Vivid Sydney 2026 kicked off last week, but as in previous years, the broader program has once again been overshadowed by controversy surrounding the drone show.
Spectators watching the drone show on Monday, May 25, saw around 90 drones plunge into Darling Harbour, their impact marked by large splashes in the water.
We’re now left waiting to see if Vivid Sydney cancels all of the remaining shows.
Vivid Sydney released a statement after the show, stating that Tuesday and Wednesday’s drone events had been cancelled due to “unforeseen technical difficulties”. It stated:
“The Vivid Sydney ‘Star-Bound’ drone shows scheduled for Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 May have been cancelled following the unforeseen technical difficulties experienced during Monday night’s performance.
Public safety remains our absolute priority, and we apologise for the disappointment. No decisions have been made at this stage regarding the drone show scheduled for Sunday 31 May and beyond.
Further updates on future performances will be provided when available.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
The Vivid Drone Show controversy
The aerial spectacle, which previously drew huge crowds to Sydney Harbour, made its comeback in 2026 after being absent from last year’s festival.
A few months ago, NSW Premier Chris Minns confirmed the show’s return in a social media post, revealing that the display will run for 11 nights during the festival, with two performances scheduled each evening for a total of 22 shows.
The drone display was not included in the 2025 festival, following safety concerns linked to large crowds gathering in already congested harbourfront areas. In other words, they were too popular for their own good.
Authorities had raised concerns about the challenges of managing massive spectator numbers around Circular Quay, particularly after heavy crowd congestion and an incident during the 2024 event.
The popularity of the shows had created bottlenecks along narrow waterfront promenades and transport hubs, prompting organisers and state authorities to reconsider how the spectacle could be delivered safely.
However, for 2026, organisers reworked their approach. Instead of launching from the harbour near Circular Quay, the drone display moved to Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour, offering significantly larger viewing areas and improved pedestrian access.
Cockle Bay’s wider waterfront and proximity to Darling Harbour’s open plazas and promenades were expected to provide far more room for audiences compared with the tightly packed foreshore areas around Circular Quay.
Unfortunately, this year’s problems had little to do with overcrowding or public safety – the issue was the show itself.
The drone show operator, UK-based company Skymagic, also issued a statement on the incident, attributing the failure to an “unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment occurring after take-off.”
Skymagic’s head of operations, Dyfan Rhys, has ruled out “foul play”, however they are “still investigating all possibilities”.
Will the Drone Show return on Sunday?
For now, the future of the Vivid Sydney drone show remains uncertain.
Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones addressed spectators on Monday, apologising for the disruption and confirming that a safety assessment would be carried out before any decision is made on upcoming performances. The next show, set for Sunday night, is yet to be confirmed. Jones stated:
“I can’t guarantee that that will go ahead. It does depend on the outcomes of this assessment.”
