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Drone shows: Will they overtake firework displays?

Light shows involving hundreds and even thousands of drones are becoming big attractions.

To make them easier to transport, the drones are stored in flight cases and unpacked at venues in a giant marquee before they are laid out in the take-off area, half a metre apart, in a grid pattern. "Once the drones have received their 'go' command [they] fly the entire show," adds Mr O'Mahony, explaining that a single human pilot on the ground controls thousands of the devices at once. Mr Rosário adds that drone shows, which might be paired with pyrotechnics, traditional fireworks or even lasers, allow for a huge degree of creative freedom: "You can really build something that has emotional value, it can tell a story."

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