Dynamic Drones

What’s a guy to do after piloting aircraft for 6,000 hours and working as an aerospace engineer for NASA?

Play with drones, of course. Up to 50 at a time!

It’s a hobby that Brad Snelling has turned into a business. He and Will Clay founded Dynamic Skies, Oklahoma’s first drone light show company, two years ago. The drones are programmed to fly in formations that create animated designs in the night sky.

“I like fireworks, but light shows offer something new,” Snelling said. “There’s no debris. No noise to startle kids or pets, and it can be customized for each event. I was surprised to realize that no one was doing drone shows in Oklahoma.”

Don’t assume that Snelling is a drone novice, however, because he launched the first official drone program for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He confesses that, as a “techy,” he loves his day job of researching future concepts and systems for air taxis and cargo delivery with Unmanned Aircraft Systems, the technical name for drones.

In the evenings, he turns his skills toward creatively designing entertainment that can be viewed from up to three miles away. “The theme of each event guides the storyboard. To design the 3-D formations, we use professional animation software,” Snelling said. “It can take 50 hours to design a 10-minute show!”

Flying with Precision
Dynamic Skies’ first few shows, a Christmas event in Stillwater and the prelude to the 2022 LibertyFest fireworks display, were viewed by thousands of people. Although they faced some challenges at those early shows, Snelling and Clay used those opportunities to keep improving. Before each event, they conduct numerous pre-flight and safety checks, and Snelling’s family is trained to help with customer service and safety prior to the airborne entertainment. When showtime finally comes, everything is on autopilot.

“Speed matters, spacing matters, and getting it timed to the music matters,” Snelling said. “Ultimately, it all comes down to computer programming, and I really enjoy that process.”

Snelling also enjoys teaching others how to fly drones. Last year, Dynamic Skies provided training camps to young adults around the state. Colleges are already developing drone programs, and Oklahoma was ranked #1 in drone career readiness last year. “There’s a huge opportunity for people entering the career field of aviation and technology.”

Flying Full Circle
As Dynamic Skies continues to increase its business, including the recent kick-off to Edmond’s Luminance, the holiday schedule has become trickier. Fortunately, corporate events and weddings happen year-round. Snelling and Clay have also done a few charity events to raise money for schools and athletic programs.

“We recently got asked to tour with a big-name artist, whose name you would recognize—but we prefer to do local shows. After spending years traveling, both of us are motivated to stay close to home and be with our families. I view this as a fun, future, retirement job for me,” Snelling said.

Having grown up in Edmond flying radio-controlled airplanes above Waterloo Road and then actually flying airplanes for the Air Force, FAA, and airlines, Snelling feels like his drone hobby has brought him back full circle.

“It’s fun for me, and it’s fun for the spectators. During a show, we love hearing people guess what formation is coming next before it’s fully formed,” Snelling said. “Drone technology has come so far that the sky is no longer the limit. Besides doing important work for businesses and the military, drones create spectacular entertainment. People love seeing beautiful colored lights in the sky.”

Visit dynamic-skies.com to learn more.