Drone shows are now well on their way to becoming the new fireworks displays. They have all the visual drama of fireworks without the safety or environmental issues. As yet, creating a drone show is unlikely to be something the average person could do on their own. They are usually managed by a drone light show company.
The Technicalities of This Type of Event
There are two main reasons why drone light shows are generally managed by a professional company. The first is that they require a higher upfront investment than fireworks. Drones are designed to be reusable. This makes them much more sustainable than fireworks. It does, however, mean that they’re more expensive to manufacture. In addition to the drones themselves, this type of event needs specialized drone software and people with the skills to use it.
The second is that they generally require a lot of logistical organization. This is also true of large-scale fireworks displays but not (usually) of private ones. With that said, one of the reasons that these types of shows tend to be more cost-effective than large-scale fireworks displays is that they require fewer people to run them.
Working with a Drone Light Show Company
When you work with a drone event company, you should be working in a partnership. You will communicate what you want and the drone show company will turn it into a reality. Here is a quick guide to the steps in the process.
Creating the Brief
Your brief is the roadmap for your journey. Realistically, it’s highly unlikely to be perfect right from the start. In most cases, it will be improved as you go along. With that said, starting with a robust brief will make your journey a whole lot easier. When creating your brief, aim to cover the following points.
- Your budget
- Your intended location, date, and time
- Your vision for the show
Be as detailed as you can with your specifications. In particular, try to include photos/drawings of the location. Also, indicate if there’s any room for flexibility with any of these. This can be important information and it’ll make everyone’s life easier if you share it upfront.
Remember, as the client you’ll always have the final say on any decisions. You can also ask as many questions as you like regarding any suggestion the drone company makes.
Developing the Brief
Ideally, your budget and intended location, date, and time for the event will all align perfectly with your vision for the event. If that’s the case, then you and the event partner company can proceed to translate that vision into a show.
If, however, they don’t align perfectly, then you and the drone show company will need to collaborate to find a path forward. This is exactly why it’s helpful to know if there’s any flexibility in the brief. In particular, having a bit of extra budget at your disposal can help to overcome logistical challenges and/or allow for a more dramatic event.
Once you and the drone partner company have agreed on the fundamentals and basic framework, the drone company will turn your ideas into a plan for a show. It’s strongly advisable to have regular check-ins during this process. You should certainly touch base when key decisions are taken.
Remember, it’s fairly easy to backtrack when you’ve only taken a few steps down the wrong path. The further down the path you go, however, the harder it becomes. Once the drone company has created the light show you want, they will test it thoroughly in software to ensure that it works.
Implementing the Drone Light Show
Depending on your arrangement with the drone company, they may ship the drones to the site in advance of the show or bring them on the day. In fact, they may even do a combination of both.
One of the great benefits of this type of event compared to fireworks shows is that they create far fewer safety issues. For example, drones and their associated equipment can be shipped and stored in the same way as standard cargo. They don’t need any special safety precautions.
The drone partner company will choreograph the show so that the drones stay within a defined area. To ensure that the drones are not blown out of this area, the event company will only proceed with the event if winds are low. Spectators must be managed so that they do not breach this perimeter (on purpose or by accident).
Let’s Make Your Ideas Come to Life
A drone show company will transform your vision and ideas into a reality. The nature of the show will depend on practicalities such as the location and the budget as well as your vision for it. On the day of the show, the drone partner company will take ownership of everything to do with the event. If you’d like to learn more about creating a remarkable light show in the sky, please contact us and we’d love to answer any questions that you might have.