Vivid Sydney drone show cancelled after dozens of drones fall into Darling Harbour

Lead

Vivid Sydney, Australia's largest art and culture festival, has cancelled its drone shows after a technical malfunction sent nearly 90 drones plunging into Darling Harbour on Monday night. The incident, which occurred during the 'Star-Bound' performance, has prompted an investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and a full safety review by festival organisers and the drone operator, UK-based SkyMagic.

Coverage comparison

Reports from ABC Australia, BBC — World, and The Guardian — World all confirm that about 90 drones fell from the sky during the Monday evening show, with 83 landing in the water at Cockle Bay and several others on nearby boardwalks and a bridge. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the malfunction has been consistently attributed to 'unforeseen technical difficulties,' with SkyMagic blaming 'an unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment occurring after take-off.' The company stated that this anomaly compromised the positional accuracy of the drones, triggering failsafe landing procedures that caused some to land in the water.

While the exact number of drones that fell varies slightly among reports—ABC Australia and The Guardian — World initially reported 83, while BBC — World and later ABC articles cited 89—all outlets agree that the incident was serious enough to warrant cancellation of upcoming shows.

The festival cancelled the drone displays scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, and later confirmed the cancellation of all remaining shows for the festival's duration, which runs until June 13.

Key Claims

• About 90 drones fell into Darling Harbour during the Monday night 'Star-Bound' show at Vivid Sydney, with 83 landing in Cockle Bay and others on nearby structures.
• The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched an investigation into the incident.
• SkyMagic, the UK-based operator, attributed the malfunction to 'an unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment after take-off,' which triggered failsafe landing procedures.
• Vivid Sydney cancelled the drone shows scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday as a precaution, and later cancelled all remaining drone performances for the festival.
• The cost of the lost drones was not disclosed, but drones used in such displays can cost between $1,500 and $2,400 each.

Perspectives

Vivid Sydney organisers

Vivid Sydney expressed disappointment over the cancellations, stating that 'public safety remains the absolute priority' and that the decision to cancel all remaining shows was guided by 'expert technical and regulatory advice.' The organisers apologised for the inconvenience caused to attendees and noted that fireworks displays will now complement the Laser Lightfall experience in Darling Harbour at the times previously scheduled for drone shows.

SkyMagic (drone operator)

SkyMagic, the UK company operating the drone show, said the incident occurred after an 'unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment occurring after take-off,' which compromised the positional accuracy of the fleet. The company's head of operations and production, Dyfan Rhys, emphasised that 'there were no safety concerns at that show' and that none of the drones left the designated exclusion zone.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)

The ATSB has launched an investigation into the incident, which will examine the technical and operational factors that led to the drones falling into the harbour.