Colonial Williamsburg hosted its first-ever drone show on July 4. Here’s what happened behind the scenes

WILLIAMSBURG – For the first time ever, Colonial Williamsburg included a drone show as part of its Fourth of July celebrations this year.

Paired with patriotic music and followed by the largest display of fireworks in The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s history, hundreds of brightly lit drones were part of a momentous celebration for the nation’s 250th.

The vibrant spectacle was among the highlights of the “America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together” Fourth of July program that aired on PBS stations across the country. The choice to include drones in the historic event underscores further national interest in the emerging technology. 

VA250’s Event Designer Bill Schermerhorn said he incorporated drones into the program purposefully to symbolize the future of America’s story. 

“It was certainly something I wanted to include because you have the 18th century muskets, you have the fireworks, and so why not have 21st century drones to help tell the story?” Schermerhorn said. “And that’s what I see drones as one more tool to share America’s story and to emphasize both the patriotism and the story itself.”

Localities and organizations nationwide have been turning to drones over the past few years for multiple reasons. 

Fire concerns were an important consideration across the Commonwealth this year given persistent drought conditions. Higher-than-average temperatures and dry conditions make fires far more likely. In 2024, fireworks caused upwards of 34,000 fires across the U.S.

Additionally, unlike fireworks, drone shows are not alarming to veterans, people with PTSD or pets. The intense light, sounds, and smells of fireworks can serve as reminders of past traumatic events and spark anxiety in people and animals, especially dogs. 

In order to decrease these potentially negative consequences, event organizers across the country are embracing drone shows. Major events like the World Cup have adopted drone entertainment, which has also shown up at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Seaworld, San Diego Padres games and local music festivals. 

Some Virginia communities, including Fairfax County and Waynesboro, swapped out fireworks for drones during their Independence Day celebrations this year.

While The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation puts on a notoriously remarkable fireworks display each year, the addition of the drone show allowed the entertainment to continue without the risks of prolonged pyrotechnics. 

Fireworks in the Historic Area require careful planning and can only commence when the weather conditions are right. The show must adhere to strict safety standards, including the use of highly trained technicians, secure electronic firing systems, precisely configured distances and coordination with local emergency services.

Though drones are a promising new form of entertainment, the process of setting them up can be elaborate. VA250 used Pyrotecnico, a company based in New Castle, PA, for fireworks and the drone light show.

Drone Operations Manager Adam Nickerson said the work begins months before the actual event. 

“First off, there’s the design to them, the actual images in the sky. We do our design with 3D modeling, and then there are the artists who actually work through that, and they create all the models that do the motions and everything,” Nickerson said. “Then we put it through a program to decipher that into real points in space and time to cause all the drones to move through their choreography.”

After that process, the company tests the flight plans using simulations to ensure they follow safety parameters, like height, speed and positioning. If the choreography passes the safety check, operators can upload the programmed flight path to each drone.

The technology is possible because these specialized drones come equipped with a GPS and LED lights that can change colors.

Once a drone has instructions for the show, they can change positions, color and brightness in order to portray the desired images. Since a drone display will typically feature 300 to 500 drones, all of which move independently, these light shows can become quite intricate. 

“On [the] show site, we take that model and put it in a real place in the world, GPS located. And then we sync it up to a real time so that the drones know their little dance steps through all of that and coordinate around one another, with several hundred of them occupying that same space,” Nickerson said. 

On the day of the event, these aircraft must be powered up and arranged in a grid pattern on a large open space, such as a parking lot or field. Since they are pre-programmed, the show can run on its own, after maintenance checks and troubleshooting by pilots. 

The operators must take steps to avoid issues. Drone batteries are limited to flight durations of 15 minutes, so it is possible that they can run out of battery during a show. If a drone malfunctions and falls, there are spares to take its place. A secure perimeter around the grounds ensures that a falling drone does not cause damage. 

The technical preparations of the show are only half of the work. Since the Fourth of July at Colonial Williamsburg was the capstone event of VA250, Schermerhorn wanted each moment of the show to communicate something meaningful. 

“Our whole premise for the entire show was to share America’s story and to make sure every American saw themselves within that story,” Schermerhorn said. 

The show featured iconic American motifs such as an eagle, the Statue of Liberty’s torch, an outline of the United States and the show’s title, “America Made In Virginia.”

Drones were an ideal fit for the occasion, given that they can depict detailed images without compromising visual clarity. Logos like that of VA250 cannot be recreated by fireworks. Schermerhorn explained that drones’ ability to form pictures was one of the reasons he wanted to incorporate them into the event.

“You have to admit, they bring the kid out in everybody,” Schermerhorn said. “When they see a giant eagle in the sky or an American flag in the sky, there’s just something. It’s still magical and it’s still new enough that a lot of people are seeing drones for the first time.”

While the final product was striking, it took months to achieve. 

Designing the visuals began in January, using a song made by Schermerhorn as inspiration. The result was a carefully choreographed dance involving 400 drones and a score recorded by the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band. 

The drones were followed by a fireworks display, which ended the festivities for the day. 

Though many view drones as a replacement for pyrotechnics, Schermerhorn and Nickerson agree that the two mediums work best in tandem. 

“We see [drones] as complementary, and these kinds of events where we can do both together are really what we’re aiming to show people,” Nickerson said. “You don’t have to pick between the two; you can use them both to tell a bigger story.”

Nickerson acknowledged that drones and fireworks each have their own pros and cons, which is part of why he works with both. 

“Drones without an audio track can be extraordinarily boring. You’re missing out on the smell from [fireworks]. You’re missing out on the noise from it, which sometimes is a detractor, but sometimes is an important and integral part of the show itself,” Nickerson said. 

Since drones are effective accompaniments for fireworks, event designers have not universally adopted them as replacements. The future of drone light shows is only beginning, but for Colonial Williamsburg to pair one with their legendary fireworks display this year was unprecedented.

“Drones are still evolving rapidly. What we can do this week is vastly different from what we were able to do two months ago,” Nickerson said.

Colonial Williamsburg’s July 4, 2026, drone show transitions into a fireworks display. (Video by Christin Nielsen/The Triangle)