Shanghai replaces fireworks on New Year’s Eve with thousands of drones which assemble midair to create a spinning globe, a running man and a countdown in incredible light display
- Shanghai used nearly 2,000 drones instead of fireworks to create a display over the city on New Year’s Eve
- The drones were piloted from a single computer that programmed them to create different patterns
- The devices create giant spheres, a digital countdown and formed a man running across the sky
Advertisement
China‘s largest city replaced traditional fireworks with nearly 2,000 drones on New Year’s Eve for a stunning, synchronized display .
The devices flew above the city of Shanghai creating shapes, text and even the figure of a man running across the sky.
Fitted with multi-colored lights, the drones were controlled by a central computer that programmed them to fly in specific patterns.
The drones took flight on Tuesday night above the Huangpu River, which is part of a growing trend to find alternatives to fireworks, which create noise and smoke pollution and can be a fire hazard.
Scroll down for videos
China’s largest city replaced traditional fireworks with nearly 2,000 drones on New Year’s Eve for a stunning, synchronized display . The devices flew above the city of Shanghai creating shapes, text and even the figure of a man running across the sky
The devices made giant spheres, created text for the countdown and formed a massive man running across the sky, which is said to represent ‘the huge changes and glorious achievements Shanghai has made in the past 40 years of reform and opening up’.
A video shared by CGTN shows the drones flickering during the countdown and then creating a massive ‘2020’ in the sky at midnight.
After which, the devices ended the show with Chinese characters meaning ‘dream pursuit’.
The display is part of a growing trend to find alternatives to fireworks, which create noise and smoke pollution and can be a fire hazard.
Fitted with multi-colored lights, the drones were controlled by a central computer that programmed them to fly in specific patterns
The devices create giant spheres, created text for the countdown and created a massive man running across the sky, which is said to represent ‘the huge changes and glorious achievements Shanghai has made in the past 40 years of reform and opening up’
Multiple Australian cities had canceled their firework displays, as wildfires are raging across the country.
However, Sydney decided to move forward with its traditional multi-million dollar fireworks display – many Australians have said the display was a ‘slap in the face’.
Hundreds of bushfires have destroyed dozens of homes in New South Wales and Victoria, killed at least 12 people and left another five missing in Australia’s worst summer season in decades.
Witnessing the fireworks amid the devastation, one person tweeted: ‘My parents are without power, their town is cut off, and the southerly is blowing another fire towards them. A fireworks show feels like a huge slap in the face.’
The display is part of a growing trend to find alternatives to fireworks, which create noise and smoke pollution and can be a fire hazard
The drones create a countdown in the sky ahead of midnight
A video shared by CGTN shows the drones flickering during the countdown and then creating a massive ‘2020’ in the sky at midnight. After which, the devices ended the show with Chinese characters meaning ‘dream pursuit’
Another added: ‘Members of my family are spending tonight huddled together on a boat ramp waiting while bushfires bear down, and our PM is throwing a party.’
As the city’s famous skyline was lit up with colorful pyrotechnics, thousands remained trapped on a beach in the coastal town of Mallacoota amid apocalyptic scenes after getting surrounded by raging bushfires.
Responding to calls to cancel the event and reallocate the funding to fire-affected regions, Sydney mayor Clover Moore said planning for the fireworks began 15 months ago and most of the budget had already been allocated. The event was also a boost to New South Wales’ economy.
Moore added that people viewing the fireworks around the harbor will see a donation link projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons throughout the night.
Meanwhile, haunting pictures from Mallacoota show how the sky turned blood red as smoke from nearby fires shrouded the sun and reduced visibility to just a few yards.