The militarization of the FPV hobby begins?

Ian from MadsTech just posted an excellent video, go watch it: • Video
He points out that Fatshark and Rotor Riot are now effectively military suppliers of FPV gear to Redcat, a US military contractor. What does this mean for the hobby of FPV drones and RC planes?
In this video I put my own perspective... with more to come.
Thanks to the heros who support me through Patreon so that I can continue to support the hobby and to those who do the same via channel memberships:
/ rcmodelreviews
and
/ @xjet

[@slappomatthew]

Bruce talking anti military whilst simultaneously sporting those absolute guns he calls arms.

[@SuprDlux]

😆

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

And lets not forget, NZ's budget cruise missle and NSA watch lists,.... 😂

[@haihai2999]

oldest guns around

[@davidclift5989]

Bruce is looking good. Which is nice to see considering his current health issues

[@wtfmimshag]

Backbone of the anzus treaty right there

[@CarbonGlassMan]

Every FPV and drone pilot, if war came to your country, if your homes were being attacked by an enemy country, would you just grab your rifle and run to the front lines & leave your drones & FPV equipment at home? Personally, I'd grab my rifle, but I'd grab every piece of drone building & flying equipment I owned & try to help the war effort by building & piloting whatever kind of drones the war effort needed. Basic training can be done in a matter of weeks for infantry. You're not going to learn to pilot a drone in a matter of weeks. Not pilot it well anyway. Bruce is right. Everything that is practical & useful gets used in war. From wrist watches, to paragliders, to radios, to rubber tires. Everything. Hell, Tom Hanks used a knife, a mirror and bubble gum to help take out a German gun position.

[@stevo4535]

Truth brother. Keep training.

[@noisetinker]

tom Hanks is a hero. Also well said.

[@RobertStanfordCambridgeUK]

I'm a lapsed radio amateur but have kept my licence and gear in case of a national emergency. Similar argument.

[@RickLaBanca]

That’s not the same situation. I’d defend my own country this way, but supplying other countries, no.

[@Wujek_Dobra_Rada]

I live in a European country: where possessing one .22 cartridge without a license is punishable by up to 8 years in prison. As soon as I saw the first drones, I decided that they either had to be banned completely, or they would completely get out of government control. For now, the second possibility seems more likely to me. Remember why the Second Amendment was created, and wonder how the government can stop a drone? With current technology, this is no longer an option. There are not enough resources - not even military ones - to stop such an attack. It will either strengthen democracy or destroy it. For now, option 1. The whole world is watching you in the USA, if you lose your rights guaranteed by the US constitution - we will all become global GULAG. And I'm not worried about the war: drones are used in Ukraine only: because of the lack of normal means of fighting the enemy, it is cheap, but very unreliable. It takes several drones to destroy/damage a tank, a regular RPG from the 70s is much more effective. Perhaps this will change in the future, and the effectiveness of drones will become greater - then more we have to engage in an arms race - to prevent someone from planting a Chinese flag in the Capitol or Paris.

[@RemotePilotsAustralia]

While the optics could be such that people will manipulate the situation to the detriment of the FPV hobby and manufacturers of FPV equipment a quick check shows that Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, General Electric, Boeing and pretty much any mega corporation you can think of market to governments for their military as well as the civilian market. We simply need to highlight this.

[@davidclift5989]

But that's how those companies get colossal government subsidies

[@robmulally]

Let's see how many usa gun owners boycot.... this show so much ignorance of how the world works. Or how many people stop airline travel....

[@UAVfutures]

I think the problem for me is a company on one hand being all about the "hobby and the community" and then with the other hand making weapons of war and literally publicizing it to everyone. sends two very conflicting messages to the public. also good luck with the comments on this vid. people went a bit bananas on this topic on my last vid. sad to see such a divided community.

[@rauntsest7918]

China makes most and holds the sector quite shourly. West to get into it they cant produse cheaper and they cant meet the quantity. Its weaponised and now its to late for nagging.

[@chrisbee5481]

Yeah, you just said *war sucks, stop the killing* and got called a Putin supporter. Seems if you talk different than Main stream Media, you're getting beef. Not very democratic

[@mistercohaagen]

You're forgetting what my country is now. This is not a contradiction for lots of Americans. We indoctrinate our children through playtime hobbies, to build a community to then weaponize towards some outside group. The FPV community is made up of affluent people with disposable income and time. These are the exact people that benefit most from American-style warmaking. They teach their children STEM to get them ready for a higher entry point into the Corpo-Military-Industrial Complex, so they don't end up on the front line with the poors. If you have any wonder about American behaviors or motivations, just assume we're the people who inspired Adolf to do his stuff... because we were, and still are those people. The ones with power and fraternity of the church anyway. The rest of us poors are just unknowing hostages waiting to get brainwashed into "service".

[@BadwolfFPV]

for me its the increasing rules that has stunted my interest in fpv

[@foldionepapyrus3441]

That really isn't unusual - to use the same analogy as in the video when you make great boots that are useful for a military and civilian use you will end up selling them to both. And adverts saying 'as used by ...' frequently work on the demographic that you are selling to, so of course for that advert is going to get made. Even if you really really really try not to sell to military if they want it because it is good they will find a way to buy it - as seen with all the sanctioned electronics still appearing in Russian weapons. Or worse for your company will create their own version so you get nothing, from the hard work you put it refining the design, and with the backing of a major government/military they may well flood the market with cheap surplus too...

[@Chatsu8o]

It's Aviation. End of discussion, in my opinion. Every aviation industry ever spawned gets involved in the military because flying things make good tools of war, and defense, and peacekeeping. RC pilots build homages to tools of war with glee every, single, day. I'm sure you've flown a few yourself. And what private pilot doesn't like being buzzed by a military jet? Do they see it as an imminent threat to their hobby? Do they boycott every other aviation company? Helicopters, rockets, satellites, you name it. If it flies, it finds a use on the battlefield. That is the world. It may not be preferable. But it is inevitable.

[@swampcritterisbackbaby1740]

Yup. If they fly commercial and complain about a company making money from the military they are a hypocrite.

[@BOTGRINDER]

Rotor riot is done, what a slap in the face to the community that supported them for so may years.

[@UnHappyKillMore]

Sadly, I feel the same. Fpv is controlled enough as it is, I feel it's only going to suck even more. Because of this they may even be considered as military weapon which could be outlawed for civilian use.

[@mablefpv]

Hey Bot! the same with the liftoff simulator, the developers (lugus studios) build "drone schools" for the ukraine military, since the war started!... with the money from the community! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4fCnZ2XmsZshZI ...at the end you can see the sim on the computers ;)... its a shame for the friendly community!

[@SueMyChin]

Bizarre position to take. Someone has to make military drones, a western genral recently came out and said 80% of destruction on the Ukraine front line is caused by weaponised FPV drones. US are going to need FPV drones and with all the bs regulations likely hurting their regular business why shouldn't they do it? So long as they don't sell them to Russia or Iran I have no problem with it.

[@user-otzlixr]

You are being way too emotional…

[@odinata]

Why anybody would have supported those douche bags in the first place is beyond me.

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

I don't think boots are a good analogy, as the boots aren't being weaponised. A better comparison would be to vehicles: just like they mount explosives onto quadcopters and use those to attack the enemy, the military also mounts weapons onto cars, boats, planes for the same purpose. When you make the boots analogy, you'll be righfully laughed out of the room because "it's not the same". No such issue when you compare it to cars, recreational boats and Cessnas. And if anyone says "yeah, but a Cessna isn't comparable to an F-18", you can always respond "but it _is_ comparable to a Sopwith Camel, and in fact, comes out favourably. And those _were_ used in warfare. Yet nobody ever objected to civilian flight because the military used planes too."

[@fishbonez5670]

For the sole purpose of conversation. I would have to respectively disagree, boots are a great comparison, if your going to "boycott" a company because of their choice to make money from the "dogs of war" Then you need to boycott Reebok. for example. For those who dont know they are an American company that makes athletic shoes of all kinds. They also make and provide combat boots for the US Military, and from my personal experience the most comfortable boots I have ever worn. So if one wants to take a stand well not only look at one self in the mirror but also look down at your feet. Just .02 cents. I have not like rotor riot for some time however full disclosure, I did just purchase the TANQ S kit and well yea it sucks and its components are cheap POS so if that is an indicator of what they will be providing well that contract wont last long.

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

@@fishbonez5670 The problem we're trying to tackle is the perception that our hobby is dangerous, a perception that's only being confirmed in their eyes because these things are actually used as weapons of war. That's what the video is all about: the negative perception, created by the way drones are used in the military, in the eyes of an already hostile audience of Karens and paranoids.

[@fishbonez5670]

@@EvenTheDogAgrees I agree anything can be weaponized. Bruce refers to Madstech boycott and continues with how Karens will claim what you have there is evil. So something as simple as boots then makes a good comparison. You could go as far as the toilet paper and the matches that come in the MRE. The hobby is not going to be viewed anymore dangerous than it already is.

[@cbrrunner3656]

This is the most level-headed take on the situation I have seen yet. Please keep up the work. I wouldn't be where I am in the hobby without you!

[@paulinfrance5]

I can only speak for france, but money is tight here at the moment, and all toy planes and multirotors have so many laws of where you can or can't fly it coupled with the disappearance of toy shops, the sport is dying a slow death, so changing Multirotors into death drones as you say at 10x the price with the military stamp on it is where the money is.

[@SpeccyMan]

It is the same here in the UK. Legislation is killing the hobby. I've moved to RC cars and buggies.

[@The1Fist]

With a government contract, Redcat will likely see quarterly statements with more zeros than they've ever seen. They have a feduciary responsibility to their shareholders.

[@ChristopherF_1971]

Yep. Same here in USA.

[@marielizysurourcq]

In France, where I am, I knew it would be a 10 years "window" before drones and FPV were doomed. Now, I use it in some fields and airfields but I mostly do planes today. Or it is on private property and there, it is cool that drones could be so small and light today for that purpose. I mean, I flew toy grades quads just under the Eiffel tower 10 years ago...

[@Xplicit_fpv]

Greatly respect what u do for our hobby. U pull no punches!! 1 of the few out there that did not sell out! Again thank u!

[@brandon9689]

The fabled bridge dive was pretty controversial all those years ago. But I think we can safely say now that rotor riot is ruining the hobby after this one 😂

[@SueMyChin]

How are they ruining it?

[@therealonigiri]

Bruce, I understand your logical explanation, when it comes to saying that a lot (and if not most) tools and objects are not inherently bad. Humans, by using them, decide whether they want to act in a good or evil way. My philosophy teacher said back when I was in high school "A piece of paper can help express the most powerful ideas in the world but when folded a certain way, can cut you and hurt you very much". So no, FPV drones aren't inherently bad or good, just like a piece of paper isn't bad or good. Then there is the point of "businesses need to make money and there is demand in research and development for war purposes", and the fact that someone will eventually do it "anyway". Well that's where I dislike how Rotor Riot is involved now. As a company, you can decide which way you are going to make money. And it's not that hard to say that you will not give time, resources and expertise to a cause you don't want to support. RR time, resources and expertise could have been applied in other scientific sectors who would benefit from FPV drones - and I disagree with saying that because FPV is "plateauing" then the alternative is "military". Sorry, if you don't want the alternative to be military, - I'm using a generic you, not you as Bruce - then you literally can make your own alternative. You can get out and seek sectors who would benefit for the better from FPV drones. Sectors you agree with. So that's what my problem is! It clearly shows that people - aka. RR - who used to motivate thousands of pilots with values like "innovation", "camaraderie", "friendly competition", "inspiring the community" don't hold these beautiful values anymore. And that's exactly when, as a viewer on social media, a FPV product consumer and a pilot, it's time to say No and do whatever is in our power to distance ourselves from RR and any of their actions. Not a rant btw, just wanted to share my opinion 🙂 take care Bruce!

[@usuallydopesvsc]

DJI actually has as track record of severing ties with third parties that were found to be modifying their drones with military payloads though...

[@james_860]

Very well said Bruce, the US government is very, very, very thick and has no clue.

[@matrix5062]

Do you Vote? 70-80% will, yet they all knew this... Where is the problem really?

[@mikebergman1817]

Yessir. This is true.

[@DavidSmith-oy4of]

*most governments

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

People need to realize, it's not that the government doesn't have a clue. They are very well aware of what they are doing, it is the general population that doesn't have a clue.

[@cottsak]

Doing a great job Bruce. 💪

[@ChrisQuadFPV]

Xjet did a work out before this video to buff up a tad 💪

[@xjet]

Haha... I'm going to become a fatness/fitless influencer next :-P

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

​@@xjetDoes that assist with the dreaded parky?

[@xjet]

@@PiDsPagePrototypes Yep, that's the reason I do it. Exercise releases endorphins and endorphins stimulate the production of dopamine -- which is exactly what Parkinson's suffers are deficient in.

[@CarbonGlassMan]

@@xjet My neighbor had Parkinson's and she took boxing glasses. She says it really helps a lot.

[@wtfmimshag]

@@xjet When's your line of protein powder coming out

[@duffs1080]

Looking forward to seeing the ADS-B alarm Bruce 🎉

[@PMcDFPV]

I built my drones about 2 years ago with f7 hardware and have no reason to change it as of yet. It's been flying great

[@CarbonGlassMan]

@@PMcDFPV the drones still work? The oldest working drones I have are less than 2 years old. Something always goes wrong with an ESC or a gyro on the flight controller.

[@PMcDFPV]

@@CarbonGlassMan yeah they still both fly great. Tight builds On fpv cycle frames. I don't do a lot of concrete flying though. I have replaced some motors

[@CarbonGlassMan]

@@PMcDFPV That's cool. I rarely crash. Out of the blue my drone will just start jerking randomly while in flight and eventually it will go full throttle on its own.

[@kizbartlett]

First person I would want an interview with is Drew. Since he is now a COO for unusual machines, i'd be asking for answers to try and clear up this shit.

[@CarbonGlassMan]

@@kizbartlett Drew did an interview about this recently. It's pretty good.

[@Fpvfreaky]

We need peace on this planet. Not more killing. Fpv has helped my metal heath. Wars don’t help anything. Except the mongers.

[@Blockbuster2033]

Yes, unfortunately the guys responsible for war (Putin as the most prevalent example) really don't care.

[@MSM5500]

_"Wars don’t help anything"._ The fact is that a war is an integral part of human nature yet humankind evolution. Wars will keep happening as long as humankind exists. If you wish peace, prepare for war. Whatever beyond this paradigm won't help anything for sure. Take care of your army otherwise you'll feed a foreign army and highly likely you'll become a part of it as well. The generations living out of a war are more prone to let a war happen.

[@comradian]

@@MSM5500 SKYNET WAS RIGHT

[@pelerinc]

Metal Health will drive you mad!

[@kmieciu4ever]

@@comradian Thanos did nothing wrong ! ;-)

[@Timothy_Smith_Jr]

It's not what we make that's bad, it's who and how they use it.

[@torquedude]

Well said Bruce. I for one have been a subscriber of Rotor Riot for many years when it was the original team producing great content from hobbyist for hobbyists. I have found I recent years the content has changed and went in a different direction but I still continued to support them. Today I have stopped that support and unsubscribed from their channel and informed them to the reason why. Very disappointing decision from Rotor Riot and as a consequence they have lost a faithful supporter and probably many more. Keep up the great work Bruce, a real hobbyist for the hobbyist!…….Rotorflex👍

[@pinkduckfpv]

thank you for calling out DJI - this is the exact reason why I went HDZero! :)

[@Oldgreycowboy]

Thanks for keeping us updated Bruce. - I wear Cowboy boots. At 71 I can't remember not wearing them. It's either boots or running shoes.

[@noisy_boi_fpv_3920]

I fitted military grade 300 amp esc to my xclass 2 years ago. Their bulletproof

[@1stsquadrone810]

FPV is no longer just a hobby, it is a rapidly growing massive industry and the shift to remote aerial transport is already here, military and government are developing these systems now, they aren't going away anytime soon, denial or acceptance up to you there is a lot at stake and a lot to lose...that is why professionalization is so important.

[@wombatillo]

Drones in general are a technology that has a lot of potential both in good and bad and hundreds of billions of dollars are involved globally. Combine that with the strict aviatin regulations and you have a situation where free and wild RC drone days will soon be numbered. Drones will absolutely be regulated to have mandatory registration, serial number beacons, automatic AIS target evasion and so on. Just watch and see. Not that I agree with a lot of this but the future is kinda obvious in my opinion.

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

@@wombatillo I agree that this is also the future. And also the reason why I support the rogue fliers who are defying regulation because at the end of the day non-compliance is the only way to fight back. No government has ever given its people more freedom after they have taken it.

[@ghettorecording2925]

oldguyFPV; Weaponizing a quad makes shooting any gap easier. Just blast your way through! No problem! Fly safe, fly free!

[@aifpv-uj6jq]

I have an AR-1500 mA assault quad with 12 razor blades props. It's a commiecrat killin machine, baby!!

[@gogglesfpv7986]

you know....the best way I found to educate the public, is by ripping my local gas station with a 5inch late at night. ive never had any bad experance. most people seem to either be amazed, yeeeessss the edb alarm!!!! wooo! cant wait to make one!

[@chrisbee5481]

Good for you. Here you would be off in cand cuffs within 10 minutes. 😅

[@SpeccyMan]

How can you educate the public when you cannot even spell experience?

[@chrisbee5481]

@@SpeccyMan dont be rude. Maybe it's his second or even third launguage he can speak. How many can you comprehend perfectly? Probably only english. US and UK privilege every other Nation speaks to you in your language

[@GiantAntCowboy]

Well said Bruce. The whole thing is disappointing, but was inevitable. Until peace is profitable there will always be war…

[@JustAnotherPaddy]

Drones were military long before it was a hobby.

[@fpvkevlar8101]

Great video man.

[@changeagent228]

A judge in UK proposed confiscating pointed kitchen knives and only allowing rounded end ones. I don't think it's much of a stretch hobby drones are recategorised and suddenly may become contraband.

[@Oldgreycowboy]

Wonder if he''s given much thought about pointy forks ? Grandma's scissors ? Never ending list. I don't fly much at all anymore. The city I live in banned all RCs. I've got to drive about 30 miles to fly and no cameras allowed.

[@belliduradespicio8009]

i can think of very few things more morally repugnant and evil than "a judge in the UK"

[@DrB934]

They should take pens and chopsticks too...

[@Oldgreycowboy]

@@DrB934 The list never ends ! How many things in a regular office ? Farmers would be out of work. Most of their tools and farm implements are weapons. Don’t know how the legal systems have gotten this far away from protecting the average citizen. 👍

[@hanelyp1]

Governments restricting pretty much anything that might be used as a weapon, because they might not approve how you use it. All the while giving more cause to do what they hope to prevent.

[@RCDUDEFPV]

Well said, Thumbs up

[@Obliv69]

Bambu labs 3d printer company was started by 5 of the guys from DJI

[@CarbonGlassMan]

That's cool. I didn't know that. One of these days I am going to upgrade from my customized Ender 3 to a Bambu Labs X1 Carbon.

[@Obliv69]

@@CarbonGlassMan got my first 3dp about 5wk ago with the A1 with ams lite, its a fantastic unit and so easy to use. it already has almost 500hrs on it

[@rakr9334]

The militarization has begun a few years ago. In early 2023 I saw a docu about some UKR drone units. The 1080p video allowed me to pause and identify most of the parts used in the drone. Strange feeling to have most of the parts on my desk, too.

[@justso1823]

I was looking for this comment. Fpv military drone pilots use the exact same microchips camera's motor's etc we all use .

[@VitaliiThe]

Lol, drones used since 2014, and usual fpv drones also used before 22, but the strike FPV drones used since summer 2022

[@HRM.H]

I think we should be happy about this. Maybe not short term, but in the long term, itll result in much more advanced technology for the consumer. War is the mother of invention.

[@MCsCreations]

Yeah... As I commented there, Bruce, my surprise is that it took this long, actually... Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@philsonnenberg6092]

Wonder what Drew will say about all this assuming he will be allowed to talk about it. I remember meeting Drew many years ago when he was a local Detroit guy flying bandos and having a good time. He seemed pretty cool and down to earth. I am not sure how he may have changed once he took over RR and moved to Florida. I cannot speak to his opinion about any of this, but I would love to hear from him. I have purchased some stuff from RR and have had good experiences with all of the purchases. I am taking all this with a grain of salt. Until I see a military drone on the RR site this isn't a huge deal. There are many companies that are (or have been) involved in warfare. Hell, GM and Ford made tanks during WW2 and nearly everyone has owned a GM or Ford product. Research nearly anything to own and I bet you will find at least one thing you own that has some form of military backing within the company. Currently RR is NOT selling anything for warfare use. Some company within the RR "family" is. Again, there are many companies that make and support military equipment within the company's "family".

[@TheM0JEC]

If you sit on the fence you'll get splinters?

[@supfpv]

one good thing that may come from the military's adoption of rotor riot is the advancement in the techs capability and that may make it to the hobby one day.

[@robertkirby3158]

Good one Bruce. I also am not a fan of killing but military experience shows it is sometimes part of the job. Alas, dying is the big thing to avoid while still doing the job, so whatever helps avoid this undesired side effect is welcomed, be it a piece of equipment or a better battle plan. Of course, if these, prepared to be killers, all come home there is is a more likely chance we can all share in the early dying when the opportunists spot the soft touch. When Roosevelt said "speak softly and carry a big stick" he did not mean hide it behind your back. The world arsenal of nuclear weapons is far more intimidating as a whole than half a dozen weapons but pose less of a threat because of that. Remember the Avro Vulcan? It did not go on active service until it was in the process of being decommissioned and then it was the surprise opening warm up act for the main event. When it was part of the big stand off it was a much better peace keeper than wishful thinking with a black and white flag. Oops! I think I have taken your point out of the proportion you gave it which is a way to start unintended trouble ; not stop it.

[@truenaturestormers2525]

Much love my brother, I am with you. 009

[@mean78mashine]

Bruce you are so right in what you say.

[@choppergirl]

I told you this FPV thing started on my highly modded BF2142 futuristic gunship FPS server as an uber vio lent video game... my way of coping from being tortured in a st atist con centration camp trying to rewin a battle I had lost. where do you think it would go...? aerial combat is in it's very DNA from day 1 :-) FPV is just FPS without the guns. That's why it why it spun off as FPV, not RC only on my sim server, nobody got hurt, and it was free to play for everyone, you didn't have to buy a load of fiddly solder parts and carbon crrrrp The Goddess of Air War and Grandmother of FPV has spoken. Back to rocking in my rocking chair and knitting like Madam Defarge... A Tale of Two First Person Somethings No, you know what, stick with the myth that some joker had an epiphany and in a garage built a tricopter and put a babycamera on it and it blossomed from there... I don't need the headaches any more. I've moved on to playing with AI which is more fun.

[@pokies100]

Force projection Bruce. It was explained 2014 to you before 8 years latter combate was shown. Good to see you observing through your headset.

[@markcorboy8528]

In the 80s or early 90s as a hobby we lost all the futaba technology when it was sold to the US military for drone development. It was very noticeable. I personally went to JR after that happened.

[@jana171]

Now that regulations worldwide has already killed the FPV hobby as we know it, AND as you mentioned, making creds from military applications might just be the only way to stay in the market for some... It was bound to happen 😞

[@XAirForce]

Imagine 1000 smart drones flying through a city, knowing exactly where people will be being able to look at cell phone signals to verify that it’s heading towards the right person. There really isn’t much stopping a regular individual from buying the data and being able to do the exact same bang. No matter how you look at this it’s extremely dangerous.

[@johnmuir2487]

not gonna lie it's what made me jump in the river I've all ways seen fpv as cool. even got a dji controller for the pc sim, even tho I never wanted to go dji. More in to the DIY since I felt like I was gonna brake some shxt. but I'm also Australian, Western to be specific. And once I started getting recommended D.I.Y kamikaze drone videos and channel 4 uk story on Ukraine drone fighter. I thought it's probably time to get some while I still can. wouldn't be too long till I won't be able to.

[@Nordlicht05]

Oh i have friends in russia. They told me a coworker from a hospital did make an pretty expensive (at least for him) "hobby" course with multicopters. The government paid it. Maybe obvious where this was heading but afterwards its always clearer. So they came to him but he had the choice and than pay the course. Considering average payment it was 8 to 16 complete salaries. I think they said he's around 50 yrs. For where iam i would see they do will license fpv gear in the direction of guns.

[@TiagoTiagoT]

If they were donating things to the victims it would be much more acceptable. Profiting from war comes with serious complications due to potential conflict of interests (conflicts of interest don't always manifest as malicious actions, but it does make everything require a lot more scrutiny). Tons of horrible things have happened due to companies being in the business of war; and I'm not talking about just simply the use of their products/services, but artificial continuation/creation of the wars themselves. It's a very complicated matter, since sometimes there are uses of warring products that protect the innocent and shorten/end wars, and companies do need at least some level of income to be able to produce anything at all.

[@edcbabc]

I don't really have a problem with it. In an ideal world there would be no war, disputes and we'd all live in peace and harmony. But that is not how the world works, and attack/defence is a fact of life. A large amount of our technical development is prompted/funded by military needs, and always has been. So, if that is what Rotor Riot need to do to survive, so be it. However, the boots analogy is a good one. Some are just plain stupid, some hear what they want to hear.

[@XAirForce]

I’m retired Air Force. I ran for president in 2020 and both political parties cheated or I would be sitting in the office right now because I was the one that told the world about COVID-19 had a government.. I ran for president because I know humanity should be doing a lot better than what it is. There’s no logical reason why we don’t write a universal constitution, and we become a single government, which means there’s no reason to fight wars anymore, and we can now put all of our effort into fixing the environment and taking care of each other.. In the meantime, the Ukraine war starts and I owned my first DJI, before the FAA required them to be registered. I’ve been talking about all of their uses for years to something extent. Because I am military, and I have been venting things in the past, I’ve come up with a bunch of ideas of how to Weaponized drones. I’ve also thought about ways of drawing people in to the military system.. This sucks because this is not where we need to go, but on the other hand if we’re going to fight, I’m gonna put up the best ideas. There’s still a bunch of things that I have not seen developed yet that could be done both good and bad with drones.. We need to all act like our responsible adults and use the tools that we invent for the good of humanity. You add AI and drones together and you’re not going to want to see what happens.. it is very possible before this is all over with, And by this I mean World War III, which is what this appears to be, you could have swarms of drones, wiping out entire cities autonomously. People need to start acting like smiles adults for each other, no matter where you live in this world. We need a unified government before we kill each other and we are quite capable as responsible adults of doing exactly that so anyone looking at this needs to start working in that direction or contacting your politicians to work in that direction

[@Dorkyand40]

We’ve all seen the photos of the thousands of I flgiht drones over there. Everyone is doing it. RR shouldn’t be singled out!

[@mattalford3932]

Chevron Deference Doctrine got completely thrown out, so now courts aren't required to side with government agencies when interpreting ambiguous laws. The FAA is going to have problems with how strict their interpretation of commercial use is. Also the RID rule could have a better chance of failing without Chevron.

[@xplore7359]

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

[@ooOoo.....]

How long til I’m imprisoned for possession of a weapon of war because I was flying a Whoop in the park?

[@FPV420.]

I remember the first time DJI drones were used in the war in Ukraine. Then I told my friends that this was the beginning of the end of the hobby and apparently, I was right. Moreover, the first use of consumer drones in this war came as a generous act of solidarity with the people of Ukraine and nobody asked how a company that does not produce weapons can be used to arm armies. Today the US government is worried that DJI could spy on US officials but has nothing against using the technology for the war in Ukraine. Based on this approach we can predict how AI will be used when the technology becomes mature enough.

[@CrashNBurnRacing]

Looking goo Bruce.

[@mmi6280]

Usually the military will use a more militarized company to build there equipment. If they really wanted something built they would go to DARPA. There up to something.

[@SkyrisUK]

If you think any of the regulations and restrictions forced on the hobby have anything to do with safety you are a bonkers . It is and has Always been because those in charge are and have always been fully aware someone could strap something nasty to a quad and ram it right down their throats. I was buying parts from china about 12 years ago and building drones and flogging them on Ebay, and had several whack jobs contact me asking. "How much can it carry and how far will it go" Im frankly amazed there has never been a terrorist attack using them already. Far easier than lobbing home made mortars out the roof of a Transit Van like the old I.R.A days .. As for RR flogging to the military. why wouldnt they . They probably flog 50 quads a month these days if lucky, and a miltary contract could be 1000's or Tens of 1000s and as we all know if its Military its many times the price. Call it the Sting Twatter Strike Force Z1000 Hyper Long Range Kybosh System and your bog standard 10 inch quad went from $500 to $20k a Pop. Lets be honest although its fun, flying flippy floppy around an old bando is about the least inteligent thing you can do with Drone tech , Its like having a cream that cures Cancer and using it to polish ya Boots.. If you can take out a $20 million tank with a $500 quad , thats a lot of bang for your buck. Its hardly rocket science . Dont think the RR boys can build rockets anyway.

[@psoon04286]

Couldn’t have word it any more colorful😄

[@TiagoTiagoT]

Public companies are obligated to do what is in the best interest of the investors, that's not always necessarily maximizing short-term profits.

[@rEdf196]

I compare todays drone hobbyists to the post World War 1 German and American rocket enthusiasts and clubs that sprouted up in the 1920's and 30's which would obviously have major military applications too.

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

Especially ham radio operators. Governments are more concerned about controlling weapons today than before because they keep getting caught doing stuff that could trigger a revolt. The person disarming you is probably not your friend.

[@GrimSpeedFPV]

Seems to me our hobby was in its prime right before DJI started making its way into fpv. There were tons of people into it and as dji went on fpv slowly died off. While people were getting great video it was impacting the hobby 💯

[@joeztan]

I started FPV drone builds in 2012 and after several years lost interest until really good digital FPV video technology (e.g. DJI O3) became available. In my case, I would not of returned to FPV until there was a massive upgrade in video quality over analog.

[@easyefpv6609]

😂no it's the complete opposite. More people have gotten into fpv cause of dji lol

[@GrimSpeedFPV]

@@easyefpv6609 And how long have you been flying fpv?

[@easyefpv6609]

@@GrimSpeedFPV 4 years you trying to play the seniority card 🤣

[@GrimSpeedFPV]

@@easyefpv6609 Not at all cause if you flew longer than 4 years back you would know that this hobby was way bigger than what it is now. When fpv is affordable for everyone it brings new people into the hobby and makes it better success for them. Therefore sir business is flowing and everyone is making money that created this hobby. DJI comes along and then people start feeling it's to expensive to keep up or get into. These are facts💯

[@fredio54]

What's with the DJI Chinese mic instead of a Rode wireless go or go 2? You sound southern hemisphere - support local, if you can.

[@noisetinker]

The Ukrainians have the right (and actually duty) to defend their country by any mean possible. FPV drones are part of that and will be a part of warfare for a time going forward. To me it's better than autonomous killer drones. That will come too and will make FPV obsolete. Anyway, companies getting into this area is unavoidable. The manufacturers are there already but the weaponisation is on a grassroots level in Ukraine and companies will take the opportunity to supply this further up the value chain. It's needed for most militaries who want to prepare while still not in a war cause they not gonna let soldiers start soldering things together and put in the air. Those are desperate measures for a desperate time specifically in Ukraine. Western militaries will spend billions to buy polished solutions, both offensive and defensive in the FPV realm. The only thing we can ask for I think is some separation between hobby brands and military industry brands. But as I said before the veneer is already thin on the GEPRCs and iFlights of the world.

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

Well Ukraine is actually the instigator in this conflict. The current war has a history long before Russia got involved which the media has promptly erased from the public awareness. That being said, people around the world need to stop being scared of weapons and stop relying on their governments to protect them. The more people who are armed and knowledgeable, the harder it is for terrorists and criminals to wreak havoc without retaliation.

[@baggszilla]

Wow who knew RR was selling military threads with the skull in their logo!

[@GauisHelenaMohaim]

A boot is not a means of warhead delivery or is it? 🤨 Nevertheless I'm totally with you on this one Bruce.

[@xjet]

It's boots that get the soldiers and their guns to the front lines where their bullets can deliver fatal injuries. They, like drones, are part of a chain.

[@GauisHelenaMohaim]

@@xjet This is a game of semantics. Always hard when you are not a native English-speaker like me. I understand your point of being part of a chain and that's also true. Let me put it this way. I do think there is a fundamental difference between boots and attack fpv drones. In the case of a hypothetical armed conflict with Russia, Drew's fpv drone factory will become a high priority target for Russia. Not the boots factory down the road. That will get a much lower priority.

[@jamonstro]

Drones have been used as a military unit long before they became widely known to the public. Same as every technology LOL.

[@boundlessone]

Anyone know anything about the low flying area around Mapua (Nelson) - now I can only fly 30 meters distance and height instead of 120 meters height and plenty of distance

[@sullytrny]

nobel peace thingy

[@tm5123]

It's like an airplane, it needs regulation etc, as the skies fill up with more and more drones. Personally I think it should be like RC-planes, fly them at your designated areas where you're allowed to, and keep them out of the normal living spaces of people, quite simple.

[@odinata]

You are the problem. I should be able to fly my toys where I want--not where fear mongers like you tell me I can.

[@christopherconkright1317]

Some buddy gonna do it anyway

[@thephantom7059]

on the fence is about right, the gear has not made a quantum leap and money is getting tighter to justify new builds but also the over regulation is now having a visible effect that no significant new blood is entering the hobby to keep the status quo so these companies are doing what they can to keep their books/stake holders happy and there is nothing inherently good or evil about that just a sign of the times canary in the coal mine as it where. while education is key and a person is smart enough learn, people are dumb and panicky creatures and make irrational choices at the most inappropriate time even to the detriment of there own kind also never underestimate the power of stupid people in groups. the old saying is "[Insert tool name] don't kill people, people kill people" with the point being any thing can be co-opted from good to bad with ill intention does not make the tool Good or Evil as it is just a tool and the person with the ill intention is the embodiment of that evil and should be treated as such and not the tool.

[@terrymurphy562]

They are not doing any of us any favours and puts another nail in the Hobby’s Coffin.

[@DeadCell765]

I personally am torn on this in one way I absolutely agree its completely f**king unfair for the people that want to fly for fun and are not going to be able to because eventually and it's inevitable that weaponized drones will be used to kill on American soil and I have to imagine the crack down when that happens will be a complete ban on drones all together. But I do support Ukraine fight for independence and support the way they are using drone technology to give them that edge for they are fighting against a country they can not beat without a lot of help. As for Rotor Riot making weaponized drones I would have to assume they are making them for Ukraine sure as shit not making them for the US government, which shouldn't be a problem but in making this move they have 100% removed themselves from the recreational FPV business to being a business for war. As far as I am concerned you CAN NOT BE BOTH.

[@gmivisualsjason3729]

I too am conflicted here........ Perhaps the use of fpv in warfare will actually save the lives of many soldiers?!? I dont know tbh. I hate war, and conflict of any kind. It feels wrong on multiple levels but yeah as Bruce says money and profit and shareholders etc complicate it. But as Ian said sometimes the right thing to do is walk away from the money. If Drew is unhappy with this current situation then im guessing it wont be long until he resigns. But im leaning more towards Ians opinion on this.......

[@odinata]

Peter Sripol did a good job of militarizing the RC hobby

[@swampcritterisbackbaby1740]

He is a disappointment.

[@technicalfool]

This has been happening for years before Ukraine. We used to call them quadcopters and radio control toys and planes. Now they're "drones" and "UAVs", with the obvious implication. Scare words used to associate a toy with something you'd sling a missile underneath.

[@mattalford3932]

Hobby drones will be obsolete soon. Big militaries will build countermeasures. We are working on a few here in the US.

[@NotASeriousMoose]

Yeah, just like the rifle became obsolete when ballistic plates were issued right? Russia is the worlds biggest user of EW, and still losing hundreds of soldiers a day to drones.

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

@@NotASeriousMoose Which is just obvious propaganda. There is a reason Ukraine is making a big deal about getting manned aircraft and not expanding drone production (in fact the Ukrainian government has actually put a halt to several of the drone squadrons in Ukraine limiting their importation and production of non-approved drone models).

[@brendanshield]

It's another branch of the same narrative. My club has just put in a rule no flying any RC aircraft on your own. So, something I've enjoyed and done freely (mainly on my own) for the last 24 years is now too dangerous because an insurance company. MAAA rules or some other governing authority deems it's dangerous. A ruling probably designed from someone driving a spreadsheet working from home.

[@winstonsmith478]

How many times do I need to repost the endless evidence that from day 1 this is what the move to register RC pilots has been ALL ABOUT, just as they would (uselessly) register every firearm owner in the US if they could?

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

Exactly. Compliance and logic is not how you stop tyrants.

[@glennwoo08]

While I understand the points & perspective being presented here, I think the overall point has been lost here... This is hurtful to individuals because they view this as a bait & switch. Everyone is aware of the negative aspects of our hobby choice & as informed citizens we can choose. When a business that started & flourished from these citizens suddenly is restructured to cater to the military & a seriously negative aspect that overall HURTS the hobby that it used to support & owes its literal existence too the customers that have just been betrayed (from their perspective). Dont argue for the needs OR purpose of a company that exists soley due to wanting to be included in OUR HOBBY. Sgt Woo USMC 96-04, 100% disabled Vet & healing drone pilot

[@sf2372]

Not sure about the price point bit. But yeah, RR stocks may go up a tad. time to buy up??

[@M-H433]

Yeah that makes sense to support them more🙄🙄

[@justso1823]

They use the same fpv parts we all use .this is 10 year old news dude.

[@sco771e]

It's simple really. Ukraine is using FPV drones to protect their homes and families. Whether Rotor Riot do or do not supply, the russians are. And do you focus on Rotor Riot or DJI?

[@mikebergman1817]

The biggest problem I have with it isn't necessarily their choice to use fpv in this way. It was bound to happen. My issue is how it's being posted all over KZbin and X, in a lot of cases to virtue signal and grift off of people's emotions. Which means that the first interaction a lot of people are having with fpv is how they're being used on kill people. And yet.. all of us who spent years and endless amounts of money and time to move this tech forward are just kind of being thrown to the side and regulated out of the hobby. So we get demonized in the media and by the karens over the stupid shit that mavic flyers do. I think we have done our due diligence to keep our community in check and call out stupidity, and in general try to keep the average non fpv person viewing us in a positive light. There are always outliers, of course. If all of that tech that we spent years developing is going to be used on the battlefield, at least back the fvck off of us (

[@mikebergman1817]

just finished the Video Bruce. Yep. That was kind of my thoughts too:)

[@logicbomb6857]

Bruce - I have been trying to contact you as a member to get an image for the ADSB alarm...... Just left a message on your Pateron Thanks

[@FattyFPV]

So depressing. But pretty spot on.

[@MetroDrones]

Interesting...

[@atw98]

All drones makers are now going military huge cash none in the hobby. Look at us Aussies we are going all in on military drone development. Not many know that Australia has had a huge impact on the hobby with Inav, Ardupilot along with ELRS. Perfect place to become global leaders. Remember when war kicks off we'll be flying more then we ever have. Bruce remember your Anzac pride.

[@Dorkyand40]

Once again the most level headed (kinda) way to look at this. I mean damn this is no secret. Weve seen pictures of hangars of iflgiht drones with Putin and Z standing over them. There could be a positives that come out of this for the hobby. The r and d money coming in can always trickle down to consumers.

[@sullytrny]

crop dusters for all

[@robwhite3073]

I been finding the KZbin algorithm is making it hard to find good fpv videos. Only way I see this vid is I’ve been watching you for years. I’m even finding the search engine is even only show vids with real bad results to make you watch more advertisements. All going to crap thanks to Ai and the not nice humans that programmed it.

[@jeffro5180]

In hindsight we were just testers for the military and now we gave them enough data to work with so its time to end the research glad I have more then just the drome hobby to keep me entertained...

[@ethrrr]

hahah Video paused right in the middle for no reason, I had to check my task manager :D

[@veritasweasel]

Everything in our department stores and from manufacturing of appliances, cell phones, etc. is done in China. Banning DJI doesn’t do anything financially to China the way it would if we said we’re not buying any of the other things they make.

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

Yup, this is why not a ban, but a tariff is the key.

[@warp00009]

The IDF is first reported to have used "drones" for military reconnaissance back during the 1973 Yom Kippur war - long before any commercial hobby ever existed. In today's military conflicts (and moving forward into the future), the use of drone technologies for military purposes is unavoidable - at the same time as the hobby has been all but shutdown here in the states with overdone and absurd regulations. So like it or not, independent of when our beloved hobby is shutdown for good - military drone use is here to stay.

[@dronelabs556]

Thank you. 😂

[@dronelabs556]

😂 well said

[@CarbonGlassMan]

JFK's brother was killed piloting a drone, which was a bomber airplane filled with explosives. Men had to fly the plane to get it in the air, then bail out and a chase plane was going to take over the control of the bomber by radio control but the plane exploded before Kennedy & another pilot could bail out. That was back in the 1940s.

[@icebalm]

Yeah, I said my piece in the comments on Ian's video. I don't have a problem with it. I think boycotting Rotor Riot over this, yet still flying on Boeing or Airbus planes (B-52, Eurofighter), or driving Mitsubishi cars (Patriot surface to air, AAM-5 air-to-air missile), or any host of other products is just being hypocritical. Our adversaries are using FPV drones so we absolutely should be developing not only our own capabilities but also our defenses against them. Our allies are already literally using hobby grade quads for war and have been for over 2 years. The genie is out of the bottle and you're not putting it back in no matter how hard you want to boycott Fat Shark.

[@donaldmonroe8471]

Is this the same redcat that does RC cars?