'Cyber fireworks' blend art and technology in spectacular showcases

A drone light show is staged during the Spring Festival Gala in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Photo courtesy of Shenzhen DAMODA Intelligent Control Technology Co., Ltd.)

A light show featuring 3,000 drones during the Spring Festival Gala on Jan. 28, 2025 in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality showcased Chinese romance through cutting-edge technology. The "cyber fireworks" were created by Shenzhen DAMODA Intelligent Control Technology Co., Ltd. from south China's Guangdong Province.

The drone fleet hovered just 50 centimeters above the stage, moving in perfect formation and blending seamlessly with the stage. A staff member from the company explained that thanks to satellite navigation and positioning, and real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning technology, the drone fleet boasts pinpoint millimeter-level positioning accuracy.

Operating thousands of drones to perform tasks simultaneously is no small feat.

According to Qin Haiqun, deputy general manager of the company, the company's first show in 2016 featured 80 drones creating various images and Chinese characters in the sky. Back then, the company was just starting out, and the drone performance industry was still in an early stage. The success of that show opened their eyes to the potential of the growing market.

During a 2020 performance in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, 3,051 drones were set up on the ground by over 100 people before taking off. Qin emphasized the need to address the high labor costs issue before the company could expand overseas.

The company developed a method by arranging the drones in "take-off boxes," with each box containing 12 drones. During the show, the drones could take off with a single click and automatically return to their positions afterward.

In September 2024, the company made headlines with a drone show in Shenzhen Bay, Shenzhen, setting two Guinness World Records with 10,197 drones: one for the most drones controlled by a single computer simultaneously and another for the largest aerial image formed by drones.

Nowadays, the company receives invitations for drone performances from domestic and international clients. It sells products to over 50 countries and regions and has experienced a surge in overseas orders.

"We are always creating new cultural symbols and incorporating them into our designs, striving to strike a balance between technology and art," said Peng Ling, director of the company's design department.

Today, drone performances have transcended pure visual spectacle. The industry is actively exploring cross-disciplinary interactions with music, dance, and drama, using diverse forms of performance to create immersive experiences. Drone performances are an excellent example of how technology can blend with culture, with innovation embracing tradition. While drones may return to their base after each performance, the cultural symbols they create in the sky become lasting memories for the audience.