Aren't so-called "free range" parents simply the flip side of the coin of "helicopter parents"?

With all the pro or con theories about safety and separation, fears of influence outside of parental opinion, having rigid ideas about process and result, being overly confident that "their" way will produce the "best" children, intense focus on developmental methods? My aunt, an intelligent, well read, creative woman, who raised five children and two grandchildren, lost one child, had one turn out with great psychological difficulties, and three turn out wonderfully with their own families and large amount of friends said to me once: "you know what works? What works!" Basically that structure and love and discipline and listening are IT, not all these "methods". Thoughts?