July 4 celebrations may look different in some cities this year as they swap the crackle of fireworks for synchronized drone displays.
Independence Day drone shows are planned for dozens of cities across the country, from Salt Lake City to Sarasota, Florida. The shows, produced by a variety of vendors, involve hundreds of illuminated drones programmed to carry out choreographed routines set to catchy songs like “Firework” by Katy Perry.
Not everyone is on board with the shift from old-school pyrotechnics, but the companies behind the drone shows promise to deliver all the pomp and circumstance of traditional fireworks shows and more, using awe-inspiring displays that capture the spirit of American independence.
Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County/Getty Images 
Salt Lake City will be hosting a drone show for the third year in a row. Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for the city’s mayor’s office, said the main reason for adopting the new Fourth of July display was safety. Drone shows reduce the risk of fires and are touted as a more environmentally friendly option than fireworks which can leave behind debris.
“We’re in drought conditions right now,” Wittenberg said. “And so it’s a matter of practicality over any sort of other preference.”
Drone shows are also far much quieter than fireworks, making them more inclusive for people with PTSD and dogs, Jana Cunningham, a communications manager at the Salt Lake City Public Lands Department, said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch.
The city expects some 7,500 people for this year’s show, which will include the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, among other iconic American images, she said.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images 
That said, drone shows are not accident-proof. Last year, a 7-year-old boy suffered severe injuries after a drone crashed and fell onto his head during a holiday light show in Florida. The incident prompted New York Road Runners to cancel a drone show it had planned for its annual New Year’s Eve run in Central Park.
Read on for more details about drone shows and what ignited their popularity.
How do drone shows work?
Drone shows use the remotely controlled mini-aircrafts to create patterns and animated scenes in the night sky. In the case of Sky Elements Drones — a big player in the industry for movie events (Marvel, Star Wars), sports events (Seattle SeaHawks half-time show) and more — the displays can involve thousands of drones and span up to 400-feet high and 400-feet wide.
To produce the shows, Rick Boss, CEO of Sky Elements, said that his design team works with clients to create storyboards, and then programs the drones to get them ready for flight.
“A 300-drone show might take as much as 80 hours of programming just to make sure every drone knows exactly where it’s supposed to be, what color it’s supposed to be, throughout its flight path,” Boss said.
During the drone show performance, Sky Elements has a pilot and co-pilot monitoring a computer to make sure everything is running smoothly. Drones are programmed to stay within a “geofence,” Boss said, which sets limits on where the devices can fly and turns off their motors if they fly outside the boundaries.
Some cities, like Nashville,Tennessee, have opted to combine drones with traditional firework displays as a way of increasing the wow factor. This year, the capital city is incorporating 400 drones into its Independence Day show.
Sky Elements said it also has permits to load its drone shows with traditional pyrotechinics, giving them the ability to shoot off fireworks directly.
Growing business
Drone shows have exploded in popularity in recent years as Americans search for safer and more environmentally friendly ways to mark major events. Among the biggest adopters are Major League Baseball and the Grammy Awards.
Industry revenue is around $338 million, according to a recent report from the Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public policy think tank.
Getty Images 
Drone shows started to appear pre-pandemic and really picked up around four years ago, according to Boss. “The demand has just gone through the roof,” he said.
In fact, the only thing stopping Sky Elements from hosting more shows is a lack of supply, he added. The company has a fleet of 7,000, which may sound like a lot, but is still not nearly enough to keep up with demand. The company’s Fourth of July shows are already sold for next year, he said.
“Bringing back the boom!”
Not all places are not ready to break up with traditional firework displays quite yet.
Tahoe City and Kings Beach, which both border Lake Tahoe in California, introduced drone displays two years ago, but are now reversing course this year amid pushback from residents. Kristen Guinn, marketing director of a nonprofit group called North Tahoe Community Alliance, said the two towns made the call after a community survey found that 80% of respondents wanted regular fireworks back.
“After two years of doing a drone show for Fourth of July festivities, the community has spoken loud and clear — and the Tahoe City Downtown Association is bringing back the boom!” reads a statement on the group’s website.
Galveston, Texas, also returned to traditional fireworks in 2023 after switching to drones in 2022, according to the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
