Need help pulling off a difficult challenge

[MattRece]

Hey guys so I am participating in a charity scavenger hunt called GISH (Greatest International Scavenger Hunt) and could use some help.

People always say, "GISH lights up the night!" Prove it. Get a bunch of drones with lights on them to spell out the word "GISH" in the night sky. The drones must serve as pixels in the sky, so you will need a lot of them. Probably at least 40.

So we only have 6 days to pull this off and this is just one item out of 194 on the list but this one is one of the top point items. How many people do we have down here in south Florida area that would be willing to meet up one night and help me pull this off. I can make up some LED lights and a battery to put on the bottom of the drone and then we can just get everybody to fly into position and hold there so that it spells out the word GISH. The more drones the better.

What do you guys think, if anyone has the people to pull this off somewhere else then I can coordinate with you and just have you send a video of it.
Let me know if you have ideas to help

Thanks ,
Matt Reece
954-604-9536

 

[Meta4]

Get a bunch of drones with lights on them to spell out the word "GISH" in the night sky.
The drones must serve as pixels in the sky, so you will need a lot of them. Probably at least 40. ...

Lots of drones, close together in the dark ...
What could possibly go wrong?

 

[GCMM2P]

Lots of drones, close together in the dark ...
What could possibly go wrong?

Sounds legit! Maybe the next task is scavenging drone parts off the ground?

 

[MattRece]

I think I have an easy way to do this. I was originally thinking of using DJI stuff but not sure if I can round up 40 people with all DJI stuff. But I think if I had all the pilots just stand on the ground in position spelling out GISH and they have their drone next to them on the ground and they just take off and then hover directly over their head we can get the shot.

I could provide the lights to put on the bottom of each drone.

 

[charliesRig]

I think you need more Money/Drones/Time
I wish you a lot of luck seem like a good coze
.
...cR
.

.

 

[Keule]

Let me know if you have ideas to help

You should contact companies like this one: AO Lighting Technology | Light, multi-media & drone shows for events

 

[AMann]

I think I have an easy way to do this. I was originally thinking of using DJI stuff but not sure if I can round up 40 people with all DJI stuff. But I think if I had all the pilots just stand on the ground in position spelling out GISH and they have their drone next to them on the ground and they just take off and then hover directly over their head we can get the shot.

I could provide the lights to put on the bottom of each drone.

Have you ever played a multiplayer game and you don’t know which car is yours? How will people know which drone is theirs?

Sorry to sound critical, but this stunt may easily end up becoming a very expensive drone crash derby.

 

[Keule]

if anyone has the people to pull this off

You can do this on your own if you have the right software and proper vehicles.
But I doubt you can do it within 6 days.

The software can be found here: Drone Show Software | Drone Show Software

 

[WithTheBirds]

There is a software solution to automate this sort of display but it won’t run on DJI drones. Intel is well known for drone swarms with lights- there is at least one entity who provides software and tools to do similar- I can’t remember the name but they shouldn’t be hard to find with google. Drones require pixhawk flight controllers if I remember right.

 

[MattRece]

Have you ever played a multiplayer game and you don’t know which car is yours? How will people know which drone is theirs?

Sorry to sound critical, but this stunt may easily end up becoming a very expensive drone crash derby.

Well the letters can be fairly large and so that will leave some distance between each drone and each person is just holding position straight over head. It would be especially easy if I can round up 40 DJI drones since they would just hover in position hold mode.

 

[hansinla]

You could do a long time exposure photograph and fly the patterns of the characters with one drone equipped with a light.

 

[MattRece]

You could do a long time exposure photograph and fly the patterns of the characters with one drone equipped with a light.

That was my initial idea or I was going to do a composite photograph and have a camera in fixed position and just move one drone from spot to spot taking pics and then photoshop it into one image but that isn’t allowed AND they want a video of it and not a photo.

 

[THE CYBORG]

I think a daylight practice with only a few would be a good idea to see if the “hover directly over their head” technique works as hoped.
Good luck

 

[Kilrah]

Might be worth checking in detail how raising money for a charity is considered, if it falls into "commercial" then you'd need 40 or so pilots with 107s AND night waivers...

 

[THE CYBORG]

Wouldn't think it a problem if the pilots give there time for free but I could be wrong.

 

[MattRece]

It’s not raising money. The charity part is that the GISH organization is all about random acts of kindness. So don’t think there is commercial value in it.

 

[bliksem]

These guys did a show at KSC recently with 300 drones

Studio Drift's drone performance lifts off at Kennedy Space Center

Studio Drift has recreated its flying sculpture Franchise Freedom at Kennedy Space Center, programming 300 drones to perform a routine marking the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission launch.

www.dezeen.com

 

[GFields]

Lots of drones, close together in the dark ...
What could possibly go wrong?

And probably over people

 

[Duddley44]

It would be cool to see but I wouldn’t risk my DJI .

 

[GFields]

Well the letters can be fairly large and so that will leave some distance between each drone and each person is just holding position straight over head. It would be especially easy if I can round up 40 DJI drones since they would just hover in position hold mode.

My wife suggested rather than trying to do this with 40 drones, you might consider creating a lighted banner and using two drones to fly it up.
Just a thought.

Whatever you do, be safe.