Sunset Sunset
Will Drones Replace Your Fourth of July Fireworks?
  • Food & Drink
    • Recipes
    • Wine & Drinks
    • Holidays
    • Parties & Menus
    • Garden to Table
    • Grilling
  • Home & Garden
    • Garden Basics
    • Edible Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • Green Living
    • Flowers & Plants
    • Home Tours
    • DIY Projects
    • Decorating & Design
    • Beverly Hills Idea House
    • Silicon Valley Idea House
    • Outdoor Living
  • Lifestyle
    • Gifts & Shopping
    • Weddings
    • Pets
    • Tech
    • Family
    • Wellness
    • Videos
  • Travel
    • Destination Guides
    • Outdoor Adventure
    • Camping
    • National Parks
    • Culinary Travel
    • Wine Country
    • Road Trips
    • Hotels
  • Subscribe
  • Food & Drink
    • Recipes
    • Wine & Drinks
    • Holidays
    • Parties & Menus
    • Garden to Table
    • Grilling
  • Home & Garden
    • Garden Basics
    • Edible Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • Green Living
    • Flowers & Plants
    • Home Tours
    • DIY Projects
    • Decorating & Design
    • Beverly Hills Idea House
    • Silicon Valley Idea House
    • Outdoor Living
  • Lifestyle
    • Gifts & Shopping
    • Weddings
    • Pets
    • Tech
    • Family
    • Wellness
    • Videos
  • Travel
    • Destination Guides
    • Outdoor Adventure
    • Camping
    • National Parks
    • Culinary Travel
    • Wine Country
    • Road Trips
    • Hotels
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine Customer Service
  • Marketplace
  1. Sunset
  2. Lifestyle
  3. Tech

Will Drones Replace Your Fourth of July Fireworks?

Getty Images / David Paul Morris/Stringer

Why these Western towns are opting out of pyrotechnics for the latest technology

Marie Salcido

It’s no surprise that the awe-inducing displays of fireworks that mark our nation’s Independence Day can come with a dose of danger; after all, playing with fire is not a thing for amateurs. But following a year of droughts and devastating wildfires, some states are taking measures to keep 4th of July celebrations super-safe.

Leave it to the West to turn to technology, where many traditional fireworks spectacles will be replaced by choreographed shows featuring hundreds of LED-lit drones.

Though drone displays are a smart move, they’re not entirely brand new. Lady Gaga included a drone show in her Super Bowl performance last year, and Intel has created music-timed drone spectaculars at the buzzy Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for the past two years. At this year’s Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in South Korea, Intel ushered in the start of the games with a drone light show using cutting-edge technology and 1,200 drones

More Videos From Sunset

Travis Air Force Base, near San Francisco, will host a similar show, inspired by Intel, of 500 drones set to music to celebrate the country’s birthday.  Other cities, like Aspen, Colorado, are working with companies that specialize in drone technology to coordinate patriotic spectacles in the night sky, minus the fire hazard.

Though there’s something special about watching real fireworks, we’re all about disaster prevention. If your area isn’t a risk for wildfires, check out our recommendations on where to catch the best firework spectaculars in the West.

You May Like

Travel
7 Best Places to See Fourth of July Fireworks
Travel
6 Fun Fourth of July Parades
Decorating & Design
10 Fabulous Store-Bought Fourth of July Decorations

Read More

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Get fresh recipes, wine pairings, weekend getaway ideas, regional gardening tips, home design inspiration, and more.
Sign up

Subscribe & Save

Subscribe today for as little as $1.34 per issue!
GET IT NOW

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Get fresh recipes, wine pairings, weekend getaway ideas, regional gardening tips, home design inspiration, and more.
Sign up
Sunset
Sunset
  • Food and Drink
  • Home and Garden
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Newsletters
  • Video
About
  • About Us
  • Events & Offers
  • Subscriptions
  • Site Map
Contact
  • Advertising
  • Careers
  • Email the Editors
  • Magazine Customer Service
Copyright © 2018 Sunset Publishing Corporation. SUNSET is a registered trademark of Sunset Publishing Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. SUNSET may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.