Bye-bye fireworks? The drones are here

July 4, 2023

By Kim Komando

They’re mesmerizing, a little magical and … pretty dangerous. That’s why a handful of cities are going high-tech this year, replacing their Fourth of July fireworks with drone shows.

Look to the sky

In California, Lake Tahoe, La Jolla and Ocean Beach are going the drone route this year. The same goes for Salt Lake City, Utah, and Boulder, Colorado. That is not surprising, given how dry those states are. Utah is one of the states most prone to wildfires, with 800 to 1,000 yearly. 

It’s not just fire

In 2022, about 10,200 people went to the ER with fireworks-related injuries; 11 died. So sad.

• 38% of injuries were burns, and 29% of those were to the hands and fingers. Legs and the head/face/ears accounted for another 19% each.

Then there’s the matter of where fireworks come from

Surprise, surprise: The vast majority of bottle rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers, sparklers and all the rest come from China. In 2020, Americans spent $370 million on Chinese fireworks. The next biggest source? Spain, which we spent a collective $3.61 million on.

With drones, there are no huge booms! No debris or smoke to deal with, either.

Once you get past the tradition of it all, drone shows make a lot of sense. Have you ever seen one in person? They’re beautiful, too!