A standout moment in the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025) was an extraordinary drone light show that lit up the skies over Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on April 28. Featuring an impressive fleet of 10,500 drones, the performance […]
Summer 2025 drone shows are shaping up to make for one of the biggest seasons yet for nighttime entertainment. And with summer travel planning season happening now, it’s time to book those flights, make those hotel reservations and perhaps buy those theme park or baseball tickets to actually see them.
Many of the best summer 2025 drone shows are happening at theme parks. But that’s not all. There’s no shortage of hometown Fourth of July celebrations across the U.S. that now feature drone light shows in lieu of (or enhancing) traditional fireworks displays.
And while drone light shows cost thousands of dollars for the organizers to put on, many are free for you to watch.
Here’s your guide to the must-see summer 2025 drone shows — and why you should start planning now to catch these sky-high celebrations.
Already a pioneer in theme park drone shows, Disneyland Paris is back with the “Disney Tales of Magic” show, which launched January 10, 2025. Past hits like a Marvel drone show, “Disney D-Light” and “Disney Electrical Sky Parade” set the stage, but this new show is bigger than ever. It combines drones, pyrotechnics, fountain displays and a brand-new soundtrack.
Produced by the drone show powerhouse Dronisos, it’s a can’t-miss for Disney fans and tech lovers alike.
Baseball meets high-tech entertainment with the Schaumburg Boomers’ 2025 Fireworks & Drone Show schedule. The Schaumburg Boomers are a professional baseball team based that compete in the Frontier League as a member of the Midwest Division.
Special dates include:
Sunday, May 25 (Memorial Day Weekend)
Saturday, July 5
Friday, July 25
Friday, August 8
Catch a game, then sit back for a postgame spectacle of fireworks and drone choreography.
Grant’s Farm Summer Nights (St. Louis, Missouri)
Grant’s Farm is lighting up the St. Louis summer with Grant’s Farm in the Sky: A Drone Show Spectacular.
Every Friday, Saturday, and select Sundays from Memorial Day through Labor Day, enjoy an evening of tram rides, food, drinks, live bands (starting at 6 p.m.), and a drone show (starting at 9 p.m.).
Tickets for the evening events start at just $12+tax per person, though parking is an additional charge.
Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri)
Silver Dollar City is getting its first-ever drone show this summer! As part of its Summer Celebration, running June 7 through August 3, 2025, visitors can expect a nighttime display of drones, plus new attractions like a Wild West Comedy Stunt Show and the Silver Dollar Circus. Fireworks will still cap off the evening for those who love the traditional sparkle.
Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)
Dollywood’s nighttime drone show is becoming a cherished tradition. As the park celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025, expect an even bigger summer spectacle featuring hundreds of drones, fireworks, and high-energy dance parties hosted in the Wildwood Grove area.
Holiday World proves you don’t need a Disney-sized budget to put on a drone show. Their 500-drone spectacular celebrates holidays like Christmas, Halloween, and Independence Day with dynamic formations and a fireworks finale.
Tickets can cost less than $50 — and include free parking, soft drinks, and sunscreen, making it one of the best theme park deals in America.
The drone show kicks off June 21 and runs nightly through August 3, 2025.
Pro tip: The best viewing is from Party Plaza in the Thanksgiving Section.
City of Goleta 4th of July Drone Show (Goleta, California)
The festivities start at 6 p.m. with food trucks, a DJ, a dance floor and family-friendly activities. The drone show kicks off at approximately 8:30 p.m. and will be visible up to 10 miles away — though the best seats are inside the stadium itself.
Admission is free, making it a fantastic, budget-friendly way to celebrate the holiday.
No pets, fireworks or alcohol are allowed — but you’ll get an unforgettable drone experience at no cost to attend. It’s an excellent, low-stress way to celebrate America’s birthday.
Know of any great summer 2025 drone shows I should add to this list? Contact me here!
Drone light shows have exploded in popularity — from major state fairs to marriage proposals — but have you ever wondered who’s behind the scenes making those flying pixels dance? Meet Anna Klemmer, a freelance drone show designer who works as a chief pilot at Skyworx.
In an interview with The Drone Girl (watch the full conversation embedded below!), Klemmer shared her journey into the world of drone shows — a path that started not with aviation, but with art.
“I studied design and animation in school,” Klemmer said. “Drone shows were a natural fit because they’re this intersection of technology and the arts.”
Klemmer has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Colorado State University. Initially hired as a designer, creating animations for drone formations, Klemmer quickly became fascinated with the piloting side of the operation. She transitioned into becoming a chief pilot, overseeing everything from pre-show setup to the real-time coordination of hundreds of drones — sometimes all controlled by a single computer.
Running a drone show: behind the scenes
The Skyworx drone show at Palm Springs Drone Fest 2025. (Photo by Sally French)
At a typical show, Klemmer is responsible for managing the team, ensuring safety protocols are in place, and operating the computer system that controls the drones. Safety is paramount, especially with large shows involving 500 drones, like the one Klemmer piloted during this interview.
That was for the opening night of Palm Springs Drone Fest 2025, a fan event that brought together all sorts of facets of drones including drone soccer and orb racing into an epic air show that culminated in a traditional light show.
“We really take into account our safety areas,” she said. “We have people all over making sure the whole safety zone is secure, and the audience is a safe distance away.”
With around 60 drone shows under her belt, Klemmer said one of her favorite experiences was putting on a light show at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo.
“There were monster trucks, a destruction derby — just a really cool, high-energy event to tie a drone show into,” she said.
What it takes to land a job as a drone show pilot
The Skyworx drone show at Palm Springs Drone Fest 2025. (Photo by Sally French)
Thinking about becoming a drone show pilot yourself? Klemmer says adaptability and confidence are key.
“You need to be a quick learner and really willing to adapt to any situation,” she said.
Interestingly, Klemmer doesn’t fly drones recreationally — no FPV racing, no drone photography on the side. Her entire drone career is focused on choreographed light shows, which just makes her artistic approach even more unique.
But career opportunities are definitely there — especially as drone shows become more accessible and mainstream. Klemmer says she sees them expanding far beyond just concerts and major events.
“We’re starting to see them a lot at bigger corporate events, weddings, even engagements,” she said. “When there’s people gathering, there’s going to be drone light shows.”
His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has witnessed the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Colorado-based Nova Sky Stories, and Abu Dhabi-headquartered Analog, an Emirati […]
Theme park drone shows are the hot new trend, as drones are become the nighttime entertainment of choice at Disney theme parks, Branson’s Silver Dollar City, Dollywood and more. Even smaller theme parks like Indiana’s Holiday World are jumping on the drone light show train.
Branson’s beloved theme park is getting its first ever drone show this summer.
It’s all part of Silver Dollar City’s Summer Celebration, which will run from June 7 through Aug. 3, 2025. Besides drones, other new entertainment will include a Wild West Comedy Stunt Show and Silver Dollar Circus. And don’t worry, there will still be the usual fireworks.
Disneyland Paris (Marne-la-Vallée, France)
Head just outside of Paris to Marne-la-Vallée, France for the Disney Tales of Magic show at Disneyland Paris.
Disneyland Paris has held multiple drone light shows in the past, including a Marvel drone show. Another, called Disney D-Light, flew over the theme park’s iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle. And in 2024, the same theme park gave us Disney Electrical Sky Parade. That show paid homage to the classic Main Street Electrical Parade, featuring iconic characters and scenes formed by hundreds of drones.
This new one is the latest and greatest, having kicked off on Jan. 10, 2025. And besides drones, it incorporates pyrotechnics and fountain displays, all set to a new soundtrack.
Dollywood turns 40 this year, so you can bet its summer nights drone show — which is becoming an annual tradition — will be back bigger and brighter than ever this year.
The first Dollywood drone light show debuted in 2021, and it’s been going strong ever since. Each year gets bigger and better, too. In 2024, its nighttime drone featured hundreds of drones that accompany fireworks. And just ahead of the show, there was a dance party, too where a hyped DJ and energetic dancers built up anticipation in the park’s Wildwood Grove section.
If you find yourself in Pigeon Forge, don’t miss other attractions including the Anakeesta theme park and the Titanic Museum. All of those have discount tickets available through Undercover Tourist, which is The Drone Girl’s recommended travel provider.
Theme park drone shows aren’t just limited to the major players. Indiana’s Holiday World has a drone show of its own, featuring 500 drones. Other than the free Disney World drone show, this ranks among the most affordable theme park drone shows you’ll ever see.
The show is a fun one, using drones to celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and the Fourth of July. Drones fly into formations such as a rotating Christmas tree and a waving American flag. A fireworks finale closes out the show.
Tickets into the park cost less than $50 on some days. With a Holiday World ticket, you also get incredibly generous bonuses you won’t get at the other theme parks. That includes free parking, free soft drinks and free sunscreen. For context around just how valuable that is, parking alone at Universal Orlando costs $32.
The Holiday World Drone Show kicks off on Saturday, June 21. Weather-permitting, shows run nightly through Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025.
Pro-tip: the best viewing spot is at the Party Plaza in the Thanksgiving Section. That’s because a DJ-led dance party kicks off the festivities.
Why are theme park drone shows so popular?
There are a few reasons why theme parks continue to display enthusiasm for drone shows.
Stunning visuals: Drone shows offer a whole new level of creativity and flexibility for nighttime entertainment. Drones can create intricate formations, dynamic animations, and vibrant colors that traditional fireworks displays simply can’t match.
Environmentally friendly: Unlike fireworks, drones don’t produce smoke or air pollution. This is a major advantage for theme parks looking to reduce their environmental impact.
Quieter experience: Fireworks can be loud and startling for some guests, especially young children. Drone shows, on the other hand, are much quieter, making them a more inclusive form of entertainment.
Scalability and flexibility: Drone shows can easily scale up or down to fit a theme park’s size and budget. They can also adapt to different themes and stories, giving park creators more creative freedom.
Long-term affordability: Unlike fireworks, which necessitate the purchase of a fresh batch of gunpowder for each show, drone shows are largely a fixed, upfront cost. Typically, light show drones cost about $1,000 each. That’s per drone, but since they’re reusable, drone light shows can cost about $15,000 for smaller shows (which means about 100 drones). The cost per theme parks can be even lower given the repeatability. Rather than one-off drone show events for festivals or sporting events, these shows can keep costs down since there’s less setup, and no travel costs involved.
In this episode of Weekly Wings, a DroneLife.com podcast, Paul Rossi and Terry Neff break down some of the most critical updates in the drone industry, including DJI’s decision to remove GeoZone restrictions and the broader implications of the ongoing U.S. push to eliminate Chinese drone influence. They discuss how this move aligns with the […]
New Organization Aims to Enhance Drone Show Safety Following Orlando Incident Stakeholders have formed the International Drone Show Industry Association (IDSIA) to promote safety and quality standards for drone shows worldwide. This development comes in the wake of a recent accident at a drone show in Orlando, Florida, which injured a young spectator. Investigation into this […]
In the first episode of Weekly Wings Season 2, hosts Paul Rossi and Terry Neff explore key developments in the drone industry as the new year begins. Watch on the DRONELIFE TV Youtube Channel here. They kick off with discussions on U.S. Army training operations in Romania using Skydio and Anduril drones for reconnaissance and […]
It’s been a good and bad weekend for North Texas-based drone light show company Sky Elements. Yesterday we gave an update on a drone show put on by the company in Lake Eola, Florida, where footage shows multiple drones colliding out of control and falling into the lake and on land.
One boy ended up in the hospital after being struck by one of those out-of-control drones. According to CNN affiliate WESH, the injuries were so severe that the boy underwent open-heart surgery.
Read more about that story here.
But in other news — this time over in Texas — Sky Elements achieved a groundbreaking milestone on Dec. 20, 2024. They’ve broken all sorts of records, but this record is unique. Sky Elements shattered the Guinness World Record for the “Longest Animation Performed by UAVs or Drones.”
In collaboration with the City of North Richland Hills, the American drone show company Sky Elements flew 2,500 drones that told a darling Christmas story across the sky in a dazzling 30-minute display. And being such a long show, this one had a full story behind it involving penguins and a snowman.
This historic event marked Sky Elements’ 12th Guinness World Record. Michael Empric, a Guinness World Records adjudicator, was present to officially verify the accomplishment.
The event took place at the Birdville ISD Fine Arts/Athletics Complex. There, attendees watched the show from their cars, tuning in to 88.9 FM to experience the synchronized audio that complemented the visuals, evoking a modern-day drive-in movie experience.
Watch a condensed version of the 30-minute show here:
The previous record
The achievement surpassed the previous record of 26 minutes and 26 seconds, held by a Chinese drone company in Shenzhen, Guangdong.
That show happened a few years back and was put on by Shenzhen HighGreat Innovation Technology Development Co., a company that also makes light show drones. During that show, HighGreat actually broke what at the time was four new Guinness World Records, including the largest number of drones flying simultaneously (5,164), the largest light image (composed by 5,184 drones), the longest animation show performed by drones (26 minutes and 26 seconds), and the largest number of varied consecutive formations by a single fleet (88).
Why the new Sky Elements record matters: a shift in drone innovation
(Photo courtesy of Sky Elements)
In recent months, conversations around drone records often centered on sheer size — how many drones could take flight in synchronized displays. While impressive, the frequent breaking of such records has begun to feel reminiscent of the early days of drone delivery, when novelty milestones like delivering pizzas, sandwiches or coffee dominated headlines.
The past weekend’s record-breaking drone show shift the focus to technological advancements, particularly in flight duration and animation complexity. Sky Elements’ latest record isn’t just a bigger number; it’s a leap forward in drone technology. Extending drone show times to 30 minutes requires advanced hardware, software and meticulous planning. In fact, this show rotated three fleets in and out, which enabled them to run a show that long.
This record underscores significant progress in both battery efficiency and drone reliability as well as drone show planning. All of those qualities are crucial factors for the future of drone applications beyond entertainment, such as search and rescue, agriculture, and logistics.
The technology behind the show
Sky Elements relies on UVify drones, which are made by American drone company UVify and manufactured in South Korea. The company’s are largely considered the best light show drones you can buy, known for their precision and performance. Uvify’s drones are engineered to excel in demanding environments, offering extended battery life, high-speed capabilities and robust durability. The drones cost about $1,500 each.
UVify also rolled out a new rental network that makes putting on ultra-massive systems possible, by way of what’s called the FAB (Fleet Augmentation by UVify) rental system. With it, UVify implements a revenue-share system where customers who use extra drones share show revenue with UVify in exchange for borrowing their drones.
Want to buy your own set of UVify IFO drones? Mention UVify promo code DGIFO to your UVify sales representative to receive a 5% discount plus an additional free battery and set of high-performance props per IFO.
The company will likely face some setbacks after that Orlando drone show that went wrong
Still the company has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of drone entertainment, previously setting records for the largest drone show in the U.S. and creating displays for high-profile events like the MLB World Series, NFL games and movie premieres.
In the final episode of 2024, Paul Rossi and Terry Neff dive into a packed lineup of drone industry insights and future projections. Starting with a wave of mysterious drone sightings along the East Coast, we analyze public perceptions and regulatory challenges. The hosts also explore the emerging role of laser communication in drone systems, […]
A standout moment in the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025) was an extraordinary drone light show that lit up the skies over Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on April 28. Featuring an impressive fleet of 10,500 drones, the performance […]
