Sky Magic manages drone show at Katara Cultural Village, Qatar

Source: Sky Magic. The oryx created in outline by drones flying in unison at Katara Cultural Village, Qatar.

Singapore-based startup Sky Magic has delivered a visual spectacle for Qatar's 46th National Day Week celebrations at Katara Cultural Village in Qatar in the form of a drone show featuring a 300-strong fleet. This was the first time a live drone show had been performed in Qatar.

The celebrations kicked off with a series of drone formations showcasing symbolic images of Qatar, accompanied by traditional Arabic music. The formations began with a giant heart with the word "Qatar" in Arabic, which morphed into a giant outline of Qatar. These were followed by an image of an oryx, the national animal of Qatar, running across the night sky. Next was a formation that outlined a traditional wind tower and the modern torch tower, both of which symbolise prosperity.

The highlight of the drone show was a portrait of HH the Emir of Qatar and a  flashing Qatar flag. These were performed 200m above the ground, spanning a 360m-wide area.

Explore: Watch the highlight video for Sky Magic's drone show at Qatar's 46th National Day Week celebrations

Sky Magic has engineered its own software and hardware for both indoor and outdoor live event applications, including an autopilot system. A proprietary distributed swarming algorithm enables real-time generation of smooth collision-free trajectories for  thousands of drones.

Sky Magic's goal is to innovate with swarming technology, for example on improving goods delivery or making save and rescue tasks more efficient.