Some basic requirements for performing drones

1. Flight performance

(1). Stability and accuracy

Stability is the key to drone performances. During the performance, drones need to maintain a stable flight attitude under various meteorological conditions (such as breezes, a certain degree of airflow changes). For example, when drones form complex patterns or make dynamic changes, even a slight shake may cause the entire formation pattern to deform, affecting the performance effect. Therefore, drones must have a good balance system and anti-interference ability, and be able to fly accurately according to the preset flight trajectory.

Accuracy requires drones to accurately locate and control the flight path. Its positioning accuracy usually reaches the centimeter level or even higher. This is because drones need to fly in formation strictly according to the designed patterns and actions during the performance, such as forming text, graphics or performing complex animation performances. Only high-precision positioning and flight control can ensure that each drone is in the right position, so that the entire formation performance can achieve the expected effect.

(2). Endurance

Drone performances usually last for a certain period of time, ranging from more than ten minutes to half an hour. In order to ensure that the performance can be completed smoothly, the drone needs to have sufficient endurance. This requires its battery to provide continuous and stable power support. Generally speaking, the flight time of drones used for performances should be at least 20-30 minutes, and when the battery power is low, there will be no sudden power outage or significant performance degradation to avoid accidents such as drone crashes.

(3). Flight speed and acceleration control

Different performance scenes and actions require drones to have appropriate flight speeds and accelerations. In some dynamic performances, such as simulating the effects of meteors streaking across the sky or fireworks blooming, drones need to move quickly and be able to change speed and direction quickly. When forming static patterns or making slow shape changes, drones must be able to fly stably at a lower speed and be able to accelerate or decelerate smoothly to ensure the coordination of the entire formation.

 

2. Communication and signal transmission

(1). Reliable communication link

Drone performances require the establishment of a stable and efficient communication link to ensure that control instructions can be transmitted from the ground control station to each drone in a timely and accurate manner. Wireless communication methods such as Wi-Fi, radio frequency (RF) and other technologies are usually used. These communication methods need to have strong anti-interference capabilities and be able to work normally in complex electromagnetic environments (such as other wireless signal interference in cities).

Communication distance is also an important factor. For large-scale drone performances, drones may be distributed in a large airspace, which requires that the communication signal can cover the entire performance area and ensure sufficient signal strength to maintain a stable connection between the drone and the ground control station.

(2). Real-time data transmission

During the flight, the drone needs to transmit its own status information (such as position, speed, power, etc.) back to the ground control station in real time. In this way, the operator can timely discover possible problems with the drone based on these data, such as insufficient battery power, abnormal flight posture, etc., and take corresponding measures. At the same time, real-time data transmission also helps to accurately control and adjust the drone during the performance to ensure the quality and safety of the performance.

 

3. Hardware equipment

(1). Lighting equipment

Lighting is an important visual element of drone performances. Drones need to be equipped with high-brightness, colorful and flexibly controllable lighting equipment. The brightness of the light should be high enough so that it can be clearly seen by the audience at a long distance and in a brighter environment (such as when there are other light sources in the city night scene).

In terms of color, the light should be able to present a variety of colors and switch and fade quickly to achieve a colorful performance effect. For example, dynamic patterns can be displayed or various natural phenomena can be simulated through the combination and change of different colors.

The control method of the light is also very important. It should be able to achieve synchronous control through software or other control means to ensure that the lighting effect of the entire formation is coordinated and consistent.

(2). Fuselage structure and material

The fuselage structure should be light, which can reduce the weight of the drone, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving endurance. At the same time, a lightweight fuselage also helps the drone to fly more flexibly and facilitates the completion of complex movements.

The fuselage material needs to have a certain strength and toughness, and be able to withstand vibrations and collisions during flight (such as minor collisions between drones or accidental collisions with some small objects) to prevent damage to the drone. For example, using lightweight and high-strength materials such as carbon fiber to make the fuselage can ensure the firmness of the fuselage without adding too much weight.

 

4. Software and programming

(1). Formation control software

Drone performances require special formation control software to achieve unified management and control of multiple drones. The software should be able to plan a reasonable flight path and action for each drone according to the design requirements of the performance. For example, when designing a complex pattern composed of hundreds of drones, the software can automatically calculate the take-off time, flight trajectory, speed change and other parameters of each drone, and can make timely adjustments according to the on-site situation (such as drone position offset, etc.).

The software should also have good compatibility and be able to adapt to different types of drone hardware, so as to facilitate the use of multiple types of drones for combined performances in performances.

(2). Programming flexibility

In order to meet the performance needs of different themes and creativity, drone programming should have high flexibility. Operators can achieve various complex actions and pattern changes through programming, such as three-dimensional modeling, dynamic text scrolling, etc. Moreover, the programming process should be relatively simple and easy to understand, so that creative personnel and technical personnel can communicate and collaborate, and quickly transform creativity into actual performance actions.