High School Drone Team to Dazzle with 300-Drone Light Show

While most high school teams are practicing on the football field, a new kind of team in Washington’s Peninsula School District is practicing in the night sky. The district’s new Drone Drill Team is preparing to launch its inaugural public performance, a spectacular light show featuring a swarm of 300 drones.

This innovative program, only the second of its kind in the entire country, is a brilliant fusion of art, technology, and education. It’s a powerful showcase of what’s possible when you put the future of flight into the hands of the next generation.

A Symphony of Lights and Code

The team’s free public debut is set for this Thursday, September 18th, at Gig Harbor High School, as reported by Gig Harbor Now. After a successful dress rehearsal, the 300-drone swarm is ready to paint the sky with a series of dazzling, choreographed images. The show will include everything from a simple “Hello” to a waving American flag, and even a playful animation of a shark chomping on a fish.

The program is the brainchild of Superintendent Krestin Bahr and is led by two licensed drone pilots, innovation coordinator Mel Benner and computer science teacher Jonna Waage. But the real stars are the seven high school students who were handpicked to be paid “technology interns” for the team.

These students aren’t just flying the drones; they are a multi-talented crew handling everything from coding and animation to photography and social media. As Gig Harbor High junior Nicole Paquette said, it’s a “killer opportunity to kickstart a new program.”

More Than Just a Light Show

This program is about far more than just creating a pretty spectacle. It is a cutting-edge STEM education initiative that is giving these students a massive head start in a booming industry. The skills they are learning—coding, animation, project management, and FAA regulations—are directly applicable to high-demand careers in real estate, agriculture, public safety, and the military.

Peninsula High senior Colby Schley, who manages the team’s content, noted that the program requires “multiple skill sets” and is a perfect launchpad for a future career in technology. The school district is going all-in, offering drone classes to help students prepare for their FAA pilot licenses and supporting drone clubs at all its high schools.

Orchestrating a 300-drone swarm is a masterclass in teamwork and precision. The students are learning how to manage a complex, high-tech operation, ensuring that all 300 aircraft fly in perfect harmony without a single mid-air collision.

The Future of STEM Education

The Peninsula School District’s program is a brilliant example of how to make STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education exciting and relevant. It takes abstract concepts like coding and physics and turns them into a tangible, awe-inspiring result.

It joins a wave of innovative drone applications that are reshaping our world, from the life-saving medical deliveries in Kansas to the groundbreaking wildlife research in Australia. It proves that drones are not just a niche hobby; they are a foundational technology for the 21st century.

DroneXL’s Take

It’s hard not to feel a huge surge of optimism when you read a story like this. This is the absolute best of the drone world. It’s a story about passion, creativity, and inspiring the next generation of pilots, engineers, and innovators. My hat is off to the Peninsula School District for this incredible initiative.

“Real talk,” choreographing a 300-drone swarm is a logistical and technical nightmare of the highest order. I’ve had trouble just keeping one drone from hitting a tree! The skill, precision, and teamwork required to make 300 robots dance in the sky is something that even seasoned professionals would find daunting. The fact that high school students are at the heart of this is just phenomenal.

This is the kind of program that will create the leaders of our industry for decades to come. These students aren’t just learning to fly; they’re learning to manage a complex aerospace operation. They are the future pilots, the future engineers, and the future entrepreneurs who will push this technology to even greater heights.

This is the story we should all be celebrating. It’s a powerful, positive, and inspiring example of what happens when you give young people the tools and the trust to create something magical. This is more than a light show; it’s a beacon of what’s to come.

Photo credit: N. Paquette / Gig Harbor Now