Drone shows are now part of game day at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. They're produced by FlyLight Drone Shows, a trusted Verge Aero network partner, flying on Verge Aero's drone show technology.

From surprise to staple

It started with a secret. On September 16, 2023, as the third quarter wound down, Verge Aero drones lit up the sky over 100,000-plus fans who had no idea it was coming.

Since then, Verge-powered partner FlyLight Drone Shows has made aerial light shows a regular part of Longhorns football, with pyro-drones on the biggest nights.

Milestones

• September 16, 2023: A surprise drone show debuts at DKR.
• July 1, 2024: The first public pyro-drone show in the Americas lights up Lady Bird Lake for Texas's first day in the SEC, with 90 of 400 drones carrying pyrotechnics. Verge Aero secured FAA waivers for the show, drawing on its earlier international pyro-drone work, including Soundstorm 2023 in Riyadh.
• November 2025: More than 1,000 drones bring Bevo to life at the Lone Star Showdown, built with Verge Aero's AI design tools.
• September 5, 2026: The first smoke-mine drone show in college football flies in daylight at the Texas Longhorns home opener against the Texas State Bobcats.
• September 11, 2026: The first drone show broadcast live on SportsCenter promotes Texas vs. Ohio State.
• September 12, 2026: 150 drones trail burnt-orange smoke for the Ohio State game.

The technology behind it

Every show flies on the Verge Aero platform: X7 light-show drones, X1 pyro-drones for fire and smoke effects, and Design Studio, the creative software that plans and de-conflicts every flight path. FlyLight brings the creative and the crew; Verge Aero brings the technology and support.

Hook 'em.

Want to bring shows like these to your market? Talk to an expert about joining the Verge Aero partner network.

Sources

• Unforgettable Performance Dazzles at UT Austin (Verge Aero)
• Longhorn in the sky: How UT drone shows came to be (The Daily Texan)
• Verge Aero Presents One Of The First Public Pyrodrone Shows (Live Design)
• Verge Aero lights up Texas sky with historic pyro drone show (DroneDJ)