OCALA, FL (352today.com) – There will be no drone light show as part of the City of Ocala’s Independence Day celebrations in 2025 or 2026.

The Ocala City Council unanimously voted 4-0, with Councilman Barry Mansfield absent, to terminate the city’s contract with Sky Elements, the Fort Worth, Texas-based drone light show provider. The decision follows controversy surrounding a serious injury at one of Sky Elements’ shows on December 21, 2024, at Lake Eola Park in Orlando. The incident left a seven-year-old boy requiring open-heart surgery after being struck in the chest by a falling drone.

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The termination of the agreement was presented by City of Ocala Chief of Staff Christopher Watt. On December 17, 2024, the City Council had approved a two-year renewal of the contract with Sky Elements for drone shows on July 4, 2025, and July 4, 2026.

Following the Orlando incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) initiated separate investigations. As part of its inquiry, the FAA suspended Sky Elements from operating multiple drones at night without condition lights.

The Patriotic Skies event requires months of preparation, and given the situation with the company, the city cannot proceed with preparations as it cannot confirm whether Sky Elements will fulfill its obligations, Watt said. Staff recommended the termination of the contract for convenience.

Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano and Councilman Jim Hilty, Sr. had previously voiced concerns about the drone shows, even before the Orlando incident, urging the council to explore other options.

“There were some challenges that were brought forth that presented itself that we didn’t really know about,” said Hilty Sr. “My background with echo space engineering tells me there could’ve been some interference for that program by somebody just trying to fool around, and we have that exposure to ourselves. It’s all done by radio frequency.”

Cost was also a concern, with the drone shows set to cost $300,000 over three years, not including additional expenses for the city’s parks and recreation and police departments, Hilty Sr. added.

Councilman Jay Musleh opposed spending any city funds on fireworks or drone shows at this time.