Sky Elements drone show displays a 3D star. 

The Deschutes County Fair drone show will be even “bigger, brighter and longer” than last year, projecting a new Central-Oregon-themed show each night, according to Geoff Hinds, director of Deschutes County Fair & Expo.

The drone show was created by Sky Elements, a drone show company based out of Dallas, Texas, in collaboration with Deschutes County Fair. Their plan was to build a show locals and visitors can recognize as Central Oregon landmarks and icons, said Kyle Pivnick, vice president of business and development at Sky Elements.

One drone show will showcase 4-H and Future Farmers of America by featuring their fair animals, another will represent the heart of Central Oregon’s activities and region, Hinds said.

“It’s not like fireworks, where fireworks can be really produced by anyone simply because you can just light off a firework,” Pivnick said. “We value creating images that local communities are going to recognize much more than anybody else who might be visiting. So local icons are important to us, and really just celebrating the local area is one of our biggest focuses.”

With about 100 more drones than the previous year, Hinds compared it to pixels on a television screen. The more you have, the better picture you’ll get.

Drones in flight

Each drone show will be three-dimensional with over 300 different drones launching into the sky to move with music. The show is piloted by just one person, according to Pivnick.

”With 300 drones, you’re able to create some very dynamic images because you’re able to add depth to them,” Pivnick said. “Let’s just take the picture of the globe, for example. So with a smaller drone count, what was maybe experienced last year, you’re only going to be able to create images so a flat representation of a globe, but with 300 drones, you might be able to have the actual depth of the sphere…which is what we’re going to be seeing here at the fair.”

The 10 to 12 minute show will immediately follow a concert each night. The stage lights dim and everyone counts down to launch the drones, Hinds said.

As for how far the drone show can be viewed, within the fairgrounds is the ideal viewing spot, said Hinds.

”I imagine you could see it from a ways away, but how far I really don’t know,” Hinds said. “You miss something if you’re not on site, because we also do some video production using our video screens on our main concert stage, and then tie it into music as well that’s through our concert sound system. So if you’re not right up close, it’s kind of like watching, maybe like watching a movie or a TV show on mute, versus watching something in a theater.”

Coming up

Hinds said he and the rest of his team are always excited to see the drone show come to life, especially now that it’ll be bigger than last year, which was the first time the Deschutes County Fair displayed drones in the sky.

”As we evolve and grow, we’re just trying to make sure we’re always adding new things that are going to be fun for our entire community,” Hinds said. “Last year, we added the drone show because we had the opportunity to, and we’ve had successful fairs over the last couple years, and because of that, we reinvest back into what we’re providing the community.”

When you tie the drones in with the music and atmosphere, Hinds said, it’s a magical way to end the fair day.