EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 to light up night sky with 500-drone performance

The growing aerial art form of lighted drones is coming toEAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2024, as Starlight Aerial Productions brings its spectacular displays to night air shows on July 24 and 27. The 71st edition of the Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention is coming to Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh on July 22-28. Up to 500 state-of-the-art drones will take to the sky for the performances during AirVenture’s popular night air shows, offering dazzling light displays and captivating illustrations in front of the audiences. 

Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions, commented: “Drone shows have emerged as a marvelous way to add technology, color, and entertainment to nighttime events and for us, it’s a perfect complement to the skill and excitement brought to the legendary Oshkosh night air shows by our aerobatic pilots and aircraft. This addition will make the night show even more memorable in 2024.”

Matt Quinn, CEO of Great Lakes Drone Company, said: “Today’s drone shows are pushing the boundaries of aerial entertainment and creating moments that leave an indelible mark on the heart and mind.The Oshkosh shows will celebrate human ingenuity as a testament to the unyielding spirit of exploration that aviation embodies.”

Starlight Aerial Productions most recently filled the night sky over Detroit with a 400-drone show that celebrated the NFL Detroit Lions’ appearance in the NFC Championship Game. The Oshkosh performance will include American-made Lumenier ARORA drones equipped with LED lights that can create more than 4 billion color combinations along with animated sequences that are tightly synchronized to a musical score.

Starlight’s parent, Great Lakes Drone Company, made its initial appearance at Oshkosh in 2018 with a sample of the then still-emerging technology. Today’s drone shows feature innovations that make flying hundreds of drones more efficient and capable of executing much more complex formations. Additional details regarding Starlight’s drone shows at EAA AirVenture will be released as it is finalized.