Monday Musings: Drones At LDI2019

Drones are definitely a hot commodity, and this year they’ll be flying in force at LDI2019, both inside and out. Drone companies on the LDI show floor include Verge Aero and Verity Studios; the latter has had their technology seen at Cirque du Soleil and Madison Square Garden, as well as on global tours for Céline Dion, Drake, and Metallica.

Verity drones will also perform at the 2019 KOI-USA Awards at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on Friday evening, November 22 to add a little high-tech edge to the awards presentation. This should be a great opportunity to see their precision flying in an indoor space.

Intel's drone technology has been seen from Coachella to the Super Bowl Halftime Show, including 300 sparking in the sky in a shooting star pattern for Lady Gaga back in 2017. Lighting designer Bob Barnhart worked out the details for that one!

Speaking of Barnhart, he will be a featured speaker on Intel’s Exhibitor Presented Seminar at LDI2019 (Room: N263 on Friday, November 22, 2pm-3pm) along with Timothy Heath, Emily Wofford, and Timothy Runco, moderator Cingy Ng. Titled “Intel Drones: Integrating New Technology to Enhance the Live Entertainment Experience,” the panel will look at the flight path of Intel drones, from the world’s largest stages, to major national sporting events, music festivals, product launches, and grand openings, where their light shows have been integrated with live production elements to dazzle audiences. 

This session brings together a panel of experts from live entertainment, marketing, and special events who have worked with Intel to integrate drone technology into spectacular displays alongside pyrotechnics, 3D projection mapping, lasers, and live music. Join this session to hear about their unique experiences working with Intel and the integration of drone technology that made their event even more spectacular.

In addition, Intel will present a 20-minute drone show outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center on both Friday, November 23 and Saturday, November 24 at 6:30pm for the viewing pleasure of all LDI attendees. On Friday evening, the drone show kicks off with a happy hour from 5:30-6:30pm.

What would be really cool is if you could use a smart device to call a drone and have it deliver your cocktail or sparkling water to where you were standing to see the show. I think we’ll need to work on that for next year…