Vivid Sydney show scrapped for good after drone chaos

Saturday, 30 May 2026 11:40

'Unforeseen technical issues' have forced the festival to cancel the popular performance.

Vivid Sydney has scrapped the rest of its drone shows after "technical difficulties" sent drones plummeting into the harbour and forced multiple shows to be called off this week.

"Following Monday night's unforeseen technical issue at the Vivid Sydney 'Star-Bound' drone performance, Vivid Sydney can confirm the remaining drone shows scheduled for this year's festival will not proceed," it said in a statement.

"Fireworks displays will now complement the Laser Lightfall experience in Darling Harbour at the times previously scheduled for drone shows."

Vivid Sydney also confirmed a retrieval process is underway following Monday night's incident, which saw dozens of drones fall from the sky.

There was chaos on Monday night when nearly 90 drones fell into the harbour during the 7.30pm Star-Bound show, which was subsequently called off.

The 9.30pm event was cancelled, as were several other performances this week to allow for a "full technical and safety review".

SKYMAGIC, the operator leading the drone show, previously said the incident was caused by "an unforeseen change in the radio frequency (RF) environment occurring after take-off".

It has now confirmed it is working closely with the relevant authorities to identify the external interference that caused the failsafe response at Monday evening's drone show.

"This process requires further technical, operational data and local assessment," it said in a statement.

Vivid Sydney 2026 Star-Bound drone show (Nine)

Vivid Sydney understands the news will be disappointing for some visitors but said providing certainty for attendees and ensuring public safety remain its highest priorities.

The annual festival kicked off last weekend with an array of light installations, music performances, food and other experiences around the city.

It also saw the return of the drone show, which was such a hit in 2024 that it was cancelled in 2025 due to safety concerns.

There were snags from the start though, with the first performance on Sunday night having to be cancelled due to rain.

The 9.30pm show went smoothly, only for the Monday night shows to be plagued with technical issues.

Vivid Sydney is slated to run until June 13.