A drone show to mark the Australia Day long weekend has been declared a massive success with more than 100,000 people flocking to lake Burley Griffin to watch the display. But are drone shows merely a passing fad or does their popularity mark the beginning of the end for traditional fireworks displays?
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00:00 The story of Australia up in lights as drones drew crowds of
00:07 100,000 to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. They loved the
00:11 storytelling and the lights and just the vibe and the fact that
00:15 it was quiet. People have commented on the fact that it
00:19 filled them with awe. Canberra joined London and Dubai on the
00:23 list of cities ditching fireworks for new technology.
00:26 Drones really were a step up from anything else we've tried
00:30 here in the national capital. What drones enable us to do is
00:34 to convey a narrative and fireworks, it's really
00:37 difficult. Nanawal Dreamtime stories led the display and
00:41 their clear environmental advantage also makes them
00:44 attractive. But new technology always comes with a hefty price
00:49 tag. Canberra's display of 600 drones cost more than $400,000
00:54 paid for by the National Australia Day Council.
00:58 Currently at the moment, they're between five and ten
01:01 times the price of a fireworks display. But drones are more
01:07 economical because we can use drones over and over again. Hot
01:13 summer days like this one during our main celebration
01:16 season are turning some event organizers away from
01:19 fireworks. But if today was any windier, we might not be able
01:22 to use this drone. But when the conditions are right,
01:25 pyrotechnicians don't see drones and light shows as a
01:29 threat to their craft, but really an opportunity to take
01:32 entertainment to new heights. We're also looking to take it
01:36 to a new level whereby there'll be pyrotechnic effects that
01:38 will be launched from the drones. There's a space for a
01:41 whole range of technologies. Drones worked really well for
01:44 Australia Day, but other things like lights on the lake or
01:47 fireworks work really well for other types of celebrations.
01:51 Keeping the magic alive with or without a bang.
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