Drones succeed fireworks at Central Valley Fourth of July events

Fresno resident Dave Swindell, owner of Sky Runner Drone Light Shows, appreciates the exposure offered by a pilot incentive program that addresses poor air quality.

Swindell, with partner Noah Furhman, is a veteran of the drone racing circuit. They transitioned about three years ago into the light show market. Sky Runner will headline Visalia’s Independence Spectacular tonight, made possible by a program meant to limit the use of fireworks to preserve air quality.

The City of Visalia was one of the recipients of a $50,000 Clean Alternatives to Fireworks Pilot Incentive Program grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

A total of $850,000 in funding has been allocated for cities and nonprofit organizations to promote alternatives to fireworks shows. More than two dozen applications were received from organizations throughout the Air District’s coverage area.

Applicants include Island Waterpark, Clovis Unified, Fresno State and City of Hanford.

Swindell said the grants have been instrumental in exposing drone sky shows to more event promoters, with a lot more people becoming familiar with them this year.

“They are pet friendly, you don’t have the fire dangers, and we can do things fireworks can’t do,” Swindell said.

One example? The drones can functions like pixels on a monitor, displaying sponsor logos and even scannable QR codes in the sky, he said.

The technology and software that runs these shows continues to improve as well. Where two years ago, the drones had to fly a minimum of two feet apart, now they can operate mere inches from each other, Swindell said.

Sky Runner shows usually feature no less than 100 drones and can have up to 1,000. Visalia’s show at the Riverway Sports Park will include 200 drones, requiring a crew of about 12 people to pull off, Swindell said.

Swindell describes his shows as a “turnkey operation,” custom designed for the client including music and narration. He has done shows for fairs, expos, TV commercials, car shows and even a bar mitzvah in Chicago.

For event promoters, he said these types of shows are typically priced per drone — about $250 each.

The funding from the Air District was available to public entities, such as counties, cities and school districts. Private organizations and nonprofits were also eligible for reimbursement of costs including drone contractors, permitting and insurance. It had to be held at a venue that can accommodate a large-scale public event. Neighborhood block parties and personal events were ineligible.

Cassandra Melching, Air District spokesperson, told Capitol Public Radio that the District will gather feedback from recipients and decide whether to offer more funding.