Prairie Village company’s Firefly lends serenity, tech to backyard fireworks

Prairie Village-based Winco Fireworks is officially launching Firefly, a remote firework firing system, introducing a tech blend to the formerly traditional firework industry and backyard Fourth of July celebrations.

“It’s a really neat invention,” said Michael Collar, president of Winco Fireworks, which focuses on consumer fireworks. “There’s a lot of commercial firework companies that do this exact thing but … No one has had the Bluetooth technology, which is the key to the whole device.”

Firefly, starting at $200, is a little black box with Bluetooth connectivity to the Firefly app, which consumers can use to design shows. It can sync to music, and remotely fire the display. The box has 15 ports with added wiring to connect to safety fuses.  

Developed by inventor Kevin Wu, a subcontractor and product designer for Winco. Firefly was first offered by Winco in 2017 and has since received good reviews, Collar said.

The chief feature is the lack of risk typically involved with elaborate fireworks displays, he said.

“That’s 15 items that you don’t have to go up with a lighter or a cigarette to light, so it doesn’t take the chance that you aren’t standing … [with] your head over the device. It makes it much, much safer,” Collar said.

The app’s show designing feature is for Firefly’s more tech-savvy users which, he said, is an opportunity for the entire family to get involved at get-togethers.

“It makes it a little more exciting to use throughout the year when they can learn to synchronize it to music and have a show for a small gathering,” Collar said.

“We’re really excited and we think that people are going to be really excited about it,” he said.