Free Downtown Miami Drone Show by Pixel Swarm Drones

Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, surprised his spouse, Serena Williams, a renowned name in Tennis, with a drone-based baby gender revelation last year. The video was made public by the celebrity couple on YouTube – the delight on their faces was evident as drones flying above their residence in Palm Beach Gardens spelled out “GIRL!”. Not an unusual spectacle for celebrity couples, however, Carlos Peña, the owner of Pixel Swarm Drones who goes by the nickname “El PaDróne”, aims to make such drone shows mainstream among the masses. In order to bring his vision to life, he realizes the importance of familiarizing the public with the concept of drone shows. His recently established business located in Miami has planned a free exhibition which includes 200 drones and three shows to be held at Maurice A. Ferré Park on Saturday, March 9. The exposition features a gender revelation for Peña’s sister who is due in May, a birthday dedication for his father who has recently celebrated his 87th birthday, and is also a tribute to Miami and its cultural diversity. Anticipate drone portrayals of international flags during the third segment. An average drone show, although attractive, comes with a hefty price tag – between $15,000 to $25,000. The bilingual, two-hour long event located in downtown Miami is expected to attract numerous friends and family members of Peña. Unlike the Williams-Ohanian gender revelation, this event is open to the public. Peña, a fan of drone light shows ever since he witnessed the opening ceremony for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, believes this exposition will be an opportunity to introduce his drone company to the city. “The majority of people don’t know what a drone show is,” he mentions.
click to enlarge Drone shows could replace conventional firework displays in the future. Even those who have experienced a drone show at the bicentennial celebration in the Florida Keys which included 250 drones, or the now-annual holiday drone show in Miami Beach, might not know the nitty-gritty involved in planning such a show. “The analogy I like to use is that it’s like a Pixar movie,” Peña mentions. “The animation team creates a simulation of the whole show that is loaded into a drone show software. During the actual show, everything is executed by a single computer console. But there’s an entire team setting up the drones at a specific distance from each other. The flight may last for a few minutes, but the groundwork takes several weeks.” Each of the shows planned at Maurice A. Ferré Park will continue for approximately nine minutes and will be scheduled one hour apart. The break between every display allows the Pixel Swarm crew to power up the drone batteries. As technology advances, Peña hopes for improvements in batteries that allow for lengthier shows and drones capable of flying at closer proximities and quicker paces. It’s not far-fetched to think that drone shows could eventually take over traditional firework displays. The stepping stone has already been laid in some parts of South Florida. July 4th celebrations in Coconut Grove switched to eco-friendlier drone shows in 2022 and some other local Independence Day festivities blended in drones with their usual firework displays. “With drones, you don’t have the pollution and smoke associated with fireworks. Moreover, drones are very silent. People and animals that are traumatized by loud noises can enjoy the show,” Peña points out. “Although fireworks are charming, they can be monotonous. Besides different colors and sizes, it’s the same show more or less. Drones, on the other hand, can narrate a tale in the sky.” The drone light show is scheduled to happen at 6:30, 7:30, and 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, at Maurice A. Ferré Park,1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-576-1756; pixelswarmdrones.com. Free admission.