Nearly 90 drones plummeted into Sydney’s Darling Harbour on Monday evening during a highly anticipated drone light show at the Vivid Sydney festival, startling
crowds and forcing organizers to cancel upcoming performances. Footage from the scene showed the drones tumbling out of the night sky and splashing into the water near spectators at Cockle Bay. The malfunction occurred during the “Star-Bound” display, which features up to 1,000 purpose-built drones. Skymagic, the UK-based company responsible for the show, attributed the incident to “unforeseen technical difficulties,” specifically an unexpected change in the radio frequency environment after takeoff. This triggered failsafe landing procedures in some drones due to compromised positional accuracy. “The sound of them crashing on the wharf was considerable even from probably 10 to 15 or 20 metres away; you could hear them physically crash and smash onto the cement marina,” a Darling Harbour worker named Robert told the ABC. Skymagic confirmed that all 89 affected drones landed within designated safety boundaries, and no injuries were reported. Festival Response and Cancellations Vivid Sydney organizers apologized for the disruption and said the remaining drone shows have been canceled pending a full safety assessment by Skymagic and relevant government agencies. “We apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience caused to attendees,” a festival spokesperson said. The drone performances were a highlight of this year’s festival, which began on Sunday and was scheduled to run for 22 shows over 11 nights. Vivid Sydney, which launched in 2009, is billed as the Southern Hemisphere’s largest festival of light, music, ideas, and food. It features a free 6.5-kilometre illuminated walk with 43 light installations, including projections on the Sydney Opera House.
Dozens of drones fall out of sky during aerial display in Sydney pic.twitter.com/MWPE3gv8Kp
— The Independent (@Independent) May 26, 2026
Drone shows were introduced in 2024 and drew large crowds, but were skipped in 2025 due to safety concerns over overcrowding.This incident marks a setback for the popular winter event, which attracts thousands of locals and tourists to Sydney Harbour each year. Further updates on the schedule are expected once the investigation is complete.
