Your Next July 4th Fireworks Show May Come from Drones

While no tradition is more associated with the July 4^th holiday that an evening fireworks display, more towns across the U.S. are starting to abandon the usual noisy pyrotechnics with high-tech drone shows that can light up the sky with spectacular effects.

Noise, safety, and environmental concerns are cited as the reasons.

For one, the loud noises from fireworks can be unsettling for young kids and animals and annoying for others. Safety is another major concern. While most professional fireworks demonstrations do go off without a hitch, there’s still the risk of a shell going off its projected trajectory and winding up damaging property, of worse, people or animals that happen to be in its path.

The ongoing drought issues, particular in manywestern U.S. states, have led some towns to look more closely at drones. The concern here is that any firework ashes can quickly ignite already-dry areas and increase the risk of wildfires, which is as mounting problem.

With more towns also more conscious of their carbon footprint, fireworks are also being scrutinized more closely. While drones do use batteries, they produce no fumes and do not release chemicals into the environment. This has also prompted more towns to phase out traditional fireworks shows in favor of drones.

Related:Behind the Scenes of a Fireworks Display

A number of drone companies have sprung up in recent years. These outfits often do corporate event throughout the year but are often booked well in advance for July 4^th and other major holidays.

Costlier Than Fireworks

Drone shows are not cheap. According to one online article, a drone-based show can cost upwards of $25,000 compared to $2,000 for small-town fireworks show. However, more towns appear willing to pay the potentially higher cost for higher safety and better sustainability.

Then, there’s the customizable factor with drone light shows. Drones can more easily be shaped into intricate patterns, such as patriotic figures, than fireworks, which themselves nowadays are programmed largely through computers.

A clip of a July 4th drone light show, sponsored by Sky Elements Drones, is below.