Flying machines writing messages in the air? Yes, the future of robotics is in Dubai and it’s free to watch every night. Thanks to the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) and the series of fun activations and events that accompany it, Dubai residents can ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ in wonder at a daily drone show in Dubai.
The DSF Drones Show is a cutting-edge production that’s back for the 29th season of DSF after it created a buzz in 2022 and 2021. A swarm of drones assemble in various shapes and letters to create images and messages in the sky and it’s a jaw-dropping sight to behold. The drone show takes flight every night from December 8, 2023 until January 14, 2024 at two locations: Bluewaters and The Beach, JBR.
What to expect at the DSF Drone Show
Nightly performances at the waterfront destinations see fleets of these unmanned aerial robots take off from the ground in perfect synchronisation. Once mid-air, they zoom around to arrange themselves into stunning 3D shapes, patterns and words to tell a story. The result is a view that looks like a thousand fireflies are dancing to the tune of an invisible conductor tracing shapes in the air.
Last year’s choreographed performances by the drones were set to original music composed specially for this event and saw 500 drones controlled by two pilots bring magical sights to life. Viewers were also provided with Augmented Reality (AR) headsets to immerse themselves fully in stories.
See 800 drones and Emirati fairytales this year
However, this year, 800 drones will take to the skies for the DSF drone show and it’s in collaboration with Emirati animator Mohammed Saeed Harib, creator of the popular cartoon series FREEJ. This time too, spectators can expect to immerse themselves in two stories told via drones.
The first called ‘Fairytale Fusion with Emirati Culture’ will centre around the pearl and this gem’s symbolic significance in Dubai’s history, culture and traditions. The second show called ‘Illustration of Dubai in the Future’ will follow an Emirati space explorer as he enters a futuristic portal that showcases Dubai’s ever-changing cityscape and advanced transportation systems.
DSF Drone Shows have free entry
The shows are absolutely free and open to the public. There are two shows daily happening at 8pm and 10pm at both Bluewaters and The Beach, JBR. But it’s a smart call to arrive there earlier and nab a great viewing spot because of how popular these shows are.