What is special about the technology to control 2024 drones on the night of the 30th in West Lake?

Feast your eyes on the 2024 drone light show in Hanoi.

Hanoi City will use 2,024 drones to perform a light and sound show to welcome the new year on New Year's Eve 2024. Accordingly, the Hanoi Art Light Festival aims to set a Southeast Asian record with 2,024 drones held on Nguyen Dinh Thi - Trich Sai Street (near Van Cao intersection, Tay Ho District).

With the development of drone manufacturing technology, drone models today are not only used in the field of filming and photography but also expanded to performing arts. Through specialized software, you can control 100 drones to thousands of drones to create a colorful light show in the night sky.

The first aerial drone light show was performed at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria, in 2012 with the support of Intel and involved 50 drones.

With the introduction of the concept of "SPAXELS" (space elements), this event marked an important turning point, transforming drones from simple flying devices into "artists" in the night sky.

According to Ars Electronica, SPAXELS refers to four-wing drones equipped with LED lights that can fly freely in space to create three-dimensional images according to pre-programmed programming.

Light show drones usually have four-wing designs equipped with LED lights that can fly freely in space. (Photo: Reuters)

How do drones perform aerial light shows?

For drone art performances, the way they operate and control are the two key points that make them successful. The creative design and engineering team must plan the flight program for each drone according to the available scenario.

First, a central control system is often used to coordinate and synchronize the operations of hundreds or even thousands of drones at the same time. The central system controls each drone via radio waves to ensure that they operate according to a precise and consistent scenario.

Planning and designing drone flight movements is done through specialized software such as Drone Show Software or Skybrush Suite. Designers can demonstrate drone simulations on the computer and then fly them live.

Each drone in the formation is programmed with a specific flight path, creating unique images in the sky, from simple shapes to complex designs.

The special feature of drones in light shows lies in their ability to create diverse shapes, flexibility and high precision. To achieve this, drones are equipped with GPS technology and various sensors, helping them determine their position and adjust their altitude, speed and flight direction accurately.

In case of force majeure, the drone is also equipped with a safety mechanism to ensure maximum safety and allow for a controlled landing if necessary. Thanks to that, the performance is not only safe but also brings a unique experience to the audience.

When planning and executing a drone light show, choosing the right location is key to the success of the show. The location must be carefully chosen to ensure not only safety, but also the ability to create an immersive and uninterrupted experience for the audience.

However, organizing drone shows also faces some limitations because they cannot take place under bad weather conditions such as heavy rain or strong winds.

Before the show, each drone will be loaded with a program of its flight plan from takeoff to landing. (Photo: Reuters)

What is special about SPAXELS Drone?

According to Ars Electronica, SPAXELS drones are typically lightweight, like Intel’s 330g Shooting Star drone, and are made mostly of plastic and foam. However, a drone that is too light will be easily affected by the wind when flying high, but if it is too heavy, it will take a long time to take off, land, and position, reducing the flexibility of the performance.

In addition to the main component of SPAXELS, which is the LED light that can be turned on, off, and change color flexibly, other components such as GPS, antennas, and sensors will help the drone locate accurately, reducing the risk of collision during general operation.

Also, an important factor is the drone's battery and is the main factor that determines the duration of the show.

However, battery capacity also increases proportionally to the weight of the drone, so manufacturers will have to balance the factors to ensure that the drone can fly long enough and move flexibly. Currently, most light show drones have a battery life of 10-15 minutes minus takeoff and landing time.

The number of drones in each program depends on the complexity of the content, but usually requires a minimum of 100-150 devices. On New Year's Eve in Hanoi, the organizer used 2,024 drones, a record for a performance in Southeast Asia.

Will drone shows replace fireworks?

Many major cities around the world are now considering new ways to celebrate the New Year to avoid toxic chemicals and air pollution from fireworks. Therefore, drone light shows are being seen as an effective alternative.

Drone displays in the night sky can provide similar lighting effects but without the environmentally damaging chemicals of fireworks.

Drone light show at Marina Bay, Singapore in January. (Photo: Marina Bay Sands)

According to Business Research Insights, the global drone light show industry is expected to grow 25% by 2031. This year, Stone Mountain Park in Georgia, USA will also host a Lunar New Year festival with a combined drone and fireworks display over three weekends in February.

Drone shows are an environmentally friendly and eye-catching option, but they can also be expensive, costing millions of dollars, and require a lot of work to put on. But as the industry grows, governments and companies alike are finding the end result worth the cost, especially since drones don’t pose the same fire risk as fireworks.

According to Dronetechplanet, the starting price for a demonstration of 200 drones with simple 2D images using Intel equipment is from 99,000 USD (more than 2.4 billion VND). 300 drones with 3D images cost a minimum of 199,000 USD (more than 4.8 billion VND).

A 500-drone display with more complex, high-definition images will cost from $299,000, equivalent to over VND7.3 billion. Thus, each drone for the program will cost an average of nearly VND15 million. Meanwhile, a traditional fireworks display usually costs from VND500 million to over VND1 billion.

Tra Khanh (Synthesis)

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