Every year, thousands of people in Utah turn out in droves to watch fireworks for Independence Day and Pioneer Day. These celebrations, held in the heat of summer, are tradition, and they aren’t going away anytime soon, but, is there more that can be done?

Open Sky Drone Light Show CEO Nathan Mortensen thinks so. Every year, Utah and other high desert areas like it, are prone to wildfires sparked by fireworks, canceled shows due to weather, and more, and while he doesn’t think drones can or should replace fireworks shows, Mortensen believes that drone light shows can add another dimension to airborne entertainment.

Started back in 2021, Open Sky was founded after one of the founders, Jesse Stone watched the amazing display at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, and thought, “Why aren't we seeing more drone shows here in the US?” After joining with Mortensen, and co-founder Ryan Davis, the business literally took flight, offering not necessarily an alternative to fireworks shows, but, another element of celebration.

“It’s kind of an interesting angle for a city to hedge, you know? If there is inclement weather and they can't do fireworks, the threshold at which drones can fly is higher than you can shoot fireworks off, because you have to worry about the burning embers. So typically we’ll fly in sustained winds of 15 or gusts up to 25, and they aren't really an issue for us. That's kind of an interesting way that cities can hedge their bets: It's going to be a spectacular night and both can go but if it's a little breezy and fireworks can’t go, you get a higher threshold of wind tolerance with the drone shows.”

While quickly becoming a staple at places like Disney Parks, drone light shows are a relatively new form of entertainment that is quickly gaining popularity, but what should people expect when attending a presentation like this? According to Nate Mortensen, magic.

“I'd say come with an open mind. Right? Drones are not fireworks and fireworks are not drones. These ones don't go boom and have bright sparklies that shoot out. But what you can create in the evolution and you know, reveal of the drone show in terms of how they move between images. It's really magical. Sometimes we describe it as a cosmic light show. People will go outside and stay up all night to watch shooting stars, or a meteor shower and imagine that that's choreographed to music for 10 to 13 minutes, right and so seeing these lights moving across the sky, there's just something magical that happens.”

So what does the future hold for Open Sky, and drone light shows across the state? The possibilities are nearly limitless. Mortensen talked about the many different possible applications for shows like these, everything from Independence Day celebrations to marathons and 5Ks, Christmas tree lightings, Halloween celebrations, and more. With the amount of customization or choreography involved, there’s almost no limit to what these shows could add.