ORLANDO, FL – The annual IAAPA Expo brings together innovators in the attractions industry from across the globe. As a platinum sponsor of IAAPA, the Sky Elements team wanted to mark IAAPA 2023 as one for the books. The Guinness World Record book, that is! Sky Elements attempted and broke two Guinness World Records after three nights of IAAPA drone shows. One thousand five hundred ninety-two drones created formations highlighting heroic figures throughout history, culminating in two record-breaking images. The formations flown were an American flag to break the record for the largest flag flown with multi-rotors or drones, and the Sky Elements Drone Shows logo to break the record for the largest logo flown with multi-rotors or drones.
1,592 Drones Broke Two Guinness World Records Above the Orange County Convention Center
The Sky Elements team was ecstatic to put on this record-breaking drone show. After three nights of smaller 400-drone shows centering around IAAPA, the crew was ready to fly something massive. Our team consisted of 50 individuals traversing through the Florida rain to arrange Sky Elements’ largest drone grid to date. The previous records to beat were 988 drones for the largest flag and 1,500 drones for the largest logo. 1,592 drones took off and flew in waves to fan out to become a rippling flag in the storm. The attendees were amazed, but that’s not all the animation team had in mind!
Behind the Scenes: Animating our Largest Drone Show
The Sky Elements in-house animation team was split and tasked with creating each formation in all its glory. The formations consisted of a drone show cowboy galloping through the barren American West. In addition, they transitioned to a massive astronaut tethered to the International Space Station. The third hero was a brave knight taking on a daunting dragon in combat. Brian Geck, creative director of Sky Elements, commended his team’s work on this massive show. “This show was truly a team effort. Our top animators pulled together, and each pushed the limits of what could be done with the design and created new techniques to make it happen. The story we told was of mavericks throughout time.”
Collaborating with IAAPA to Create an Award-Worthy Drone Show
The two Guinness World Records will sit on the shelf next to the first Guinness World Record Sky Elements broke in July for the largest aerial sentence flown by multi-rotors or drones. The two new records signify Sky Elements’ unwavering commitment to innovation within the drone show medium. Sky Elements is determined to fly drone shows that continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. This sort of mindset is what the IAAPA Expo is all about, and we’re proud to have flown this show for IAAPA’s like-minded attendees.
Flying Drone Shows in Orlando, Florida
Flying the Guinness World Record-breaking drone show in Orlando, Florida, was an opportunity Sky Elements will cherish. The three drone shows that Sky Elements flew before the Guinness World Records drone show were an exhibition of what can be done with a smaller drone count. The more drones, the more detailed a designer can get, but sometimes less is more. The IAAPA drone shows called upon all theme parks, water parks, fun centers, arcades, and more to join together to exhibit the future of the attractions industry. The team that made this momentous event happen pushed through four days of drone shows, culminating in the most amazing finale of the expo. If you’re looking to book a drone light show in Orlando, feel free to contact us here.
If you missed the show, be sure to check out our recap below!
In conjunction with IAAPA, we were happy to host our Sponsor Spotlight talk earlier in the day with Rick Boss, President of Sky Elements, and Preston Ward, Chief Pilot and General Counsel. Be sure to check out our talk titled: The Future of Nighttime Entertainment: Orchestrating Drone Shows with Sky Elements. We discuss the logistics, animation process, and what it means to fly drone shows with Sky Elements. We stayed for a quick Q&A with some of our attendees, who had some fantastic questions.