A loud roar sounds, and 1,000 LED drones take off into the sky. They flash in all colors of the rainbow and take their places above the Rheinkirmes. Thousands of people stand on the Rheinkniebrücke bridge, on the other bank of the Rhine, and at the fairground to watch the largest drone show ever held in Germany. The drones fly in time to the music, forming complex swarm formations and creating 2D and 3D animations.
Each drone plays the role of a pixel. Together, they form an image. A program is installed on the drones. This way, each LED drone knows where it is and what color it should glow. In total, each drone can display up to 1.6 million different colors and take any position.
At the beginning, the creators show a motif from Düsseldorf: the Düsseldorf wheel floats in the sky. The audience applauds. A Ferris wheel, a dancer, a giant heart, abstract geometric figures – the drones form a total of 16 motifs.
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A huge technical effort
The drone show is organized by a special company from Bremen. A small airport is being built for the takeoff and landing of the 1,000 drones. The LED drones take off from platforms and land with centimeter precision. To avoid problems with air traffic, all details were discussed with the aviation authorities in advance.
Traditionally, there is a large fireworks display on the last Friday of the Rheinkirmes – and that will remain the same. People are used to it, say members of the St. Sebastianus shooting club, which organizes the fair. The drone show will be another highlight of the fair and complement the fireworks. The second drone show will take place on July 18, 2025, at 10:15 p.m.