The last time a drone light show was acknowledged publicly by the Guinness Book of World Records was in December 2023, when Dallas, TX-based Sky Elements, reputedly the largest drone light show company in the world, flew 1,600 drones equipped with LED lights in a choreographed show at a pre-Xmas Eve celebration in North Richland Hills, TX.

But a US-based company that manufactures in South Korea, UVify, has just smashed that record, flying nearly 5,300 drones that lit up the night sky last week in a city of 160,000 residents just 25 miles southwest of Seoul.

The city, Songdo, is in the middle of one of the country’s three main economic enterprise zones, in which “smart” technology of various kinds is a prominent feature – the perfect site for a record-breaking drone light show to showcase the nation’s – and the city’s – ambitions.

UVify’s record-breaking feat showed off the drones’ abilities for precision flying, with thousands of LED-equipped drones moving in highly choreographed sequences, depicting everything from giant-sized multi-colored corporate logos to shape-shifting abstract designs.

Hyon Lim, CEO of UVify, expressed his enthusiasm for the achievement, stating, “This event was not just about setting a world record; it was a demonstration of the innovative spirit and the relentless pursuit of excellence that drive our team at UVify. We are proud to lead the way in drone technology and to showcase our capabilities on the world stage here in Songdo.”

UVify’s use of drone swarms also informs the company’s operations in other important commercial niches, including aerial mapping, but these days, its drone light shows are at the forefront of its burgeoning sales.  The nine-year old company boasts 50 employees and four main investors, with its main headquarters in Seattle, WA and second US sales office located in San Francisco.

The company also boasts a growing role in the US market.  Company COO Robert Cheek notes that other US-based companies like Sky Elements – that sponsor drone light shows – typically rely on drones manufactured by UVify, as do 70% of these American companies overall.  About 80% of the global drone light show market also relies on Uvify drones, Cheek notes.

UVify’s own drone light shows may be more expensive than most.  At $1,700 a drone– which includes the design work and the on-site piloting by a 5-person team – the Songdo event cost a whopping $9 million but local authorities and businesses that collaborated with Uvify – and foot the bill — saw it as a worthwhile investment, highlighting the city’s leading role in Korea’s economic future.

UVify’s new Guinness record will likely stand as a milestone for some time, but many other companies are waiting to join a market that is growing exponentially.  Measuring just $219.2 million in 2022, the drone light show market is expected to grow more than seven-fold to $1.67 billion by 2031, exhibiting a CAGR of 25.3% during this period, according to Business Insights Research.  The Asian share of the market, including China and India as well as South Korea, is expected to grow fastest during this same period, followed by Europe and the United States, industry analysts say.

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