Wednesday, November 16, 2016
This Disney Drone Light Show Looks Like a Beautiful Alien Invasion
sploid.gizmodo.com: Drones are all the rage, but Disney has taken it to the next level with this synchronized drone light show. Disney was given special permission earlier this month from the Federal Aviation Administration to use drones in its theme parks. I guess we finally know what it was for.
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7 comments:
The video was interesting and it must have been so much better in person but I'd have to say I'm a little disappointed. Disney had so many resources and that is all they chose to do. compared to the dance troupe that appeared on American Idol who had wildly less resources they created a much more interesting performance. Instead of the huge iconic show Disney did the troupe used absolute precision and art to create a performance which I find is much more interesting than what Disney did.
I feel Disney cheapened the beauty that can be achieved with drones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2g32H6_EYM
(better performance)
The first time I remember hearing about drones as a delivery method of entertainment was with Cirque Du Soleil in “Paramour”. I feel like that was a pretty big deal and no one really talked about it. Maybe people are actually okay with drones or perhaps they do not realize it is drones necessarily? It is a very strange idea, specifically with Cirque because it was in an indoor venue. For Disney, it looks like it was an outdoor event so it was perhaps not as strange. This is an interesting layer to add to the management team. Working with the federal government, in this case the FAA is a whole other wrench in the process and making sure there is enough time for things to get passed and cleared. I think Disney realized the opportunity for an addition to their already impressive arsenal of lighting-based events and ran with it before others could take it.
Programing all these drones to fly around in synchrony without running into each other must have been a nightmare. But the effect is well worth it. It’s like watching a fireworks show but the flashed don’t just fade. I especially loved the video taper’s gasp when the drones started moving. I do wish they had been able to fly around faster or do more intricate or clear shapes. Like the only reason I knew they were trying to make Santa was because of the song. As it was, after the initial coolness, I wanted them to do more. I suppose they are among the first of people to do something like this, so it is understandable that it would not be as extravagant as we see in movies with CGI. I await the response that this (and the America’s got talent video) with spark in creativity. Combining technology with art in new and beautiful ways is always a joy to see.
I first saw this article and was thinking that it was really cool that Disney obtained the rights to use drones in their shows. If there are two things I love it is themed entertainment and tech. I would happily watch a video of a Disney light show any day. However, the shapes made by the drone clusters were not very clear. Since Disney's main target audience is families, I think the clarity of the show will cause a bit of a problem for young children. Their attention span is already short, let alone when they can't recognize iconic symbols. That being said, I should think that Disney will get right on developing this show, and potentially quieting the drones.
This is a really cool proof of concept, but it is surprisingly rough for something Disney is willing to publicly display. Drone choreography is very cool, but it is still very rough. There are a few labs on campus working on similar projects, and the development of swarming behavior in robotics in general is highly sought after. One of my professors is actually working on a drone music video right now that involves custom drones that have lights and can dispense fabric as they fly. My thoughts whenever I see any of these drone choreography videos, though, are that I can't imagine being in charge of maintenance for these things. I have built a drone before as well as flown a few, and they are quite finicky to repair and keep in working order. I can't imagine having to do that so frequently, given how many drones there are in the sky at any one moment in the video.
I can fully appreciate how difficult this project must have been to put together, but I too am disappointed in the result. There doesn't seem to be any theme or reason, just pretty(ish) lights swarming together and then moving apart, etc. The one redeeming thing here is that it IS only labeled "rehearsal." This isn't something that's meant to be taken as a final product. I hope that as they develop it, they add things that really only drones can accomplish. It's one thing to have drones act like fireworks, but they should be thinking about the unique quality of having something that can fly and what that means for the presentation. I personally am ready for some Tinkerbell and fairy dust. All that said, it is pretty exciting that Disney Springs is getting some form of spectacle for the holidays. They've been undergoing a lot of change and I think it will be a nice addition for them.
One way I see this working is if you have music to cover up the sound of that many drones flying in the air at once. Those drones are not quiet in any regard. Although they can provide some great effect, and make for a more interactive show. There is room for error. You would need to plan to make sure batteries are charged, and those take a few hours a piece. Does this replace fireworks? I don’t think so. While you have more design control with the drones, fireworks add a little more flair and spectacle to the scene that you wouldn’t get any other way. Over the long run you’d save money, because each of those drones cost at least a grand a piece. To have constant gps tracking, but to also be aware of special surroundings to avoid high in the air collisions is just another thing to make sure you have covered.
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