

My neighbor called the cops on me for flying, she was afraid I'd put pictures of her kids online for kidnapers....fpv gets a lot of bad rep....

[@angelnunez6476]

Same in one week I got 3 cop visits for flying in an open field in my neighborhood. I’m good friends with the drone cops tho now so atleast pne good thing came of it.

[@afrog2666]

Your neighbor is a psychopath

[@montexanfpv2624]

I got blasted all over our local FB pages for flying up at the lake right behind my house. She was saying I made her and her grandkids feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Meanwhile I was on the other side of the lake from them (and could hear the grand son saying how cool it was). She took pictures of me and my car. Then I had the privilege to talk to an officer that she called as well. Something that is so fun gets so much bad rep it's insane.

[@angelnunez6476]

Either people think it’s cool or people hate it. I’ve had no invetween so far. Luckily more people think it’s cool than the latter so it leads to some interesting discussions :)

[@WickedWaysfpv7087]

man I fly my loud ass 6s freestyle drone all over my neighborhood and even the Karen 2 houses down that called the cops on me for holding a bb gun in my front yard my friend was showing me hasn't said a thing. Plenty of them have stopped and watched and just said that's awesome

[@youzrnaim]

We vote with our wallets. Unfortunately, not purchasing gear from RR isn’t going to make them go away because now they have new clients. We’re no longer their demographic.

[@ChainsawFPV]

The military better stay away from whoops damnit!

[@soniclobotomy-ie3ed]

Its already been done, they are even scarier. Imagine a whoop with a small charge that can hit you without warning.

[@rotorbob]

The police have whoops covered.

[@jeffdughman9741]

they will be used for sure for sneaky stuff XD

[@rotorbob]

@@soniclobotomy-ie3ed they are impossible to get out of your hair when they land on your head too. Psychological warhair.

[@loosescrews377]

we've been dropping ordinance from drones since 1970s in America.

[@kaptainkwadfpv7216]

This whole ordeal has ruined FPV for me. Ive always gone to a local park just to fly around and occasionally people would stop and be generally curious by my drones and I had quite a few great interactions with people who just want to know about the thing flipping through the sky. But ever since this war became more publicised I have had multiple BAD interactions. I've had people come up to me directly berating me about why I would fly a "bomb drone" in public places. People literally have freaked out about me sitting in the park alone having fun. FPV already struggled to be a well known hobby, but now it will struggle to ever be seen as a hobby and not as a weapon, especially by the FAA. People wont ever see these as RC aircraft, they will only see them as flying weapons. It's sad and I just want to go back about 5-7 years when FPV felt so new and fresh. love ya bot.

[@jpenna1976]

...and to add to that, I was much unaware of FPV drones as a hobby before, but now have watched over dozen of JB's videos on the subject. Looking to buy basic's needed to start practicing with simulator.

[@FunkFPV]

Anyone who called me a hater 5 years ago when I was making videos about RedCat/Rotor Riot being bad for the hobby feel free to apologize below. I’d also like to remind some people that are all upset about “War Drones” . I privately reached out to some of you back then with receipts on how RedCat was promoting remote ID while Rotor Riot was supposedly fighting against it. You ignored me then because I guess you were afraid of losing your RR subscribers. Now that RR doesn’t have as much influence you got the courage to fight the good fight. We started off with “call it a quad, not a drone” because we wanted to separate the DJI dummies from the FPV hobby. Then RR and others took a fat check and free stuff to promote DJI into the FPV hobby. Now it is impossible to separate the two. We protested against remote ID back in 2020 in DC. Now the shills that were against it are trying to figure out how to profit from it. In public’s eyes we went from a weird little obscure hobby. To a nuisance with drones flying over sports arenas. And now weapons of war. The only people to blame are those who have had influence in the hobby all these years but kept quiet to protect their patreon, subscribe count and affiliate links. This hobby still has a lot of great people in it but no one can deny that it’s on the decline. Like any sinking ship all the rats are coming to the surface to fight over the little bit of life that’s left. The FPV hobby holds some of my favorite memories. I’ve made friends a had so much fun with so many people flying these toys. It sad to see it get sold out for “links in the description” The only consolation is I get to say (I told you so)…

[@SCFPV]

Well said brother!

[@tedmoss]

Since drones are essential for defence, they and the hobby won't go away.

[@viro101]

Ukraine firmly disagrees with you

[@David-kg1hc]

Who cares what Ukraine thinks.

[@MrfB-br6yh]

Who's even fu...king care about Ukraine

[@viro101]

@@David-kg1hc they are actively using drone for self defense.

[@viro101]

@@MrfB-br6yh they are actively using drone for self defense.

[@LMGstudiosTV]

I guess drew will be moving his make up collection from eyeliner to war paint.

[@TriMeX1987]

Gues ur allready uninformed for a while now.

[@DANKFPV]

Omfg🤣

[@montyfpv2259]

Best comment.... 👌

[@darrendecker7492]

Put it this way, we don't want Russia to win

[@jeffparisse4202]

Bot, this is your greatest presentation to date and is solid evidence of your personal growth and the leadership role you’ve stepped up into. You are a statesman.

[@DigitalCruzer]

Yeah... Anyone can build drones, i do, but turning your hobby company toward killing people is unacceptable and i will never buy anything from rotor riot again!

[@ferocious_r]

Went to Syria in September to visit a buddy who was visiting his family. Ended up meeting his best buddy there. Dude fought IS. Like, real-life urban warfare, the kind that most people here have only experienced in fucking CounterStrike. He did that for years. Kill people. See friends die next to him. Not die himself, because he was careful and got lucky. So we talk and it's a little difficult because his dialect of Arabic is not what I got taught at uni, but we're managing, we're understanding each other. Going swimming together and shit, which he's proud of that his dad tought him, since not everyone learns how to swim there. Then one morning sitting on the rocks after a nice swim, I ask him, what does he think, could anything good have come from the war that began in his country back in 2011, like, if this thing or that thing had gone differently? And his answer is simply: "War is stupid and whoever wants war is stupid" Dude I'm talking about is a taxi driver now and him and his family have some milk cows and a little dairy shop. He's happier than anyone will ever be who helps make killing easier through their work or actions. @BOTGRINDER, brother, do me a solid and share this story with RR please if you can.

[@jimross898]

Everyone should take the time to speak with war veterans. No matter what war, what age, they all say the same thing. They express deep sorrow and are often haunted by their actions. It's why so many of them develop substance abuse issues, severe mental health issues and often kill themselves. It's an epidemic. And it needs to stop. Young men shouldn't be killing themselves. Insanity.

[@nateteator3901]

Your friend experienced that war because the US lied about WMDs. We thought we could smash and grab for some oil and create democracy in our wake. The current situation is different. Dictatorships are violently expanding their Empires.

[@petrokemikal]

They dont care mate.. War isnt about hurting peoples feelings.. Its about making serious money..

[@jeffswope1511]

@@ferocious_r the soldiers on both sides pay the price. Meanwhile the politicians and war merchants make their blood money. Your story will help bring about understanding. Thanks 🙏

[@ferocious_r]

Thank you, @@jeffswope1511 ... that's the one hope I see. A little more understanding with every generation.

[@anthonystownsend]

I had an opportunity to go teach the Jordanian Defence force to go fly FPV drones, at first I thought it was a dream job but ghosted it after I saw the videos coming out of Ukraine.

[@ConMan1504]

Like it or not, we all knew the ability to control a very cheap arial vehicle that can adjust at rapid speeds while carrying payloads from a safe distance would be used for fighting. Theres a reason drones are beginning to fill the 2a community too. People realize that ability can be used for more than the hobby of racing in circles within line of sight. The building hobby and particular has become entwined with the 2a community due to the inherent security benefits of being able to control exactly what protocols and electronics are in a device. My advice? Don't fight it. Seperate it. Trying to stop them from being used outside a hobby will never work, simply build them as two communities using the same thing. Just like hunters and training shooters do, just like overlanders and drag racing drivers do. Its the only real option here

[@thesavagekiwi3492]

If I was a civilian in a war zone I would much prefer to have a real human flying a drone targeting the things around me than some dude with a tube kms away pulling a rope. War is a terrible business, and you are fully allowed to take your position on this, but if it was my family at risk I would love the help of guys like rotor riot being on my side. Actually, even on the other side. Too much in war is destruction that is impersonal and at distance. Drones are not that.

[@genjitsu7448]

What is really ashame is what you elude to here... that our simple, fun, peaceful drones are actually well suited to be offensive weapons that hit targets on a battlefield. It is easy, cheap, effective... our hobby has been corrupted by the association.

[@wavefunctionfpv]

it's like if Gibson guitars was like "ok we're making les pauls with built in tec-9s"

[@soniclobotomy-ie3ed]

I didnt know guitars could be converted into advanced weaponry with a $1 3d printed part 😂. I'm not totally disagreeing with you but come on.. Its pretty easy to weaponize these things. We can't avoid whats happening, unfortunately, it is part of the hobby now. We can only hope our rights to own and fly drones is protected. Also fk the Rcat owner. I will never support that sketch mf.

[@soniclobotomy-ie3ed]

lmao bot deleted my comments! I said "Maybe if guitars can be turned into advanced weaponry with a $1 3d printed part. I'm not totally disagreeing with you but come on.. You have to admit it is easy to do, unfortunately, this is part of the hobby now. We can only hope our rights to own and fly drones are protected" I've been flying 10 years but sadly this shitt aint gonna happen any other way.. no matter how much you want to deny it these are weapons and we will not be able to stop what is coming. Fuck, I really liked bot until he started deleting all the comments. Ego can't handle reason. Done with this channel.

[@soniclobotomy-ie3ed]

3rd repost: lmao bot deleted my comments! I said "Maybe if guitars can be turned into advanced weaponry with a $1 3d printed part. I'm not totally disagreeing with you but come on.. You have to admit it is easy to do, unfortunately, this is part of the hobby now. We can only hope our rights to own and fly drones are protected" I've been flying 10 years but sadly this shitt aint gonna happen any other way.. no matter how much you want to deny it these are weapons and we will not be able to stop what is coming. Fuck, I really liked bot until he started deleting all the comments. Ego can't handle reason. Done with this channel.

[@BOTGRINDER]

@@soniclobotomy-ie3ed lol no one deleted shit we can all see your comments.

[@skree_fpv436]

@@soniclobotomy-ie3ed When a comment gets deleted, 99% of the time it's by KZbin. There are a many, many words KZbin doesn't like nowadays. They suck.

[@icarean4334]

First time I've seen your channel, now subscribed to see more. Love and appreciate the info, attitude, teeshirt, and stance on murder drones and militarisation generally.

[@Splinterfpv]

I saw this coming back when Redcat wanted everybody's black box logs. Can't say I'm surprised by this one bit.

[@sulphur_fpv]

I forgot about that. From memory didn't they say they want our logs so they could make our quads fly better? Unsurprisingly we never heard about it since and glad I never gave them any of mine. Although at the time I did think about it but something about it just felt off.

[@Splinterfpv]

@@sulphur_fpv yup that's exactly what they claimed. Felt off from the get go.

[@WR3ND]

"The goal of a company is to make money [above all else, no matter what]," is frankly stupid and will likely ruin humanity. The machines aren't the drones; greedy idiots are.

[@genjitsu7448]

Agreed. Companies should have responsibilities to the communities where they operate, where their products are found, etc. But the "it's just business" trope is all you will ever get from these pos's... They can get away with this behavior because those folks never get touched by the bad decisions, they do not have to live with the consequences. It is gross for sure. This RC hobby is a simple one that should simply be left alone but the way people learn about things like this is thru filtered and heavily biased and corrupt media - so now Jon-Q-Public out there is being told and believes that drone fliers are all up to no good. What a shame all of this is.

[@MurdersFPV]

I respect your opinion and your choice to be passive. The end to all wars would be an incredible achievement for mankind. The needless death of innocents is the greatest tragedy imaginable, and as a father, the mere thought of another parent losing their child overwhelms me with emotions. As much as remaining passive and hoping for peace is an honorable endeavor, it's the antithesis of our human nature. War has run in our blood since the dawn of our existence. Access to land and resources that allow for the continued prosperity of a people isn't afforded to every tribe/clan/state/nation. They historically had to take it through force to ensure the continued progression or even survival of their people. Even in today's world, there are countries that have resources that others need, but they don't want to share without a price. Then, there is the desire for power and influence. Western ideology is a threat to the Eastern world. The US may be a shithole in many ways, but the fact that the LGBTQ community even has the ability to have a voice is an example of why our country is amazing. In many countries, the sheer utterance of being gay would mean your death through the most violent means. The simple desire to remain passive and to not want blood on your hands is another great example of why we are fortunate. Wanting to avoid war or military service would be grounds to be executed by a firing quad in some Eastern countries. These are the harsh realities of the world we live in. These are the reasons why America desires to maintain its position of power and influence. We can't do that through passive means. A military show of force is often enough to keep these abhorrent nations in check. This is why our Navy is constantly forward deployed. Then, there are times when oppressive nations choose to invade others. To kill and destroy their enemy, to exercise power, and spread their influence and oppression on others. If we stand by and allow this to go unchecked, then the possibility of these oppressive nations continuing their conquest is very real. You may feel that you have the "entire" community on your side in your desire to remain passive. You may feel that "we all" do not support the use of any means necessary to maintain superiority on the battlefield. You are wrong. You and others like you are simply the loudest voice. There is a silent majority who are willing to shed blood to preserve freedom. As much as you may disagree with them and them with you, both are needed. You need people like me who are willing to shed the blood of our enemies to preserve your right to freedom. I need you to spread the message of passiveness in times of peace. This is the ying and yang of balance. The use of FPV technology has proven effective in the "David versus Goliath" war being waged in this exact moment. One of the major benefits of FPV technology is the minimization of collateral damage and the deaths of innocents. Let me repeat that...the use of FPV technology has MINIMIZED collateral damage and the deaths of innocents. In a world where innocent Ukrainians/Russians are being rap3d/kill3d/murd3red by the oppressive armies of a hostile dictator, Ukrainians are fighting back through the use of inexpensive FPV systems that are aiding them in terminating enemy threats with precision. Our hobby was not the advent of FPV technology being used in military applications. I myself operated UAVs that used FPV technology and were fitted with various payloads for reconnaissance and surveillance over a decade ago, and many others did that job years before me. The only difference is the inexpensive nature that "hobby grade" equipment has introduced. Unusual Machines aims to gain enough investors to be able to generate the capital needed to make FPV components here in the US. Additionally, they need a substantial amount of funds to be able to invest into the R&D of FPV related systems. This is in an effort to free us from the dependence on China for these products. As an American, I support that. A lot of Americans support that. A lot of our community supports that. Stacy and everyone else who ARE Rotor Riot are not the ones pressing the gas pedal on the undertaking that RedCat and Unusual Machines are moving towards. Tyler, Bernard, LetsFly, Bubby, Cricket, Alex, PDEVX, Peter, JB, Vortex, and anyone who goes to work everyday fulfilling orders and providing customer support are not the ones advocating for the use of the FANG drone in Ukraine. They are the ones who are working on building a community of inclusiveness and lowering the barrier-to-entry for those who want to enjoy our hobby. To reap the therapeutic rewards of flight. If you feel that boycotting these people to harm Unusual Machines and RedCat will be an effective use of your time and platform, then so be it. I support your freedom to use your voice. All I ask is for you to consider the other side of the aisle. My side of the aisle. At the end of the day, we are here to enjoy our hobby. It brings us peace and an escape from the real world. Regardless of our worldviews, we can all agree it's time to end this discussion and fly some packs.

[@BOTGRINDER]

i disagree with the majority of that but i do understand where you are coming from and i respect you for taking the time to share your thoughts in a detailed and thoughtful way. one thing i do agree on however its time to rip some fucking packs.

[@JoshuaBardwell]

Bravo

[@chrisbee5481]

I agree that anyone shall defend themselves by any means. Fpv is totally legit. But promoting military fpv, it will kill our hobby reputation even more and lead to further restrictions. Besides I question if the US has brought peace to other countries. I wish peace to everyone and let's enjoy fpv together.

[@MurdersFPV]

@chrisbee5481 America doesn't spread peace. It spreads freedom. There's a big difference. In reference to the idea of further regulation because of militarization, wouldn't it stand to reason that having a major contractor in the government's ear, who has a connection to the hobby community, be a good thing in terms of representation?

[@chrisbee5481]

@@MurdersFPV maybe you would feel the impact of bringing your *freedom* , if all the refugees from syria and Afghanistan came to the US. Sorry mate, it's capitalism and brings money. Bigest industry in the World that pays your check. Yeah, war has always been part of mankind.

[@dor5levy]

I don't see the hobby FPV community stays away from DJI, the company sells a huge amount of drones to militaries around the world. The company goal is to earn money, thats their only reason to exist usually.

[@DaytonaJim78]

I am confused why is redcat using googles made by walksnail made in china for us military purposes yet DJI is going to be banned and why is redcat office in Puerto Rico

[@SteazyDoesIt702]

$$$

[@windwalkerfpv]

Because its all about money, US competitors like Skydio are pushing for this ban. Redcat is based in Puerto Rico to evade taxes.

[@jamesbond-pr5jl]

They don't own DJI and have been too lazy/dumb to make a usa based or nato based DJI to launder through simple fact.

[@mark6302]

the same reason I cant get flavored e-liquid in my state but I can buy dank ass chronic from a brick and mortar store: $$$$$$

[@jonathankrum3016]

Yea. Typically all military equipment right down to remodeling the grocery store on base the nuts and washers we use have to be made in America and they spot check.

[@markferrell5261]

Your moral courage and steadfast determination are a blessing to this community. Also your joy of life and basic playfulness. But this is a serious issue and you are right where I expected you would be. Thanks for speaking up.

[@LilwickedFpv]

That’s one of the reasons why I don’t watch rotor riot, videos anymore, BOT keep on saying F everybody make your real videos stay real and continue to have fun. That’s the moral of the whole idea. I luv it man. Keep up the great work.😎👊🏼

[@bertu1363]

I am not against the switch of demographics, I am more perplexed by the fact they did not understood where the potential comes from. One of the main strenght of an fpv drone is that you can build it yourself to fit your needs. In ukraine they found a perfect R&D ground where you can mess around with ideas. Sadly the defence sector it's like this, you make things to murder people, just to bring dinner to the table. And I work for a defence contractor (Iveco Defence Vehicles if someone wants to look it up). So the only thing that I can say it is: let's see what comes up. What else we got to do?

[@andyhoughtaling6319]

I love you Bot, and I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but you are kind of misrepresenting some things here. Redcat Holdings Inc. has had 100% ownership of Rotor Riot since 2020. Up until a couple weeks ago, Redcat had zero involvement with military weaponry of any kind. When you said, "the leadership at Rotor Riot decided that they need to get in on this blood money", that is 100% false. None of the people at Rotor Riot had any say in this. None of the products on the Rotor Riot website were created after Redcat announced their military involvement. You could make the argument that they would be contributing by staying with Rotor Riot in the future, but that has yet to be seen. Redcat just announced their involvement in this stuff a couple weeks ago, and there's still a possibility that people from Rotor Riot leave the company over this. There's also the possibility that the Rotor Riot team signed contracts with Redcat prior to Redcat's military involvement that don't allow for their release from Rotor Riot for a fixed amount of time. It's definitely a little early to pass judgement on the people from Rotor Riot, but I agree about not giving money to Rotor Riot anymore, because you're giving money directly to Redcat.

[@BOTGRINDER]

thank you for the corrections i apologize for not being more clear im not talking about stacy or anyone else at rr thats not involved with these decisions i meant redcat dipping into rr and using the bnfs for lethal payload drones and since they own them i describe them as rr/redcat.

[@andyhoughtaling6319]

@@BOTGRINDER I figured that much by the way you were wording it. I just noticed the individuals themselves getting a lot of hate on their pages so I thought I would at least try to clear the air for their benefit. Also, I plan on eventually bringing a truckload of cool shit to put at the FPV park, and we should send some packs/smoke some doobs when I go. I'll get ahold of you and schedule a date when I get closer to being able to go if that's cool with you.

[@fishbonez5670]

In my opinion Rotor Riot makes crappy parts, dont have to look farther than their motors for that. That contract wont last after testing and DOD sees that it cost them more to continuity repair, beyond routine maintenance, a drone that wont fly more than a handful of times. I have other opinions on how I see a boycott of a company that provides support for the DOD or its countries defense can seem hypocritical but that is a discussion for another time so I wont go there.

[@RBRCbashem]

War sucks. What sucks worse is we don’t want, ask for or vote for..any of it.

[@toolbaggers]

You need to vote 3rd party.

[@bugsy742]

Agreed but bro wake tf up - voting ain’t real mate

[@10fantic]

Actually we do vote for it, those politicians just fall in line with the system and we have no way to keep them accountable unless we revolt.

[@hradynarski]

True, boycott DJI as well, they are funded and produce military drones for China army. Be fair.

[@3nertia]

Welcome to capitalism!

[@jerridok2708]

Not that I agree woth or support rotor riot but if you look at the majority of the fpv drones in Ukraine being used and assembled in mass it's pretty much all hobbyist parts from foxeer and t motor and lumenier you can see videos of people mass assembling drones for infantry and it's legit just boxs filled with foxeer parts if you want I can even send and time stamp these videos for you. Foxeer lumenier have been making military esc drones and parts for awhile themselves. I also agree that with the ffa trying to Crack down on us it's really not good for the hobbyist and hopefully we don't suffer for these people's involvement in the war

[@508fpv]

Foxeer dont work for the goverment, u.m., redcat, fatshark, and rr now work for goverment

[@JoshDisher]

@jerridok2708 I agree with you... ...and then once they make "official combat drones," they can charge US 100x what the part actually cost. You think they're gonna charge $250-$500 for the "basic bitch" short range drone? It's probably more like 5k and up for $200 worth of parts. General Killemall doesn't care what it costs when WE are paying for it. I'm sure they'll be plenty of applications where a $50,000 drone is worth destroying to save lives, but do we really need to spend 5k when a box full of Foxeer parts and IFLIGHT frames will do for most applications? I think many of us are just butt-hurt that a brand we used to like has decided to make $ off of killing people. Sure, somebody's gonna do it, but our "hobby" (lifestyle) is already fringe enough without the public thinking I'm flying an explosive weapon across the park from their kids soccer game

[@fpvinprogress]

You are right mate, also I believe that this pathway will eventually lead to more restrictions to our hobby, the only way to stop is to choose different company to buy drones and components from as you said

[@SergiySokolenko]

Before I share my thoughts, it's crucial to emphasize that the situation in Ukraine, where I live, is fundamentally different from the peaceful environments where most FPV hobbyists operate. Given what we've been through, I'm not sure how to react to the situation with Rotor Riot that you're facing. Currently, I have no opinion on it. For Ukrainians, militarized FPV drones are not just a hobby or sport, but a means of survival and protecting civilian lives. These drones have played a significant role in pushing back Russian forces and preventing further loss of life and territory. I am against violence, war, and the militarization of anything, but one must consider 'necessity versus choice.' Since Russia began its full-scale invasion, we haven't had a choice. The necessity to protect the lives of our people and soldiers holding the front line is our reality. That's probably why I feel disconnected from all those complaints about Rotor Riot. We now have dozens of companies producing drones to counter an enemy intent on killing us.

[@BOTGRINDER]

im not sure if you read the video description but i share my thoughts there regarding this. tldr would be: This videos context has nothing to do with the current war (if possible) its more about this once "family friendly" brand using the very same drone they sell to the public on their website being used in advertisements as a lethal strike drones.

[@SergiySokolenko]

​@@BOTGRINDER I hadn’t read the video description initially, like many others probably hadn't, but now that I have, it adds valuable context and makes more sense. I wish for you and all FPV hobbyists, myself included, to be able to continue enjoying this hobby within the current regulations (at least, no more regulations). Here in Ukraine, all unauthorized drone flights are banned - it’s a dark time for FPV hobbyists.

[@matthewrowles6881]

​@@BOTGRINDERThat's the whole problem I have and why I am so conflicted about all of it, I don't know if it's possible to separate the weaponization of these type of drones from the current war, like you said Bot, if possible, but I'm not sure it is, it was precisely this conflict that brought hobby grade drones to the battlefield in the first place, the two, to me seem impossible to separate because one begets the other...that for me is where the conflict lies and why I find it hard to land concretely on one side, I like you, dislike they way Redcat and RR are marketing this, yes I dislike it, but also do understand it even beyond the money aspect which is I'm sure why they are doing it, but really my main point or my main feeling is that the two just really can't be seperated, no matter how unfortunate. That's my own personal conflict to work out I guess.

[@stankozniewski9385]

Your "president" said he would make peace with Russia if he was elected 😅 if you all stormed the govt and took his dumbass out of parliament Russia would not be invading. You have Ukranian citizens and part of your army that clearly supports Nazis, denounce and jail these people. Clearly there is still something wrong with your country and FPV kills are not solving anything but adding fuel to the fire.

[@tedmoss]

@@BOTGRINDER Yet that is what it is and always was.

[@pablogonzalez1164]

Thank you for this PSA, I liked your videos before but now I have a whole lot of respect for you, Bravo sir. Much love from PchezFPV

[@marshall739]

Yeah, Botgrinder is a stand-up dude with solid principles. They may not quite perfectly align with my own, but he comes by them honestly, and sticks to them faithfully. That's damn admirable, and the world would be a better place if only more people did the same.

[@sp3cimen6]

One word unfortunately describes this situation.... inevitability....Ukraine brought the use of fpv drones in war fully out in the open. Stuff like this was bound to happen.

[@VasylDemianov]

"FPV drones are not used to liberate, they are not used for freedom." You're plainly wrong here. Here in Ukraine we're using them to defend ourselves. I would use literal kids toys if I had to defend myself from an intruder, and I had nothing else. Wouldn't you?

[@BOTGRINDER]

go read the video description

[@VasylDemianov]

@@BOTGRINDER Come on man, this is KZbin, ppl do not come here to read, no one will read a video description. "Show, don't tell."

[@quadmods]

It was instilled in me since I was a kid you can vote with your money and you often don’t need what someone is selling you. To this day I practice this as I do a lot of “high tech” purchasing for work. You’d be surprised as to how many venders I turn away or move away from in a year.

[@DanielLewisSEO]

Are they selling to the highest bidder period? I doubt they can if they are working with the US govt. China is trying to shut off the supply of drones to Ukraine to stop the Russian invasion. If Rotor Riot is stepping in and helping Ukraine then I am all for it. In Fact if I can verify that I will go buy one of their drones to support their effort.

[@christopherconkright1317]

Introducing the Rotor Riot Brave F7 Flight Controller, proudly crafted in the USA and fully NDAA compliant. Built for serious FPV enthusiasts, it offers top-tier reliability and performance. NDAA compliant military compliant and first responder but called BRAVE.......................

[@housinit]

Never liked Rotor Riot, something about Rotor Riot always rubbed me the wrong way, and then this. F them for sure now.

[@Astrometanomally]

This will only get us more resteicted

[@tedmoss]

Since drones are now an essential defence need, I doubt we will get banned, since operators and training are needed.

[@themocaw]

Anytime shit like the DJI ban or remote ID comes up, I try to argue the safety of the hobby, and the same counter argument comes up: "What about the use of drones in warfare?" And I end up arguing that the use of hobbyist fpv drones in warfare is like the use of technicals. Toyota trucks get machine guns mounted on them all the time, but Toyota isn't advertising their trucks based on how well you can mow down people with a 50 cal from the truck bed. Pressure cookers get used to make IEDs all the time, but instant pot isn't advertising their shit on how well it can be used to blow up soldiers. Bomb drones are a perversion of the hobby, not the point. Well, Unusual Machines has decided to do just that. Rotor Riot is now advertising for arms dealers. And they've accelerated the death of this hobby. Great Job.

[@robmulally]

Can you explain this: "Rotor Riot is now advertising for arms dealers ? "

[@tedmoss]

The hobby is now essential for defense, its not going anywhere.

[@DronePsyche]

Playing devil's advocate here: What about the use of automobiles, cameras, phones, planes etc in warfare. Do we ban every company that makes a piece of technology that's used for warfare?

[@angelnunez6476]

Problem with this explanation is that Toyota makes parts more missiles, tanks, and air defense systems. All used to kill people.

[@ugpfpv361]

​@@DronePsycheng the point, it's not the drone it's the company

[@drumalley3063]

Thanks for the info. I would never have know if not for you. Rotor riot is now officially OFF my radar.

[@YotaGuy_Kyle]

🇺🇸 Rotor Riot. The good guys with drones. They’re working hard to keep our country safe. Our job as a community is to educate as it’s always been. No different than GUN safety

[@BOTGRINDER]

you sound like cnn right now.

[@YotaGuy_Kyle]

@@BOTGRINDER I like you Bot I do, but this movement reminds me of the Vietnam hippies from back in the day. War is bad yes, Patriotism is not. I surely hope history doesn’t repeat itself. 🤘🏻 I enjoy your content, let’s keep our voices and views heard. 😎

[@BOTGRINDER]

@@YotaGuy_Kyle with all due respect im pretty sure we where the bad guys in vietnam haha

[@Rogue_FPV]

Doesn't RedCat already have a separate shadow company that creates weapons of war? Just sayin.... Why do it under the Rotor Riot Brand if they are already doing it under a brand name we don't know in the FPV community?

[@oculararcade]

We need Advancements in search and rescue not killing each other. I hope the aliens nerf us all.

[@airdevil21]

Thanks Bot for this video. Yes they went the wrong turn. Iam done with them.

[@Michael_Judd]

Our FPV hobby community…has a lot of people with great hearts and peace loving types …War is changing everything…it’s very sad and unfortunate…I hate it ..but going to get worse …will continue to be very very heavy regulated ..juddeye

[@memefpv]

It's sad that RR hasn't even attempted to release a statement on the subject.

[@andrewbt87]

RR doesn't care, and they're deleting any comments regarding this issue from their videos....

[@SeeFPv-qm6ie]

i just switched from dji to hdzero all the way

[@miloschjovanovic]

Me as well

[@greensFPV]

But DJI doesn't sell military products. Their marketing says so :P Hope you don't drive a Hilux either or any other Toyota...

[@CaptainKazi]

@@greensFPV Or used Microsoft/Android to comment.

[@robmulally]

@@CaptainKazi Or have any products with chips from Taiwan...

[@knarpasti4508]

​@@CaptainKaziOr Apple

[@JonFloFPV]

I really love and respect how you don’t tend to sugarcoat things and say it like it is. I watch your videos for these reasons and really appreciate your take on the whole Rotor Riot change to weapons manufacturer. Keep going, bro.

[@djSpinege]

American industry provided a ton to help in war efforts in the past. I won't boycott over that cuz then I'd be a hypocrite for using other products/company's still. but I will boycott over them being a direct reflection of the FPV community and switching into total war mode. What a stupid asshat move by RR.

[@craigjordan3739]

The ruin of FPV quads.

[@rakr9334]

I understand that FPV drones are now part of modern warfare. I understand that a modern war requires insane amounts of drones. I understand that the defense industry is paid by one of the largest piles of money on the world. I understand that companys want to be as profitable as possible. I understand that companys want to join the club of this big money. Thats part of the business world. And I am not in the postition the question the morality of this. Why redcat thinks it was a good idea to include RR into this new business and not taking the (little) effort to cut ties (e.g. Drib stepping down from RR, not using RR drones and footage) to keep their two markets separated, I have no idea.

[@tedmoss]

Are the two markets for guns kept separate? No. The U.S. military "invented" drones in 1939 and made over 14,000 of them, why was no uproar made at the time? Could it have something to do with the Germans? They also did the same thing.

[@jdmjdmjdmjdmjdmjdmjdm]

​Do you have a brain?

[@dieselphiend]

FPV drones have the lowest amount of collateral damage when compared to virtually any other munition.

[@BOTGRINDER]

good point, is there any data on that?

[@dieselphiend]

@@BOTGRINDER I'm not sure. That's just from my own observations in the Russia Ukraine war. Unfortunately, I have a morbid curiosity for war, and so I watch videos from the front everyday. In terms of video footage, it has to be the most documented war in human history. Both sides are freely showing their war crimes, for example. And FPV attack footage is released everyday.

[@dieselphiend]

@@BOTGRINDER The artillery, and the cruise missiles, is what kills woman and children.

[@GatAppTechnologies]

It’s a cost thing. A anti-tank missile costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. FPV drone with bomb is a couple hundred. From my research they are typically just used against tanks and mobile units. Actually met a group awhile ago that was specifically building FPV drones for combat. Had some good discussion on how they were extending analog range to keep their people safer.

[@daRealGamer22]

I think when this war is over (hopefully soon), we may start to see a lot of innovative technology trickle down to the hobby side.

[@flyingdutchmanfpv]

@@daRealGamer22 Ukraine wil be a force in FPV, maybe we'll be less dependant on China to make our gear

[@classGfpv]

It's a shame to see, but I feel like Rotor Riot hasn't been relevant in years... Hopefully, this will finish the company off for good. The team pilots should pull a BigTime, take off, and start their own channel. End stage capitalism is depressing AF... Watching everything go to shit and feeling helpless to do anything about it is a real bummer.

[@rambozo_fpv176]

I never trusted RedCat Holdings. Never trust any company with the word Holdings in its name.

[@ethanboulger7026]

With the already surrounding tension around hobbyist using drones, RR doing this is a wrong move. With the following that RR has, could put more tension on the hobby side. Utility drones and hobby drones should be very different catagories. They need to keep the two as far apart as possible.

[@tabdougherty8549]

Solid Bro!! I am with you. I knew Redcat was bad carma when they were offering cash for log files way back

[@ChrisQuadFPV]

Isn't Bardwell a part time Rotor Riot affiliate and supporter ? 😊

[@BOTGRINDER]

You would have to ask him honestly

[@JoshuaBardwell]

I am a Rotor Riot team pilot, cast member, and store affiliate. I have not actively appeared in episodes almost at all since about 2020, but RR graciously allows me to maintain my position, and I'm thankful for that.

[@SPIT_FPV]

​@@JoshuaBardwell but will you continue your cooperation with this company despite the current situation?

[@maskedviperus]

​@@SPIT_FPVfrom my observations....if it's money for him I'm sure he will

[@sioul2006]

I believe Joshua will think about what to do with all these informations. Give him time to make a good decision. For him it’s what he makes a living off so it’s not as simple as „yeah I’m off“…

[@xORLOCKx]

So I got to thinking... I understand you feeling appalled. I understand some prior feelings towards RR can make you jump to attacking them. But to make this stand against them while ignoring that every single drone equipment manufacture is involved in the war? Really? Iflight, DJI, tmotor, speedybee, betaFPV, flywoo, let's not forget where the home of the mighty TBS crossfire is from (it's ukrain BTW).. every single company is involved and supplies this war. All of them. So if you are anti drones in war then you have literally no leg to stand on using any of the equipment. How is rotor riot any different than TBS? They are supplying radios and transmitters to Ukraine. Iflight is supplying drones to Russia. They are all involved. All of them. It makes you guys look ignorant to ignore that fact. I love you bot, I respect your stance and opinions. Even the ones we don't agree on. I get why you feel the way you do. It sucks. It's turning out this way (although I disagree no FPV quads have hit schools and killed kids like you claimed but that gets people's blood pumping) but war is in fact ruining our beloved hobby. I will still stay a member and support you though. I respect your opinion and just wanted to share mine. If you are against RR you need to take a look at every company selling drone parts. You will find yourself with nothing left to fly.

[@BOTGRINDER]

Hey man first off thanks for the calm response to a heated topic lol, I'll have to say though I don't buy stuff from any of the company's you just listed so that will be easy for me to continue not supporting them. There are plenty of smaller fpv companys not getting into the bussiness of war and we can support them. And I didn't say any drones hit schools I was asking how they would feel if that happened just to clear that up.

[@xORLOCKx]

@BOTGRINDER awesome response and that would be an awesome video for you to make. A list of companies and quads that DONT involve the war. Even using a TBS tango 2 would be considered contributing. TBS is based in Ukraine and he has contributed to alot for the war. Sorry I misunderstood your statement. That was my bad. Potentially any weapons can do that and are bad when human error is involved.

[@BOTGRINDER]

@@xORLOCKx I dont know if thees any truth to tbs contributing but my tango 2 is like 5 years old lol so im going to keep using it, but nah i def feel ya on that, alot of folks are just jumping on the hate train and being fairly hypocritical with it, i try to keep my shit consistent as i can, shit i refuse to order from amazon due to how they treat their workers, i wont eat mcdonalds since they are pretty fucking evil (tearing rain forest down to grow cows on etc) i wont shop at walmart due them running smaller business's out of town through price manipulation, shit like that. so for me personally im not just blowin smoke this is my daily shit of not supporting company's i view to be shitty and rr been on that list for a long time. its definitely not black and white its a fairly complex topic but i think most folks just dont want to see these hobbyist company's getting into the business of war and if they do they stop supporting them. except dji no one is going to quit flying dji even if they start making nukes hahah

[@bitterrootfpv2207]

Well I think the real difference here is that these drones are being developed and sold as weapons. Even dji, which has the drones most used in war don't condone their use. Dji don't make strike drones. I don't buy dji. But they have a better public policy than red cat in this situation. Pandora's box is now open. There will be strike drones from now on. That's reality. But toy companies really shouldn't be making weapons. Peace to all. ❤

[@8BiT_fpv]

@@bitterrootfpv2207 mattel

[@caujka]

Man, I am with you. I hate it when our hobby toys become weapons. I hate it when artists, musicians, and engineers become soldiers. But today, many families in Ukraine make 7 and 10-inch hobby drones to give to military folks. Soldiers tie little explosives (how much does a 7" drone lift?) to make very targeted, precise hits. On the other side, russian invaders use all kinds of "prohibited" stuff: chemical weapons, cluster munitions, indiscriminate minefields, and even nuclear blackmail. And they also produce and use an "allowed" arsenal of guided 1000-pound bombs, middle-range missiles, and plane bombs to hit electric plants, hospitals, shopping malls, and neighborhoods in major Ukrainian cities. And before that they did the same thing in Syria, Georgia, Chechnya. Looks like this war is a consequence of Ukraine giving up nukes in exchange for warranties. Before 2014, the Ukrainian military was a sort of joke; it was the most peaceful country in the world. Today, Ukraine is very reliant on weapons the Free World gives it to defend itself. International warranties, economic sanctions, and the United Nations do not work. Support your military so that you don't need it. So that your country does not need to use it on its territory at least. So that kids don't need to become soldiers unless they want to.

[@infa008]

Thank you Bot for saying what needs to be said. Crossing morality for profit is evil at its core.

[@junkmonk1043]

If you notice the liftoff game features the Ukrainian flag next to the list of drone makers, but not America or other countries flags

[@tedmoss]

The U.S. has been flying drones in the military since 1939.

[@junkmonk1043]

@@tedmoss got any links to the history

[@flyingdutchmanfpv]

@@tedmoss And I think the Germans and English were even earlier

[@jerseyshoredroneservices225]

Are we also boycotting Boeing, Airbus, Samsung, Apple and all the companies that supply products for the military? GM, Ford and Chrysler? Since its launch into the defense industry in 1983, Samsung Techwin has developed and produced artillery systems like the 155mm self-propelled Howitzer M109A2, … The Pentagon announced the FlexTech Alliance, a group of 162 companies and universities including Apple, Boeing, and Harvard University. Apple, Boeing, and other companies will work in partnership with the Pentagon to produce flexible wearable devices.

[@BOTGRINDER]

Yeah I don't buy shit from any of those companys

[@pathfinderson8244]

"A lot of times are innocent civilians and children" That's a phandora box you don't want to open.

[@dannyschaible7112]

Thank you for shining light on this. This is pretty fucked up. I want to fly a drone, not "train with a weapon."

[@tedmoss]

Since drones were "invented" in 1939 for the U.S. military, you have always been training with a weapon. I have been flying since 1950 with my father until I made my first "RC plane" in 1952-3.

[@dannyschaible7112]

@@tedmoss nope. I am a civilian, using civilian grade parts bought in the free market to use in my free time. Stop trying to spread the propaganda. Even if it was developed by a military, they do not get exclusivity of the technology once it has reached the public.

[@highdrone69fpvakamasterroshi]

Our hobby is doomed 😪

[@daavixbrynaar]

Rotor Riot is dead to me. I have been interested in getting into FPV for a while and had enjoyed their content. I considered RR while saving up and planning to buy my first FPV setup. Not anymore. I will not support Rotor Riot in any way starting now. I just now unsubscribed from their channel and will never click on another of their videos. Rotor Riot is dead to me.

[@MrLouDoo]

That's sickening.

[@rambozo_fpv176]

RR to FPV Community: Thanks for paying for R&D suckers! Beta test phase complete.

[@apachesmokewoundedsniper]

I totally agree, it’s to disgusting to even think that rotor riot can do this shit. I thought it was a joke when I heard about it the first time, but no they are really that fucked up.

[@natewillard]

Say less. Never buying from rotor riot again. Wasted a lot of money with them when I first started and this is the nail in the coffin.

[@chuddledollops]

You win the internet today my friend. There are a lot of issues with the hobby in terms of as you pointed out (sweatshops etc) and it is far removed from the R/C fields I grew up on in the 90s but this is one step over the line you do not cross!

[@tedmoss]

This line was crossed in 1939, in fact drones were started by a government contract. I am sorry you don't like the facts. I have been flying since 1950 and built my first "RC model" in 1952-1953. when I was 10 years old. I had to build the Tx and Rx as well as the plane. I actually like the hobby better now, its not so expensive.

[@elouiseeverett3986]

@@tedmoss Bless you, Pioneering Flying Guy! It's an honor to stand on your shoulders in this hobby. People forget that our forebears made all of this fun possible.

[@toko7746]

Only if we stand up united against the goverments, we can stop the endless wars and sensless killings. Good video 👍🏻🙏🏻

[@webreakforsquirrel4201]

Sounds a lot like a war. Unfortunately.

[@soniclobotomy-ie3ed]

@@webreakforsquirrel4201 sounds like war with a little collapse of society sprinkled on top

[@Greg__K]

Thank you for being real and having substance. Vanover commented on another video defending it all. His perspective on things are really disappointing. Definitely not supporting RR anymore. Sucks, because I really wanted to purchase that Backpack. Not many people will live by their values without compromise, even when it can be difficult. Thanks for giving me hope Botgrinder.

[@goramiir]

I don't care how you spell it, Rotor Riot has crossed a line, and the hobby Will suffer because of it. If you care about this hobby at all, you will spend your money with a different company.

[@TheConstitutionState]

How? Regardless someone was going to do it

[@jessjoshwyatt3571]

Bubby is a little boy, he is gonna follow everyone over him.

[@forkbombfpv]

Destroy power, not people

[@gideoncor]

I am so pleased you made this video. morality still exists! Thank you from Tasmania.

[@DroneOn]

I got pummeled in multiple places for saying our hobby shouldn't be weaponized. The attitude amongst some people I've known for a long time in fpv is frankly surprising. Think you know some people. It's forcing me to distance myself from fpv.

[@MorningView]

End war

[@xORLOCKx]

The real problem. This really is the only answer 😊

[@short3203]

@@xORLOCKx Everyone taking psilocybin?

[@noisetinker]

There are only two ways to end a war. Either you lose or you win.

[@tedmoss]

All war fighters want to end war. How? We have only put off war by being the strongest country in the world. Hoodlums only know and respect strength.

[@JoshDisher]

Here's the thing that really makes me sick about this... This basically proves RR has decided to say, "We don't want hobbyists to buy our products... We want the government to buy our products with money stolen from our customers." They definitely want our money... They'd just rather take it than have us give it willingly. Oh, and the "hobby" that created RR? Yeah... They don't care about contributing to its demise. They want defense contract $.

[@TriMeX1987]

Would you sell fishing boats to hobbyists or go over to selling yachts to millionairs...

[@JoshDisher]

@@TriMeX1987 Are the millionaires running over Ukrainian kids with the boats?

[@FlyingNuggetz]

Planning to spend soon on some upgrades. I WILL NOT BUY FROM ROTORIOT. We will make it clear we want no part of this shit!!

[@vargaresa]

"What were they thinking?" - Exactly my thoughts... How much of a stupid decision is this from their investors and leadership, to put their customers and workforce into this moral dilemma? Imagine working for them and being pulled into this bullshit without even supporting strike drones.

[@georgeaura]

Just unsubbed rotor riot channel no more money views from me to them.

[@peter360adventures9]

Drones are for fun. And I am against drones for wars.

[@Anarkistic_]

This stinks of greedy and crappy leadership decisions. I had the opportunity to visit the RR offices about a year ago in Orlando and i found all the normal employees there to be super friendly and passionate FPV hobbyists like the rest of us, I wouldn't believe for a second they would be down with all this. Redcat & RR leadership though? Thats who needs to wake up, I hope we can make them.

[@user-rt9pe8dp1q]

Well, you feel free to boycott anyone who you don't like. Even don't pay them money anymore. But military has more money, so yours half a penny whil not change anything. It even make them more militarized. Sad but true.

[@JohnCuppi]

May I ask where exactly does the line get drawn though? Do you boycott any hardware associated with any FPV company that is Entity Listed for selling for the war? This could be something as simple as selling motors. Will you commit to that also? Also IF a company is not openly promoting “killing with FPV” but produces products or bnf clearly for for purpose, what should be done there? You can buy 10” bind and fly drones for “long range” with 4KG+ payloads. They have no GPS. Do we really pretend like we do not know what these drones are really for, just because they’re not making a media blitz out of it?

[@BOTGRINDER]

yes, i do not purchase any new products from company's that supply lethal drones or parts for them, its really not that hard lol.

[@JoshuaBardwell]

​@@BOTGRINDER my brother in christ, with all due respect, you have no idea how pervasive this is. Honestly, the reason this is making such a stink is that RR was the first company to be careless enough to say the quiet part out loud.

[@PDEVX]

@@JoshuaBardwell he likes to ignore the companies he's directly associated with who have been doing the same thing for years just quieter.

[@SCFPV]

@@JoshuaBardwell Exactly.

[@BOTGRINDER]

@@PDEVX which ones are those? ummagawd? hdzero? they dont supply military wepons and if you think tbs is a gotcha you are just spreading propaganda.

[@ikeflys]

I am proud to see everyone express their heart filled views. As a US Navy veteran, I like to think I contributed to protecting the freedoms you enjoy. Curious, has anyone considered that Rotor Riot's skills are beneficial for your US Military?

[@gpaull2]

It’s not black and white…they could actually be preventing more deaths and the spread of war. Just look at lead up and start of WW1 and 2 to show what happens when people don’t want to get involved with an aggressor and just hope it won’t affect them.

[@windwalkerfpv]

ty bro, careful your comment might get deleted (either by bot or yt, not sure). It is not that all the views here are one-sided, it's that we are not allowed to speak freely.

[@ikeflys]

@@windwalkerfpv Ha ha! I love Bot, and I'm okay if he deletes my comment. However, I agree that KZbin has and will delete comments that don't fit their narrative.

[@windwalkerfpv]

@@ikeflys Completely agree. Also, thank you for your service.

[@MattVileta]

I remember a time when war profiteering was a bad thing

[@EricD7]

Boycott rotor riot

[@bFreeFPV]

So many companies are tied or have ties to rr tho this is huge . I see why caddx was quick to come out with their own new goggles they cut ties quick with fatty shark makes sense

[@MarkSkizzoo]

Rotor riot and fat shark are dead to me.

[@revodrvr]

There's more blood on your hands woth the taxes you pay. He'll every vehicle manufacturers sell to the dod. Picking one company out is unreal. Do some research and you won't be able to support anyone.

[@ryanmgraham]

Hey brother, I used to work for Lumeneir/GETFPV and I can tell you this is nothing new sadly… we were working on military drones and other things YEARS ago… The military has massive amounts of money to throw at these “projects”. They are all building for the military and if they aren’t now they will eventually

[@scottgivens27]

Literally killing the hobby. I hope none of RR members are training others on how to use them for these missions

[@BIRDYFPV130]

Hey mate Ex Army Veteran so always a soldier but before that full punker, so always a punker. Mate I hate anything that is for financial gain at that level and it should be left to those companies that hire people to design shit. So I am on the side of there are plenty of other products out there to throw money at that I don’t have to support said issues. Although Sony, check their list of record labels attached to them. You might stop buying a lot records too knowing that certain bands signed to certain labels that support Sony income, who supply Uranium refined to a level for military purpose and sell it as such.

[@tedmoss]

Don't you recognize that you are free because of the weapons we made that kept others from attacking and killing us for their own profit? Just look at Russia thirsting after their neighbors gas and oil as well as their industry and land. China would do this also if it thought it could.