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HIDA Drone Show Initiative
The ASU Drone Show Initiative is the world’s first university-based program integrating art, technology, and storytelling through large-scale drone performances. Launched in Fall 2023 with a milestone 600-drone halftime show at the ASU vs. USC football game, the initiative quickly positioned Arizona State University as a global leader in drone show design and production.
Based at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the program unites students, faculty, and industry partners across HIDA—including art, animation, design, architecture, film, gaming, and immersive experience programs—to create and produce shows that bridge creative arts and advanced technology.
Supported by leading drone show companies, the initiative is made possible through over $250,000 in philanthropic contributions and substantial in-kind support, such as access to drone fleets, professional training, and advanced software. ASU is setting a new standard for immersive media and creative technology, while giving students unique educational and professional opportunities in this fast-growing field.
NEW massive DRONE SHOW DESIGNED BY STUDENTS oN SEP. 26TH!
PHOTO GALLERY
SENSORY GARDEN
The First Era:
ASU’s Debut Drone Show
In September 2023, Arizona State University partnered with Nova Sky Stories, an international leader in drone entertainment, to produce Arizona’s first university-driven drone show at Mountain America Stadium. Designed and animated by ASU students, the show featured 600 drones performing in sync with the Sun Devil Marching Band as a tribute to Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The performance captivated more than 53,000 fans in the stadium and reached hundreds of thousands more online, earning extensive media coverage and positioning ASU as a pioneer in this emerging artistic field.
This milestone was made possible by the generous support of the Swette family, the ASU Foundation, and the creative direction of Professor Ana Herruzo. Most importantly, it marked the beginning of a new artistic medium at ASU, combining art, technology, and large-scale public spectacle.
Building on this foundation, ASU will present its next major performance on September 26, 2025, during the ASU vs. TCU Blackout Game. This show will feature 850 drones and original student-created animations, setting a new record for the largest collegiate drone show ever staged in the United States and reaffirming ASU’s leadership in drone show innovation and education.
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Over $250,000 in philanthropic funding has been raised for the program.
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Significant additional in-kind contributions from industry partners, including drone fleets, training, and production software
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850 drones for 2025 (the largest collegiate drone show in the U.S.)
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World’s first drone show design curriculum (HIDA 598 / 494)
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53,000+ live audience in 2023; 300,000+ online views
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4 industry partners: Nova Sky Stories, Sky Elements, Pulse Drones, Pryotecnico
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100-drone training fleet in Tempe
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Only university worldwide with this level of program and industry integration
AT A GLANCE
From Spectacle to Curriculum: Designing Drone Light Shows
Student Innovation and Professional Experience
UNMATCHED Partnerships
Building on the success of its first performance, ASU launched the world’s first academic course dedicated to drone show design. Taught at the Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center, the “Designing Drone Light Shows” course (HIDA 598 for graduate students and HIDA 494 for undergraduates) brings together students from across the Herberger Institute including: The School of Art, The Design School, The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, the School of Arts, Media and Engineering (GAME program), the School of Architecture, and the Industrial Design program. Graduate students from the MS in Immersive Experience Design, also based at the MIX Center, participate as well.
In this unique studio environment, students collaborate on 3D animation, narrative storyboarding, FAA regulations, and live production workflows, working alongside mentors from industry leaders.
Guest lectures and critiques from companies such as Nova Sky Stories, Pulse Drones, and Pryotechnico, connect students directly to the professional world. Thanks to these partnerships, ASU students are gaining hands-on experience designing, simulating, and launching their own drone shows both in the classroom and in the sky.
ASU students from a diverse range of programs are at the center of this initiative, bringing perspectives from animation, art, design, architecture, gaming, and film to every stage of the creative process. Five students from the inaugural class now serve as lead designers for the upcoming ASU vs. TCU halftime drone show on September 26, 2025, which will feature 850 drones and set a new record as the largest collegiate drone show in U.S. history. Another five students from the current fall class have participated in brainstorming sessions, ensuring new talent enters the pipeline each year.
A unique partnership with Pulse Drones, a Tempe-based company founded by an ASU alum, allows students to practice with a 100-drone fleet in live production settings. Here, students learn the entire workflow: preparing and uploading animation files, running specialized show software, overseeing launches, and managing the physical setup required for professional-scale events. This hands-on training gives ASU students unmatched portfolios and direct pathways into a rapidly growing creative industry.
The Drone Show Initiative is powered by collaboration with the field’s top companies. Nova Sky Stories, the original launch partner, helped develop the curriculum and produced the first show.
Sky Elements, the largest U.S. drone show company, is executing the 2025 performance with ASU student designs at the core.
Pulse Drones lends its 100-drone fleet and expertise, providing regular training sessions and real production experience.
Pyrotecnico is actively recruiting from ASU’s classes and supporting students’ professional development through lectures and industry engagement.
WHAT'S NEXT
On September 26, 2025, the ASU Drone Show Initiative will reach its next milestone with a Blackout Game halftime performance featuring 850 drones. This record-setting event, designed by ASU students and executed by Sky Elements, will culminate in a grand finale: the Changing Futures campaign logo animated in the night sky—a celebration of donor impact and ASU’s vision for the future. The event will be nationally televised and visible across the city, engaging more than 50,000 live attendees and millions more watching from home.
The Drone Show Initiative continues to expand, growing its curriculum, launching new collaborations, and establishing ASU as a national leader in drone show education and production.
WHY IT MATTERS
Drone storytelling represents a new, sustainable, and imaginative alternative to traditional fireworks—transforming the sky into a canvas for narrative, celebration, and innovation. By investing in this initiative, ASU is not only preparing students for careers in a rapidly evolving creative technology sector but also creating unforgettable public experiences that connect donors, alumni, and the broader community. The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is proud to lead this new field, combining education, industry, and civic engagement in ways only ASU can.
Press
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Featured by FOX News
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Featured by Arizona Republic
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Featured by ASU News
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Featured by Sundevil Athletics