FAQ (en)

What is a drone light show? A drone light show is an aerial spectacle in which groups of drones equipped with LED lights move synchronously to create figures and light animations in the sky, often replacing or accompanying fireworks, pyrotechnics, light shows, or music.
How much does a drone light show cost? The cost of a light show depends on several things :
- The quantity of light drones;
- The show duration;
- The complexity of the choreography;
- The shipping & logistics;
- Authorizations and regulations;
- Options and additional services (video capture, pyrotechnics effects, music synchronization);
- The team on site.

In Europe, we charge between €100 and €150 per drone. For a show of 100 drones, that's between €10,000 and €15,000, for a 15-minute performance.

For more information, you can read this article: https://drotek.com/what-is-the-cost-of-a-professional-drone-light-show/

How does a drone light show work? A drone light show is the combination of modeling software, drones equipped with multicolored LEDs and centralized control. The fleet of drones is programmed to perform the choreography synchronously, following GPS-defined flight plans. The day of the show, all the drones are launched and controlled via a central station. Each unit relies on its sensors (GPS, gyroscopes, accelerometers) to maintain its position and remain perfectly synchronized with the rest of the fleet. The central controller adjusts trajectories in real time if necessary, and manages safety in the event of an anomaly: automatic return or emergency landing in the event of loss of connection or low battery.
How to get started in drones show?
- Learn more about light drones and their applications.
- Understand drone regulations and obtain the necessary authorizations. Each country has its own regulations, so take the time to find out what they are for the location of the show.
- Study drone choreography and use specialized 3D software. At Drotek, we use Blender software to create drone shows.
- Build a fleet of drones for shows.
- Complete the mandatory training offered by Drotek.
- Practice designing captivating choreography.
- Obtain insurance coverage for liability and equipment.
- Create your own show.
What does a drone light show include? A drone light show includes a fleet of light-up drones, as well as associated equipment (battery charging station, kill switch), drone transport equipment (takeoff platform), on-site labor, onboard computers, drone management software, and ground control stations.
How many drones do you need for a light show? It all depends on your project and how big you want your experience to be. Do you want a small fleet to display your corporate logo, or would you prefer to tell a deeper story with a larger fleet? 100, 500 or 1000 drones, your vision and budget are your only limits.
What drone to use for light show? For a drone light show, you must have our IO STAR 3 drones, crafted specifically for this type of show. These are the leading drones in the industry, created to illuminate the night sky.
How long does a drone light show last? The batteries in our IO STAR 3 have a flight time of 30 minutes for an effective show.
What are the regulations for a drone light show? The regulations governing light shows vary from country to country. For more information, see our dedicated article: Safety & Regulations for light shows. Check the specific rules in your location to ensure compliance.
What type of project for a drone light show?

Several types of projects and events can call for a light show :
- Sports events: to promote or a national/international opening event, a pre-game ceremony or a competition opening ceremony.
- Marketing: to effectively promote your brand, the launch of one of your existing products or a new one, advertising, communication campaign....
- Theme parks: to display dynamic animations in your theme park and offer your audience a spectacular moment.
- Weddings: for a unique and unforgettable moment in public or in private.
- Family celebrations: To celebrate a birthday, graduation, or any other special occasion.
- Music festivals: to synchronize your musical event with a light show.
- and more...
Light shows can be tailored to various celebrations and events to create a spectacular display that inspires and entertains.
How long to plan a drone light show?

Planning these new types of shows can take from a few weeks to several months, for several reasons:
- the period needed to obtain the necessary authorizations;
- the time it takes to receive our equipment;
- training on our equipment.
It is essential to plan ahead to deliver a successful performance.
How do I book a drone show? At Drotek, we don't do drone light shows, we manufacture the drones and offer a variety of solutions. We do, however, provide a show creation training program.
What is the lead time for creating a drone show?

This depends on different factors:
- The size of the show
- The number of animations and their complexity
- Your experience in creating shows

Will drones replace fireworks? Drone light shows aren't going to replace fireworks. However, more and more organizations are turning to drone shows as a more eco-friendly approach. Drone light show and fireworks can also be used in a single show for a more captivating experience in the sky.
What is the drone show process? Initially, you get in touch with us to guide you in making choices such as the number of drones to use, or to assist you in setting up and monitoring your swarm drone operation. Then, you book the equipment require for the show, and begin your training to familiarize yourself with the use of this equipment, as well as flight procedures. At the same time, you'll need to take the necessary steps to obtain flight authorizations. And finally, it is time for the show to begin!

Are drone shows noisy? Drone light show aren't very noisy, producing a sound similar to a swarm of bees. The larger your fleet, the louder the sound, but it's generally half as loud as a traditional firework display.
How to rent a fleet of drones? To rent a fleet of illuminated drones, please contact our sales team by filling in the contact form.

What are the Drotek services? At Drotek, we support our customers at every stage of their project. That's why we offer a range of services including technical support, show creation training, after-sales service, rental service and regulatory support.
How are drone shows controlled? Our drones are controlled by our management software, which allows us to manage thousands of drones within a defined area.

How fast can a drone fly? Our IO STAR 3 drones reach speeds of 5 m/s.
How long does a drone battery last? In static flight, the battery has a runtime of 40 minutes.
Can you fly a drone in the rain? The drone withstands light to medium rainfall.
How to fly a drone for the first time? We provide a training program for all our customers, whether they are familiar with illuminated drone shows or not, to teach the fundamentals of how our equipment works, train flying and give the opportunity to gain experience.
How drone light shows are used in sports? In the world of entertainment and sports, illuminated drone shows are used to promote or open a national or international event in the sky, as part of a pre-game or competition opening ceremony, for example.
Why is drone show so expensive? You don't only need the drones to put on a show, you also need all the material equipment needed to deploy the drones, as well as the manpower. That is why putting on a drone show is more expensive than you might think.
What is a Ground Control Station? The Ground Control Station (or GCS) is an embedded computer designed for flight control and monitoring, as well as for visual reception and real-time image recording during drone flight.
What is the Drotek drone rental service? This service, reserved exclusively for customers, enables shows to be put on more quickly and efficiently.
How to get a drone license? Organizing a drone show in Europe requires several authorizations and safety measures to ensure the safety of the public and operators. Authorizations from the DGAC and local authorities, civil liability insurance, a SORA risk assessment and flight plans for each drone are required.
What training do I need to do a drone light show? Drotek offers a training program on how to use our equipment and create a show. This program takes place over 2 days on our premises in France.
Is it possible to use pyro on drones? Yes, and the drone can carry up to 120 g of payload.
How wind-resistant is the drone? The drone can withstand constant winds of up to 35km/h and gusts of up to 50km/h. Please note that the more wind the drone is subjected to, the more battery power it consumes.
What authorization do I need to fly? To be able to fly in Europe, you need a flight authorization, which we obtain by following the SORA (Specific Risk Operation Assessment) process. A risk analysis that will enable the civil aviation authorities of the country in which you wish to fly to authorize you to fly.
What software do you use? For design, we use Blender (in which we are developing an add-on to adapt it to the drone show domain) and for operations, we have developed in-house solution.
How long does it take to set up a show with 200 drones? With the all-in-one platform, all you need is 2 people and the installation will takes 1 hour.
How can I learn how to use Blender? We offer a training program to help you learn the basics of Blender.
Do you perform shows? We only manufacture drones, and we don't do shows.
Do you only sell drones? We provide a turnkey solution including : The drones, all the equipment needed to fly them, and the associated training.
Is it possible for you to do the creative part of my show? We have designers who can create your shows if required. However, we strongly recommend that you have your own designer.
What is the average number of drones purchased by your customers to start with? Our customers generally start at around 100 drones.
Do I need insurance? If you need to insure your fleet, we can recommend specialists in swarm drone insurance.