A planned drone show at Sydney’s Vivid festival was cancelled after dozens of drones reportedly malfunctioned and fell from the sky near Darling Harbour.
According to Australian media reports, around 90 drones were affected during preparations and testing connected to the May 26 event. Witnesses said several drones appeared to lose coordination before dropping into the harbour or surrounding areas, prompting safety concerns and the cancellation of the public performance.
Festival organisers later confirmed that the drone show would not proceed, saying public safety was the priority. Emergency crews and technical teams responded to the area while sections near the waterfront were monitored following the incident.
Videos shared online showed drones scattered in the water and flashing lights disappearing suddenly from the sky, drawing concern from spectators who had gathered for the event.
Vivid Sydney is one of Australia’s largest annual festivals, attracting millions of visitors with light displays, digital art installations and nighttime performances across the city. Authorities said the rest of the Vivid program would continue as scheduled while investigations into the drone malfunction were underway.
