Drones Replace Fireworks at Some US Cities for Fourth of July

The future has arrived for Fourth of July celebrations in some cities in the US.

Cities in various states have turned to using drones for their Fourth of July displays instead of fireworks to create shapes and animated scenes in the sky.

Drones are silent, customizable, and won't lead to injuries and other safety and environmental issues.

Drones For Fourth of July Celebrations

Some cities, especially fire-prone ones, have sworn off the idea of using fireworks and have switched to drones for their displays instead. According to the New York Post and Business Insider, cities like California, Colorado, Salt Lake City, Boulder, and Lake Tahoe used drone shows instead of fireworks displays for their Fourth of July celebration.

For those unaware, drone displays/shows are aerial displays that use a fleet of drones fitted with LED lights bright enough to appear in the night sky, to create patterns, shapes, and animated scenes in the sky, per CBS News. These are seen as a great alternative for fireworks displays as it's environmentally friendly, quiet, and have a low possibility of inuring someone, be it their handler or anyone from the audience.

When asked about the city's decision to switch to drone shows instead of a fireworks display, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement it was part of an effort to minimize "high fire danger" and "air quality concerns" fireworks cause. She also mentioned that people must be conscientious of air quality and the potential for wildfires as temperatures rise during summer when the risk of fire increases.

It also doesn't help that Salt Lake City is one of the most fire-prone cities in the US, with 800 to 1,000 wildfires occurring annually around the city, per Utah's Department of Public Safety.

Boulder officials agreed with Mendenhall when they announced the switch from fireworks displays to drone shows on Facebook. Their announcement mentioned that the shift was not an easy decision due to tradition, but it was done based on certain factors, including increased fire danger brought on by climate change.

"While the show is going to be a bit different, it promises to be a fantastic show that aligns with our Sustainability, Equity and Resilience Framework," officials said.

The idea of switching to drones isn't a popular one in other US cities - the city of Parker, Colorado, had to return to using fireworks displays due to a survey that found the majority of its respondents would prefer fireworks for the city's Fourth of July celebration. The city of Galveston, Texas, also went back to using fireworks due to technical difficulties with drones and the distance needed for them to appear.

Why Are Cities Turning To Drones for Their Displays?

A fleet of drones presents its own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to entertaining crowds at special events. They're mostly silent apart from their whirling when hovering, but that can be negligible when used at a distance.

Thanks to this, pets with sensitive hearing, like cats and dogs, won't be stressed during celebrations that normally used fireworks. Drones are also environmentally friendly (there is no emission created when using them), reusable, and don't create any debris from their use.

Furthermore, drones can only be handled by technical experts who know how to program them to create the displays. This exclusivity prevents any injuries commonly found in firework/firecracker use.