DENVER — A team of people creating animations and operating 400 drones is bringing a dazzling show to the Denver skies every night through Dec. 31.
Brightflight Drone Shows puts on the shows, which include well-known Denver landmarks like the Blue Mustang "Blucifer," the big blue bear outside of the convention center, the Mile High Tree and others. The animations are made possible by hundreds of drones that take off from the Auraria campus.
"This is very much built and geared towards the community of Denver. So being able to build those is a lot of fun," Brightflight Drone Shows Owner Tom Dolan said. "With 400 drones, there is not limitation on what we can do."
Dolan said the hardest part of the process is actually creating the animations. Day of, the team will make sure the drones have charged batteries. They will then create a grid and place the drones in a formation so they can take off and land. The operation is done entirely from a computer using GPS controls and other features to ensure the drones follow commands and follow the routes they are assigned.
"Colorado has really embraced us. It’s been so much fun. So it’s been a labor of love for sure, and we have a blast," Dolan said.
The 15-minute shows extend 400 feet in the air and spread 500 feet wide. They begin every night at 7 p.m.
"I think it’s fun, getting to go to different events and stuff and seeing the crowd reactions. It’s a lot of fun," drone pilot Kaven Dewey said.
Visit Denver said the best places to watch the drone shows include:
- Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex
- 54thirty Rooftop at Le Méridien Denver Downtown
- Peaks Lounge at Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center
- The terrace at Denver Art Museum's Lanny & Sharon Martin Building (the museum is open until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays)
