Warning: this article contains spoilers from the last episode of America has talent.
The sky is the limit – literally – for acts on America’s Got Talent season 19!
The June 4 episode brought a ton of entertainment as well as a series premiere when judge and executive producer Simon Cowell ignored the show’s long-standing rules and hit his Golden Buzzer for the second time this season for Sky Elements, a group that presents drone light shows.
As expected, the unprecedented move sparked questions from fellow judges Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum — and now all four judges are each receiving two Golden Buzzers this season.
“We’re using more Golden Buzzers this year because there have been so many brilliant, mind-blowing auditions,” Simon tells PEOPLE. “I know right away when I see an act worthy of the Golden Buzzer. You feel it.”
“I love that we’re the ‘first’ runner-up,” adds Sky Elements’ Preston Ward in an interview with PEOPLE. “We were the first of many, so it’s exciting to be able to add this to our list of firsts!”
Trae Patton/NBC
Earlier in the episode, Simon hit his Golden Buzzer for Liv Warfield, a Chicago-based singer who previously performed with Prince, after delivering a stunning performance with his band.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time and the industry is really tough because things have changed over time, but I keep pushing because I just want to inspire people,” she said after taking the stage. “I haven’t stopped and I won’t.”
Simon was impressed by Liv’s high-energy performance and told her afterwards: “It wasn’t long enough… it was like being, in a good way, punched in the face by your energy, the group. All these years of frustration and you come here and I’m sorry, I can’t say yes, I have to give you one He then pressed his Golden Buzzer for her.
Trae Patton/NBC
But while fans might have expected it to be his one and only Golden Buzzer, Simon flipped the scripts when Sky Elements, the final act of the episode, showed up to perform their act.
The Dallas-based group – made up of Preston, Brian, Phil, Tyler, Kyle and Rick – performs drone shows and “pushes the boundaries of technology.” As they noted in their introductory brief, “Writing code is our talent…I love merging technology with art and making it as great as possible.”
Because their dazzling drone performance was to be performed in the skies of Pasadena, California, Sky Elements brought the judges and audience outside. From there, they mesmerized everyone with their 400-foot-tall, 300-foot-wide nighttime show featuring rocket-like drones, the AGT logo and even Simon in an astronaut costume.
Trae Patton/NBC
Almost rendered speechless by the performance, Simon felt he had no choice but to press his Golden Buzzer after their performance. “We keep talking about the rules, there’s no rule book, which means I’m going to do it. Take off!” » he said as he pressed the Golden Buzzer and fireworks went off in the background.
“When I saw Liv Warfield sing, I knew,” Simon adds in a statement to PEOPLE. “And then I saw Sky Elements, it was unlike anything we had seen before. They took it to the next level. It was incredible. Truly in that season I could have cast it myself 5 or 6 Golden Buzzers.”
Speaking to PEOPLE after the exciting moment, Preston said: “I couldn’t believe it. We started as a pyrotechnics company, so seeing the pyrotechnics go off behind us when Simon gave us the Golden Buzzer got me back into that adrenaline rush.”
Explaining the content of the show, Preston says his show requires “talent in several different areas”, including the idea itself, regulatory compliance, storyboarding, animation, day of execution, networking IT and security.
“It all comes down to two things: creativity and attention to detail,” he notes, adding that they had to work with the FAA, Pasadena Air Operations and the city to get the permits. “I know a lot of people back home think drone demos are easy, but hundreds of hours go into design, permits, etc., before the actual day is often neglected.”
Trae Patton/NBC
The group has big plans for the next round, which Preston says has been “25 months in the making.” He adds, “We’re so excited for America to see it. It’s a show that has many meanings, including a personal meaning to me, that we hope everyone who watches it can connect to on a personal level. emotional.”
Should Sky Elements win the entire competition, Preston says its “ultimate goal is to show America that drone broadcasts aren’t just for ‘sky marketing.’ They can affect a large number of people in various ways. »
“If we were lucky enough to win, we would use the money to fund a tour across America to put on drone shows across the country,” he continues. “Any money left after the tour will be donated to a charity focused on infant loss in honor of my daughter, Briley, who passed away shortly after birth.”
Trae Patton/NBC
He also hopes to inspire audiences with their performances, encouraging them to “keep an open mind” and express their creativity.
“You never know when you’ll see or think of the next life-changing thing. Keep pushing the boundaries and keep an open mind,” he says. “You might find yourself in a space that hasn’t even been invented yet, or maybe you’ll invent a new space yourself. Who knew two college friends would dream so big and do this crazy adventure together ?”
Never miss a story: Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date with the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.