Who We Are

Our Values

Horizon Hobby leadership and employees put our vision into action with these values as our guide.

  • Integrity

    We are honest, trustworthy and fair. We do the right thing and deliver what we promise.

  • Respect

    We are humble and treat others the way we should like to be treated.

  • Excellence

    We are driven to succeed - embracing change, acting with urgency and taking appropriate risk. We develop ourselves personally and professionally.

  • Commitment

    We are committed to our customers, to our partners and to quality and safety. We are empowered and personally accountable for achieving our goals.

  • Teamwork

    We achieve results through inclusion and collaboration. We debate our differences and then fully support and execute our decisions.

  • Fun

    We work hard and work to win, but we also enjoy the journey and help others do the same.

History

From the beginning, the people of Horizon have always tried to treat each customer, each supplier and each other with the utmost respect, as we would like to be treated ourselves. This simple Golden Rule, along with our ability to innovate and adapt, are the key reasons we remain successful today.

1985

The Beginning

Founder, Rick Stephens, along with a handful of his family and industry professionals, opened Horizon Hobby in October of 1985. Their "can do" attitude and exceptional care for the customer quickly made Horizon one of the most popular wholesale RC distributors in North America.

1986

The First Expansion

A second distribution center is opened in Paso Robles, California, allowing Horizon to service retailers west of the Rockies more quickly and efficiently.

1992

Horizon Acquires Exclusive Brands and Begins Development of its Own

Horizon purchases Hobby Dynamics and gains exclusive distribution rights to several premier RC brands. At the same time it begins development of its own RC brands.

1998

Horizon Reaches Out Directly to Hobby Consumers

With the Internet and e-commerce creating new ways to reach hobby consumers, Horizon acquires catalog retailer, Indy RC, and the Consumer Division is born.

HobbyZone® Firebird

2000

HobbyZone® Firebird

It single-handedly launched the teach-yourself-to-fly category. Advanced technology and design set the stage for the many innovations in flight control to come.

2002

The Ontario, California Facility Opens

The Paso Robles distribution center is moved to a larger facility in Ontario, California to better serve our customers and help support the explosive growth of our proprietary products.

2002

Hangar 9® Alpha® RTF

The first Hangar 9 Readey-to-Fly and one of the must successful RC trainers of all time. Thousands of pilots earned their wings with this first of a kind trainer.

2003

Losi® Mini-T

Arguably the most successful vehicle in the company history, it offered entry-level buyers the ability to buy a hobby-quality product at a toy-store price point. Alone, it created the market for replacement and upgrade parts.

2005

Spektrum® DX3.0

The first Spektrum™ computer radio that combined the pioneering DSM® 2.4GHz surface technology built-in with versatile 3-channel control and great programming features.

2005

Spektrum™ DX6

No-pins, no-interference, no glitches. This sport park flyer system utilized patented DualLink™ technology to create secure, reliable, robust 2.4GHz DSM link for aircraft.

2006

Horizon Becomes Employee-Owned

Horizon Hobby employees become the owners with the introduction of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

2006

Team Losi Racing® 8IGHT™ Platform

One of the most successful platforms in 1/8-scale racing history. Has earned TLR drivers dozens of national and international titles as well as numerous industry awards.

2006

Blade® CX2

The flagship beginner-friendly coaxial helicopter. It defined the category by combining flight stability with Spektrum™ 2.4GHz radio control.

2006

Spektrum™ DX7

The first radio featuring DSM2® technology, it provides an impenetrable radio link immune to every known type of RC interference. Because it operates at 1024-bit resolution, it provides the kind of locked-in response that gives pilots the feeling of being more connected to their models than ever before.

2008

Spektrum™

Ever since the introduction of the world's first 2.4GHz racing system, tens of thousands of racers have won at every level in every category. A passion for innovation and fun has led to some of the most progressive advancements in the hobby industry including DSM, AS3X, AVC, and SAFE.

2010

HobbyZone™ Champ

The all-in-one package that championed large backyards as ideal flying fields, it featured Spektrum 2.4GHz technology and gentle flying characteristics.

2010

Spektrum™ DX8

Spektrum AirWare™ firmware in this radio was developed exclusively by our team of RC experts from the ground up. It includes every programming function an expert pilot could want, including real-time telemetry, but you don't have to be an expert to use it.

2010

Pro Boat® Miss Geico

A combination of Spektrum™ technology, brushless power and officially-licensed good looks, this catamaran set the stage for Pro Boat racing dominance.

2011

Losi® 5IVE-T™

The first 1/5-scale Ready-to-Run and an icon of the 1/5-scale racing scene, it was the 2012 Car Action magazine Truck of the Year.

2011

Team Losi Racing® 22™ Platform

Marked the revival of Team Losi as a racing-focused brand. Has won dozens of national and international titles as well numerous industry awards.

2013

E-flite® Apprentice® S

The world's first airplane with SAFE® Technology and, at the time, the most intelligent RC airplane ever offered by Horizon Hobby.

2013

Spektrum™ DX9

Possessing a number of class-leading features, the centerpiece is the incredibly advanced voice alert system that delivers new ways to make the RC experience simpler, safer and, most of all, more fun.

2013

ECX® Torment and Ruckus

The first monster truck and short course truck designed specifically for the beginner market, these products introduced hobby-grade radio control vehicles at a price anyone interested in the hobby could afford.

2013

Blade® Nano QX

Set the standard for ultra-micro quad value, precision, and performance. Also, the first quadcopter to feature SAFE® Technology.

2014

Horizon Hobby, Inc. Becomes Horizon Hobby, LLC

Horizon Hobby begins a new chapter with new ownership led by CEO Joe Ambrose and a group of investors. This new ownership structure positions Horizon for future growth while keeping the values and culture the company was founded on intact.

2015

SAFE®

The most important innovation in the teach-yourself-to-fly experience, the multiple flight modes and revolutionary Panic Mode allowed millions of first time pilots to fly an RC aircraft for the first time on the first try.

2016

AVC®

Driving faster with more control is the RC driver's dream and this innovative technology makes it happen in real time. Millions of drivers could now take powerful racing rigs and have success on the track and in the backyard.

2016

Blade® Inductrix® FPV

The first ultra-micro First Person View (FPV) quadcopters anyone could fly that included everthing needed in one box for under $200. Additionally, the first Horizon products to combine SAFE® stability with Spektrum™ FPV technology.