Drone art explained

Drone art (also known as drone display or drone light show) is the use of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), often quadcopters which fly in a coordinated fashion with light fixtures attached. They are usually equipped with multiple LEDs and the display is held at night. The first drone display was presented in 2012 in Linz, Austria; the Ars Electronica Futurelab introduced SPAXELS (short for "space elements") for the first time. The displays are often for entertainment and the drones may use flocking or swarming behaviour.^[1] The drones have the capability to produce images. Using the emerging technology, displays have been employed for advertising purposes.

Intel has produced the Shooting Star, a type of drone used in light shows.^[2] The drones were used during the 2018 Winter Olympics, a Super Bowl halftime show in 2017, and a 2018 Fourth of July celebration.^[3]

Drone light shows differ from fireworks displays in that drones are reusable; they do not produce air and noise pollution.^[3] However, drone displays cannot happen during rain or strong winds.^[4] In the 2020s, some cities in the United States replaced Independence Day fireworks displays with drone or laser light shows, to reduce fire risk, air pollution, and the disturbance of dogs and people with PTSD.^[5] Concerns about safety have also emerged in response to malfunctioning of public drone light displays, such as prior to a match in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, 350 of the 500 performing drones plunged into the water due to a glitch.^[6]

List of drone displays

2012

• September 2012 - 49 LED-equipped UAVs, called SPAXELS (short for "Space Elements") performed at a world premiere by Ars Electronica Futurelab.

2013

• March 2013 - 50 SPAXELS used to perform at the premiere of the film Star Trek Into Darkness next to Tower Bridge in London
• August 2013 - 30 SPAXELS used to perform the opening of the new campus at QUT, Brisbane, Australia^[7]

2015

• November 2015 - 100 SPAXELS used for the first Guinness World Record "Drone100" by Ars Electronica Futurelab for Intel

2016

• November 2016 - Five hundred drones were used in Krailling, Germany setting a Guinness World Record.
• November 2016 to Jan 8, 2017 - Intel/Disney "Star Bright Holidays", Disney Springs, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida

2017

• 5 February 2017 - Three hundred drones performed during a Lady Gaga song in the Super Bowl LI halftime show.
• 2017 - At the Fortune Global Forum in China, 1,180 drones performed.
• September 2017 - To mark the release of the home version of the Wonder Woman film, 300 drones displayed an enormous "W" in the night sky above Los Angeles.^[8]
• December 2017 - A swarm of 300 Intel drones performed at Art Basel in Miami Beach by Studio Drift and performed by Intel and DroneStories.^[9]

2018

• 2018 - During the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, 1,218 drones performed, breaking the previous world record.^[10]
• June 2018 - One hundred SKYMAGIC drones performed in Newcastle, England creating shapes synchronized to music at the opening of the Great Exhibition of the North.^[11]
• July 2018 - Intel celebrated its 50th anniversary with 2018 simultaneous drones over their facility in Folsom, California setting a Guinness world record.^[12] Intel flew 2066 drones.^[13]

2019

• January 2019 - Two hundred SKYMAGIC drones were deployed for the world's first New Year's Countdown set to fireworks and music for New Year's celebrations on Al Marjan Island.^[14]
• 3 February 2019 - 150 enhanced Intel Shooting Star drones, choreographed to the music of Maroon 5 at the Super Bowl halftime show
• July 2019 - Two hundred and fifty drones performed at the opening show of the 24th World Scout Jamboree.^[15]
• August 2019 - Five hundred drones performed at the 80 years of VDNH celebration in Moscow.^[16]
• October 2019 - Two hundred drones presented the new Peugeot 208 show above Paris.^[17]
• December 10, 2019 - 150 drones were used to show a spectacular dazzling display for the ending ceremony of South Asian Games 2020, Nepal held at the Dasharath stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal.

2020

• June 2020 - A 200 drones light show celebrating the 3rd San Giovanni Festival, breaking the world record for simultaneous indoor drone flight^[18]
• September 3, 2020 - Geoscan Group launched 2,198 drones at the 75th anniversary of the end of the World War II in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The record was registered by the Record Book of Russia.^{[19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]}
• September 20, 2020 - 3,051 drones created a spectacular light show in China setting a Guinness world record. The record was set by Shenzhen Damoda Intelligent Control Technology Co., Ltd in Zhuhai, Guandong.^[26]
• November 7, 2020 - President-elect Joe Biden's presidential victory speech featured a celebration drone light and firework show in Wilmington, Delaware.^[27]
• November 8, 2020 - 1,000 drones show at the «Wonder of Light» festival in Saint Petersburg performed by Geoscan Group^[28]
• December 31, 2020 - 300 drones show at the New Year's Eve fireworks and lighting display in London performed by SKYMAGIC^[29]

2021

• March 17, 2021 - 500 Intel drones in a (pre-recorded) Orchestra of Light show to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Dublin^[30]
• April 6, 2021 – Drone Show Europe by Spectrum production team launched first drone show in central europe.The show was performed near Prague Castle (the largest castle complex in the world) Drone Show Prague^[31]
• April 12, 2021 – Geoscan Drone Show team launched 500 drones in Velikiy, Novgorod, Russia to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the 1st man's flight in space.^{[32] [33] [34]}
• May 2, 2021 – a performance of 500 quadcopters was shown at the Tourist Season Opening festival in St. Petersburg.^{[35] [36] [37]}
• May 9, 2021 – 1000 drones were launched by Geoscan Drone Show team at the Rzhev Memorial to the Soviet Soldier paying respect to soldiers who fell in the Battles of Rzhev.^{[38] [39] [40]}
• May 2021 – 580 quadcopters show presentation of the new Hyundai Tucson in Istanbul city. It was performed by the Geoscan Drone Show team.^{[41] [42] [43]}
• July 2021, a show using 5200 drones in China^[44]
• July 23, 2021 - 1,824 drones are used during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. The drones began above the stadium in positions which depicted the Tokyo 2020 games emblem slowly changing into a rotating sphere with the countries of the world outlined.
• August 21, 2021 – a drone show of 1200 quadcopters were launched in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia by Geoscan Drone Show celebrating the city's 800th anniversary.^{[45] [46]}
• August 25, 2021 – 1000 drones were put into the sky in Ufa, Russia by Geoscan Drone Show in a display dedicated to the beginning of the WorldSkills Russia contest.^{[47] [48] [49]}
• August 27, 2021 – Samsung Electronics company presented its new smartphones in Estonia with a drone show of 500 quadcopters launched by the Geoscan Drone Show team.^{[50] [51] [52]}
• August 31, 2021 – 1000 drones launch to celebrate the Knowledge Day in Pushkin, Saint Petersburg^{[53] [54]}
• September 4, 2021 - a 100-drone show by Cyberdrone to celebrate the 875th anniversary of Yelets, Russia^{[55] [56] [57]}
• September 18, 2021 - Cyberdrone's light show with 100 drones celebrating the Balashikha City Day ^{[58] [59]}
• September 21, 2021 – 1000 drones were used in a drone display performed by Geoscan Drone Show during the Armenia Independence Day celebrations.^{[60] [61]}
• October 20, 2021 – 2100 drones were used in a display performed by Geoscan Drone Show during the opening ceremony of Riyadh Seasons 2021.^{[62] [63] [64]}
• December 4, 2021 - 300 drones illuminated the sky of Mumbai in a Cyberdrone show.^[65]
• December 11, 2021 - 500 Cyberdrone drones turned the 75 years of Grasim Industries celebration into a spectacle.^[66]

2022

• January 1, 2022 - Cyberdrone Johnnie Walker light show with 500 drones dancing in the sky^[67]
• January 1, 2022 - a SKYMAGIC show (from SkyMagic^[68]) in London as part of the New Year's Day celebration
• January 29, 2022 - 1000 drones designed and built by BotLab Dynamics, an Indian startup, performed in a display at the Beating Retreat ceremony in New Delhi as a part of India's Republic Day celebrations.^{[69] [70]}
• February, 2022 - a drone light show team Verge Aero were contestants and given a "golden buzzer" (sending them to the finals in the TV show ^[71]
• March 1, 2022 - 663 UAVs formed the slogan "Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй" ("Russian warship, go **** yourself") against the background of the Motherland Monument in Kyiv.^[72]
• March 6, 2022 - Disneyland Paris premiered a pre and post Illuminations drone show called D Lite and After Glow for their 30th birthday celebrations which ran nightly until 30 September 2022.^[73]
• March 2022 - The world's first feature-length art show containing drones, SKY SONG at Adelaide Fringe Festival, performed by Celestial. It had the world's biggest holographic projector screens and showcased First Nation art^[74]
• June 25, 2022 - 500 drones flying over the Miloud Hadefi Stadium in Oran, Algeria throughout the opening ceremony of the Mediterranean Games in 2022 in Oran^{[75] [76]}
• June 26, 2022 - 800 drones created formations over El Hadj Hassan Gouled Aptidon Stadium to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Djibouti's Independence. BotLab Dynamics designed and executed the show which was the first and largest show in Africa.^[77]
• August 28, August 30 and September 1, 2022 - 400 drones by SKYMAGIC performed three shows in Weston-super-Mare, England as part of the See Monster art installation.^[78]
• October 2022 - 500 drones, performed by Celestial and commissioned by Prime Video, lit up the skies in Lagos, Nigeria for the season finale of making it the first drone show in West Africa.^[79]

2023

• January 1, 2023 - Celestial drones performed at the London New Year's Eve Celebration^[80]
• January 7, 2023 - At The Awakening, the opening ceremony of Leeds 2023, held at Headingley Stadium, a giant head spoke to the people of the city.^[81]
• January 29, 2023 - BotLab Dynamics' fleet of 3500 drones lit up the skies of New Delhi during the Beating Retreat ceremony for the second year in a row, to perform the world's second largest drone light show till date^{[82] [83] [84]}
• March 14, 2023 - Drone show Europe by Spectrum production team flew 500 drones in Albania. This was the first show in Albania and one of the biggest shows in the whole of Europe. The drone show also won international awards.

^[85]

• April 2, 2023 - 600 drones used to perform in promoting the animated film The Super Mario Bros. Movie at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California.^{[86] [87]}
• April 16 and April 26, 2023 - 864 drones by Studio Drift performed at Coachella festival during both of Björk's sets, based on "architectural and physics shapes—curves based on biology, like cells and microorganisms."^[88]
• July 4, 2023 - 500 drones created a slowly turning representation of the Statue of Liberty at the start of Macy's Fourth of July Spectacular, a fireworks show in New York City, over the East River on the east side of Manhattan.^[89]
• July 4, 2023 - 500 drones were used for a unique drone light show for the first time in Downtown Los Angeles at Gloria Molina Grand Park for their Gloria Molina Grand Park's 4th of July Block Party.^[90]
• Aug 27, 2023 - DroneSwarm produce the UK's first ever drone light show proposal at Newby Hall in Yorkshire^[91]
• October 2023 – Newcastle United F.C.'s shirt sponsor, Sela, created an animated drone display above the St James' Park stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England to celebrate the team's return to the UEFA Champions' League after their last campaign 20 years earlier.^[92]

2024

• July 14, 2024 - 1,571 drones were used at Disneyland Paris to created a giant tricolor Mickey Mouse for their special drone show accompained with fireworks to commemorate Bastille Day, set a Guinness World Records title for orchestrating “the Largest aerial display of a fictional character formed by multirotors/drones".^[93]

Drone teams

• Ars Electronica Futurelab
• Grizzly Drones

See also

• Aerial advertising
• Laser lighting display
• Light art
• Swarm robotics

Notes and References

1. Web site: Swarm of drones illuminates the night sky. 17 September 2018.
2. Web site: Intel Celebrates LGBTQ Pride 2018 with Drone Light Show - Intel Newsroom.
3. A Fourth of July Drone Show Helps Military Families With Special Needs. Wired. Barrett. Brian.
4. Web site: Lighted drone show sparkles and wows crowd at EAA AirVenture.
5. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/03/1185815745/air-quality-fireworks-smoke-july-fourth-drone-displays Fireworks can make bad air quality even worse. For some cities, the answer is drones
6. Web site: Crowe . Ashleigh McMillan, Alex . 2023-07-15 . Yarra 1, drones 0: Unmanned aerial vehicles plunge into water during Matildas light display . 2023-08-24 . The Age . en.
7. Web site: YouTube. 2020-06-17. www.youtube.com. 30 October 2013 .
8. Web site: Drones put on stunning 'Wonder Woman' display. Chris. Ciaccia. Fox News. 19 September 2017.
9. Web site: Dutch artists fly 300-drone "starlings" swarm in Miami. 14 December 2017. by Studio Drift, performed by DroneStories.
10. Inside the Olympics Opening Ceremony World-Record Drone Show. WIRED. 2018-02-09. en-US.
11. Web site: Swarm of drones perform at the opening of the Great Exhibition of the North . Dezeen.com . 2018-06-30 . 2018-09-18.
12. Web site: Intel Breaks Guinness World Records Title for Drone Light Shows in Celebration of 50th Anniversary . News Byte . Intel Corporation . August 2, 2019.
13. Web site: Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously . Guinness World Records . Guinness World Records Limited . August 2, 2019.
14. Web site: New Year Drone Show Celebrations. Emily. Wallace. 28 February 2019. Skymagic. 20 June 2019. 20 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190620153740/https://skymagic.show/journal/al-marjan-island/. dead.
15. Web site: Opening Ceremony Drones. 29 July 2019. New World 19, LLC.
16. Web site: Потрясающей красоты шоу дронов прошло на ВДНХ в честь 80-летнего юбилея выставки. Новости. Первый канал.
17. Web site: La Nouvelle Peugeot208 se dévoile dans le ciel de Paris avec un show de drones inédit en France.. 6 October 2019. Peugeot France. Twitter.
18. Web site: Dronisos breaks world record for indoor drone flight. 2020-06-27. Blooloop. 25 June 2020.
19. Web site: Наибольшее количество беспилотных летательных аппаратов, одновременно находящихся в воздухе в мире Книга рекордов России. knigarekordovrossii.ru. 2020-09-07.
20. Web site: ru. На шоу дронов в Петербурге побит мировой рекорд по количеству беспилотников в небе. www.kommersant.ru. 2020-09-04. 2020-09-07.
21. Web site: Рекорд-шоу дронов в рамках Года памяти и славы - Администрация Санкт-Петербурга. www.gov.spb.ru. 2020-09-07.
22. Web site: В Петербурге шоу дронов попало в Книгу рекордов России. spb.aif.ru. 2020-09-04. 2020-09-07.
23. Web site: В небо над Петербургом в честь 75-летия Победы поднялись 2 тыс. дронов. ТАСС. 2020-09-07.
24. Web site: ru. Побит мировой рекорд: 2200 дронов выстроились в живые картины. Новости на "России 24". vesti.ru. 2020-09-07.
25. Web site: ru. В честь 75-й годовщины окончания Второй мировой войны в Санкт-Петербурге устроили уникальное шоу дронов. Новости. Первый канал. 2020-09-07.
26. Web site: 3,051 drones create spectacular record-breaking light show in China. Guinness World Records. 20 October 2020.
27. Web site: President-elect Biden takes to the sky with a drone light show. DroneDJ. 8 November 2020.
28. Web site: Фестиваль "Чудо света" завершился красочным шоу дронов. Topspb. 8 November 2020 .
29. Web site: LONDON NEW YEAR'S EVE . SKYMAGIC . 1 January 2022 . 5 January 2021.
30. Web site: Drone light show wishes the world a Happy St Patrick's Day.. 19 March 2021. Sunday World.
31. Web site: Drone Show Prague. . 13 April 2021 .
32. Web site: Watch: 500 Drones Light Up The Sky In Russia To Mark Anniversary Of Yuri Gagarin's Space Flight. 13 April 2021. News9.
33. Web site: Russia celebrates 60 years of Yuri Gagarin's space travel. 12 April 2021. Olhar Digital.
34. Web site: Space Exploration Drone Show by Geoscan. 13 April 2021. youtube.com.
35. Web site: Saint Petersburg hosts International Drone Festival. 22 May 2021. Euronews.
36. Web site: Drone Festival Lights Up St. Petersburg Sky. 3 May 2021. NBC South Florida.
37. Web site: Drone Show Opens the Tourist Season 2021. 12 May 2021. youtube.com.
38. Web site: Thousand drones were lifted into the sky over the Rzhev Memorial. 9 May 2021. newsreadonline.
39. Web site: Thousand drones light up sky over WW2 monument in Russia. 10 May 2021. Yahoo News.
40. Web site: 1000 drones show over the Rzhev Memorial to the Soviet Soldier. 14 May 2021. youtube.com.
41. Web site: New Hyundai Tucson Illuminated Istanbul With Its Light. 26 May 2021. Railly News.
42. Web site: Yeni Tucson'un nefes kesen drone şovu! . 25 May 2021. Hyundai.
43. Web site: Шоу дронов Геоскан на презентации нового Hyundai Tucson . 12 July 2021. youtube.com.
44. Web site: Watch record-breaking 5,200 drones celebrate 100 years of China's Communist Party . 2 July 2021 .
45. Web site: Soaring figures: spectacular drone show was shown in Nizhny Novgorod for the 800th anniversary of the city. 21 August 2021. News Read Online.
46. Web site: 1200 Drones in Spectacular Drone Show. 27 August 2021. youtube.com.
47. Web site: en. WorldSkills Russia-2021 final opened in Ufa with 1000 drones show – Rossiyskaya Gazeta. tekdeeps.com. August 25, 2021.
48. Web site: Drone show for 15 million rubles will be shown for WorldSkills Russia guests in Ufa. eng.bashinform.ru. 2021-11-19.
49. Web site: ru-RU. Epic Drone Light Show of 1000 Drones in Ufa, Russia. YouTube. 2021-11-19.
50. Web site: 500 drones Samsung show in Estonia. DroneSpex. r/drones. 2021-08-28. 2021-11-19.
51. Web site: ru-RU. Самое зрелищное световое шоу состоится над Горхоллом — Samsung запустит в небо 500 дронов. GLOSS – Электронный журнал о стиле жизни в Эстонии, Латвии и Литве. 2021-08-21. 2021-11-19.
52. Web site: ru-RU. Samsung Drone Show in Tallinn. YouTube. 2021-11-19.
53. Web site: ru. В преддверии Дня знаний в небо над Царским Селом подняли свыше тысячи дронов. Новости. Первый канал. 2021-11-19.
54. Web site: ru-RU. Knowledge Day Drone Show by Geoscan. YouTube. 2021-11-19.
55. Web site: Елец отметил 875 лет: галерея ярких моментов (фото, видео).
56. Web site: Шоу дронов устроили в Ельце в честь дня города. 5 September 2021.
57. Web site: Шоу дронов будет длиться 15 минут.
58. Web site: Шоу дронов и праздничный салют в честь Дня города 2021 в Балашихе - Фото - РИАМО в Балашихе.
59. Web site: Одно из самых ожидаемых балашихинцами шоу на Дне города – шоу дронов.
60. Web site: Last night's incredible Independence Day drone show. armeniapedia. r/armenia. 2021-09-22. 2021-11-19.
61. Web site: ru-RU. Armenia Independence Day Drone Show. YouTube. 2021-11-19.
62. Web site: en. "Drones" shows dazzle visitors to the Riyadh season march. Globe Echo. 2021-10-22. 2021-11-19.
63. Web site: Riyadh Season 2021 kicks off in Saudi Arabia's capital. www.news.cn. 2021-11-19.
64. Web site: ru-RU. Riyadh Seasons 2021 Opening Ceremony. YouTube. 2021-11-19.
65. Web site: 2021-12-04 . Birla Estates Lights up Mumbai Skyline with an Eye-Catching Drone Show . 2022-05-26 . The Eastern Herald . en-US.
66. Web site: Grasim's mesmerising drone show to remember! . 2022-05-26 . grasim.com . en.
67. Web site: Out of Home Executions: Are Drones the Future of Brand Fame? - Talon Outdoor - Out of Home Media Specialists . 2022-05-26 . talonoutdoor.com.
68. Web site: 2021-01-05 . LONDON NEW YEAR'S EVE . 2022-04-21 . SKYMAGIC . en-GB.
69. Web site: en. Beating Retreat 2022: Drones light up Delhi's skies - IN PICS. Zee News. 2022-01-29. 2021-01-29.
70. Web site: en. Delhi: Drones light up sky, military bands perform at 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony. The Indian Express. 2022-01-29. 2021-01-29.
71. Web site: taylorhonore . 2022-03-01 . Meet the Engineers Who Won Over Simon Cowell in the Premiere of 'AGT: Extreme' . 2022-04-21 . Distractify . en-US.
72. Web site: Знову відправили російський корабель додому. У Києві влаштували шоу на фоні Батьківщини-матері. Suspilne. uk. 2 March 2022.
73. Web site: Michaelsen . Shannen . 2022-03-18 . New Version of 'Disney D-Light' Combines it with 'After Glow' Post-Show at Disneyland Paris . 2022-04-21 . WDW News Today . en-US.
74. Web site: Allen . Jason . 2022-04-19 . Sky Song - Adelaide Fringe's signature event is a world first . 2023-01-23 . CX Network . en-AU.
75. Web site: شاهدوا. طائرات الدرون تُبدع في سماء ملعب وهران تحت أنظار الرئيس تبون وأمير قطر ونائب أردوغان. 2020-06-26. www.youtube.com.
76. Web site: Opening ceremony of 19th Mediterranean Games. Xinhua. 2022-06-26.
77. News: 2022-06-29 . Drone light show: IIT Delhi startup now performs at Djibouti I Day . The Times of India . 2023-06-26 . 0971-8257.
78. News: 'Amazing' drone laser show lights up Weston-super-Mare's See Monster. BBC News. BBC News . 2022-08-30. 2022-10-12.
79. Web site: Celestial Commissioned to Perform Nigeria's First Ever Drone Show for Prime Video . 2023-01-23 . Celestial . 30 November 2022 . en-GB.
80. News: Sanderson . David . Drone spectacle shows 'you don't need to set it on fire' to have an impact . . en . 2023-01-23 . 0140-0460.
81. Web site: 2023-01-08 . Leeds 2023: Drones create giant head above Headingley Stadium for The Awakening show - video Dailymotion . 2024-03-01 . Dailymotion . en.
82. Web site: 2023-01-25 . 3,500 drones light up Delhi skies for Beating the Retreat rehearsal . 2023-06-26 . The Indian Express . en.
83. Web site: 3,500 drones to light up the sky over Raisina Hills for 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony . 2023-06-26 . The New Indian Express. 27 January 2023 .
84. Web site: 2021-05-17 . 3,281 drones break dazzling record for most airborne simultaneously . 2023-06-26 . Guinness World Records . en-gb.
85. Web site: Drone Show Albania.
86. Web site: 600 drones dan a la bienvenida a Super Mario La película. Juan Antonio Pascual. Estapé. Computer Hoy. es. April 3, 2023. April 7, 2023.
87. Web site: Show de drones faz homenagem ao novo filme do Super Mario. Saori. Almeida. Jovem Nerd. pt. April 3, 2023. April 7, 2023.
88. Web site: 2023-04-24 . Björk's Futuristic Coachella Looks Were Inspired by Drones . 2023-04-26 . Vogue . en-US.
89. Web site: 2023-07-05 . Watch: Statue Of Liberty Comes To Life In Dazzling Drone Show In New York . 2023-07-08 . NDTV . en-US.
90. Web site: Drone Show for Gloria Molina Grand Park’s 4th of July Block Party . 2024-07-14 . Grizzly Entertainment . en-US.
91. News: 2023-08-27 . Love is in the air as man proposes with drone display . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-10-19.
92. News: Barwick . Tom . SELA LIGHTS UP NEWCASTLE SKY . 21 October 2023 . Sport Industry Group . 3 October 2023.
93. https://disneylandparis-news.com/en/disneyland-paris-sets-guinness-world-records-title-for-the-largest-aerial-display-of-a-fictional-character-formed-by-multirotors-drones-using-1571-drones/