Celesta, provider of drone shows.
We fly drones and we fire fireworks, with our own teams. When your site suits fireworks better than a swarm, we tell you in our first proposal.
- Drones and fire – same production control room
- DGAC file included
- Quote within 48 hours
How we prepare a flight
In our drone light shows, 200 to more than 2,000 drones fitted with LEDs move as a swarm to form figures in the sky, usually in time with a soundtrack. Each drone follows a flight path we calculate in advance, held by satellite positioning.
The whole flight is programmed on the ground. Unlike a fireworks display, we cannot change a figure on the night.
01
The storyline
We write figures that carry an identity, a date, a place or a story specific to the client.
02
Distance from the audience
We scale each figure from the spectators’ area: the angle of view sets the number of drones.
03
Wind and the fallback plan
Above a certain wind threshold, the swarm does not fly. We plan the fallback when we write the flight.
Drone or fireworks display: The answer depends on your website
We produce both. Here are the criteria that lead us to recommend one, the other, or both.
Sites where we recommend drones
A listed site, stubble fields, a bird sanctuary, a nearby hospital, land under fire alert: wherever fallout and explosions pose a problem, the swarm passes through. It can also write a legible message.
When fireworks are the better fit
The drone is silent and flies far from the audience: no blast, no light flooding the crowd. On a tight budget, we usually recommend fireworks.
The hybrid drone and fireworks show
This is the format we propose most often, as at the Marly-le-Roi Town Festival 2026: the drones open with the figures and the message, the fireworks take the finale. We set both to the same soundtrack and fire them from the same control desk.
Authorisations for a flight above the audience
Many organisers find out late, yet it is the longest lead time in the project. A drone show above a crowd falls within the specific category of European Regulation 2019/947, in force since 31 December 2020.
The application we file on your behalf
Celesta handles the whole process from start to finish and takes full responsibility for it: it is our name that appears on the application.
- Risk analysis. Prepared in accordance with the SORA method, it describes the flight scenario, buffer zones and contingency procedures.
- Submission to the DGAC. The application for authorisation is made via AlphaTango, and the processing time cannot be shortened by any service provider.
- Local notifications. Prefecture, site operator, affected residents: we coordinate these exchanges on your behalf.
- The insurance certificate is automatically included. The certificate is attached to the proposal; you do not need to request it for your application to be processed.
Our flights by type of event
We programme a flight differently for an audience seated facing a stage, a show that a park replays every evening and an eight-minute half-time flight in a stadium.
Theme parks
In a park, the show becomes a fixture for the season. We program it to run every evening without being rewritten.
Go to the page
Concerts and festivals
The flight follows the running order written by the festival production: it adapts to stage delays and stops as soon as the stage takes over again.
Go to the page
Sporting events
The slot is short, non-negotiable and is sometimes rescheduled at the last minute. The flight takes off on command, stays within the allocated time slot and vacates the airspace without question.
Go to the page
The price of a drone show
Local authorities often vote their budget before consulting. Here is our entry price and what makes it rise.
48 h
To request a quote
You receive a letter of intent and a costed estimate.
Price criteria
Weight as stated on the quote
Number of devices
Decisive
Content written just for you
Strong
Flight duration
Moderate
Distance from the site
Secondary
Drone light show: from
€10,000
This threshold does not depend on the size of the client: it is determined by the fleet, the pilots and the authorisation required for a flight. The price already includes the paperwork, the technical inspection, setting up the take-off area, processing the application, operations and restoration. These items are never billed as extras.
Lead times to plan for
Writing, compiling and testing a flight takes two to six months. Authorisation to fly above an audience requires at least forty-five days of review, a lead time that depends neither on you nor on us. We therefore advise you to contact us two to six months before the date.
2 to 6 months beforehand
The lead time. This is the period of time required to plan the flight and process the authorisation application.
48 hours later
The time between your call and a first costed proposal.
Two professions
Flight and fireworks handled by our own staff, from site survey to dismantling, with no subcontracting.
Just one name
On the authorisation application and at the bottom of the contract. If there is an incident, you have a single point of contact.
Our latest flights
Each record specifies the location, the flight number and what was deployed during the flight. Please enquire by telephone about upcoming public events.
-
Pyrotechnic display featuring drones in Buchy
View the project: Pyrotechnic display featuring drones in BuchyA demonstration for local authorities In Buchy, we organised a technical demonstration combining a pyrotechnic display and a swarm of…
-
Marly-le-Roi Town Festival 2026: Drones and Fireworks
View the project: Marly-le-Roi Town Festival 2026: Drones and FireworksA town celebration in the heart of a royal park The Fête de Marly returns every June to the grounds…
Request a study of your site
Please provide us with the venue, date and capacity. Within 48 hours, you will receive a letter of intent and a detailed quote, signed by a Celesta operations manager rather than a sales representative. If a one-off performance would better suit your project than a series of events, we will let you know in the same document.
Your questions about drone shows
How much does a drone show cost?
A drone light show starts at 10,000 euros. This threshold does not depend on the size of the client: it is determined by the fleet, the pilots and the authorisation required for the flight. The cost then increases with the number of drones, which is determined by the distance from the audience and the complexity of the manoeuvres, and further by the duration of the flight and the distance from the venue. The price ranges we publish by local authority size relate to pyrotechnics, not drones.
How does a drone show work?
Each drone is fitted with an LED and follows a pre-calculated flight path, guided by satellite positioning. All the flight paths together form a flight plan that is compiled, checked and finalised before the performance, and triggered by an audio track. Unlike a fireworks display, we cannot adjust anything on the night itself: we write the whole flight on the ground.
How many drones are needed?
We work out the number from the viewing area: the further away the audience is, the more drones are needed for a formation to remain visible. We size the swarm following a site visit, from 200 to more than 2,000 drones. To give an idea of the scale of the most spectacular displays, on 14 July 2024, 1,571 drones formed Mickey Mouse’s head above Disneyland Paris – a record recognised by Guinness World Records.
What authorisations are required in France?
A flight over the public falls within the specific category set out in European Regulation 2019/947, which has been in force since 31 December 2020. It requires a risk assessment drawn up in accordance with the SORA method and an operating authorisation to be applied for from the DGAC via AlphaTango, in addition to local notifications to the prefecture and the site manager. We draft, submit and take responsibility for this application.
Are drones really more environmentally friendly than a fireworks display?
On site and on the evening itself, yes: no fallout, no combustion residue, no detonation, which makes it suitable for sensitive areas and nocturnal wildlife. The comparison is less clear-cut when it comes to the manufacture and transport of the devices. We produce both, and we recommend drones when the site requires it (fallout, noise, wildlife), not as an environmental argument.
Can we display a logo or a message?
Yes: a shape, a number, a name or a pictogram can be seen from across the square and are clearly visible during filming. A fireworks display cannot write a readable message, and this is often why our clients choose drones.