Drones challenge fireworks for Fourth of July in the fire-prone West

It’s Friday night — and game night — at the Oakland A’s RingCentral Coliseum, when a man lumbers over a Jersey barrier in the parking lot.

“I just want to say, you do a freaking awesome job!” he yells, as he’s corralled by ballpark security. “Keep up the good work!”

Was Ramon Laureano cleaning his cleats nearby? Not quite. The enthusiastic spectator’s attention is directed at 250 drones arranged in a grid on the pavement. In lieu of traditional fireworks after tonight’s game, the machines will ascend into the sky and reproduce icons from the “Star Wars” universe – Vader, the Death Star, that adorable green grub, Baby Yoda.

This late-April game is one of several Oakland A’s events to feature a drone show (the next will be Aug. 27). “We are always looking for new experiences we can bring to the ballpark, and the drone light shows are a great addition to our lineup,” says A’s spokesperson Erica George. “Fan reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Managing tonight’s show is Rick Boss of Fort Worth-based Sky Elements with a team of FAA-licensed drone pilots.

Boss has 15 years of pyrotechnics experience under his belt but started moving into the drone sphere 18 months ago.

“The truth is the fireworks business is very similar to this. You got to bring gear and fireworks and set it all up,” he says. “Parts of it are easier – fireworks are heavier, dirtier. But what’s harder is, this technology is very young. There’s only 50 (companies) of any decent size in the world doing it, and only about four of us in the U.S. that do these size shows.”

There have been 350 significant drone shows in the United States, Boss estimates, but each month that number shoots up. His people now travel the country in multiple fleets to produce events.

“The demand is just through the roof. Right now every drone company is sold out for the Fourth,” he says. “It’s pretty much people who have ridiculous money or big stadiums or events. We’re in Miami flying for Formula 1 parties. The majority of events are corporate in nature. We’ve got a couple weddings coming up, but they’re very high-end weddings. One of them wanted to do fireworks but there’s a fire danger, so …”

Ah, yes – fire. Fireworks were responsible for igniting some 19,500 blazes across the United States in 2018 alone, according to the National Fire Protection Association. That danger is pronounced in the drought-parched West, where anything warmer than a toasted bagel can trigger a devastating conflagration. Last year’s Caldor Fire – which burned some 220,000 acres over two months in Northern California – is thought to have been started by two guys shooting guns in the woods.

That particular wildfire is one of the reasons municipalities in northern Lake Tahoe are switching to drones this Fourth of July.

“Throwing lit objects into the sky in the height of the fire season might not be the best thing to do,” says Andy Chapman, president and CEO of the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau. “We talked with our fire chief, who was like, ‘I don’t even know if I can permit a fireworks show.’ Given the low snow year we’ve had, everything is drying out pretty quickly.”

“Based off the threat of fires coming back this fire season, we started looking at not only the risk of fireworks but also just the impacts to the environment,” says Katie Biggers, executive director of the Tahoe City Downtown Association. “We’re obviously trying to be very cognizant of the clarity of the lake. There’s also noise pollution that comes along with fireworks that our animals are affected by, as well as our veterans. There’s a lot of folks up here who might suffer from PTSD.”

Drones might actually end up cheaper than Tahoe’s traditional Independence Day celebrations, which have additional, unexpected expenses. “You need divers to go down and get any debris,” Biggers says.

Two Colorado towns have replaced Fourth of July fireworks with drones due to wildfire concerns. In Texas, Galveston will be launching drones on America’s birthday to reduce fireworks debris on beaches. And Southern California’s Big Bear Lake is getting in early with a Memorial Day drone show.

“We have a baby eagle near Big Bear Lake that has not yet fledged, so the drone-lights show should be less of a possible disturbance,” explains Michael Perry, CEO of Visit Big Bear.

Drones have shortcomings, of course. Their battery life typically lasts about 15 minutes, before they need to be landed, recharged, then sent back up. And fireworks provide a visceral impact that humming, LED-lit machines lack.

“A traditional fireworks show is really about the multisensory experience. You see the pyrotechnics rise into the air, hear them break open and burst. You see the colors, and sometimes we get to smell the smoke,” says Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association in Bethesda, Maryland. “Drones are pretty, but they’re boring. I think they’re maybe a nice accompaniment to a fireworks show.”

As that Oakland A’s game comes to a close, families pour onto the field with blankets. Hundreds of drones spell out the “Star Wars” logo, then rearrange into a TIE Fighter and a lightsaber that extends incrementally. You can hardly hear the “pew pew!” particle-weapon sounds piped in due to the cheering.

The show ends without a hitch, though not all do. Drones have vulnerabilities that fireworks don’t. In the parking lot, Boss shares war stories with spectators Gabriel Serrato and his young son, Sawyer, attending the game from Alameda.

“My dad was flying (our drone), and a seagull thought it was food,” says Sawyer.

“We were doing a show for NASCAR,” Boss says, when “something hit the drone, and took it out. I think we got attacked by a bat.”