The Statue of Liberty is created by a swarm of drones for a 2023 Independence Day celebration in New York City.of July concludes with the noisy, colorful spectacle of a professional fireworks show. But in many parts of the country—and at events that traditionally include fireworks around the world—fireworks shows are being replaced with swarms of synchronized drones that create animated images against the night sky.
And even the most professional fireworks displays can go horribly wrong, such as the 2012 “Big Bay Boom,” when an Independence Day fireworks display in San Diego malfunctioned,the entire show’s fireworks all at once instead of over 18 minutes. Though nobody was hurt during the event, it remains a reminder of the unpredictable nature of fireworks, even under expert operation.and widespread wildfires, and climate scientists predict more of the same as the world warms.
Research on drones’ environmental and wildlife impacts is still in its infancy. But for now, at least, the shows seem to be overwhelmingly less polluting—and the fact that drones can be reused makes them an even more tempting and sustainable alternative to investing in exploding firework stock each year.