The problem is not one of finance in my opinion. Given that the numbers of so called flat earth believers are perhaps in the low thousands, if each gave $20 from say 10,000 contributors, that would get $200K to get the project under way. As there have been some not very bright celebrities that have also come out as FEs, they should be able to double the total without denting their bank balances, so half a million dollars should finance a baloon flight to the upper atmosphere and an aeroplane flight to cross the icewall and take photos.
It would seem that there would need to be people involved that have technical knowledge in a number of relevant areas. That knowledge would come from having studied and build up a background understanding of the world around them and the technical areas that they are involved in. There do not appear to be any such people who are genuinely flat earth believers, so non believers would have to be contracted in to supply the expertise. As they would be using technical knowledge based on mathematics and science of a spherical earth to guide the project, how would that be acceptable to FEs? Of course just the aeroplane flight across the icewall would need to involve pilots, none of whom could possibly come from the world of FEs and with no working map how would navigation be carried out?
We then have yet another problem with the 'Cry Wolf' syndrome. All FEs, have been convinced or convinced themselves that all photographs showing evidence of a spherical earth in anyway whatsoever have been faked or doctored and shouted fake at all such RE evidence, so how could any photographs or video presented as evidence of a flat earth be taken seriously by their own members let alone REs.
From my observations of the writings and comments of FEs, apart from the trolls and intellectual con men, the vast majority would seem to be those who have failed in the education system, maybe learning difficulties, or couldn't care less attitudes or perhaps general laziness. They are either still very young and feel that they want to rebel against everything that they don't understand, or as they got older have failed to make progress in their lives whilst others around them have made a success of theirs. In fact just the sort of disfunctional group that love being told that education is brain washing and science is a conspiracy of the rich to fool them. Yet more reasons to believe that there is no point in getting an education when there are lots of others just like them to help 'fight the system' and give them a group to belong to. So are these people going to get out of bed in the morning, off of their playstations and computers and build flat earth research projects? I DON'T THINK SO!
It's quite disturbing that the internet and sites like this are encouraging vulnerable young people in particular to distrust education and science and believe trickery and pseudo science because it's easier than real life. It's much easier than working hard at their education to gain a background of knowledge to enable them to make their own observations and investigate properly. Perhaps they should ask themselves why NOBODY who has become a professional pilot, navigator, mathematician, astronomer, mechanical engineer, sailor, surveyor etc. etc. is a flat earth believer.
Roger