Vivid Sydney has cancelled all remaining drone shows after 83 drones plunged into Darling Harbour earlier this week, prompting a full assessment of the aerial light show. The decision comes after an unexpected technical malfunction during a performance called Star-Bound on Monday night.
Incident Details
On Monday, audiences witnessed a sudden failure as unforeseen technical difficulties caused 83 drones to fall into the waters of Cockle Bay, while six others landed on a boardwalk. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The incident led to the cancellation of four performances on Tuesday and Wednesday as a precautionary measure while operators conducted a comprehensive technical and safety review.
Official Response
On Saturday, Vivid confirmed that all remaining drone shows scheduled for the next two weeks would also be cancelled. In a statement, Vivid expressed understanding that the decision would disappoint audiences and appreciated the public's understanding. The organisation emphasised that providing certainty for visitors, residents, and event attendees during the ongoing festival was a key consideration.
Fireworks displays will now replace the drone shows, complementing the Laser Lightfall experience in Darling Harbour at the previously scheduled times. Vivid stated that public safety remains the absolute priority and that all decisions were guided by expert technical and regulatory advice.
Operator Explanation
Skymagic, the UK-based operator of the drone show, reported that an unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment after take-off compromised the positional accuracy of the fleet. Dyfan Rhys, Skymagic's head of operations and production, noted that early indications suggest no foul play, but investigations are ongoing. He assured the public that despite dramatic images on social media, there was no risk to public safety.
The pilot team managed to lock the main fleet stationary in the air to evaluate the situation, but drones experiencing issues encountered the geofence boundary and shut down to preserve the safety zone, resulting in 83 falling into the harbour and six landing on the foreshore boardwalk.
Background
The drone show was scrapped last year due to crowd control concerns but returned this year as Australia's most extensive event of its kind, featuring 1,000 purpose-built drones designed for large-scale aerial displays. Vivid Sydney continues until 13 June.
