When compares to other places in the world India is still far behind in regard of the rc market. Why do you think its so?

Also why arent brands such as Walkera,Align etc start their dealership with any rc shop here? Also is our govenment against rc helis and planes?

 Also is it possible to obtain license for importing rc helis and parts to india here?
I am sorry for the long questions but I am asking this due to the complications of buying a rc helicopter here in india from abroad and the high price

You've partly answered it yourself "the high price" keeps the masses away from it.

If we start manufacturing in India, then we can certainly hope for a better future.

To cite an example, think of a common man shelling out Rs.600 to 1000 for a pair of rotor blades of wood for an average RC heli. He just wouldn't, 'cos he couldn't.

I'm sure it can come down to atleast Rs.100ish if production is started in India, just that it needs precision.

Hope someone would start someday

Yes Mr Thompson you are correct..there are lot of restriction in importing rc stuff and also the market may not be big enough for companies like Align to open up here..but despite of all these hiccups..RC hobbies is steadily and continously growing here in India due to the efforts of some great LHS here..i have witnessed the opening of atleast 5 LHS since the forum started..Though the growth is not exponential like in US but we will reach there..in the mean time you can check out LHS for the stuff you want.

Regards
Ankur

i am trying on the above mentioned post by Mr. Thompson88

but just short of initial investment trying to get with pankaj and try it out...

http://www.rcindia.org/rc-general-topics/whats-the-demand-and-supply-for-aeromdelling-stuff/

What I think is because of terrorism risk and strikes in our nation.
Our India is certainly a great place but unfortunately we can see the foul terrorism activities are increasing.
If radio equipment manufacturers establish themselves on our land then it will surely be more ease for terrorist to claim lives of innocent.

I think what our govt has imposed law for radio equipments is pretty fine.
Few people involved with RC products is safe because it'll be easy to trace them!

So mind it guys, someone or the other is constantly spying your rc activities!!! 

If any one is spying on us then the only reason will be to trap us in some rule and get some "pocket money". Take PUC for example, the system looks so good on paper that by now we should have become a totally pollution free country.

Two countries that have major issues and are almost paranoid about terrorism are The US of A and Israel. Yet none of them have restricted RC activity.

The terrorists will find a way if they wan't to. Even banning RC activity is not going to stop them.

Lack of competition amongst LHS, which inturn keeping the prices higher
Most small scale industries which are capable of building anything in bulk are still in pre internet era, least knowing that there are lot demand picking up in RC.

But things are picking up now. May be in 10 years we'll have a hobby shop in every city. BUT we might as well run out of flying fields by then

More so the skill set required to start and fly doesn't come easy, it is not like any toy just pick up and operate, the guys whom we get trained from where so water tight, i can't tell you, if you couldn't/didn't do what was briefed to you, you fell back in the syllabus, even to get your hand on the foamy people find it difficult (Foamies are more difficult to fly, that is a different matter).

Without proper guidance can you start on  a nitro plane ? let alone gassers, not possible, IMHO

Not quite. But one will have to be prepared to travel a fair distance for this. Then again, this is virtually the norm in most other countries.

Apart from economics, lack of awareness and complete misunderstanding of this beautiful hobby are some reasons for dead slow rc market..

some facts encountered:
..most people(laymen) think that these planes are useless coz they cannot be controlled beyond a km as our Tx has a limited range!  
also, many inquire about rc cars...."average kitna deti hai?"   is their 1st question.
Last but not least..many parents feel that all this is complete waste of time & money, and their kids should focus only on studies...and not play with stupid useless expensive TOYS!

+1

Very hard to convince parents that this is a passion, not some overpriced toys!

My view on this subject is as follows

1) Money - the kind of initial investment required to get into RC flying is quite high for an average Indian family. Yes, there are chuck gliders and control line powered models, but then the actual flying experience is in RC flight and a basic set up would cost 6-10K at least (even for small foamie with cheap Tx+Rx). It still is very expensive for avg Indian household for what people consider a toy for their kids.

2) Scale/Size of LHS - The local LHS have limited exposure and inventory hence they tend to import in small quantities. This drives the cost further and many a times, a foreign LHS seems a cheaper option ( at least for spares). Even if one considers LHS from outside, the shipping costs is killing. It is not uncommon to see the shipping cost at about 2 times the model cost.

3) Social issues - many adults (like myself) have to be content with weird looks by folks around when they see me busy with a model. A standard remark is "when would you grow up?"

4) Govt. awareness  - or the lack of it. You see NCC air wing promoting aeromodelling, but fails to recognize this as a hobby.

5) Logistic - not many would be interested in traveling 10-15 KM to find a deserted place to fly a plane. To this end, Helis seem to be a better bet.

Then there is another factor; some people like the exclusivity of the hobby and hence stay reluctant to popularize it. And will some time put in effort to show how special they are with their special hobby. On my first interaction with an aeromodeler, when i asked how to get in this hobby I was told: "first of all you'll have to buy a car" this kept me away from the hobby for good three years 

I know of at least one chap, who has got a model and all the setup but does not own a car so has turned into an LHS

I take my plane on my 8 year old bajaj pulsar or some time i just walk to the field
Bought two cars, one for me dad and one for my aeromodelling ended up giving mine also to to my mom, not buying another until I buy me a home

This topic seems to be really alive.. . . :-)

Ok.. Now what if someone does want to start a big RC Hobby Shop in India. Will he be granted importing license for importing RC helicopters from brands such as Walkera and Align?

Also if I am buying RC helicopters from the internet which  courier services  should I opt for? Is EMS which I think comes via the post office or DHL ,IPS etc?

Also do you know the percentage of tax i may have to pay?

Almost all these have already been answered multiple times here... just make the "Search" box your friend for a few days.  You will learn the answers to these, and many more that will pop up !

And the last post is actually deviating from the topic, and has narrowed down into one person's attempts to import stuff, which is probably the most discussed topic on the forum already

One pointer for you, since you didn't search/read already...  brands like Thunder Tiger (a well known heli company) has a dealer in India, and they are bringing in lots of stuff.

Customs charges : http://www.rcindia.org/rc-outlets-and-resellers/how-much-customs-should-i-pay-for-getting-stuff-from-hobbycity/msg16427/#msg16427

well same is with me but let me tell you i have carried 3 planes on my activa..
2 mr moss and 1 2m wingspan glider and a bag with radio
 one can imagine how the the people on the road were looking at us....
1 activa
2 people( both quite healthy )
3 panes that to big ones
1 bag
 .......
where there is a will  there is a way

I dont think the situation is all that bad here. The number of aeromodellers is increasing and thats for sure. Many LHS have sprung up since i joined the forum. Things can only improve from here

From a students point of view cost is a major factor - well atleast for me it is. My parents still think these are toys even after showing them 700 size heli videos and RC cars at 121mph! They have their problems too so i dont blame them for this.

And abou exclusivity - i have not come across such a person yet with this hobby. Iv met the right set of people i guess The only way this hobby can grow is if current modellers spend some time with interested beginners. This, i think, can help find a way past the cost factor.

Its easy to mock , but the problem for certain students/families/financial_group may be more than just lack of a car

There is also a large group of people who enter the hobby but leave it after a short while because they either invest in the wrong stuff or get the right stuff but due to lack of knowledge destroy them and finally and sadly some of them are robbed by some of the less dedicated LHS and they get so scared that they never go back again.

Also i think beginners tend to go too far too soon. Like jumping into helis with a costly model or buying a costly plane rather than a beginner friendly one.

1: Nearly 80 percent of our population is poor. Poor means, they could not afford proper clothing,shelter, etc. "BUT", most of the masterminds lie here.Money matters a lot.

2: Among the rest 20%, many are not interested, many think its a waste of time and money,etc.

3: Lack of awareness- many people doesnt even know about RC. even if they come to know, they doesnt get the source.

So finally its the only real enthusiasts who come up and last, which is only a fraction of a percent i think. Its not necessary that they may be among the above 20%, but they are among all 100% population.

the post may seem to be a bit confusing but:

"When there is will, there is the way".. 

Rajathv8,


I am not mocking at anyone. Just listing some practical problems faced. In Delhi, it is not uncommon for a person to travel 20KM upwards to get to the field and then the field may not be well connected by public transport (usually it is not). So if a person does not have a car or an assistant, then it is very difficult to carry the model along on a 2 wheeler.


This stems from the fact that due to lack of awareness, the newbie does not get exposed to local flying groups before he jumps in. So the advice from seniors is missing in this case.

Pankaj

Are there good RC clubs here in India..? And are they being recognized by the locals and governments..? I mean can't all the RC clubs groups and Hobbyist join together to show some good exhibition of RC Modeling, flying, Racing etc and bring more awareness to the public about what this hobby really is ?? And I am sure we may be able to find some good sponsors too...

Also one problem I noticed in the RC market in India is that there are really some cheap Chinese RC Helicopters and Cars ,which are from brands never heard of and may cost btw 400-2500 Rs. And the way they are marketed is as just cute toys for children. And most of them fail and break easily too.. Due to this people are not able to see RC Helis,Cars and Planes as sophisticated aero models..  They may  never understand the high level of technology and flying ability and mechanisms in Helis and Planes from Align,Thunder Tiger, Walkera etc...



PS:-(I am really sorry for my lack of knowledge in regard of RC Hobby in India. Yes I am going through this forum and I will try to find as much as answers I need from them)

One more reason i can think of for rc helis not popular;
because they are boring, over an out

The real reason with helis is that most people are not MEN enough to fly them  

When airplane folks get good with their toys, they start to hover them.  Heli folks start off by hovering their toys, and it only gets better from there... nuff said 

I've tried to influence a few of my classmates to get into hobby/RC ...only two attempts of mine were a success... the problem is that their parents think RC stuff are toys and wont help them in anyway & think its a serious waste of money.

Those people just dont know how fun RC is and how it can improve your motor senses and reflexes...

 lack of awareness must be a major turnoff

The level of understanding about things around people, compared to other countries is kind of negligible..
e.g. how many among the masses do even know about the number of cylinders in their car engine? some may even answer "one" (pointing to the cng/lpg cylinder in its boot)

But I have always said: "you wan't to hover, get yourself a heli"!

we need to use social media to spread awareness.

excuse me ?

have you tried them ? 

oh no its surely not over.......its an on going topic for a debate 

helis are a way of life for rc modellers 

Hey come on guys -  helis , planes , cars are all interesting. If all of us had similar taste life would be boring!

EXACTLY.

In a 6 months ceremony, when I gifted a RF RC Heli last friday (3 Ch 13" @ Rs.1100/-) all have come to see with curiosity and surprised and asked with RAnge, Flight time, and even channel, spairs, etc. Two have told that they will purchase the same (being RF, Outdoor Flying Possible in Sunlight).
If they just purchase and fly, others will definitely attracted and informed.

Now-a -days, beggars can also use cellphone as they use it for communication and communicate for different ceremony begging (Believe it or not, it's true). But what about Camera Phone + FM + Net if they use! they are Luxury and costs higher than basic cellphone. The higher margin in price is invested for Luxury.

Now, consider for normal person. A Clerk can afford 3 Cigrate/Day costs Rs200/PM and Rs2400/PY. They can buy computer for Rs 10k for basic learning but purchase 20k powerful machine for gaming then why not RC ? Different professional can afford blackberry then why not RC ?

An cheap 2 channel (Full Function i. e. Forward, Reverse, Left, Right) RC Car can costs as low as Rs200/- and a 3Ch. IR Heli Rs.650/- A Customized RC Plane on budget can cost RS.7500/- Appx [Ref : RCIndia.org/wiki]. Then with material costing Rs300/- to 500/- (SPAD with CA), he can made several plane models (At Least 2 Plane) with different models and can fly. Of course, costly models can priced as higher as 1.7L Morever tools can costs much more like mini CNC and so there is no upper limit.

Earlier for higher priced hobby, it was confined among a small group and higher priced for LHS.
The online purchase has changed the scenario.

Please also note that Kiting and Chuck glider are the basic for this hobby and costs not more that Rs. 20/- for starting.
====================================================================
Please note that profession here mentioned for specify income group and nothing more. Please don't comment on this, I would not answer.

we need to inspire the youth.

Well think of it, where are the flying spaces (flying field). We have less places to fly and newcomers I have seen are not easily taken into the group. To promote this hobby senior members should guide and help new comers.

Mr Mehra welcome to the forum, actually space is seldom an issue, if you are ready to travel,

The restrictions for any1 to start with this hobby is the price involved.. and also lack of popularity..
I've never seen any1 flying a plane or Heli in my area.. Many ppl don't even know if such a hobby exist... In India RC stuffs are considered as Toys..

Most people do not even think of  taking up ANY hobby. It is considered  "a waste of time" or, as you have correctly said, "toys".

From the time my kids were born I would be on the lookout for educational, constructive toys, for them Again, all toys available were just intended to be distractions. "Go play with your toys and stop bothering me", if you get what I mean.

As Augustine has said, space and actually even money, is not really an issue. Most serious hobby pursuits would need a certain minimum outlay. Take photography, for instance. Start up costs would not be much more for aeromodelling, I would think.

Its primarily a mind set coupled with a lack of exposure.

Whats the problem with calling them toys
I also fell that these are just toys. I feel happy playing with them and thats all that matters

From my knowledge, there are more Surface RC Hobbyists in India than Air RC Hobbyists. I have seen several RC buggy, truck, truggy, events but not many Pylon Racers, Skills showdown, etc for Aircrafts.

Competitions (for both Surface and Air models) need to be hosted with attractive prizes like Large Prize money, RC Merchandise, etc...
This will create an interest in the public(mostly the young minds) to involve themselves in this hobby.

Yeah.. Even I feel there are more surface hobbyists then aeromodellers..

The competitions sound fun, but who'll sponsor them? 

Lower cost of products will help the hobby more than any organised competition can do.

Just happened to notice this competition was sponsored by Calvin Klein !!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1330671327092&set=a.1233023005945.25920.1840281719&type=1&ref=nf

Doubt this seriously... if you count people with proper RC grade cars.

There are quite a lot of surface hobbyists - we dont tealize this because RC cars do not need a large field to run. So each guy runs his car alone or in a small group while guys with planes and helis often meet up at common flying fields.

But that should not prevent them from seeking out forums like RC India... I took the membership counts here as a guideline.

Going by the info I have on sales numbers, there should be far more RC cars. May be most of them don't find it imperative to join forums. The challenges in getting your first plane airborne is more compared to running your first RC car. I guess this is why you see more aircraft activity here.

Interesting... guess that can be true if we consider electrics.  Getting glow/petrol cars would drive people straight into forums (or other experienced members!)

Many of the RC car guys are on FB.If we suggest forums,they think that they don't need them.But Murli and Ajo have been spreading the word of RC India.

Calling them toys adds a limitation, to be only played by kids.
We all now these are known as Big Boys Toy. And yes even I like playing with toys..

One reason that may not be mentioned here, bad people. A professor at my college "confiscates" any planes that are kept in "his" lab. This includes three balsa wood complete with engines and everything, made by my friends in the first year. Also a wonderfully made two motor pusher with canards made by my seniors as their final year project who got armtwisted coz he was their project guide. Oh wait , this professor also claims speed=torque and directly connects motors into the wall socket.

just tell him that he is a very very big loser!

Confiscates and do what.. sell them...

How come this fellow become a 'professor'...
Thats actually bad, one should never demoralize anyone's talent..
Or maybe he's scared of planes!! 

Tried doing so politely, got one of the most colorful firing of my life, with the 'aap kaun hote ho bolnewaale' phrase.

Well,people who cannot teach become teachers.I remember a supposed to be English teacher coming to our class.The first sentence she said was,"I am pride to be Indian".We were all ing

Back to the point,the classification as kid's toys is wrong.Yes,they are toys but highly educational and highly entertaining.

Depends on how you look at things thats all. Reminds me of VC's signature.

That story remnds me of some lecturers in my college also. Just no point reasoning with them.

Why do we need to justify every thing with education, any ways its a very overrated concept.

You got me there.

How about I scrap education and replace it with information?

Woman dies of hunger in India after being denied food assistance.
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/hunger-alerts/HA-20-2005