Drones are more than a tool of war and surveillance - they create magical art shows in the sky

Staci-lee Sherwood
1 day ago
4 min read

By Staci-lee Sherwood

If you’ve been following the news the past four years you’ve heard how drones have changed the battlefield, and they have. Drones have also been in the news when it comes to surveillance by government agencies, but they can also be a good source for private security. These compact machines can record video and audio and respond in real time, but they can also create magic. Drone shows are new to the art world and its status as art is well deserved.

The first use of drones as art occurred in 2012 in Cannes, France. It took a few years and lots of technological advancement to get to where they are today. Unlike many trends that came and went in the art and fashion world, drone art shows are here to stay. The world has a fascination with drones. New tech companies are springing up creating larger and smaller drones for all sorts of uses. The art world called and drones and artists answered as their collaborations went from small shows to impressive works of spellbinding art in a few short years.

Humans have been fascinated and curious by the lights in the sky since the dawn of time. Sunrises, sunsets, full moons and shooting stars still call photographers to capture their beauty. Thousands travel north every year to watch the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, where colors dance in sky as solar wind interacts with the magnetosphere. We have always gravitated toward light in the sky and drones lighting up the sky is another reason to look up and enjoy.

Drones vs Fireworks

I went to see a show in person and loved it. As an environmentalist and wildlife photographer I appreciate anything that doesn’t add pollution or noise to our world. I admire the many uses a drone has but using them as an art form was something new. The crowd agreed as you could hear the wonder in their voices.

Every 4^th of July it’s the same dreary show of noisy fireworks and canons. The loud booms terrify both wildlife and domestic pets. Many veterans suffering from PTSD hate the fireworks. The noise often triggers trauma, ironic since the canons and fireworks are designed to mimic war as a ‘thank you’ to those who fought in one. The air is filled with noxious smoke. Anyone with asthma or a compromised immune system can have their health negatively affected by inhaling the toxic chemicals that linger in the air long after the show ends.

Drones offer a better alternative. Imagine an amazing light show that doesn’t damage the planet? Think how much cleaner the parks and beaches would be without the cleanup afterwards. Each year can be different images and music. The creativeness and originality is only limited by what we can dream up. With drones there’s no threat of fire. I’ve attended two 4^th of July firework shows that ended up causing fires during the show when fireworks landed in nearby trees.

The idea of quiet clean drones replacing noisy fireworks that leave a trail of toxic chemicals and paper behind is an idea whose time has come.

A thousand drones quietly gather in the sky before turning into a colorful image

Food for thought

Some politicians might claim the expense of hiring professional companies to do a show outweighs the cost of fireworks, but does it really? We humans are slow to change and nothing acts slower than government. If you just look at the cash for entertainment ratio then yes drone shows cost more. However, if you include the cost of cleanup afterwards, the cost of adding more toxic chemicals to the water we swim in and the air we breathe that eventually will make us sick, the cost to wildlife that dies from the shock of loud noises (birds), the cost to our pets well being that stress over the noise and the cost to veterans with PTSD triggered by the booms and flashing lights …..then I say the real long term cost of fireworks outweighs the short term payment for drones.

As you scroll these images I took from the show I attended imagine what amazing designs and themes one can dream up. Think how wonderful it is to experience something original that doesn’t pollute or harass wildlife, pets, neighbors or veterans of war. It’s time we replace noisy polluting fireworks with cleaner quiet drones. Think about it.

A more simple design was this moving ball of neon pink