FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM)

Aeromodelling is the activity involving design, development and flying of small air vehicles. It is a very exciting and interesting way to learn, apply and understand science and engineering principles. The greatest pioneers of human flight, initially used model aircrafts to test the solutions they were in the process of designing. This just goes to show how long the history of aeromodelling is.

Aeromodelling swiftly gained popularity from the 1930s onwards. Radio Control was not yet highly developed – and was not to be so until the 1950s – so it was almost exclusively free flying and control-line aircrafts that were used.

Shortly before the Second World War, the first international competitions were organised in England and Germany.

The first World Championships were held in the late 1950s. Space Models were invented in the early 1960s in the United States and the first World Championships were held in 1972.

Aeromodelling today is above all the most significant FAI discipline in terms of numbers of flyers: it has been estimated that there are more than a million enthusiasts all over the world. There are now a great many aeromodelling categories, be it for aeroplanes (extensible engines, piston engine, jet engine, electric and even solarpowered engines), seaplanes, gliders, helicopters and space models. Drone Sports was the last aeromodelling activity embraced by FAI and CIAM.