Chattanooga’s July 4 drone show needed federal approval due to Spanish national team

Staff file photo / Fireworks light up the sky over Coolidge Park for Pops on the River. This year's July 2 fireworks display will be followed two days later by a Chattanooga drone show, which needs a federal waiver to a no-fly zone in place because of the Spanish national team's presence. Staff file photo / Fireworks light up the sky over Coolidge Park for Pops on the River. This year's July 2 fireworks display will be followed two days later by a Chattanooga drone show, which needs a federal waiver to a no-fly zone in place because of the Spanish national team's presence.

By Siena Duncan June 13, 2026 3 min read

A large drone show planned for July 4 needed permission from the federal government to fly, due to the Spanish national team’s presence in Chattanooga.

At the beginning of June, Hamilton County and Chattanooga announced the two local governments would be jointly hosting a 500-drone and pyrotechnics performance on the downtown riverfront. A few days later, the Spanish national soccer team arrived in Chattanooga to train for the World Cup.

The city is hosting the team through June as it seeks a second men’s World Cup title to go along with its 2010 championship. (Spain also won the women’s World Cup in 2023.) The team is ranked No. 2 by FIFA and is favored to win the tournament, which will go on until July 19.

As part of protections for teams staying in cities across the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration has set up no-fly zones around areas where teams are staying and training. Those apply to all types of aircraft, including drones.