Surely they can’t be using GPS for positions just a few feet apart.
Also, how quickly can they respond to wind and such?
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Each drone has a number of sensors on it. Accelerometers that determine how fast it moves in 3D and which way gravity is, and electronic gyroscopes to determine which direction it’s turning, for example. These two sensors are cheap enough to be everywhere and fast enough that, with proper programming, they can keep a drone hovering stationary in any condition the propellers are strong enough for (edit: by sensing the movement caused by wind or being pushed, and then propelling the drone in the opposite direction until the movement has been cancelled). They can also be combined to map where something is, accurate to within centimeters if calibrated correctly, just by keeping track of how they move. However, that calibration is tricky and sometimes drifts, so it probably isn’t the only tool.
A system of lights on the drones can be used in proper lighting (whether that’s bright enough or dark enough depends on the system). This could use a camera from the controller’s perspective and special lights or reflectors on the drones to easily determine where and how far away each drone is, and update the drone’s control with constantly corrected calibrations. It would also tell the drones where they need to be for the next part of the show and how to get there without hitting each other.
There are also probably other methods, and the more methods used the better/more accurate/safer the display is, but even with just these two most drone displays would be completely successful.
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