A model of Syrax, the dragon from HBO's House of the Dragon, was seen flying over Glasgow this morning, startling residents as the city prepares to host the Commonwealth Games.
Dragon Sighting Details
The dragon was spotted between 8am and 9am, marking the start of the Games, which officially begin on Thursday, July 23. It had also been seen on Tuesday, July 21, over the SEC and the Hydro, venues for the games.
The model was originally created and flown in London for the launch of the show's third season, due to air in August. It was made using 3D scans from the series and can reach a top speed of 35km/h.
Technical Specifications
Created by German aeronautic pioneers Airstage, the animatronic model has 23 moving parts, an 8m wingspan, and weighs 13kg. It is constructed from vacuum-formed Depron foam around a carbon fibre and aluminium skeleton, finished with airbrushed paintwork.
Matthias Muthsam, a technician and pilot with Airstage, said: “We started with a 3D model, which we got sent from HBO. Then we produced [the dragon] out of them the cut model, and from the cut model, then we plan our next steps.”
Mr Gutowsky added: “My favourite part is actually to inspire other young people. Everyone can be an engineer and do such a big project, and all other people watching a dragon and feel like, ‘wow, that’s beautiful’.”
Public Reaction
Radio DJ Ewen Cameron spotted the dragon and shared a clip on X, saying: "At 5:45am this morning, while driving to work, I saw this flying over the River Clyde." Some early risers questioned if it was AI, but others recognised it from the TV show.
Around 3,000 athletes will compete in 215 events across 11 sports at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which begin with the Opening Ceremony at the Hydro tomorrow night.
