What the f$#& happened to fpv? 

How has fpv changed since you started?

Dude , I’m 48 years old, lived for skateboarding and punk rock when I was a teenager,I’ve been flying helicopters for a living for the past 24 years, I found FPV drones 5 years ago and it was the perfect mix of skating and flying, everyone has there own style , mixed with great tunes brings me back to the skate vids of the late 80’s and 90’s. PROTECT THIS HOBBY! .

hell yeah we are like roaches we aint goin away

Great food for thoughts, you're spot on, I wish more pilots had your integrity 🤘

This is why we all gotta stick together. We keep a solid core and nothing can fuck with us. Bot, your meetups have inspired a bunch of meetups around NJ and I’m sure the country. We got groups of homies all over the state just getting out and flying. That’s what this hobby is. The community. Not contracts and free motors.

Joe Shmoe flying recklessly over the freeway doesn’t help, BUT Regulations are often shaped by influential factors like big companies, governments, lobbying, contracts, and military interests. It's essential to consider these broader influences and always follow the money. 😉

I gauge the state of FPV over the years by watching your videos. From my perspective, you have developed tremendously as a pilot and FPV advocate. Your passion and message of collective mass disobedience is crucial to the further development of the hobby and your personal growth over the years shows us that the sky is the limit! Thanks Botgrinder!

2015 - 2018 was such a golden age for this hobby. Met life long homies in those years with all the meet ups and build sessions. Thanks for always making great content Bot!

I want to control a quadcopter with my mind. Like the Firefox movie. I've already made considerable progress having now secured the head suction cups. Nice video man.

Yeah FPV is in an interesting phase right now. I feel like the components are better than they've ever been. Like, most of my stacks I've had for well over a year now and I've been beating the piss outta them. So that is awesome. On the other hand we had this GIANT influx of people coming into the hobby around 2 years ago who are also quickly fading away. For some reason the algo has been hitting me with videos titled "leaving the hobby". Which I'm fine with. Feel like the pendulum is swinging back the other way since that giant growth spurt. One other thing I've noticed is that there are less people that are "surprised" by FPV. Most people have seen something on Insta/Tik Tok/whatever about drones. I think what we are eventually going to settle back in to are the people that are a bit more dedicated to the craft of it all. The flood of people wanting to film "cine style" will go away after they all realize they're not going to make a shit ton of money doing their in store fly throughs. Same thing happened with BMX/Skateboarding. Blows up, dies down, the hardcore stay in and keep pushing.

I appreciate you BOT! Thank you for all you do! Watch when temps get better!!

I started in early 2019, and when the pandemic happened fpv got really weird. Some great pilots left the game and everything go way to commercial.

That’s why I’m out here put up videos every week and grinding away for the love of the game. You are definitely the most real dude with fpv and I’ll support as long as your around. Thanks man

thank you for this!!! sooooo feel the same way!!!! mad respect for u standing out and being honest!

Thanks for leading the charge @BOTGRINDER. If ever in Wisconsin, I have a big dab waiting for ya. 👽💨

Thats why analog was so much better (Apart from the poor quality) It gave you the sense of freedom, No having to buy a specific video system for your brand of googles just hop on right the frequency and get flying with whatever vtx you got. Also the ability to hop over and watch your buddys fly was awesome even if they had different gear to you. Still flying analog to this day still not sure if I wanna switch yet.

Great message Bot!! Your the best! Cheers Bro!

I couldn’t agree more. I was working on a motor in 2019 but it just felt like a money grab. I only want to make things if they are unique and better for me. Not just copy the masses. Still love flying just not as pumped on a lot of the business of fpv. Like just go out and fly people. Nuff said. Back to the video.

New pilot here, your channel was the biggest inspiration for me to start flying fpv. I have a cine whoop and a tiny whoop that I fly as much as possible, I'm 100% building a 5" when summer comes. Keep up the great content!

Man i was just asking myself this question the other day! I miss those early days. I loved that pure adrenaline rush when your pulling off tricks and ripping packs, capturing something sick on film and then finding the right music to really pull it all together to share it with everybody. Being inspired by other freestyle pilots who were just destroying the game on a daily basis. You, Slatt, Bardwell, Sean the Don, Bubby and the Rotor Riot crew along with Mr Steele and many others would get me so hyped to fly! It was all i could think about. Not to mention tinkering with all the coolest high tech shit that was coming out, strapping tv screens to your face and sending a hunk of metal at high speed through the air ..man it hooked me big time. AND there was a SOLID community and im sure there still is but like any scene people move on or burn out. Even I don't fly as much anymore ( need to work on that ) but the hobby is still one of my favorites and learning to fly freestyle is one of my crowning achievements. Long live FPV!

Great video. Miss those old days for sure. Thanks for keeping FPV fun for us for all these years.

Man, that was brilliantly said and absolute truth! Awesome video man!

Great vid, tou nailed it all. I miss those times.

Good shit Bot! Well said! It is sad that social media reach, which can be bought and paid for, has seemingly become the criteria for talent or innovation. So many talented folks go unnoticed.. keep pushing man!

Astute vid Bot! Looking forward to the FPV Park!

Great video botgrinder; I also noticed this shift to monetization and was waiting on someone to make a video on it. I think you did a really great job explaining where this shift is coming from. I miss the simple and lighthearted FPV videos we got at the start of the hobby when people were just having fun. At the end of the day, we as pilots will keep flying and the hobby will mature as any hobby does.

Been following your channel for a year even before i started flying my own first quad and your videos never get boring, you always come up with fun ideas and challenges and just stuff you think is fun. Keep up the good work and have a blessed Christmas

I love everything about this video!!! Great job Bot!!

You’re honestly one of the guys who made me start fpv & made me wanna start posting vids. From the the dabs to the flights, I couldn’t agree more on a lot of points here. Especially on the content side, RR has definitely dried up & RU-vid only wants to push potato vids. I haven’t been the most consistent but hell, I don’t like to put out videos unless I feel they’re cool enough to be out there. Companies are definitely feel like it’s all just cookie cutter BS too. But like you said, we will prevail 🤘🏽

Dude this is a great video bot. I really like when you do narrated stories n such. I remember when I first saw fpv 2019. It was like magic. The feeling was unbelievable. I still love it. But that magic has dwindled. Still, love the hobby and I love you bro. AUX PLUMES man. He's an Ariel Artist.

Great video Bot!

Fuckin love these down-to-earth, staight-shit videos from Botgrinder, it's why I continue to follow. I fell in love with FPV drone flying because of how freeing and beautiful it is. I don't want to have to resort to monetization, regulations for commercial work and keeping up content to pay bills. I'm just going to responsibly fly for the sake of being a bird in the sky. Thanks for making the video, going to repost and share.

started flying in FPV in 2018, love your videos G, always been an inspiration.

Great video Botgrinder!

Love this vid homie… you nailed it and the scripting is eloquent as hell xXx

@BOTGRINDER , i did just order your frame . and im building my first 5in and couldent be More excited for life rn , straight up. fpv makes me the happiest ive been am a long long time 💯 and thank you for you 🤷‍♂️👍

I own analog & hdzero, refuse to buy DJI. I’m old enough to know the trajectory of enshittification when a company has control over what you can and can’t do. Open source and community-driven efforts are the way to fight it. If you own DJI stuff and one day they decide to stop supporting it or change it in ways you don’t like, you’ve got yourself to blame.

Well said Bot!!! Awesome video

One of your best videos yet, Bot!

Great video man!

Started and have been obsessed with fpv since 2016. For years its all I could think breath and dream about. This hobby has literally become a huge part of my life as well as the friends I have made because of it. Flash forward to today and as much as it pains me to say it...I needed a break. An escape from my own mind because my obsession in this hobby has worn off. I have recently got into new and different hobbies that have taken my mind off of fpv and I have to say it has been refreshing! Now with that said I am counting on and looking forward to missing fpv and returning back to the hobby with better weather and a refreshed frame of mind. Awesome video I always enjoy and respect your points of view Bot. 🤘

I just searched “FPV Drone” and now I’m depressed. You forgot to mention the FPV pilots that switched their content to reaction videos and tool reviews 😜

Preach brother. I have been fucking with this stuff on and off for years. I have never uploaded a video. I just love the hobby and I hate how corporate America is trying to push it's way in.

Bot be speakin some truth, well said homie

I agree. Auxplumes is fantastic. FPV was and is an awesome community built by those who love it and we should support our own. Mad love to everyone out there flying. I need a road trip to fly with the homies. Where you at Bot?

And im just getting into it, Mob8 and Pocket got me going and love it. Along with your videos of course. This hobby is just getting started for me i cant wait for what i get into the future. I 100% understand your claims, but i really hope the FPV market doesn't die out.

Spot on... we're getting forcefed whatever YT algos decide makes YT the most money showing, not what we signed up for or subscribed to. And it's destroying the FPV hobby from within. Thanks you for voicing this, merry Xmas and a happy newyear !

Amazing vid man! Preach!

Really appreciate your point of view. I agree with lots of what you say, social media (specifically short form) is turning every sport/hobby completely wonky and the wrong people are getting a lot more than what they put in. Creativity will shine through soon, unfortunately I think we’ll have a few more bad years until things get to a point where people will realise the trash they’re consuming and hopefully look for the real ones… only time will tell 🤙

Hell Yeah BOT!! Keep fighting the fight. Sending FPV Love from DETROIT!!!

I LOVE YOU BOTgrinder! You da man!

Well said. All of it. When friends and family ask me about my RU-vid page. Or when I see likes and subs. I get excited. I get excited because like when I was a street BMX punk ass straight edge kid.. I am excited to share my artistic expression and for people to see it. I got a good job and could care less about being youtube famous. Just hope people see my art and appreciate it. 🤷 Hearing you say all this makes me happy. Thank you for using your platform and following to spread the good word. We need more botgrinders

I love this! Thank you.

Been into the hobby for about 8 years now and lately its been feeling strange and off, didn't know how to put it into words but this video did that. Very well said👌

Dude. This video is awesome. you hit the spot.

New pilot here, and watching your videos inspired me to learn to fly. I've been Juicy flicking my little baby ape until the bolts fall out, and now I'm amassing parts for a Demibot build. Should be getting some sick footage of Houston as soon as I can complete my build (sorry bank account). So keep it up Bot!

The biggest change ive noticed is the swell of people who can fly, but can't fix ANYTHING. While im not necessarily hating on those people, the more of them there are the more companies are motivated to produce products that require an expert service department to keep them going. GoPro is a perfect example... I use the GoPro subscription service because FPV is notoriously hard on camera's. Without that, I seriously doubt id be willing to launch $300+ camera's through 12" concrete gaps at the local parking garage. FPV in general started as a "you gotta fix it with parts" and is quickly transitioning into a "go buy another one" hobby. Companies surely love this as it causes them to sell way more products.

Amen 🙏 Loved every second of this!!! Time to get out and FLY for the LOVE of FPV 😍

Still feeling like a newer pilot (flying for 2.5 years) I feel the same way even in my short time. I started engaging with the hobby through earlier rotor riot videos, mads tech, ciottifpv live streams, and a healthy dose of Bardwell (he is a fantastic educator), and I have found myself shifting to the more community content like your live streams, IGOW competitions, with some Ciottifpv, Mads, XJet, and bardwell here and there. Part of getting into FPV has been starting to make more videos, but I tend to make the flight edits for myself and twhen I am curious about testing something stupid like toroidal props, I end up filming the test because why not. And yes, I do include affiliate links, but only for products that I truly like, use, and believe in (GoPros, Ethix props, Ummagawd frames, etc) which I would recommend regardless. Also, if you want come up towards NYC to fly some freestyle, I have a red rover or combat like game to play with a crap temu drone and a balloon

Yup, just found your channel because of the "new drama" going on. Didn't know who auxplumes was, you were correct. You sir make great points and are my new go to channel. So glad I came here as you're real as fuck and I'm new to the game.

Good job Bot! Good job!

I really like your FPV/ biking camping trip video.. That’s my alltime fav

Cheers man!

Dude this is awesome video

Great input on the current climate of FPV. Respects for shouting out JC in 2023! RIP JC.. had JB nervous back in the day!

Thanks for making this video. Even tho its now in the background of my life, FPV has always been a great hobby of mine since 2015. Watching the hobby get big and mature has been weird. Its like watching a kid grow up through teenage years and now into adulthood. With that it feels like the original childish wonder and imagination is gone, but at the same time its taken more seriously. Its harder now days to know what companies to trust and who's actually telling the truth versus back in 2015-2017 when there was only a few creators making FPV/multirotor stuff. Thanks also for mentioning GapITfpv, easily one of my fav channels. I hope that hes doing well in LA now with film related jobs.

love this man!

Speech of the year, drone camps,,,,,, happy Xmas Botgrinder.

Dude, all great points! The whole world is in a strange place right now. I didn't know it at the time, but we were all living through some epic times during the last 15 years or so. If we just keep on doing what we want, sometime marvelous will come along. Just my thoughts.

Love ya, Bot

“Oh my phone rings”😂😂 I almost spat my teeth out

Great video bro. Thank you for standing up for our hobby..👏👏

Good video with great insight .... I will do my best to leave my mark in this community!!

@auxplumes keeping my motivation for FPV rn. Ive been flying close to 10 years and the entire vibe of the FPV community has gone out the window. Every point you made was right on the head and im glad im not the only one recognizing it. Ive truly lost motivation to create new content because of personal issues and the fact i know my content will only be seen by the homies that look for it. We used to joke around “back in the day” that you have to fly for yourself and not for the content. That has never been more true than it is today.

Well said sir. Couldn’t agree more!

Smoking blunts and dabs with botgrinder is on my bucket list.

Yup, I have a tight wooded area on my own property. Kinda leary about taking my stuff away from home. Nicely done BG

I just got some feels when you showed project blue falcon. Loved that guys channel.

We Bleed FPV is def doing some cool stuff. That new frame, and their motors with the knurled shafts. I have both on the way! Can't wait!

Dude.. Wow.. I started FPV roughly the same time as you, and I lived and breathed FPV. But the commercial race and pressure to be "relevant" in this hobby, just pushed me away. I miss see the amazing flows and passions of FPV pilots. Well.. I just want to say thank you for sharing this view that I think most of us are sitting with. And just FYI you are the only FPV channel I will NEVER stop watching.

loved this trip in the FPV history, Discovery Channel style!!! so much has changed, not yet enough is moving forward towards what the community needs..

Outstanding video!!!! I started fpv in 2017 i think. I had some Blade nano fpv quad that flew like crap. Video was crap. Some janky ass box goggles. But i was hooked from the very first flight. Now ive built several including the GRINDERINO, my latest build. Its a beast. 6 years and i think the advancement of technology has improved drasticly. I wonder what this hobby will look like 6 years from now.

Dji potato had me rolling on the floor 😭🤣🙏

I am just one of those guys who fly dji. But I hope to start fpv soon. And I appreciate the artistry you guys do when flying. Helps me get motivated to do it myself. Thanks

speaking facts man,.i feel the exact same

Spot On Bot !

Had to subscribe after that mid-film dabski 😂

Great video, Botgrinder. Never give up, never surrender.

GREAT VIDEO EPIC CONVO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was sitting here in my botgrinder hoodie, bought in the olden days to help a crazy squat living newbie, to stay high, fly FPV and make unique content. Wondering what happened to Ol' Bot, YT read my mind and showed me this vid. I gave up on the hype long ago and stiil rock an Impulse RC Alien. Keep up the fight. 🤘😎🤘

I would say the FPV hobby has split into two tiers...The core community-based freestyle side of the hobby and then there's the commercial high end BnF cinema and camera drone side which DJI dominates.

Every youtube creator must watch this :) Great video dude. Agree with all you said, well done.

100% spot on my friend ! 2015 to the start of 2018 were the hay day as far as I'm concerned. My son and I would eat, sleep and dream of fpv and drones, we went all in. That all changed in 2018 for us at least. The reality is everything began to change for the worse. Every Karen around was freaking out about drones spying (lol) and youtube started it's decline into censorship and our dream came crashing down. Lots to say about our personal experience, but needless to say things were not looking so rosy anymore due to all of the things you talked about here... I do miss those first days of fpv and the drone hobby. Those were some fun and inspired times indeed.... Thanks for posting your thoughts my friend. Much respect !

Thank you bro for the truth love and miss u got to do something sometime

Couldn’t have said it better myself bro 👏 👏 👏

I have basically stopped, work, life, constant changing hardware that became a money grab vs an avenue into engineering... here we are. I fly my sub 250g analogue more than I fly anything else now...

This was so poignant and well said. Love it bot.

Well said!

Well said. I'm still building whoops and left over frame parts with old motors needing lots of tlc. I can not afford the new stuff. Retired and 73

Well said Bot!!! 👊