Thrilling displays by 300 drones debut at NE Show 3

SINGAPORE — A Merlion spouting water, an outline of Singapore island, and a crescent with five stars in a heart shape were among the seven animated formations seen over the waters of Marina Bay on Saturday (July 15) night.

Making their debut at the National Education Show 3 at the Marina Bay Floating Platform, the 300 drones formed the largest display of unmanned drones in South-east Asia.

The spectacle, which is in the fifth part of this year’s National Day Parade (NDP) with six acts, is meant to "excite Singaporeans" and display the "immense opportunity the future brings", said Colonel Tan Tiong Keat, chairman of the show and the D3 committee, in a media briefing on Saturday.

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Weighing only 330g each, the drones used will be Shooting Star quadcopters by Intel, which won the tender called in April over two other proposals submitted.

Made of flexible plastics and foam, the drones are created specifically for entertainment light shows. They can stay in flight for up to 20 minutes, and tolerate a maximum wind speed of 8m/s. The LED lights built into each drone can create over four billion colour combinations.

As the drones’ propellers are protected by covered cages, they are “designed with safety and creativity in mind”. For additional safety, the NDP committee added the drones will not hover over the parade’s audience at any point.

Colonel Tan declined to reveal the cost of the drone segment.

The drones, which can be controlled by one computer, can be easily programmed – “in a matter of days instead of weeks or months” – and operated to create choreographed images in the sky.

With the drone display, the committee said a temporary restricted area for aerial activities has been established during rehearsal days, the National Education shows, NDP preview shows and the actual NDP.

“Aerial activities (such as kite-flying, hoisting of captive balloons and flying of unmanned aircraft, including drones) are prohibited within and into the temporary restricted area, unless authorised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore,” said the committee. “SAF personnel will be deployed to conduct enforcement activities.”

Those convicted of unauthorised flying can be fined up to S$20,000 in the first instance and fined up to S$40,000 and/or jailed for up to 15 months in subsequent instances.

Here are the seven formations in order: 

• Arrows
• Heart with crescent and five stars
• Outline of Singapore island
• Merlion spouting water
• Children in a circle
• Interlocking hands (NDP 2017 logo)
• Hashtag