About 90 drones plummeted into Sydney's Darling Harbour during a Vivid Sydney aerial show on Monday evening, leading to the cancellation of four performances. The incident occurred at 7.30pm during the Star-Bound display, with 83 drones falling into Cockle Bay and six landing on a boardwalk. No injuries were reported.
Operator Skymagic attributed the malfunction to an "unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment after take-off" that compromised positional accuracy. Head of operations Dyfan Rhys said early indications suggest no foul play, but investigations continue. The pilot team locked the main fleet stationary, but affected drones hit the geofence boundary and shut down to preserve safety.
Vivid Sydney cancelled Tuesday and Wednesday shows as a precaution while a full technical and safety review is completed. Destination New South Wales chief executive Karen Jones apologised for disappointment and inconvenience, noting that Sunday's show depends on assessment outcomes. She confirmed safety protocols worked, with an exclusion zone ensuring drones fell into water or within the zone.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been notified and is gathering information. The Star-Bound show, featuring 1,000 purpose-built drones, was scrapped last year due to crowd control concerns but returned this year as Australia's "most extensive" drone event. A similar incident in 2023 saw over 400 drones fall into Melbourne's Yarra River due to wind conditions.
