Behind the Scenes: First Onsite Meeting with Skyrunner Drone Light Shows

Planning for San Dimas 2026 took a big step forward this week with the preliminary onsite meeting with Skyrunner Drone Light Shows, the company contracted to bring our July 3, 2026, drone spectacular to life.

The staging area was tested in the parking lot behind City Hall off Walnut Avenue. From there, the drones will launch and rise above City Hall to a height of 150 feet, beginning their choreography over the parking lot centered between City Hall and the Senior Center. During the show, the fleet can ascend as high as 450 feet, creating a breathtaking canvas in the night sky.

Technical assessments were thorough. The takeoff and landing zone was cleared of potential underground magnetic disturbances—essential for GPS stability and safe operation.

Visibility of the show was checked from Civic Center Park, confirming excellent sight lines for the community. Representatives from Skyrunner, the San Dimas 2026 Committee, the City of San Dimas, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were present to review crowd safety, traffic patterns, and perimeter control.

One exciting update: Skyrunner’s newest drones feature LED RGB light systems capable of millions of color combinations. Even better, their brightness has nearly doubled—from 900 lumens to 1,600 lumens. For perspective, that’s like upgrading from the light of a strong household spotlight to something closer to a car’s high-beam headlight—making the colors crisper, images sharper, and visibility clearer from a much greater distance.

As dazzling as the visuals will be, there are also important safety considerations. A secure zone under the display will be maintained, and only flight crew will be allowed inside during operations. The committee is working closely with Skyrunner to finalize these details well in advance.

Looking ahead, on Monday, September 22, the San Dimas 2026 Committee will select a dedicated subcommittee to collaborate with Skyrunner on designing the specific images and animations for the show. Skyrunner has assured us that logos and lettering for our Platinum Patriot Sponsors will look fantastic in the sky.

Currently, Mike Wallace of Better Home Financial, Inc. and Vicky Maliszewski of Kaleo Real Estate are confirmed at the Platinum level. With only two of these exclusive sponsorships remaining, the opportunity to literally see your name in lights—written across the San Dimas sky on July 3, 2026—is almost gone.

Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the show. The countdown to San Dimas 2026 is well underway, and the future is looking bright—1,600 lumens bright!