These performances are controlled by a central computerized system which coordinates the drones. The team managing the operation turns the drones on and off and makes sure all the safety precautions are observed.
Drone light shows are becoming more and more popular here in Italy and in Liguria and, during the summer months, many drone shows have been organized around Genoa to cater to all the summer nights events organized for the saint patrons and city celebrations.
There are several ways for organizing such a show: some shows tell a story and are combined with a story teller speaking to the spectators through speakers, other shows follow a theme such as animals or flowers, others are accompanied by music which can be live or recorded.
Such shows vary from relatively simple events with just a few drones, especially for private events like weddings or birthdays, to corporate events and brand and image promotions, all the way to particularly complex and demanding productions for major public events like city celebrations.
The choreography is customized to match the event’s theme, with color-changing lights and drones flying in different configurations.
The number of drones to use for the show depends on the type of event and it can range from relatively few drones (minimum twenty to fifty) to truly complex shows with an impressive number of drones.
I have been to a high-tech drone show in the hinterland of Genoa. It was my first show of this kind and I was really impressed.
It was the opening night of a community fundraising event and it featured a spectacular show of lights, images and music created entirely by using light drones.
The event was part of an environmentally-friendly and organic food fair which continued on for four full days.
Behind the spectacular choreography that kept everyone in awe there was an innovative company made up of a team of young people, mostly engineers, united by a deep passion for drones and technology applied to art.
Such drone shows are usually very expensive but, given that the food fair was collecting money for a good cause (an association which helps autistic children), the team of engineers chose to work for free.
The local association helps families deal with autistic children by organizing activities for them and supporting the parents and they had established a strong partnership with this engineering company to bring cutting-edge entertainment to the festival. The decision to open the event with a drone performance fit perfectly with the festival's environmentally friendly philosophy as well because the use of drones reduces the environmental and acoustic impact compared to traditional fireworks displays while still ensuring an extraordinary visual and emotional impact.
More and more animal associations in Italy and Europe are indeed now collecting signatures and promoting campaigns to eliminate the use of traditional fireworks which are considered harmful to animals and the environment.
The fleet of drones created a veritable floating choreography above the village, combining visual art and musical synchronization. Immediately following the conclusion of the technological show, the opening night continued to the rhythm of music with an energetic live band which played rock and roll, pop and reggae classics.
The event started in the afternoon with theatrical shows for the kids, activities and workshops so people could choose to stay for dinner and for the drone show or just grab a quick afternoon snack from the stands and contribute nonetheless for the good cause.
