Safety Questions & Answers

Drone Light Show Safety is paramount. In order to be permitted to operate within the USA, a drone light show operator must have a current FAA Part 107 (107.29 / 107.35) waiver. Issuance of a waiver signifies that an operator has demonstrated an understanding of identifying hazards and has a plan in place to mitigate risks associated with said hazards.   

When choosing a drone light show operator the following questions should be asked. The answers below are the approach followed & recommended by Pixel Swarm Drones.

Yes, we have a valid FAA Part 107 waiver. A copy can be provided and verified  https://www.faa.gov/

Tip: Compare a company's FAA waiver issue date against the date of the shows they have performed. If a company has performed shows in the past without proper FAA/ATC authorization, the credibility of that company should be investigated further.

Yes, all of our pilots have valid and current Part 107 certificates issued by the FAA.

Note: A Part 107 Certificate is issued by the FAA to pilots permitted to operate drones for commercial purposes.

The founder of our company will visit the show location during the planning phase to perform a site safety survey to determine the ideal take off and landing location and audience viewing area and will be present on the date of the show. Our founder and core team will be involved in every phase of the production from pre-production to take off and landing.

Note: Pixel Swarm Drones is a boutique operator. We only work with a small number of clients at a time. We only perform one show at a time and focus 100% of our attention. We have one core team. We do not not have multiple teams  that attempt to execute multiple shows simultaneously. We provide top tier shows, excellent pricing and personal "white glove" service. Our exclusive shows are carefully custom tailored for our clients. 

Tip: Ask your operator if they are operating other shows at the same time as your show. If so, ask if the team being sent is the best team they have or a lesser experienced team. 

We contract our drone manufacturer to produce the animations for our shows. We proudly operate UVify IFO drones. The IFO has tens of thousands of hours of safe flights around the world. Provided safety measures and protocols are adhered to, the system is rock solid.

Note: Animations can be produced by the manufacturer, a third party or by in-house animators. We do not use third parties or in-house animators to save money or for a fast turn around time. We use the manufacturer. Our manufacturer, established in 2014, has broken world records and is trusted by top brands in the world. The manufacturer is more familiar than anyone with the capabilities and limits of the drones. The result of working with the manufacturer is the highest level of quality and safety. Similar to having  a high end exotic sports car, cost aside, would you prefer to trust the vehicle with the dealership or with a general mechanic. Pixel Swarm Drones values beautiful, quality, safe animations more than extra profit or rushed delivery.

Yes, we always leverage a geo fence for our shows.

Note: A geo fence is a virtual geographical barrier that surrounds a drone light show and separates the audience from the show area. If a drone crosses the geo fence it will automatically be sent a command to land or shut off. 

If drones cross the geo fence they may still have significant momentum and  can land outside the geo fence. A good rule of thumb is to use a 2:1 ratio. The separation between the edge of the geo fence and the audience should be 2 times the height of the show.

Tip: Ask your operator if enough space is being accounted for between the audience and the geo fence. Confirm that there is a plan in place to clearly mark boundaries and to restrict access to the  show performance area.

Yes, we perform multiple iterative rounds of hover testing and calibration as needed until all drones have passed safety validations. If a drone does not pass, it is swapped out with another drone. We allocate a substantial amount of time and resources to hover testing. We use a separate set of batteries for hover testing. We do not rush or skip hover testing to conserve battery usage and effort.

Note: Hover testing along with telemetry validation is used to determine if a drone is in good working order, mechanically sound and properly calibrated for the local environment.

Tip: Ask your operator if every drone is hover tested before the flight.

We practice on a regular basis. Ongoing practice keeps the team sharp and ready for executing standard procedures and for taking appropriate action if unplanned events happen. We also rehearse customer shows to minimize the risk of unexpected events. 

Tip: Ask your operator if they have rehearsed the show or if it is going to be the first time it is flown?

Yes, an array of simulators are available to model and visualize a drone light show. Simulators can be used to visualize how a show will look and how much space it will occupy in a certain geographical location. Simulators can also be used to validate speed and drone to drone distance thresholds. They are a key tool to identify risks and adjust an animation or flight path before a show. The FAA advises operators to follow the manufacturer's procedures. FAA Circular  AC 20-77  informs owners and operators about the usefulness of manufacturer’s maintenance manuals for servicing, repairing, and maintaining aircraft, engines, and propellers. As such, instead of trusting third parties or relying solely on in-house procedures, we work closely with our manufacturer to meet or exceed industry and manufacturer standards.  

If there is an issue and drones have unexpected behavior during a show, depending  on the severity there are a variety of actions that can be taken. The entire show can be paused. Individual drones or all drones can be instructed to return to home, land in place or shut off entirely. If several drones are having issues at the pilot's discretion all the drones will be landed and the show will be cancelled for safety.

Yes, we adhere to a propeller maintenance and replacement schedule. Additionally prior to every show all propellers are inspected and replaced if needed. Drones with a propeller change are tested prior to the show.

Note: Flying a drone with damaged or broken propellers can cause a drone to lose control.

Yes, we adhere to a battery maintenance and replacement schedule. Additionally during shows multiple sets of batteries are on hand. A set of batteries is used for pre flight validations and a separate fully charged and inspected set is used for the show itself.

Note: Using an undercharged or faulty battery can cause a drone to lose control.

Yes, if there is limited space we can leverage a custom take off formation or take off groups. Ideally if there is an alternate take off location with more space that would be preferred. However, if the overall space for the show is too close to the audience we will respectfully decline to take on the show booking all together. This past year we have cancelled shows on multiple occasions due to questionable weather conditions or due to unsatisfactory pre show safety validations. Show rescheduling or cancelation conversations are difficult conversations to have, but they are a necessary part of the safety assurance process. Profits take a back seat to safety.

While planning may take several weeks, we usually will  commence onsite set up early in the morning the day of the show.

We recommend for a hard perimeter to be set up including but not limited to barricades, caution tape and cones in a clearly marked manner. If the event is in a public space there should be coordination with local police. Depending on the location securing the area may be the responsibility of the customer, the show operator or a combination. At the discretion of the pilot if the area is not properly secured or the crowd control strategy has been compromised the show may be delayed or cancelled. 

Pixel Swarm Drones carries aviation liability coverage. The customer will be added as an additionally insured party. 

As the  customer you should be informed of the details of the safety plan. You are entitled to and are encouraged to request a copy of the safety plan. Question the safety plan, provide feedback and request revisions to your satisfaction.

It is very welcome for the customer to collaborate in planning and preparation of the safety process. If you have any resources that can be contributed inform the operator. Keep an open channel of communication before and leading up to the show. 

If possible we will suggest a different show date. However, if we are already booked past capacity we  will turn down a booking for a show. We will not try and take on multiple simultaneous shows beyond our abilities.

Tip:  Ask your operator if they are operating other shows at the same time as your show. If so, ask if the team being sent is the best team they have or a lesser experienced team. 

We may encounter customers that want a show in a densely populated area or from somewhere unconventional like the roof of their home. They may state that they are ok with the risk or will take responsibility if anything happens or they may offer to pay more just to make it happen. We may also encounter customers that sincerely think a situation or a space is safe , when in fact it is not. In either case we respectfully decline to take on the booking and suggest alternatives. Just because it may be possible to pull off a show, doesn't mean it is safe to do so.

Drone light shows utilize specialized equipment with advanced features and technology to aid in safety. Proper planning, experience, execution and overall decision making is required for successful operation. While there is inherent risk, like driving on a highway or operating an aircraft, when done properly the end result is a repeatable, enjoyable safe memorable experience.