2023-08-28 16:32:42
Not easy for drone enthusiasts to fly their machine legally. Chartres (Eure-et-Loir), Dreux (Eure-et-Loir), Châteaudun (Eure-et-Loir), but also a large part of Beauce are simply prohibited from flying over. It is on the basis of this observation that the Château des Boulard in Mignières (Eure-et-Loir), about ten kilometers from Chartres, imagined converting its golf course into a “practice” for drones. “Our land was vegetating. Golf no longer goes so well with the times we are going through, it is not very ecological to water the lawn, ”explains Bruno Boulard, the owner of the place.
Already in 2016, the Château des Boulard hosted the French drone racing championships. A hundred pilots provided the spectacle during the event, won by a 13-year-old Belgian competitor. “We mainly affect young people, it’s in tune with the times and it’s modern”, continues the lord. It was his son, a fan of remote-controlled aircraft, who convinced him.
Up to 120 m high and 200 km/h!
The former golf course, in the heart of a park of hundred-year-old oaks, has therefore been approved by the Civil Aviation Safety Department. Guilhem Villard and Cyrille Verdier, two professional pilots, will be the instructors during future courses. Drones are allowed to fly up to 120 meters high, enough to see Chartres Cathedral thanks to the 4K camera on board the small 890-gram device. “Access to the drone requires training, like any sport. You have to know how to handle the joystick, know the regulations. Then, amateurs will be able to take control of the drone,” explains one of the instructors.
Individuals, schools or employees as part of a team building will now be able to indulge in this unique and fun activity. Confirmed pilots, fans of FPV Racing (First Person View), drone racing, will also have the opportunity to improve their skills with a course that will soon be equipped with obstacles such as doors, tunnels and bridges.
“We are going to equip it with the right standards in the hope of hosting the French championships in 2024”, announces the practice manager. In mid-July, one of the French FPV champions discovered the site. “He wants to train here,” rejoices Bruno Boulard. For the safety of practitioners, a protective net is stretched during the activity, because FPV drones can reach 200 km/h.
Château des Boulard, 8, rue du Moulin à Spoir, 28630 Mignières. Such. 02 37 30 18 75 chateaudesboulard.com. Membership with GBB productions required.
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