Humans have been mesmerised by fire since the beginning of time and celebratory fireworks are a tradition that is literally centuries old.
Fireworks are an integral part of so many cultures across the globe that it’s difficult to picture the world without them. That being said, however, fireworks have increasingly come under fire, no pun intended, for being unsustainable, polluting the environment, and even creating unhealthy and dangerous working conditions.
While Diwali, Chinese New Year, or the 4th of July are all unimaginable without fireworks lighting up the skies, the recent incident with protestors in France using fireworks as weapons against the police has not helped strengthen the case for fireworks. In fact, including the latest addition of France, fireworks are banned across Ireland, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Australia, as well as in some States in India, and the United States. They are also usually detested by animal lovers for the sound and the smoke.
Drone light shows
India had its biggest-ever drone show at the Beating Retreat 2023 ceremony in January this year. The show included 1,000 indigenous drones that lit up the sky to depict a number of national figures and events including the flag of India, the map of India, the globe, and even the Ashoka pillar.
The show was conducted by Delhi-based BotLab Dynamics, which uses swarm technology to achieve autonomous concurrent flying to depict patterns and designs in the sky. Other popular drone shows include the ones at the Olympics, Winter Olympics, American Superbowl, and King Charles’s coronation. While technically hundreds of thousands of drones could be programmed to fly together, the record stands at about 5,100 UAVs used in a drone show in China.
While a lot of people are calling drones the “hipper” version of fireworks, you can’t deny that they are more interactive and entertaining to watch. There’s something about watching shooting stars in the sky that creates awe and wonder in our minds and a drone show is like an overdose of that feeling.
In fact, Intel has a drone called the Shooting Star which is specially manufactured for the purpose of drone light shows. These mini drones are made of styrofoam and plastic, can be used for indoor light shows, and a single pilot can fly 100 of them at once. In addition to them being quieter, safer, and better for the environment, being able to customise the images they make in the sky is a huge bonus.
No bang for your buck
That being said, however, firecrackers and rockets made with real gunpowder have a certain old-world charm about them that is difficult to replace. There’s something about putting a match to a fuse and then hearing it go bang that makes your soul jump up in awe and astonishment. They also have that element of danger and unpredictability along with ease of access as well as a price point that is affordable.
While a lot of people complain about the sound associated with fireworks, there are others who will tell you it’s the best part. In fact, many people complain about the lack of “pop” from drone shows. So much so that Galveston, a city in Texas, went back to a firework show this year after the drone show last year failed to impress.
Drones are also quite expensive with a single drone costing over $1000 dollars and you need at least a hundred to have an impressive show. Another downside with drones is that they have become increasingly popular in regions of conflict and have become a mainstay in wars and military conflict. This not only increases the rules and regulations associated with them, making them a lot harder to procure but also adds a whole bunch of paperwork and permits to the process.
This isn’t surprising when you consider Ukraine claims to have attacked a Russian airbase and damaged 4 multi-million dollar fighter jets with drones made out of cardboard. If the protestors in France with fireworks were difficult to handle, protestors with drones would without a doubt be infinitely worse.
A timeless classic
Humans have been mesmerised by fire since the beginning of time and celebratory fireworks are a tradition that is literally centuries old. While drone shows can be incredibly entertaining to watch, saying they will replace fireworks is sort of like saying movies will replace books. They both have their place and books are typically way better than the movies made from them.
With regard to the environment, there are those who would argue that the batteries used in drones are way worse in the long run, especially the ones made from Lithium. In fact, the working conditions in fireworks factories might actually be a lot better than in the Lithium mines of South America. Lithium mining also poisons the air and water and causes immense ecological damage.
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