DJI, manufacturer of the very popular series of Phantom drones, have opened up a new facility in South Korea. Named the DJI Arena, it allows drone owners to learn more about how to fly their craft. It’s a fairly substantial size, with 1,395 square metres (15,015 sq ft.) of space. It also offers an obstacle course, for those wanting to test their aerial prowess. Their goal is to “help foster the local drone culture and play an important role in building a healthy UAV ecosystem in Korea”. A noble goal, but I do hope they consider doing this in other parts of the world, too.
The facility is situated in Yongin, a short drive south of Seoul, South Korea’s capital. One of the main focuses of the DJI Arena is the flying academy. This is open to children aged between 8 and 16 years of age to learn how to become a skilled pilot. In it, they will learn about features of the Phantom 4, as well as safety tips and best practices when flying. As an introduction to the training, school tours are being offered. Classes will be able to visit and get an idea of what flying a drone is all about. With drones becoming more commonplace throughout the world, exposure to them at a young age is great. It’s a lot easier to prevent bad habits while they’re still young and impressionable.
One-to-one private training for all ages is also available with DJI’s professional pilot. They say this allows them to tailor the program to the individual’s needs. This is certainly something I’d want to do myself, if it were available here in the UK having recently acquired my first drone. As well as the educational side, dji are opening the place up to regular drone owners. Individual and group books for a maximum of 12 people, with sessions costing a mere $13.50 per person. That’s really not a bad price at all. They also offer corporate event hire. If you’re thinking of heading over to South Korea to check it out, you will be required to bring your own drone. So, don’t forget to pack it. For educational and corporate events, they say they will be able to supply them. You can find out more details on the DJI Arena website. Personally, I’m hoping they start introducing these around the world. Perhaps a little education will help to prevent some of the stupidity we so often see. How about you? Would you go to a drone school if there were one in your area? Or are you find figuring things out just on your own? Let us know what you think in the comments. [via DPReview]
