Drone light show

It’s on. After a year-long delay, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have finally begun, albeit in the shadow of COVID-19. The opening ceremony today at the $1.5 billion Olympic Stadium was an extravaganza that was both celebratory and subdued. But our favorite part came right toward the end when more than 1,800 drones took to the skies to form a globe over the stadium as artists from five continents sang Imagine.

A major drone light show in China ended with some of the drones descending into the audience. The descents appeared controlled, but we can’t imagine why they would be intentional.

The Communist Party of China (CPC), which has ruled China continuously since 1949, is celebrating its 100^th anniversary. And to commemorate the occasion, 5,200 drones lit up the night sky in Longgang, Shenzhen, last week. The massive drone light show, which should be going down in Guinness World Records, showcased some of the most pivotal chapters from the party’s history.

Drone light shows are a lot more environmentally friendly than fireworks. In an ideal world, we would see drone shows replace fireworks completely. For now, though, there are quite a few cities, big and small, that are planning to light up their skies with drones and fireworks alike this Fourth of July. Here are six where you can catch a drone light show on Sunday…    

You’ve seen drone light shows before. And some of them are truly impressive, with massive numbers of drones morphing into 3D shapes in the sky. Amazing. But now there’s a new type of drone vying to create spectacles in the night sky.

We’ve seen tons of drone light shows over time. But we have never – ever – seen something like this: A failure that sent multiple drones plunging out of the sky, with spectators on boats below.

As world leaders land in Cornwall, UK, to attend the G7 summit, Greenpeace is leveraging the moment to send them a strong and simple message. And it is using 300 drones to do so.

Our readers love a good drone show. And while this one isn’t the most dazzling display of lights we’ve seen, it does have some new ideas and set a Guinness world record: Most consecutive formations by a single group of drones.

Dollywood, one of the best theme parks in the world, is adding the hottest new entertainment option of the season to its summer roster: drone light shows.

This weekend saw Chelsea getting crowned as the champions of Europe for the second time in the club’s history, courtesy of a 1-0 over Manchester City. But even as the Blues lifted the Champions League trophy hundreds of miles away in Portugal, the football club brought the party home to fans in London in the form of a spectacular drone light show!

Baby Yoda is everywhere: in our hearts, in all kinds of merchandise, in internet memes, in video games, and now, even in Disney’s drone light shows.

Step right up, ladies and gentlemen: Have we got a show for you.

Move over, television ads and billboards — the future of marketing will be shaped by drones (quite literally).

As a part of car company Genesis’ entry into China, it has turned it up a notch with 3,281 drones in a record-breaking drone show. The company’s entry into China saw it hold a brand night on April 2 at Shanghai’s International Cruise Terminal, with the drone show following shortly after titled “Genesis of Genesis.”

Drones took to the sky earlier this month to aid a marriage proposal over in Shanghai, China. A jewelry brand created the show intending to wish couples the best. As drone shows continue to gain popularity, something like this no longer seems out of the ordinary.

A recent drone show depicting the life of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh has broken a world record for the longest drone show, lasting for over 26 minutes. The 600-strong drone show was done by China’s EFYI Group, with Tianjin University’s help.

On New Year’s Eve, London introduced drones to its fireworks display for the first time. We watched it and loved it so much that we shared it with all of you. We have put together a short exclusive piece on the show’s inner workings with the help of the company behind the drones, SKYMAGIC.

During the recent celebration of the Chinese People’s Police Day, drones were used to both promote China’s emergency number and thank its police force. The day saw more than 1,000 drones hit the sky, creating some impressive aerial visuals.

Drone photography can always be fun to look at because of the unique perspective it offers. But what if the drone could be used as a paintbrush to make light paintings instead of capturing the image?

Automotive giant Hyundai lit up the sky in Seoul with an impressive drone light show to countdown the world into the new year. The drone show was also part of the BigHit New Year’s Eve live concert, with Hyundai being a major sponsor for the K-pop groups under the label.

Along with the usual firework display, drones joined in on the fun during the New Year’s celebration in London late last week. The drones were used to complement the fireworks, displaying cool images, key ones from 2020, and more.