Celesta, drones for sporting events
The celesta starts when the signal is given, never at the scheduled time.
A half can run over, and extra time can throw the whole evening into disarray. A swarm scheduled for 9.45 pm makes no sense in a stadium. Celesta programmes flights to take off on command, not according to the clock.
The gap
A date has been set, or a window that moves
An ordinary show is tailored to a programme. A stadium is tailored to the match, and the match gives no warning. The whole concept stems from this.
The scheduled event
When the time is known
- The departure is included in the programme.
- You are free to choose the duration of the flight.
- The site is being tidied up after the show.
- The audience comes for the show.
- Just one go is enough.
The sporting highlight
When the game takes control
- The start is signalled by the production team.
- The window is short and non-negotiable.
- The lawn remains untouched, both before and after.
- The crowd comes for the match: theft is just an added bonus.
- The retreat must be ready; the game doesn’t stop.
Achievements
What Celesta made fly
Each entry lists the venue, the programme and the resources involved. Please telephone to enquire about upcoming public performances.
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Pyrotechnic display featuring drones in Buchy
View the project: Pyrotechnic display featuring drones in BuchyA demonstration to showcase the new hybrid formats In Buchy, Celesta organised a technical demonstration combining a pyrotechnic display and…
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Marly-le-Roi Town Festival: A Drone Show and Fireworks Display
View the project: Marly-le-Roi Town Festival: A Drone Show and Fireworks DisplayA town celebration in the heart of a royal park The Fête de Marly returns every June to the grounds…
The six constraints
What a stadium entails and that no mock-up shows
These six points do not arise elsewhere. Celesta deals with them in writing, because on match nights there is no longer time to referee.
01
The window depends on the game
Extended half-time, extra time, stoppages due to injury: Celesta assumes that the scheduled time will not be adhered to. The flight departs on the production team’s signal, never according to the clock.
02
The pitch is off-limits
There is no take-off area on the pitch, either before or after. Celesta sets up outside the playing area and has to cope with the distances this entails.
03
The stadium is a confined airspace
Celesta captures the roof, the lighting masts, the suspended cameras and, in some cases, the overhead cable corridor: the usable volume is much smaller than in an open field.
04
The spotlights do not always switch off
A stadium lights its pitch to levels specified by the broadcaster. The timing of the lights being switched off is negotiated with the broadcaster before being confirmed.
05
Broadcasting comes first
The camera angles and the timing of the live broadcast are key. A broadcast that went unnoticed on air missed half its audience.
06
The audience remains seated
That’s the only bit of good news for Celesta: numbered seats mean known and consistent distances, which makes risk analysis easier.
The method
Sports calendar on cue
Six stages. The first four involve the club, the stadium operator and the broadcaster.
01
The moment
Half-time, the opening ceremony or the end of the match: Celesta works with you to determine where the drone will be most useful, and how many minutes it has available.
02
The volume
A complete survey of the stadium: roof, floodlight masts and suspended cameras. It is this available space that determines the size of the figures.
03
The site
The take-off area is situated outside the playing area. Celesta checks the access points and the set-up times between two waves of spectators.
04
The file
SORA risk analysis, submitted to the DGAC, the prefecture and the stadium operator. The broadcaster is consulted at this stage.
05
The rehearsal
A closed-door trial, carried out using your production line. The start signal and the fallback procedure are set out here in writing.
06
Live coverage
The flight takes off on cue. Our operators remain in contact with your production team throughout the entire window, including the return journey.
The deciding factor
A flight that’s about to depart signal-driven, not clock-driven
That is the key technical difference between a stadium and any other venue. It takes preparation; it cannot be improvised on the night of the match.
A Celesta flight plan is drawn up in advance and cannot be amended in real time. What needs to be ready is the trigger sequence: who gives the command, on which channel, and what happens if the command never arrives. Celesta draws up this procedure with your production team and rehearses it behind closed doors before the event.
Stadium landmarks
What you need to know before discussing it at the club
A major event at the stadium involves the club, the venue operator and the broadcaster. Here are the four key points that Celesta sets out right from the first meeting.
What a stadium entails
Key points
Time allowed before the meeting, including consideration of the case
2 to 3 months
Flight duration within a gameplay window
3 to 6 minutes
Take-off area, always outside the playing area
Off the pitch
A written procedure for triggering the process, repeated in camera
Understood
Drone light show: from
10 000 €
The amount then depends on the number of units, which in turn is determined by the space available above the stadium.
Let’s talk about how you met
Please let us know the date, We’ll tell you which window is holding up
Please let us know the stadium, the competition and the planned date. Within 48 hours, you’ll receive a letter of intent and a cost estimate, signed by a Celesta operations manager rather than a sales representative. If the volume above your stadium isn’t sufficient for the display you’re hoping for, we’ll let you know before providing a quote.
Before you call us
The questions raised by the clubs
Can you fly during half-time?
Yes, that’s the most common time slot. It involves a short flight, lasting three to six minutes, very quick set-up and take-off on the production signal rather than at a fixed time.
Should drones be landed on the lawn?
Never. Celesta places the take-off area outside the game area, which moves the fleet further away and increases the number of aircraft required. This is a constraint that needs to be taken into account right from the start.
What happens in the event of an extension?
The flight has been delayed. As it departs on a signal rather than at a set time, a twenty-minute delay is not a problem as long as the authorised time window is not exceeded.
Should the stadium lights be switched off?
At least in part. A stadium lights its pitch to levels dictated by the broadcasters, and these floodlights overwhelm the LEDs. This issue is negotiated with the broadcaster before being confirmed to the public.
What authorisations are required for a flight over a stadium?
Flights over the public fall within a specific category of European Regulation 2019/947: SORA risk analysis and authorisation submitted to the DGAC. The prefecture and the stadium operator are also involved. Celesta is responsible for the whole process.
Can we display the club logo or the score?
The logo, yes, subject to the relevant rights. A result, no: the flight plan is drawn up before the match and cannot be changed in real time. Any changes must be planned as contingencies, agreed in advance.