Drones have the potential to change the way we do many things. But one industry that isn’t often considered is that of aerial displays, such as fireworks and light shows. We’ve seen before that enough drones synchronized together can pull of a spectacular aerial show, but now it’s been done in Japan. And with a backdrop to match.
Japanese tech company MicroAd has recently launched Sky Magic, which is an aerial system made up of a bunch of smart drones and thousands of LEDs. Programmed to work together, these drones can put on a light show like no other. This week the company demoed at the foot of the picturesque Mt. Fuji, alongside a group of traditional Shamisen players. The result was this, a “ballet in the sky”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WWwvIgGbkg
More than 20 drones were used as part of the show, swarming into different formations and pulsing to the music. Over 16,500 LED lights and one of the most recognizable sights in the world make the video above something special.
The visual cues given by the drones were tied in with the music using the DMX512 digital communication network. Tsuyoshi Takashiro, the creative director of the project, said he was keen to “bring a new type of magic to the sky using drones.”
The company, which focuses on advertising, will probably use the platform for promotional purposes moving forward. But who knows, maybe one day firework displays around the world will be done by drones instead.
As we mentioned above, this kind of light show has happened before. Back in January Intel broke the world record for the most drones synchronized in the sky at once. They used a live orchestra, but to be honest, 20 drones in front of a volcano in Japan trumps 100 over a runway in Austria. It was still impressive though…
Malek Murison is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for tech trends and innovation. He handles product reviews, major releases and keeps an eye on the enthusiast market for DroneLife.
Email Malek
Twitter:@malekmurison
Subscribe to DroneLife here.