Event delivery specialist 21CC Group has acquired drone display company SkyShows as part of a major \u00a32.1m investment programme planned over the next 18 months.<\/p>\n
The investment will see SkyShows’ drone fleet quadruple in size, making it Scotland’s largest drone display operator. To support this expansion, 21CC has recruited its first senior drone pilot, with five employees also set to undertake a training programme to become qualified pilots.<\/p>\n
The acquisition will enable 21CC to integrate drone displays with its range of in-house event services, spanning creative design, event and production management, technical production, audio visual, lighting, sound, projection, lasers and pyrotechnics.<\/p>\n
Founded in 2000, it has since helped put on events like the UCI Cycling World Championships, Royal Highland Show, BBC Live at Edinburgh Castle, BBC Proms, Terminal V, Creamfields, TRNSMT and FLY Open Air.<\/p>\n
Managing director Geoff Crow said: \u201cWe\u2019re always looking for ways to grow and bring something new to our clients. – drone technology is evolving rapidly, and we see huge potential in what it can bring to live events, from corporate activations and large-scale public celebrations, to festivals, bespoke brand experiences and private celebrations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to be at the forefront of that growth, creating bigger, bolder and more memorable experiences for audiences, and this acquisition will enable us to do just that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut this is also strategically about something much bigger,\u201d he continued. \u201cScotland has a fantastic reputation for delivering world-class events, and if we’re to continue building on that, we need to keep investing in the businesses, people, skills and technology that make those events possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Founded in 2021 by Clive Coombes, SkyShows specialises in creating bespoke drone light shows for events across the UK.<\/p>\n
\u201cJoining 21CC Group is an exciting next chapter for SkyShows,\u201d commented Coombes. \u201cIt gives us the perfect platform to build on everything we\u2019ve achieved so far, opening doors to new audiences and providing the infrastructure, support and investment to take on new and innovative drone displays at a vastly increased scale.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A \u00a32.1m investment and job creation programme is now planned over the next 18 months<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":278857,"featured_media":8887,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[57362,2],"coauthors":[137126],"class_list":["post-8886","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-acquisitions","category-deals","tag-edinburgh-lothians","tag-featured-story"],"yoast_head":"\n