Take a look behind the scenes of the Oshkosh Drone Show and also see the highlights of the 2024 EAA Oshkosh Airshow.
The growing aerial art form of lighted drones came to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2024, as Starlight Aerial Productions brought its spectacular displays to night air shows on July 24 and 27. The 71st edition of the EAA’s fly-in convention took place at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh on July 22-28.
Over 800 state-of-the-art drones took to the sky for the performances during AirVenture’s popular night air shows, offering dazzling light displays and captivating illustrations in front of the audiences.
“Drone shows have emerged as a marvelous way to add technology, color, and entertainment to nighttime events and for us, it’s a perfect complement to the skill and excitement brought to the legendary Oshkosh night air shows by our aerobatic pilots and aircraft,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “This addition made the night show even more memorable in 2024.”
– Starlight Aerial Productions, based in Michigan, most recently filled the night sky over Detroit with a 400-drone show that celebrated the NFL Detroit Lions’ appearance in the NFC Championship Game. The Oshkosh performance included American-made Lumenier ARORA drones equipped with LED lights that can create more than 4 billion colour combinations along with animated sequences that are tightly synchronized to a musical score.
Starlight’s parent, Great Lakes Drone Company, made its initial appearance at Oshkosh in 2018 with a sample of the then still-emerging technology. Today’s drone shows feature innovations that make flying hundreds of drones more efficient and capable of executing much more complex formations.
“Today’s drone shows are pushing the boundaries of aerial entertainment and creating moments that leave an indelible mark on the heart and mind,” said Matt Quinn, CEO of Great Lakes Drone Company. “The Oshkosh shows celebrated human ingenuity as a testament to the unyielding spirit of exploration that aviation embodies.”
Sources: EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024; YouTube