They risk life and limb for their thrill-seeking pursuit but many can rake in cash with thousands of social media followers.
For some, their daredevil antics have even caused them to break the law.
One British gang – renowned for posting shocking trespass videos on YouTube – has even received a global ban from theme park operator Merlin.
The six-strong group call themselves urban explorers for their love of adventuring to some of the world’s most famous places.
Together they have notched up millions of social media followers by filming themselves sneaking into closed tourist attractions and causing havoc.
Their videos are so popular they are rumoured to be making thousands every year through YouTube advertising and other promotions.
The six-strong team were issued with an injunction banning them from visiting more than 160 attractions worldwide.
The list includes Sea Life Centres, Madame Tussauds and Legolands spanning everywhere from Sydney, Australia to Dubai.
Among those banned is Rikke Brewer, believed to be 19. He has published videos of himself trainsurfing around Europe, where he rides the tops of moving trains.
Adrenaline junkie Scott Mackay is also on the list.
He describes himself as a part-time photographer on his Instagram page.
Alistair Law is also named. His Instagram page @mrallylaw, has amassed a quarter of a million followers and features stomach churning footage shot on top of skyscrapers and cranes, often involving trespassing.
The 22-year-old, from Southampton, thrills followers with overnight challenges. He has snapped selfies atop the Stealth roller coaster tracks at Thorpe Park and sliding down sloped high-rise rooftops, often while evading capture by security and cops.
The trio were named by Merlin for having entered Legoland Windsor and Alton Towers last year. Another three were not named in the injunction.
But it is not just these urban explorers who have grown vast fan bases on YouTube.
Across the world, urban exploration is a trend that’s taken off.
Alistair Law told the Sunday People why the Merlin ban isn’t going to put him off his urban adventuring.
He said: “I understand why they have got an injunction out on us and we have obeyed the injunction because we are aware of the seriousness of court injunctions.
“It has had no real effect whatsoever on me making videos.
“I had already been there and had no intention to return.
“I’m not really into typical touristy stuff anyway, so the Merlin ban doesn’t make a difference in my life.
“I’m not ever going to go back to Thorpe park to ride the Stealth when I have free-climbed up it.
“I’m not into taking photos with celebrities, let alone wax sculptures of them at Madame Tussauds and queuing up for three hours to ride around on a big wheel in central London. It’s not a huge issue to be fair.”
Selfies on 210ft seaside fun ride
Freeclimbing vlogger Usamalama and his daredevil pals waited for the UK's tallest roller coaster to shut for the night then scaled 210ft to take selfies balanced on a narrow steel platform.
After watching the sun set from the top of Blackpool’s Big One they climbed back down – even evading police called in to arrest them.
Using their parkour skills, crossing urban obstacles at high speed, the thrillseekers jumped railings before changing their clothes to hide as darkness fell.
Their video has since been viewed 55,000 times since August 2017.
Usamalama’s YouTube channel is full of videos of bus and train-surfing stunts, many ending in similar police chases.
It boasts over 62,000 subscribers and has had 3.5 million views, earning an estimated £1,000 a month.
Web analytics experts forecast it to hit 98 million views by 2024.
Tower daredevil Oleg's no fall guy
Russian thrill seeker OlegCricket, real name Oleg Sherstyachenko, became an internet phenomenon when he was filmed dangling off a skyscraper with only a friend’s hand for support.
He has amassed 198,000 subscribers on YouTube, with dedicated fans watching his videos 16 million times.
They are earning Oleg a tidy sum every month.
With a million followers on Instagram, brands pay to partner with him. Advertisers include Puma, Polaris Home and Campario Official.
His scary stunts are proving a real gateway to the high life for daring dangler Oleg.
The sky-high catwalker
Self-styled “Extreme Model” Angela Nikolau travels the world to perform hair-raising stunts hundreds of feet in the air.
She recently thrilled her 559,000 instagram followers with a dizzying selfie from a crane perched on top of a skyscraper in Hong Kong.
Her YouTube channel Elevation, which she shares with her urban explorer boyfriend Ivan, boasts 11,000 subscribers, and has had half a million views.
Kissers go really loco
Thrill-seekers Camille and Jean were slammed by social media followers after a picture of them hanging out of a moving train for a kiss went viral and had over 58,000 likes.
The travel influencers, originally from Brussels, risked all to post the picture on their Instagram feed. Camille has revealed how they began to make money after gaining more followers.
They cashed on their globe-trotting exploits by plugging products as well as enjoying free luxury hotel stays trips and paid brand collaborations.
Let’s hope they don’t do something too foolish and end up paying the ultimate price.
Nuisance a 'village idiot'
Relatively new to the scene is a Manchester lad who calls himself The Little Nuisance.
Since starting his YouTube channel last summer he has notched up 76,000 hits.
He has even managed to capture himself being chased by security and police officers in some of the videos.
The footage includes disclaimers to viewers not to attempt his stunts, which include rope swings from abandoned buildings, as it is “really stupid and we’re idiots.”
There are plenty of signs The Little Nuisance doesn’t take himself seriously. He jokes he’s the “village idiot.”
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