Conflict of interest issue with my employer and potential side drone video business.

I work at a tv station creating commercials for local businesses in the area. My company will not buy a drone for commercial use because they do not want to face any liability. I have had a drone for almost a year now and am looking to start my own business on the side. Since my tv station can not do drone work there should be no conflict, but I was recently told by my boss that it is a conflict of interest because they could hire someone to do drone work outside of the company. Therefore they can technically do drone work. So they say I can not do work in the area because it could potentially be business for them that I would be taking.They don't want to use me as an employee and rent my equipment. They will not hire me as a separate business to do work because I am already an employee. They fear that since I have ties to the company they could still be sued if something were to go wrong.So now the only way I can do drone work for money is if I am outside of the local area. But is this really a conflict of interest if they won't use me anyway? (They have never hired someone for drone work ever.) via /r/videoproduction https://www.reddit.com/r/videoproduction/comments/5t47yn/conflict_of_interest_issue_with_my_employer_and/?utm_source=ifttt