How do you plan a drone light show?

By drone light show company | October 5, 2019

Drone light shows are created by creating a storyboard

STEP ONE

When we work with clients on a drone light show, we create storyboards to showcase the flow of the drone light show. Our team usually starts with a music soundtrack and then through creative meetings our artists create detailed storyboard frames showing the flow of the drone light show.

In our experience, some of the best ideas that come out of us were usually around before the show started. It’s not that they were bad ideas; they just hadn’t gotten enough love yet. The storyboard gives you a chance to put all solutions on a level playing field. If you don’t bring out your pre-existing ideas, you do yourself a disservice.

Because new ideas are so shiny and fresh, the facilitator needs to remind everyone to think old first. There’s no need to be embarrassed of that solution you thought of five months ago while eating a burrito or taking a shower. Drone light shows are organic like ideas.

Drone Light Show storyboard animation example.

Complete drone show check list

Planning for a drone light show involves bringing together a number of different disciplines ranging from the decision-making process, design and stand considerations, to personnel and marketing strategies. With so many moving parts to consider, careful and methodical preparation is required in order to ensure a smooth and successful event.

While the exact details of each show will differ, this checklist provides a solid framework for identifying and completing the most common actions before, during and after the drone light show.

Basics

1. Select appropriate number of drones for the show

2. Set budget

3. Decide type of formations:

stock drone shapes
Custom drone shapes?

4. Agree launch location

5. Learn about the most common drone light show mistakes before you book

Setting objectives for a drone light show

6. Define your audience

7. What does success look like to you?

Is client happy?
public happy?

Show offering

8. Decide which music for your drone light show

9. What’s your ‘big enticement’? Will you:

Launch a product / service?
Replace fireworks
create a wow moment

10. Review music track opportunities

11. Research launch and landing locations for drones

Design and requirements

12. Write a good stand brief for your drone light show

13. Decide drone color requirements

14. Do you want a live stream of the drone light show

15. Will your show meet safety regulations?

16. Do you have insurance COI names turned in?

17. Do we need security or night cover for the drone light show

18. Does the location need to be inspected by the city

Team

19. Decide on your drone light show team

Are they knowledgeable?
Have they experienced drone light shows?

20. Create name badges

21. Is branded clothing required?

22. Book hotel rooms and transport

23. Create name badges for secuirty

24. Set expenses budget

25. Brief team ( goals, lead targets, dress code, stand rules, etc)

Pre drone light show marketing

26. Learn how to attract more visitors to your drone light show

27. Promote drone light show on website

28. Promote drone light show on social media

29. Notify clients and prospects of drone light show

30. Create press release and distribute to target media

Day of show

31. Decide on promotional gifts

32. Design and print sufficient collateral

33. Design and print sufficient business cards

34. Design and print pop-ups / roller banners etc

Paperwork and timelines

35. Sign and return order forms and declarations

36. Note shipping

37. Note set-up and dismantle times

38. Note artwork deadlines

39. Note show drone light show deadlines

At the event

40. Take list of important contact numbers

41. Take contract

42. Take stand layout plan

43. Take snacks for the drone light show rehersal

44. Take a First Aid kit

Post drone light show activity

45. Have all scheduled leads been followed up?

46. Have all non-scheduled leads been followed up within 3 days of the event?

47. Evaluate results against objectives

48. Evaluate results against investment.

49. Communicate outcomes to stand team and thank you’s.

Before we code

Before our coding team gets involved it’s all about planning on a sheet paper and then creating artwork of each individual formation for client approval. Once the client approves the order and the look and feel of each custom formation, we move on to the next step

Our drone light shows can
create many shapes like faces in the sky

STEP TWO

We then create a sample video that combines the music and storyboard frames into a sample of your specific custom drone light show. In working this way, you and your team or your own clients can have as much creative control prior to the actual programming of the drone light show itself.

Making Faces with drones has proved very popular with our clients

STEP THREE

Once the music, and art work is done, our programmers go into a computer to create the model for your show prior to the programming of the drones themselves. In every step of the way you as a client are able to see and make changes prior to programming the drones themselves.

STEP FOUR

Drone Show we did after creating the below storyboards

The finished drone show

The above video is a sample of how a very rough drone light display storyboard might look for a custom show. Nearly every show we do is different and each show we do is a custom creation for our clients. However, all shows start with an idea or need from our clients and then we simply write down the order of the drone show and move to the storyboard phase next.