FPV Freedom Coalition

What FPV Freedom Coalition does

FPV Freedom Coalition (FPVFC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Malden On Hudson, New York, founded in 2019 to advocate on behalf of recreational First Person View (FPV) drone pilots in the United States. The coalition is one of only four organizations holding FAA-recognized Community Based Organization (CBO) status for recreational unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) operations, a designation that grants it direct access to the FAA and Congress on regulatory matters. It serves a hobbyist population of approximately 1.76 million recreational sUAS operators in the U.S., providing them with compliance guidance, safety education, and a collective voice on airspace access issues.

The organization's core offerings consist of published Safety Guidelines structured into legal Statute and best-practice Guidelines sections, educational content covering FPV equipment selection (radios, goggles, flight controllers, LiPo batteries, Remote ID modules), regulatory explainers (TRUST, Part 107, LAANC, FAA Advisory Circular 91-57C), and advocacy tools including congressional memo templates targeting the FAA Reauthorization Act and the 250g registration threshold. It operates an active Discord community as its primary engagement hub and coordinates with peer CBO Flite Test Community Association on rulemaking responses. FPVFC also represents the community on formal federal bodies including the FAA Drone Advisory Committee, the BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee, the Drone Safety Team, and the ASTM Remote ID working group, with core team member Dave Messina having written sections of the BVLOS ARC report.

FPVFC's revenue model is non-commercial and mission-driven, relying on three streams: tiered annual memberships (Adult $40, Youth $20, Founder $75) administered through the MemberPlanet platform, voluntary donations, and a percentage of Pilot Institute course purchases generated through affiliate referrals. Distribution is self-serve via the fpvfc.org website and Discord, supplemented by endorsement relationships with FPV retailers Rotor Riot, GetFPV, Pyrodrone, TurtleModeFPV, and WebleedFPV that promote the coalition to their customer bases. The organization employs 1–10 people and operates without venture capital, parent company, or institutional backing.

Name

FPV Freedom Coalition

Legal name

FPV Freedom Coalition

Website

https://fpvfc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FPV Freedom Coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and FAA-recognized Community Based Organization that provides safety guidelines, regulatory education, and advocacy on behalf of recreational FPV drone pilots in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational UAS Advocacy Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Non-Imaging Drones (Toy/FPV, Racing, Delivery/Utility) (CRACARAH)

Keywords

• FPV drone advocacy
• Recreational drone safety
• Drone pilot education
• UAS regulatory guidance
• Airspace access advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Malden On Hudson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues providing access to membership cards, community benefits, and support for the coalition's advocacy mission. Three tiers available: Adult ($40/year), Youth ($20/year), and Founder ($75/year).
2. Pilot Institute Affiliate Revenue: Percentage of course purchase prices from Pilot Institute affiliate referrals when members sign up for Part 107 training and other drone courses through the coalition's affiliate link.
3. Donations: Voluntary donations from supporters of the FPV Freedom Coalition's mission to protect recreational FPV flying privileges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FPV Freedom Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advocates for recreational First Person View (FPV) drone pilots in the United States. As one of four FAA-recognized Community Based Organizations (CBOs), it provides safety guidelines, educational resources, and federal regulatory advocacy, supported by tiered annual memberships, donations, and affiliate revenue. It also runs an online store for branded merchandise and coordinates community events through its website and Discord.

Product overview

FPV Freedom Coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is one of four FAA-recognized Community Based Organizations (CBOs) for recreational FPV pilots. The organization offers advocacy services, safety guidelines, and educational resources rather than a commercial software product. Its core offerings include comprehensive Safety Guidelines for recreational sUAS operations, Educational Resources covering FPV basics, LiPo batteries, and cold weather flying, TRUST test administration through Pilot Institute partnership, Part 107 training resources, LAANC authorization guidance, Remote ID module information, Congressional outreach tools, and tiered membership programs (Adult $40, Youth $20, Founder $75).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FPV Freedom Coalition Annual Membership Tiered annual membership program for individual recreational FPV drone pilots in the United States, with Adult ($40/year), Youth ($20/year), and Founder ($75/year) tiers that fund the organization's FAA-recognized advocacy work.
• FPV Safety Guidelines and Educational Resources Standardized FPV safety code, operating guidelines, and educational materials published by the organization for recreational FPV drone pilots to fly safely and in compliance with FAA rules.
• FPV Community Event Calendar An online calendar of FPV community events and gatherings, accessible through the organization's website, that helps recreational FPV pilots find and coordinate local meetups and fly-ins.
• Branded Merchandise Store Online store selling branded apparel and merchandise bearing the FPV Freedom Coalition logo and identity, with proceeds supporting the nonprofit's advocacy mission.
• Discord Community Server Discord-based online community where recreational FPV drone pilots gather to discuss flying, regulations, safety, and events, operated by FPV Freedom Coalition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.76 million recreational sUAS operators represented through advocacy efforts

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Rotor RiotcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor FPV drone retailer that has formally endorsed the FPV Freedom Coalition. Rotor Riot promotes the coalition to its customer base as a trusted advocate for recreational FPV pilot rights and safety.
• Pilot InstitutecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading provider of drone training courses including TRUST test administration and Part 107 certification preparation. FPVFC serves as an affiliate partner, with a percentage of course purchases donated to the coalition. Pilot Institute is recommended as an excellent organization hosting the required TRUST test.
• GetFPVcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor online retailer of FPV drones and components that endorses the FPV Freedom Coalition and supports the coalition's fight against restrictive FAA Remote ID requirements.
• PyrodronesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerFPV drone retailer that has endorsed the FPV Freedom Coalition's advocacy efforts and Remote ID compliance fight.
• TurtleModeFPVsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerFPV-related company endorsing the FPV Freedom Coalition as a trusted advocate for recreational FPV pilots.
• WebleedFPVsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerFPV community brand that has formally endorsed the FPV Freedom Coalition.
• Flite Test Community AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the four FAA-recognized Community Based Organizations alongside FPVFC. FPVFC supports FTCA members with specific congressional memos and coordinates advocacy efforts for recreational model aircraft pilots.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Pilot Institute: Pilot Institute is FPVFC's core affiliate partner, providing TRUST test administration and Part 107 training. It is ecosystem-adjacent rather than a competitor, as FPVFC earns a revenue share on Pilot Institute course sales.

Broad incumbents

• Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA): EAA is a large, established recreational aviation advocacy organization with a similar member-funded, volunteer-driven model. It operates at broader aviation scale but shares FPVFC's hobbyist-advocacy DNA.
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA): AOPA is the dominant general aviation advocacy organization with a paid-membership model and direct lobbying presence. It is comparable in operating model (membership-funded advocacy) even though its scope is broader than FPVFC's recreational UAS focus.
• DJI: DJI is the dominant consumer and prosumer drone manufacturer whose products are flown by the recreational pilot community FPVFC serves. It is comparable as a stakeholder in the same hobbyist ecosystem even though it is not an advocacy organization.

Emerging players

• Drone Racing League (DRL): DRL is a professional FPV racing league with media and sponsorship revenue. While commercially focused rather than advocacy-driven, it shares the FPV racing audience and helps legitimize the FPV segment that FPVFC defends.
• Drone U: Drone U is a Part 107 training and drone business education provider serving the recreational-to-commercial pilot crossover that FPVFC's affiliate channel also targets.

Direct peers

• Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF): RAF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advocates for access to recreational flying airspace — directly analogous to FPVFC's mission of protecting recreational FPV pilots' access to airspace.
• Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA): AMA is the largest U.S. model aviation association and a fellow FAA-recognized Community Based Organization. It is the most direct peer to FPVFC because both organizations serve as federally-recognized CBO advocates for recreational pilots and coordinate on FAA rulemaking.
• Flite Test Community Association (FTCA): FTCA is one of the four FAA-recognized CBOs alongside FPVFC and is explicitly listed as a core partner. Both organizations share the CBO designation, recreational pilot advocacy mission, and coordinate congressional outreach.
• MultiGP: MultiGP is the largest FPV drone racing league and chapter network in the U.S., serving the same recreational FPV pilot community that FPVFC advocates for. Its chapter-based operating model is comparable to FPVFC's community-led approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fpvfcofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/fpvfc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fpv-freedom-coalition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about FPV Freedom Coalition