Verge Aero Drones and Election Day: A Biden-Sized Victory

2020 was an unusually lengthy year, and Election Day felt similarly protracted. The process of determining our 46th president unfolded as a five-day period of national analysis, culminating in a moment of both relief and celebration for many as Joe Biden appeared in Wilmington, Delaware, to deliver his victory speech. This address would likely have been the defining moment of the evening were it not for a remarkable drone display, which captivated audiences across America—and even impressed President-elect Biden, whose astonished expression quickly became a popular internet meme.

This impressive patriotic presentation was the creation of Verge Aero, a Philadelphia-based startup comprised of just six employees, yet boasting a portfolio of significant clients including the Philadelphia Eagles and Microsoft, with the Biden campaign representing their most prominent achievement to date. Verge Aero specializes in software and drone technology developed internally, specifically designed for creating captivating light shows, and has successfully made sophisticated aerial displays more accessible while offering many viewers their first experience with the precision of contemporary aerial visuals.

Nils Thorjussen, CEO of Verge Aero and a recognized expert in lighting technology, guided his team through three years of research and development to streamline and refine the drone light show process. By designing and building all components in-house, the company established a fully integrated system, enabling the effortless execution required for large-scale events. The combination of their specialized design software and custom-built drones makes producing aerial displays safer, simpler, more affordable, and exceptionally adaptable.

Tasked with assembling Biden’s victory celebration within a two-week timeframe, Verge Aero partnered with Strictly FX to create a display featuring 200 drones, showcasing Biden’s campaign logo, the designation “President Elect,” and an outline of the United States, enhanced with pyrotechnics. Verge Aero’s Design Studio was specifically created to facilitate the rapid development of large-scale shows like this one.

The company’s all-in-one software suite eliminates the potential for errors associated with transferring data between different platforms, automatically performing collision avoidance calculations and identifying and resolving potential issues. This ensures that flight paths never intersect, meaning their drones are guaranteed not to collide—a crucial feature when operating a swarm of drones near the president-elect.

Securing the necessary security clearances and governmental approvals presented challenges, but the election night performance perfectly demonstrated Verge Aero’s core strength: exceptional adaptability and flawless execution. (While Thorjussen was initially unable to discuss the specifics of Biden’s drone show, further details regarding Verge Aero’s involvement have since been released.)

Reluctant to reveal the intricacies of staging a show of this magnitude, it’s clear that obtaining permission to fly hundreds of drones in close proximity to the future leader of the free world was a complex undertaking. Beyond the high-security nature of the event, there was also the uncertainty of a confirmed launch date. “We are accustomed to working in dynamic and unpredictable environments, so we are well-prepared to adapt to changing circumstances,” explains Thorjussen; for the Biden display, their special effects team remained on standby for nearly a week, from Tuesday through Saturday evening.

Considering that an average Verge Aero drone show requires two people just 45 minutes to set up 100 drones, it’s probable that preparing Biden’s light display took less than two hours. The tight integration of their software and hardware eliminates the need to program individual flight paths and starting positions, significantly accelerating the setup process.

Each drone contains a complete copy of the show program, not just its individual flight plan, and can be positioned at any starting point while the software automatically verifies placement and readiness.

“Our extensive development efforts were focused on creating a toolkit for designers like myself, allowing them to work in the way they prefer,” says Thorjussen. “A key aspect of this is the ability to deploy quickly and make changes rapidly, ensuring we can meet the evolving needs of a production.”

Verge Aero’s Biden drone show was performed only once, on the night of the acceptance speech. A dress rehearsal was unnecessary, as they are rarely required. Thorjussen emphasizes that Verge Aero’s pre-show renderings are remarkably accurate, reflecting a “what you see is what you get” philosophy ingrained in their unique design process.

“[I emphasized] that we would approach this from the ground up, building a robust infrastructure to support everything we wanted to achieve—or anticipated wanting to achieve—so we wouldn’t encounter obstacles due to limitations in our design capabilities,” says Thorjussen.

Similar to their custom software, Verge Aero also developed their own drones, although not by initial preference. “It was simply because we couldn’t find what we needed on the market,” he explains. “We invested in technology to ensure exceptional reliability, particularly in communication, which led us to create our own drone.”

Verge Aero aimed to develop a versatile drone capable of handling a wide range of tasks reliably, as demonstrated by the clearly defined designs featured in Biden’s acceptance speech presentation.

“We made two key design decisions from the outset,” explains Thorjussen. “We prioritized high positioning accuracy and substantial light output. When you achieve those two things, you can create shows with fewer drones, due to the increased precision.”

While Intel is a well-known name in the drone industry, Verge Aero is rapidly gaining ground with a product that is more adaptable, easier to implement, and more dynamic. Like their in-house software, Verge Aero’s X1 drones are specifically engineered for light shows—lacking cameras and featuring a “blindingly bright” LED light source—with superior speed, flight duration, and wind resistance compared to the Intel Shooting Star.

Designed as a workhorse specifically for lighting displays, the X1 is heavier than the Shooting Star but a safer and more suitable option for entertainment purposes, particularly considering an incident where an Intel drone fell on a TechCrunch writer.

However, it is their collaborative partnership with Strictly FX that made this month’s display so memorable—a testament to the future direction envisioned by Verge Aero’s leader.

“Focusing solely on drones would eventually become monotonous,” says Thorjussen. “If you simply present Logo A, then Logo B, then Logo C, it lacks long-term appeal. Drones are just one tool available to those creating productions…the more elements incorporated, the more captivating the show will be.”

This has proven to be true—as evidenced not only by the more than 35 million households watching at home but also by President-elect Biden’s enthusiastic reaction to the display overhead. “I believe that was a key factor in making that moment so special,” says Thorjussen. “My phone certainly exploded [after] the show concluded.”