Sky Elements and Damoda established a world record during a week-long programme in Texas, using a total of 71,207 drones. The achievement surpassed the previous benchmark of 55,939 flights, set by Aerial Illuminations and UVify earlier in 2026. Operations were directed from a single rural control centre.
A highlight on 28 September 2026 was a blue dragon assembled from 10,183 drones, which set the record for the largest depiction of a mythical creature. The previous record, established in the United Arab Emirates in late 2025, involved 2,247 drones. Other displays featured ocean scenes, astronauts and a lion.
Each performance used approximately 10,200 drones, with the team conducting several flights daily. Sky Elements worked with Damoda America for hardware support, while Damoda's Shenzhen-based engineers supplied specialised charging and launch trays. These allowed the aircraft to be stored and charged without being positioned manually; after each flight, every drone returned automatically to its designated tray, simplifying storage and logistics.
Although a storm on 27 September presented a substantial obstacle, performances continued as scheduled through the closing night on 30 September. Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric highlighted the difficulty of combining challenging weather with repeated daily flights involving more than 10,000 drones. He praised the completion of five successful shows after long nights of work.
Sky Elements had previously set records with a gingerbread village constructed using 4,981 drones. Its other achievements include a drone animation lasting 30 minutes.
