The DJI Drone Arena has officially opened to the public in South Korea. The Arena is located in Yongin, a city in the south of Seoul’s greater metropolitan area. The facility aims to provide a gathering place for aerial enthusiasts as well as a practice venue for those who are learning about aerial technology such as first time pilots.
The 1,395-square-meter arena offers an adjustable LED-lit circuit for pilots who want to test their skills, LCD TVs that show spectators the first-person view from the drone, and a maintenance room equipped with charging docks and workstation for minor repairs. According to DJI, South Korea was chosen as its first test-bed nation because of its tech-savvy culture.
“The DJI Arena will help foster the local drone culture and play an important role in building a healthy UAV ecosystem in Korea,” said DJI Korea Country Manager Moon Tae-hyun. “The opening of the DJI Arena is our commitment to the development of the local UAV market. There is huge potential in how UAV technologies can change the way people see the world and create positive impact to people’s lives. Our goal is to make aerial technology more accessible, reliable and easier to use for anyone who wants to use it.”
Visitors to the DJI Arena need to pre-book by making a online reservation. The reservation will then be confirmed based on the venue’s availability. Each booking session is for three hours and the entrance fee is 15,000 KRW (13.50 US) per person per session. The maximum capacity of each session is 12 people and will be given on a first come first serve basis. The availability of individual and group booking is 7pm to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 8pm on weekends. If your visiting from outside of South Korea, reservations can be made via [email protected] by including their full name, expected date and time of arrival, and number of participants.
Visitors are required to bring their own drones for individual and group bookings while DJI will provide the Phantom 4 for participants in the educational programs. For corporate events and activities that require special set-up, please contact [email protected] for more information and availability.
Apart from individual and group bookings, the following other programs are also available:
Corporate Event Rental:
Rental for corporate and special events is available between 10am-8pm all week. The minimum venue rental fee is 500,000 KRW ($452 US) for 30 people and 30,000 KRW ($27 US) per additional participant. Booking must be made two weeks in advanced.
Flying Academy:
Children between ages 8 to 16 can also learn about DJI’s aerial technologies and become a skilled pilot. As part of the program, participants will learn the features of the Phantom 4, safety tips and best practices, and complete a total of eight practice sessions during the course of one month. The Flying Academy will commence later in September.
Private Training:
DJI’s professional pilot will be available for 1:1 training if participants prefer a more tailored program. To start, participants will learn how to fly the Phantom 4, one of the most intelligent and easy-to-fly consumer drone with features such as ActiveTrack, TapFly, Obstacle Avoidance and a Sport Mode.
School Tours:
DJI Arena is the perfect place for students to learn about UAV technologies and a great venue if schools are looking for an educational and fun experience for their students’ next field trip. The program can be tailored for the school with booking done in advance. Each session usually runs for two to three hours depending on the number of participants.
If you don’t live in South Korea, this news may not be of much interest to you, but DJI have said they will look at placing arenas in more countries if they see enough demand.
