What Flite Test does

Flite Test (legal entity FliteTest.com, LLC) is an Ohio-based, privately held RC aviation company founded in 2010 that operates a vertically integrated hobbyist community and product platform. Its core products are foam board RC aircraft kits built around a proprietary MakerFoam/Readi-board construction system using Adams Plastics material, a standardized EZ Power system for FPV conversion, and an FPV drone lineup that includes the FT Guardian Gremlin (v2 and v3), FT Tiny Twig, and FT AIO FPV Camera. The company also sells accessories from partner brands including RadioMaster and ISDT through its online store, with unit prices ranging from $19.99 entry-level trainers (FT Mighty Mini Tiny Tutor, P-51 Flat Flyer) to $149.99 premium bundles (FT Triplane XL Bundle). Hardware is complemented by the FT EZ-ID Remote ID Broadcast Module for FAA regulatory compliance.

The business monetizes through four primary streams: direct-to-consumer hardware sales, advertising and sponsorships from partners such as PCBWay, RadioMaster, and Bambu Lab, YouTube content monetization via the weekly "Flite Test Show," and education sales through the FT STEM division launched in March 2025 that sells K-12 aviation kits and curriculum at ftstem.com. The company's go-to-market is product-led and community-led, leveraging a YouTube channel with substantial viewership (top articles exceeding 155,000 views), a community article platform with over 6,700 articles and 233,000+ registered author profiles, an active forum, and the annual Flite Fest event (scheduled August 6-9, 2026 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio in collaboration with the DARPA Lift Challenge). Leadership is a small named team of fewer than ten employees led by President Josh Bixler, and the company is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding.

Name

Flite Test

Legal name

FliteTest.com, LLC

Website

https://flitetest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Flite Test is an Ohio-based RC aviation company that designs and sells foam board aircraft kits and FPV drones, supported by a large YouTube-driven hobbyist community, an article platform with 6,700+ articles, and the FT STEM K-12 education program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

RC Aircraft and Drones

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Aircraft & Parts (3720)

akta.pro primary industry

Fixed-Wing Aircraft Kits & Experimental Aircraft Manufacturing (IMABAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Science & STEM Lab Equipment & Supplies (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Makerspaces) (EDAEAIAC), DIY Kits, STEM Electronics & Maker Bundles Retail (CRACAKAN), Math & STEM Learning Technology (incl. Coding/Robotics Platforms) (EDAJAMAG)

Keywords

• Rc aircraft kits
• Foam board planes
• Fpv drone equipment
• Stem education kits
• Rc hobby community

Headquarters

HQ city

Minerva

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. RC Aircraft Products: Sale of foam board RC plane kits, multirotor drones, FPV equipment, and accessories through the Flite Test online store. Products range from beginner trainers ($19.99) to advanced bundles ($149.99).
2. FT STEM Education Kits: Sale of educational aviation kits and curriculum to K-12 schools, homeschool programs, and STEM organizations through ftstem.com.
3. FT STEM Curriculum: Sale of educational curriculum, lesson plans, and teacher guides alongside physical kits for classroom STEM education.
4. YouTube Content Monetization: Revenue from YouTube channel through advertising, sponsorships, and affiliate links featured in show episodes.
5. Advertising and Sponsorships: Limited advertising opportunities and sponsorship packages offered to companies aligned with the Flite Test community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Flite Test designs, manufactures, and sells foam board radio-controlled (RC) airplane kits, multirotor and FPV drone platforms, and related RC electronics and accessories. The company also offers K-12 aviation-based STEM education kits and curriculum through its FT STEM sub-brand, and supports its products with a large library of free build plans, tutorial articles, a community forum, a weekly YouTube show, and the annual Flite Fest event.

Product overview

Flite Test is an RC aircraft community and product company offering a diverse portfolio of radio-controlled aircraft products and educational resources. The core offerings include multiple RC plane kit lines: the Mighty Mini series (FT Mighty Mini Explorer, Tiny Tutor), Master Series for advanced builders, the new P-51 Flat Flyer, J9er EZ-Powered Plane, and specialty kits like the FT Tubby B-17 and FT Triplane XL Bundle. For FPV enthusiasts, the company offers FT Guardian Gremlin quadcopters (v2 and v3), FT Tiny Twig FPV racer, and FT AIO FPV Camera with OSD capabilities. The FT EZ-ID Remote ID Broadcast Module addresses regulatory compliance. Complementing the hardware is a YouTube video series (Flite Test Show) and a community article platform with over 6,700 articles covering builds, FPV, helicopters, and workbench topics. The company also operates FT STEM, an educational division offering aviation-based STEM kits for K-12 education including Project EZ: First Flyers, Racing Drone Discovery Kit, and Mini Venture Glider products. The annual Flite Fest event brings the community together for flying, building, and competitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FT STEM: Aviation-based STEM education program for K-12 learners featuring hands-on flight kits, lesson plans, and curriculum.

Products and services

• FT Mighty Mini Explorer Mini-sized RC plane kit from the Mighty Mini series designed for compact flying with easy assembly; targeted at beginner-to-intermediate hobbyists.
• FT Mighty Mini Tiny Tutor Entry-level mini RC plane designed for beginners with beginner-friendly controls and durability; part of the Mighty Mini series.
• FT Tubby B-17 Foam board RC bomber aircraft kit modeled after the B-17 Stratofortress for intermediate-to-advanced hobbyists.
• FT Triplane XL Bundle Large-format triplane RC aircraft kit bundle with all components for assembly; premium multi-component bundle for hobbyists.
• P-51 Flat Flyer Foam board P-51 Mustang warbird RC plane kit with ~1-hour assembly time, priced at $19.99, suitable for beginners and experienced pilots, and flyable indoors or outdoors.
• J9er EZ-Powered Plane EZ-Powered RC airplane kit designed for easy FPV setup using the Flite Test EZ Power system, aimed at lowering the entry barrier to RC aviation.
• FT Tiny Twig Custom FPV racer design in a tiny whoop form factor with glow modifications for night flying; intended for drone light show racing applications.
• FT Guardian Gremlin v3 FPV quadcopter designed as an entry point into FPV flying, featuring updated OSD capabilities and an improved camera mounting system.
• FT Guardian Gremlin v2 FPV quadcopter designed as an entry-level platform for first-time FPV pilots with Betaflight compatibility.
• EZ Flying Pig Simple 15-minute build RC plane kit designed for beginners and veterans, tied to the When Pigs Fly theme for Flite Fest.
• Small Pig Rocket ship-style aerobatic RC build kit targeted at advanced flyers, tied to the When Pigs Fly theme for Flite Fest.
• FT AIO FPV Camera All-in-One FPV camera with integrated video transmitter; supports OSD feature in Betaflight for aircraft information overlay in goggles.
• FT EZ-ID Remote ID Broadcast Module Remote Identification broadcast module that provides FAA-compliant remote ID functionality for drones and RC aircraft.
• FT STEM Kits Aviation-based STEM education kits for K-12 learners including Project EZ: First Flyers, Racing Drone Discovery Kit, Airfoil Gliders, and Mini Venture Glider Bulk Pack, supplied with build guides, teacher guides, and curriculum.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Adams PlasticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdams Plastics manufactures Readi-board/MakerFoam foamboard used in Flite Test kits and recommended for builds. Adams Plastics is the 'Main Runway Partner' for Flite Test, providing the primary construction material for the entire product line.
• Pilot InstituteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPilot Institute is recommended as the go-to resource for pilot training and drone education, featured in Flite Test show episodes as a training partner for the RC aviation community.
• PCBWayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPCBWay provides custom PCB prototyping, CNC machining, and 3D print services featured in Flite Test episodes as a sponsor, offering viewers access to advanced manufacturing capabilities.
• RadioMastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRadioMaster transmitters are sold through the Flite Test store, making RadioMaster a key product partner and channel relationship for RC radio equipment distribution.
• Bambu LabminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBambu Lab 3D printers (X1C recommended) featured as favorite printers in show episodes, with affiliate links through the Flite Test store for viewer purchases.
• Hot Wire Foam FactoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHot wire foam cutting tools and accessories supplier with exclusive 'FLITETEST' discount code (5% off) for the community, supporting foam board aircraft construction.
• ISDTminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorISDT battery chargers sold through the Flite Test store as an authorized distributor of battery management equipment for RC aircraft.
• DARPAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlite Fest 2026 is hosted alongside the DARPA Lift Challenge ($6.5 million heavy-lift drone competition) at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. This represents the largest collaboration in Flite Test history, combining community RC flying with cutting-edge UAV innovation.
• National Museum of the United States Air ForceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Flite Fest 2026 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Provides access to one of the largest aviation museums for event attendees.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Horizon Hobby: Largest U.S. RC hobby distributor and manufacturer (HobbyZone, E-flite, Blade, Spektrum). Direct overlap with Flite Test's RC aircraft kit business but with far broader portfolio and retail distribution.
• ParkZone: Horizon Hobby's park-flyer and trainer RC aircraft line. Historically targeted the same beginner foam-aircraft niche as Flite Test's Mighty Mini series.

Direct peers

• E-flite: Horizon Hobby-owned RC aircraft brand producing foam, balsa, and EPO trainer and scale aircraft kits. Directly comparable to Flite Test's Mighty Mini, Master Series, and FPV drone products for the same hobbyist audience.
• HobbyZone: Horizon Hobby's beginner-focused RC trainer aircraft line. Closest competitor to Flite Test's Mighty Mini and P-51 Flat Flyer beginner kits, targeting the same newcomer segment with similar foam airframes.
• FMS Modell: China-based RC aircraft manufacturer producing foam scale warbirds and trainers. Overlaps with Flite Test's P-51, B-17 Tubby, and scale warbird kits at comparable price points.
• Motion RC: U.S. RC aircraft retailer and kit brand focused on warbirds, trainers, and FPV. Comparable direct-to-consumer e-commerce model and beginner-to-advanced product breadth to Flite Test's store.

Emerging players

• RC Foam Fighters: Community and content site focused on foam-board RC scratch builds, with plans, build videos, and a forum. Overlaps with Flite Test's article platform and DIY foamboard ethos.
• Pitsco Education: K-12 STEM education supplier with hands-on kits, curriculum, and equipment. Direct competitor to FT STEM in selling aviation/aerospace-aligned classroom kits to school districts.
• STEMfinity: K-12 STEM curriculum and kits distributor. Adjacent competitor to FT STEM's school sales motion and a potential channel partner for distributing FT STEM aviation kits.

Others

• Betaflight: Open-source FPV flight controller firmware that Flite Test's Guardian Gremlin v2/v3, FT AIO Camera, and EZ-ID module integrate with. Not a direct competitor but a critical technology ecosystem peer for Flite Test's FPV roadmap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FliteTest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@flitetest
• Facebookfacebook.com/flitetest
• Instagraminstagram.com/flitetest
• TikToktiktok.com/@flitetest_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Flite Test