DATEV Challenge ROTH 2026 drone show

Details

DATEV Challenge Roth drone show

The drone show at the DATEV Challenge Roth was part of a complex live production of pyrotechnics, laser show, light, music and stadium dramaturgy. Rather than aiming for the largest possible number of drones, SMIA developed a precisely integrated show with 180 drones, a fully in-house design and timecode integration.

The focus was on closeness, timing and impact. The drones were not meant to appear as a separate element but to blend seamlessly into the finale.

Key facts

• Project: DATEV Challenge ROTH
• Drones: 180 light-show drones
• Design: developed entirely in-house at SMIA
• Synchronisation: timecode-controlled start via external source
• Integration: fireworks, laser, light and music
• Pyro planning: coordination via Finale 3D and the Verge Aero interface
• Special feature: motifs with deliberate use of dark and empty image areas
• Constraint: limited pyrotechnics due to increased fire risk
• Aim: high emotional impact with a compact number of drones

DATEV Challenge Roth drone show as part of a precise live production

The entire drone show ran on timecode. The start point was not set manually but defined by an external source. This allowed the drones to be tied exactly into the sequence of the overall production.

For a show with fireworks, laser, light and music, this synchronisation was decisive. It created one coherent image across all disciplines.

“What mattered was not showing 180 drones separately. What mattered was that every movement fits the music, the light, the fireworks and the whole dramaturgy,” says Peter Smiatek, founder of SMIA Drohnenshows.

180 drones, deliberately placed voids and a new understanding of motifs

The complete design was developed in-house at SMIA. The creative approach deliberately differed from conventional, purely geometric drone motifs.

Instead of tracing every contour fully with points of light, dark and empty areas were used deliberately as a design element. Human perception fills in missing image information automatically. This makes it possible to create more intense motifs with fewer drones.

The design therefore follows not only the outer contour but strengthens the overall impression.

“We can create a more intense result with significantly fewer drones using this technique. The motif emerges not only from the visible points of light but also from the deliberately placed dark areas,” explains Peter Smiatek.

Fireworks, laser and drones in shared timing

A central technical component was the combination of drone show and fireworks. The pyrotechnics were not planned in parallel to the drone show but tuned specifically to the individual scenarios.

For this, Finale 3D was used. Through the interface for the fireworks design tool, developed in cooperation with Verge Aero, the fireworks could be aligned precisely to the drone scenes.

Due to increased fire risk, the use of pyrotechnics had to be limited.

“Drones create spatial images. Fireworks bring energy to the moment. In the right combination, an effect emerges that neither element achieves on its own,” says Peter Smiatek.

Why closeness can work more strongly than large drone swarms

Large drone swarms need large areas and greater safety distances. As a result, shows often move further away from the audience. Movements seem slower from a distance, and some of the three-dimensionality is lost.

At the DATEV Challenge Roth, the focus was therefore not on mass but on closeness and precise positioning. 180 drones could be deployed in a way that felt more direct, faster and more spatial for the audience.

This closeness changes perception. The show is not only seen but experienced more intensely. Particularly in the interplay with music, laser, light and fireworks, this creates a strong overall moment.

What makes this DATEV Challenge Roth drone show technically special

The DATEV Challenge Roth drone show shows how SMIA Drohnenshows integrates into complex live productions: with precise timing, its own design approach, robust system technology and clear coordination with other disciplines.

180 drones were understood not as a limit but as a creative framework. Through timecode, in-house design, pyro integration and closeness to the audience, a compact, technically precise and emotionally effective aerial staging emerged.

The production shows: it is not the number of drones alone that matters. What matters is how precisely they are deployed.

Also read the detailed project article in our news blog!