The View From Within The Fireworks: Ohioan Pilots Drone Into July 4th Celebration

STRONGSVILLE, OH — Fireworks have been a July 4th tradition since 1777, a year after the U.S. was founded. With more than 200 years of experience, the nation has seen nearly every type of firework there is, sizzling, crackling, cornucopias of color, even illuminated smiley faces. But technology offers a new angle in which to view the fireworks, from within and above.

Justin Myers, a Strongsville resident, had long wanted to pilot a drone into the heart of a fireworks display, according to his YouTube page. There's no better time to display such courage and bravado than Independence Day, so Myers used the city's traditional celebration as a chance to send his DJI Phantom 3 Professional into the fireworks.

"I think it’s awesome that drones can give you a unique perspective on things. Since picking up droning as a hobby two years ago, I’m constantly thinking of new views and landscapes I can capture from the sky," Myers told Patch. "I figured we always see fireworks from the ground, so why not try to see them from above?"

The video starts innocuously, with the drone on the ground, staring at the boot of a car. Then the drone rises from the ground to about human eye level, wheels around, spots Myers (who throws a thumb up), and then ascends into the skyline. After that, it's a radiant, popping display, a feast for the eyes.

"At first I didn’t think I was going to be close enough, but once the show started I knew the footage was going to be incredible," Myers said. "My friend, Matt Milla, watched as the fireworks were launched and gave me a better idea when to expect the next one and how big it was going to be. It was really helpful because I was able to see the live view through my phone and determine if I was at the right angle for each firework. In total, the drone was up for about 20 minutes."

Watch Myers' video below.

How terrifying was it to send the drone into the explosives? Not as much as you might expect.

"It was a little nerve-racking to have my drone surrounded by sparks," Myers said. "It’s a good thing my wife had to stay home with our son or else she would’ve killed me. Realistically though, my drone is unbelievably stable when it flies. Even if it had been hit, it would’ve only damaged the camera."

Plus, Myers has the photography bug in his genes.

"My mom is a local professional photographer, so it’s always been natural for me to want to document life. When my son was born in 2015, I realized I prefer video for catching the little moments you just can’t get with a photo," he said. "Since then I’ve created a ton of videos and publish one per week on my YouTube channel."

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Photo from YouTube Screen Capture