Drone Display Disaster at Sydney Harbour
Nearly 100 drones crashed near crowds during a light show at Sydney's Cockle Bay on Monday evening, forcing the cancellation of subsequent Vivid Sydney drone displays. The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 PM local time when a technical glitch caused scores of unmanned aircraft to plummet into the water and onto concrete surfaces.
Witnesses reported hearing the sound of drones crashing into the marina wharf, with one harbour worker claiming they nearly hit workers. The organiser, British company Skymagic, confirmed that 89 drones were affected after a sudden change in radio frequency during take-off.
Footage captured the fleet of drones flying above the harbour as they attempted to form a pattern before several lit-up aircraft began to fall. The show typically features up to 1,000 drones and lasts 12 minutes, using what were described as the brightest drones available on the market.
Safety Concerns and Cancellations
Vivid Sydney announced that shows scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday were cancelled following the unforeseen technical difficulties. A statement emphasised that public safety remains their absolute priority and apologised for the disappointment.
Robert, a worker at Darling Harbour, told ABC that the sound of the drones crashing was considerable even from 65 feet away. He described hearing them physically crash and smash onto the cement. He noted that the drones appeared to be outside their designated flying zones, which are meant to avoid flying over or near people.
However, Vivid Sydney stated that, to their knowledge, no drones landed outside the planned exclusion zone. This incident echoes a similar event in July 2023, when hundreds of drones were lost during a show at Melbourne's Victoria Harbour due to connection issues.
