As a replacement for the traditional fireworks display, Travis Air Force Base outside San Francisco is planning a ‘drone fireworks show’. The idea is that a drone show is much safer in dry areas where fireworks could start a fire.
The Travis Air Force Base show plans to use 500 drones and feature a gigantic red, white and blue image of an American flag and California icons, all time-synchronized to music that will be broadcast for the viewers.
“For 12 centuries fireworks were the only way to light up the night sky. Now we have technology that allows us to do precision animation and storytelling — we can write words and draw objects in the sky,” he said.
Some of the research conducted at the base on proper use of small aircraft overlapped with what Intel was working on, and base officials reached out to Intel first, said Capt. Lyndsey Horn, chief of public affairs for Travis Air Force Base.
“We thought, ‘How awesome would it be to bring them out to the base and celebrate the culture of innovation and take advantage of our proximity to Silicon Valley?'” Horn said.
Travis Air Force Base has never done fireworks before because of fire danger in the area. – USA Today
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