Hostility Flares On The Internet After Failed Boise Drone Show

Hundreds of Boise residents were disappointed when the Star Wars Day drone show that was to be put on by Skyworx Drone Shows, a local company, was canceled nearly an hour after it was supposed to start.

The show was supposed to launch from Simplot Hill. Earlier in the day, KTVB asked Skyworx if the wind and rain would be a factor. They responded with this Facebook post:

Twelve hours later, things seemed to have changed. After hundreds of people were gathered on hills and in parking lots with a sight line to Simplot Hill for a couple of hours to get the best views, and thousands more were trying to watch from home, Skyworx sent a message on their Instagram account announcing a 15 to 30-minute delay.

The delay was said to have been because of the weather during their setup. However, 45 minutes after the show was scheduled to begin, another message on their Instagram announced that the show had been canceled.

This time their Instagram post blamed last-minute technical difficulties. They apologized and said they look forward to many more shows in Boise. Will Boise be looking forward to more shows from Skyworx?

Putting on free events is hard. It needs to be cool enough for people to want to see it, but people will complain mercilessly if things go wrong. This seems to be especially true of free or low-cost events.

It was not Skyworx's intention to have people keep their kids up late and not deliver on a show they've been working on for months, but some Boise residents seem to be taking it quite personally.

Technical difficulties happen, and most people will be forgiving of them.  The problem, in this case, was communication.