Looking for a way to make your next product launch, PR campaign or brand activation impossible to ignore? Flying Glass provides drone brand activation services across Australia, creating custom aerial concepts for brands, PR agencies, experiential agencies, production companies and event organisers.
These are not standard drone jobs. We are talking about drones carrying products, delivering drinks, dropping footballs, towing branded elements, revealing new products, arriving in custom brand livery or becoming part of the activation itself.
Every project is different, and that is exactly how we like it.
Flying Glass works with clients from the earliest concept stage to develop a safe, practical and visually memorable way of bringing an idea to life. We can design custom attachments and release systems, select the right aircraft, coordinate multiple drones and pilots, arrange specialist operational approvals and even provide a separate aerial filming crew to capture the activation for television, PR, social media and campaign content.
If you can imagine something interesting happening in the air, talk to us about it. If there is a safe and legal way to achieve it with drones, there is a very good chance we can work out how.
What Are Drone Brand Activation Services?
A drone brand activation uses drones as part of the creative idea itself rather than simply using a drone as a camera.
The aircraft might carry, suspend, reveal, lower, deliver, display or release something. It might be wrapped in custom brand livery. There might be one drone or an entire coordinated fleet. The activation might happen at a beach, sporting event, product launch, corporate event, television production, festival or controlled public space.
The objective is normally the same: create a moment that people notice, photograph, film, talk about and share.
Drone activations can work particularly well for:
- PR stunts
- Product launches
- Experiential marketing campaigns
- Brand activations
- Media launches
- Sporting activations
- Event sponsorship activations
- Influencer campaigns
- Television commercials
- Social media campaigns
- Branded content
- Corporate events
- Charity events and fundraising campaigns
Flying Glass is not an activation agency, and we do not try to replace your PR, creative or experiential team. Instead, we become the specialist aerial partner that helps your team work out what is technically possible with a drone and how to execute it safely.
Custom Drone Activations: No Two Jobs Are the Same
There is no catalogue of standard Flying Glass drone activations.
Our clients usually come to us with an idea, a sketch, a creative treatment or sometimes simply a sentence beginning with, “Would it be possible to use a drone to…?”
That is where the interesting work starts.
We look at what needs to move through the air, how much it weighs, how it needs to be attached, whether it needs to be lowered or released, where the activation will take place, who will be underneath or around it, what the drone needs to look like on camera and what aviation approvals may be required.
From there, we develop a custom solution.
Most of our specialist activation projects require some form of bespoke design. That might include:
- Custom drone payload attachments
- Purpose-built release mechanisms
- Suspension and carrying systems
- Product delivery mechanisms
- Remote release systems
- Custom mounting hardware
- Branded drone shells or panels
- Custom drone livery
- Banner or flag mounting systems
- Multi-drone operating procedures
- Special flight sequences designed around an activation
We can operate aircraft ranging from small, lightweight drones through to large professional and heavy-lift platforms, giving us flexibility when the creative concept involves something more substantial than a conventional camera payload.
Drone PR Activations We Have Already Delivered
Some of the best examples of what is possible are projects Flying Glass has already delivered for major brands and agencies.
Kodiak: Six Delivery Drones, Branded Aircraft and Drinks Delivered at Coogee Beach
For the launch of Australian drinkware brand Kodiak, Flying Glass worked with the campaign team to execute a major drone brand activation at Coogee Beach.
The activation involved six drones and six pilots conducting product deliveries, with drinks delivered into a controlled activation area. Another drone carried branded aerial messaging, while a separate filming drone captured the campaign from the air.
The drones themselves were also customised in Kodiak branding, making the aircraft part of the visual identity of the campaign rather than simply the mechanism behind it.
It is a perfect example of what happens when PR, experiential marketing, custom drone operations, branding and aerial filming all come together in one activation.
Read the full Kodiak drone brand activation case study →
Red Bull: Custom Drone Ball Drops for State of Origin
For Red Bull, Flying Glass designed a completely different type of drone event activation.
The concept required drones to carry footballs above the field and release them at the correct moment for participants below.
Cameron designed and built a custom mechanism specifically for the project so that the ball could be securely carried during flight and released on command.
Multiple DJI Inspire 3 aircraft were supplied for the activation, with operational redundancy built into a project that had to work within the fixed timings of a major live sporting event.
This is exactly the type of project where Flying Glass offers considerably more than standard drone hire. The creative concept needed custom engineering, aircraft selection, testing, aviation planning, event coordination and live execution.
For activations that need live aerial coverage as part of the experience, Flying Glass can also provide drone live broadcast services for venue screens, production feeds and real-time event coverage.
See how Flying Glass created the Red Bull drone ball drop →
Drone Golf Ball Drops for Golf Days and Charity Events
Flying Glass also offers drone golf ball drops, which can turn a golf day, fundraiser or corporate event into a highly visual spectator moment.
Rather than treating the drone as background entertainment, the aircraft becomes central to the event itself.
Hundreds of numbered balls can form part of a competition or charity fundraiser, with the aerial drop providing the spectacle that everyone waits to see.
Learn more about drone golf ball drops →
New Drone Brand Activations Currently in Development
The concepts continue to become more creative.
We are currently developing an activation for a clothing brand where new clothing items will be carried into the activation space by drone, creating the impression of the products floating through the air before being presented as part of the launch.
We cannot name the brand while the project is in development, but the concept demonstrates an important point: a product does not need to look as though it naturally belongs on a drone.
Sometimes the unexpected combination is precisely what makes the activation interesting.
Drone PR Stunt Ideas: What Could You Do With a Drone?
If your agency is brainstorming a product launch or publicity campaign, there are dozens of ways drones can become part of the creative.
Potential drone PR stunt and brand activation ideas include:
- Drone product launches – fly a new product into an event or reveal it from the air.
- Drone product delivery activations – deliver samples, merchandise, drinks or promotional products to guests.
- Drone product reveals – suspend, lower or uncover an item as part of a launch moment.
- Drone clothing launches – carry fashion pieces, footwear or accessories into a launch space.
- Drone sampling campaigns – deliver controlled product samples as part of an experiential campaign.
- Drone payload drops – release balls, promotional items or other purpose-designed payloads into a controlled area.
- Drone sports activations – create aerial challenges involving balls, targets, timing or participant interaction.
- Drone sponsorship activations – integrate a sponsor into a live sporting or entertainment event.
- Branded drone flights – transform the aircraft itself with custom brand colours, graphics and livery.
- Drone banner advertising – carry branded aerial messaging through an approved operating area.
- Drone flag flying – use flags or other lightweight visual elements as part of an event or campaign.
- Aerial mascot activations – integrate branded characters or creative objects into an aerial concept.
- Drone competition activations – create challenges where participants interact with an aerial element.
- Drone charity activations – use an aerial stunt or drop as the centrepiece of a fundraising event.
- Drone golf ball drops – create a dramatic fundraising or corporate golf-day competition.
- Drone influencer activations – design a spectacular visual moment specifically to generate social content.
- Drone media stunts – create an unusual aerial event designed to provide photographers and journalists with a strong visual story.
- Drone launch-event entrances – deliver an object, product or message into an event from above.
- Drone promotional stunts – build a completely bespoke concept around the brand campaign.
And those are only starting points.
The most effective concept is normally one that connects the drone to the product, campaign message or audience experience in a way that makes sense for the brand.
Custom Branded Drones and Brand Livery
The drone does not have to look like a drone hired for the day.
For many drone brand activation services, we customise the aircraft so that it becomes part of the campaign identity.
That can include custom brand colours, logos, graphics and full drone livery. For visually led campaigns, this matters because the aircraft itself is likely to appear in photographs, social clips, news coverage and campaign footage.
For the Kodiak campaign, for example, the aircraft were wrapped in custom Kodiak branding so they looked like an intentional part of the creative execution.
When appropriate, we can work with your agency’s supplied artwork or visual direction to integrate the drones into the wider campaign aesthetic.
Need Multiple Drones? We Can Scale the Crew
Some concepts need one drone.
Others need six, ten or more operating concurrently or in tightly controlled sequences.
Flying Glass has access to a network of more than 50 experienced drone pilots, allowing us to scale a drone activation well beyond a standard one-pilot operation.
For the Kodiak project alone, six pilots were required for the delivery aircraft, alongside additional aerial elements and filming.
This capability also creates options for:
- Multiple simultaneous product deliveries
- Repeated activations within short event windows
- Multiple launch or drop points
- Large sporting and public events
- Multi-location campaigns
- National brand rollouts
- Redundant aircraft and backup crews for live events
Tell us how ambitious the concept is and we can determine the crew, aircraft and operating model required.
We Can Film the Drone Activation at the Same Time
Creating the activation is only half of the opportunity.
If the objective includes PR coverage, social media, campaign video, broadcast content or branded assets, Flying Glass can also provide a dedicated professional drone filming crew to capture it.
This means the activation drones can concentrate entirely on performing their part of the concept while a separate aircraft and camera team captures the spectacle.
Depending on the brief, we can help provide:
- Cinematic aerial coverage of the activation
- Overhead footage showing the complete event
- Tracking shots of moving activation drones
- Establishing shots of the venue and crowd
- FPV filming where appropriate
- Footage suitable for television and commercial production
- Social and PR campaign footage
Flying Glass regularly works across television, commercials, live events and major productions, so the filming component can be planned as part of the activation rather than added as an afterthought.
From Lightweight Drones to Heavy-Lift Aircraft
Payload size has a major influence on how a drone activation is designed.
A lightweight branded item may only require a small aircraft. A larger product, custom prop or more complex payload may require a substantially more capable platform.
Flying Glass has access to drones ranging from compact aircraft to professional cinematography platforms and large heavy-lift systems.
We assess each project individually, considering:
- Payload weight
- Payload dimensions
- Centre of gravity
- Attachment method
- Aerodynamic behaviour
- Required flight time
- Operating location
- People and infrastructure nearby
- Whether the payload needs to remain attached, be lowered or be released
- Redundancy and backup requirements
This is why we encourage brands and agencies to involve us early. There is a huge difference between asking whether a drone can lift something and designing a reliable aerial system capable of performing repeatedly in front of clients, media or a live audience.
For campaigns requiring purpose-built release mechanisms, product-carrying systems or bespoke aerial hardware, Flying Glass can provide specialist custom drone payload integration and R&D alongside the wider activation.
CASA Approvals for Complex Drone Brand Activations
A great creative concept still has to be flown safely and legally.
Brand activations are often proposed in precisely the locations where standard drone operations become difficult: beaches, stadiums, events, city locations, venues, public spaces and areas with people nearby.
Flying Glass holds a range of advanced CASA approvals and instruments, including Operations Over or Near People (OONP) capability.
Depending on the project, we may need to consider:
- Operations over or near people
- Populous-area considerations
- Controlled or restricted airspace
- Venue and landowner permissions
- Payload and release operations
- Custom operating procedures
- Risk assessments
- Emergency procedures
- Aircraft suitability
- Crew numbers and positioning
The important thing for the client is that you do not need to solve the aviation problem before approaching us.
Bring us the creative idea first.
We will assess what would be required to execute it and help determine the safest and most practical path forward. For particularly unusual operations, we can also draw on our broader drone consultancy and complex operations experience.
Why Involve Flying Glass Early?
It is much easier to make an ambitious drone concept work when the aviation team is involved before the creative has been completely locked down.
A small change to the location, payload, height, timing or way a product is attached can sometimes transform a difficult concept into a practical one.
Early involvement allows us to work collaboratively with your PR, experiential or production team to consider:
- The creative concept – what do you want the audience to see?
- Technical feasibility – can a drone physically perform the task?
- Aircraft selection – which platform is best suited to the payload and location?
- Custom design – what needs to be fabricated, mounted or developed?
- Regulatory feasibility – what permissions or operating conditions apply?
- Testing – what needs to be rehearsed before the live activation?
- Crew planning – one pilot, multiple aircraft or a large coordinated team?
- Filming – how will we capture the activation so it lives beyond the event itself?
- Live execution – how does the drone operation fit into the event run sheet?
Drone Experiential Marketing for Agencies
We regularly work as a specialist supplier underneath a wider agency or production team.
You may already have the campaign strategy, event producer, PR team, creative director, venue and client in place. What you need is somebody who can take responsibility for the unusual aerial component.
That is where Flying Glass fits.
We are comfortable working directly with:
- PR agencies
- Experiential marketing agencies
- Advertising agencies
- Creative agencies
- Brand marketing teams
- Event production companies
- Television production companies
- Sports organisations
- Sponsors
- Corporate event teams
We can work under your creative direction, liaise with stakeholders and provide the specialist drone expertise needed to turn the aerial portion of the campaign into something executable.
Why Choose Flying Glass for Drone Brand Activation Services?
There are plenty of companies that can fly a camera drone.
A complex brand activation needs something different.
Flying Glass combines creative production experience with professional aviation capability, custom problem-solving and the ability to scale.
- Custom solutions: we design the drone operation around the campaign rather than forcing the campaign around a standard drone package.
- Custom fabrication: payload mounts, carrying systems and release mechanisms can be purpose-built for the job.
- Custom drone branding: aircraft can be transformed with brand livery and campaign graphics.
- 50+ pilot network: large multi-drone activations can be staffed when required.
- Small to heavy-lift aircraft: we can select a platform appropriate to the scale of the concept.
- Advanced CASA capability: complex environments can be assessed using our operational experience and existing approvals.
- OONP capability: particularly valuable for appropriate activations involving people and live environments.
- Filming crews: Flying Glass can create the activation and capture it professionally at the same time.
- Live production experience: we understand fixed run sheets, broadcast requirements, stakeholders and the pressure of delivering when an audience is watching.
- Australia-wide capability: projects can be supported well beyond our Sydney base.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drone Brand Activations
Can a drone carry a product for a brand activation?
Potentially, yes. The feasibility depends on the product’s weight, dimensions, attachment method, location and operating environment. Flying Glass works with aircraft ranging from lightweight drones through to heavy-lift platforms and can develop custom carrying systems where appropriate.
Can a drone drop or release something during a PR stunt?
Some controlled drone payload release operations are possible, but they require careful planning and must comply with the applicable aviation rules and operating conditions. Flying Glass can assess the proposed item, location and release concept before recommending a solution.
Can you create custom attachments for drones?
Yes. Many of our brand activation projects involve bespoke hardware. Flying Glass has designed custom payload attachments, carrying systems and release mechanisms specifically for individual campaigns.
Can you brand the drones with our logo?
Yes. Depending on the aircraft and project, we can create custom drone livery using supplied brand artwork, colours and graphics so the aircraft itself becomes part of the campaign.
Can you operate multiple drones at the same event?
Yes. Flying Glass has access to more than 50 experienced pilots and can develop multi-aircraft operating plans where a concept requires multiple drones or significant redundancy.
Can you film our drone activation as well?
Absolutely. We can supply a dedicated filming drone and professional aerial cinematography crew separately from the drones performing the activation, allowing the event to be captured for PR, social media, advertising or broadcast use.
Can drones be used around crowds or at major events?
These environments require specialist assessment. Flying Glass has advanced CASA approvals including OONP capability and extensive experience working at major live events, television productions and public locations. Every proposed operation is assessed individually according to its location, aircraft, people, payload and operating conditions.
How much does a drone brand activation cost?
There is no standard price because there is no standard activation. Cost depends on the concept, number and type of drones, crew size, payload design, custom fabrication, branding, approvals, testing, location, operating time and whether filming is also required. Contact Flying Glass with the idea and we can help develop an appropriate scope.
How early should we contact you?
As early as possible. Complex drone activations may require custom design, testing, permissions and stakeholder coordination. Bringing Flying Glass into the creative process early gives us more options for finding a practical way to achieve the concept.
Planning a Drone PR Stunt or Brand Activation?
Some clients contact us with a fully developed concept.
Others simply know they want to do something with a drone that nobody at the event is expecting.
Either is fine.
Tell us what you want the audience to experience, what product or message you want to feature and where you would ideally like it to happen. We can then start working through the aircraft, payload, engineering, approvals, crew and filming requirements.
Whether it is a product flown into a launch, a drink delivered onto a beach, a football dropped inside a stadium, hundreds of golf balls released at a charity day, a branded aircraft appearing above an event or something we have not even thought of yet, Flying Glass specialises in finding ways to turn ambitious aerial ideas into real-world operations.
Explore our broader commercial drone services, see our previous Kodiak brand activation and Red Bull drone event activation, or contact Flying Glass to discuss what you have in mind.
Your agency brings the idea. We work out how to put it in the sky.
