Drone On

Drone shows have become a fast-growing experiential category for licensors looking for new ways to engage consumers and promote their properties and initiatives. Not only are drone shows appealing to fans as a relatively new type of experience in their own right, but they are also gaining popularity as an alternative to fireworks, which are increasingly associated with concerns about environmental impact and noise. (Some shows incorporate both drones and fireworks.) 

Here are some recent examples: 

• European football team AC Milan paired with Cyberdrone to promote its 125th anniversary in November 2024 with a show in Dubai, a growing international market for the club. It featured 1,000 drones programmed to display the club’s crest, the anniversary emblem, the players’ shirt, and other images. 

• In France, the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Estate paired with DronisosxLabs to develop a 20-minute, 1,000-drone show called Le Petite Prince: A Celestial Voyage, which debuted late last year. Cities, festivals, and other venues around the world have hosted the show, which features narration and a soundtrack and is meant to bring the classic story to life in a new way. 

• Sasa Sambal, a brand of chili sauce in Indonesia, promoted its tie-in with Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes with a drone show as part of Jakarta’s New Year’s celebration welcoming 2024. The event featured imagery from both partners to support Sasa Sambal Original, Sasa Sambal Extra Spicy, and Sasa Tomato Sauce, all featuring Looney Tunes characters on the bottles. 

• In May 2025, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ partnership with Fred Rogers Productions for a Mister Rogers Night promotion included a drone show, produced by Zambelli, themed to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. 

• Also in May of this year, Mountain Dew was at the center of four drone shows, in Illinois, Iowa, Utah, and Texas, to highlight its new logo. 

• Adidas held a drone show at Zappeion Megaron, a conference center next to the National Gardens in Athens, to promote its brand. The May 2025 event attracted controversy and calls for an investigation for a number of reasons, one of which was cultural insensitivity, as one of the images depicted a giant Adidas shoe seeming to step on the Acropolis. 

• Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers’ partnership with Toei Animation’s One Piece included a drone show featuring characters from the series as part of One Piece Night in July 2025. 

• Disneyland Paris offers drone shows highlighting Disney properties from Mickey Mouse to The Avengers, as well as the occasional non-Disney property, as part of the fan experience at the park. Dronisos produces its shows. 

• Warner Bros. has worked with a variety of producers around the world for Superman drone shows; at the Fourth of July Celebrate Saint Louis Festival this year, for example, its partner Fantasy Drone Shows provided a Superman show that entertained fans while also promoting the feature film release of Superman.

These examples represent a small slice of the world of officially licensed or sanctioned drone shows featuring characters, corporate brands, and other IP types. Together they represent a relatively new but fast-proliferating form of location-based entertainment.