An epic, ready to go drone park! What???

[Andy7]

I've just watched the Rotor Riot ep where they were having fun at a wooded spot where someone had set up some obstacles. Looked good -- but it reminded me of something...

A PAINTBALL SITE

Now, I'm just thinking out loud here, so please everyone tell me why this is a terrible idea and won't work otherwise I won't be able to sleep tonight.

What if it were possible to hire a paintball site for FPV DRONE FLYNG?
They have:
* remote location
* woodland setting with clearings
* buildings / obstacles / tunnels
* Netted off perimeter with no-go rules
* Toilets
* Food, drink, parking
* First aid
* No walkers, angry farmers, busybodies.

So, for sure a lot of their money is made on ammo sales, but they won't need to lay on marshals or organise activities.
They'd still likely get food sales and an easy day / half day as we'd just get on with things on our own.

There's a good place near here that I've played at...

SO: What am I missing? 

[Bad Raven]

Probably not missing out a lot.

Our site going back was part shared by a Gun Club that also had other sites, and only ran one Sunday a month 10-14.00. Technically they were in the next field, but pellet spread, etc.

Then Airsoft arrived and started taking over the "other" woods which we face to fly (as seen in my videos). Then they got thrown off their "urban" site and built the illegal no permissions village where we are.

Gun Club came to a crashing halt when the main man was raided by Police, his front door became matchwood, and his "wife" was found to have lots of illegal weapons, etc.  Rumour of drugs, too.  Anyway, that all stopped.

SO currently we have Airsoft running illegally in the woodland and their built village. This is every Saturday plus other "corporate/school" events, despite legally they are only allowed 14 events per year and any structures should be removed between events.

Why I'm saying this background is that when they are not operating, we have a woodland almost set up. And likely leverage since they won't want to become "exposed"!

The issue is that "closed and private" these days is never actually true, and trespassing (right to roam) kids and dog walkers, etc can appear anywhere at any time, even on "remote" sites.  SO, we'd need a lot of people to marshal, and that's where the issue arises. There's only three of us!!

OK, so your paintball business MIGHT have spare site capacity, but could you afford it, and also get or pay for sufficient marshals? 

It could not legally be "a group of mates out for some fun" so Insurance would be another matter to resolve.

Sorry if it sounds negative, but I ran a lake for Windsurfing for many years and know only too well what can occur! (As one example, we had a woman blockade the site with attendant press as "we were flying the French Flag")

Its a great idea though and worth some effort investigating.

[Andy7]

That's all good - need to try to see any angle that would make that not possible.
100% anything like that would HAVE to be done with the cooperation of the site, paid etc.
Last time I went, there were maybe 20 of us in the whole group paintballing, so I guess they felt that was enough to cover whatever staff they had there (though see my point about ammo revenue) so potentially not a killer raising a similar amount of bodies to cover the cost.
It's a very professionally run place and the whole site is fenced to stop people wandering in and getting a pellet in the eye, and of course would HAVE to be secure for their insurance.
As for their site and public liability insurance working for a "different activity" -- that would be interesting. There would be a lot less running about and breaking legs, no guns. Maybe disclaimers for "drone related injury" could be arranged. Pilots own insurance could possibly cover... um, damage to the burnt out car obsticles.

I guess dropping them a line wouldn't hurt. Even if just to put the idea to bed.

[Bad Raven]

its a great idea though and worth some effort investigating.

Any update?