From Titanic To Britain’s Got Talent - Creating The UK’s Biggest Drone Shows

Watch on demand: How are drone shows transforming live entertainment, from recreating the Titanic to performing on Britain's Got Talent?

In this PLASA Show 2026 seminar, John (JP) Partridge of Celestial takes us behind the scenes of some of the UK's most ambitious drone light shows, revealing how the technology has evolved into a creative storytelling medium.

Drawing on projects including a life-size Titanic recreation above Belfast's waterfront, Celestial's journey to the final of Britain's Got Talent 2026, and an integrated drone performance at Boomtown Festival, the session examines the creative ideas, technical challenges and detailed planning behind large-scale aerial entertainment.

Key topics explored:

• The evolution of drone shows: How advances in technology and animation have transformed drones from technical demonstrations into creative storytelling tools.

• Bringing the Titanic to life: The challenges of recreating the historic ship at full scale above Belfast's docklands.

• Britain's Got Talent: How Celestial adapted its drone performances for a television audience and reached the 2026 final.

• Creating immersive festival experiences: Integrating drones with lighting, video, lasers and special effects at Boomtown.

• Behind the production: The creative workflows, safety considerations and operational challenges involved in large-scale drone shows.

• What's next for drone entertainment: Why storytelling and collaboration with other production disciplines are becoming increasingly important.

Who is this session for?

Companies: Event agencies, Production companies, Festivals, Venues, Stadiums, Touring/entertainment, Technical suppliers, Creative technology companies.

Professionals: 

• Head of Production
• Production Director
• Technical Director
• Executive Producer
• Creative Director
• Head of Experiential
• Head of Live Events
• Event Director
• Creative Producer
• Technical Producer
• Show Director
• Head of Creative Technology
• Managing Director / Founder
• Venue / Events Director
• Festival Director

Watch the full seminar for a fascinating insight into the technology, creativity and people behind spectacular drone productions, and how this rapidly evolving medium is opening up new possibilities for live entertainment.