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Drone stories

STORYTELLING PIONEERS, TURNING THE SKY INTO (Y)OUR CANVAS

How do you celebrate your birthday the 2022 way? Yes, by flying 600 drones in front of a crowd of 165.000 people. That's exactly what we did for EDC in Las Vegas.

ECD celebrated the 25th anniversary and the brand’s momentous return to Las Vegas after a turbulent 2020 marred by an explosive and controversial postponement. We flew a custom show featuring three large drones with 600 drones above a crowd of 165.000 people to mark the weekend and ECD’s birthday bash.

3D figures were created based on stages from previous years that transformed into multiple polychromatic patterns. The drones changed from the iconic EDC owl to silhouettes of two people embracing each other under a glittering heart, among other configurations.

Las Vegas, also known as the City of Lights. Our massive drone performance certainly strengthened that claim!

"Feast your eyes on the enchanting EDC Las Vegas 2021 Drone Show." "Dance music fans can't stop gushing over this Las Vegas drone show."

Synged to the music on the mini second Combination with most expensive fireworks First droneshow for EDC

The Story Behind the Lights

Multiple Polychromatic Patterns

Story in the skies from…

Quotes About the Show

Extra Info

EDC Las Vegas

We love to challenge ourselves. That is why, for this special private event, we did something no one has done before. We used cages to fly over people...

Normally, it is impossible to fly above people because of safety reasons. However, we found a way to enable this totally new experience. The cages were put in the middle of the fly-zone. With them flying over the viewers, the way you see a show is totally different, because your perspective is new. You feel like you’re in the middle of the show. In fact, you are in the middle of the show. This meant attendees experienced and enjoyed the show in ways  never done before.

Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. With this new concept, people experienced a drone show from a new kind of perspective. From down below, you get pulled into the show. Definitely one for the books!

Live through this

Franchise Freedom is a flying sculpture by Studio Drift and Drone Stories. This invigorating artwork is located at the intersection of technology, science and art. Hundreds of drones visualize an autonomously flying swarm of starlings, exposing the tension between individual freedom and safety in numbers. The ultimate goal being to provoke the mind and give the viewer food for thought.

To create this artwork, Drift studied the natural flight behavior of starlings and translated it into specially developed software built into the drones. Franchise Freedom is a poetic illustration of how we, as humans, strive to live autonomously within societies defined by rules and conventions. Although the patterns seem random, and the impression of such a flock makes us think of freedom, the behavior of these birds is completely orchestrated and subject to many rules and survival instincts.

There is a particular kind of beauty in watching these sudden decisions by thousands of individuals and their reactions to each other. If each bird acted independently, complete chaos would ensue. Humans, like birds, find safety in a group, while at the same time, they are forced to act according to many rules on which society operates. Those who prefer  complete individual freedom to these rules are forced to operate outside of our culture. What is the perfect balance between the two? Is freedom an illusion? Each performance is site-specific and unique, and the drones will respond to their environment in an unpredictable, autonomous way. Their technology is based on ongoing university research into the behavior of swarms, as the principles of self-organization have become increasingly relevant in our ever-changing world.

various places such as Art Basel Miami, Al Ula, Saudi Arabia, Liberation Day in Rotterdam, New Year’s Eve in Rotterdam, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Burning Man, Amsterdam above the IJ and Unicef in Capri. The music for this installation was composed and played by pianist Joep Beving.

Is Freedom an Illusion?

Franchise Freedom

2021’s Free Burn was slightly different from previous years. Because of the pandemic, the official Burning Man festival and the burning of art installations were prohibited. We managed to keep the tradition alive and bring back our drone fleet to the playa since we first flew them there in 2018.

The US government banned the official festival, but this did not stop people from coming to Black Rock City. Burning art installations were also banned. In order not to completely lose the ritual of the Burn, we brought light to the playa with our drones. This was a perfect opportunity to invent an eco-friendly new “drone man''.

We performed three different shows at the Playa: one on Friday morning, one on Friday night, and one on Saturday night. According to the audience, the pieces that flew were memorable. Not only aesthetically but emotionally. On Friday morning, a tribute was paid to George Mueller, founder of Robot Heart and friend to many in the Burns community. He passed away suddenly last year, so we decided to join the Robot Heart community in honoring him. Friday night, homage was paid to some of the works of art from the past. This was a special show because we flew above a baseball cage. That performance made us the first to fly above people, without endangering anyone. It changed the whole perspective of the show. Saturday was all about the most recognizable show of all. We started the performance with Franchise Freedom building up to the week's big moment. A huge man was revealed along with an excellent musical build-up made by Unders Music. This reveal shocked the playa. No one expected that a man could be flown 300 feet high. After the man was ‘burned’, the airfield was surrounded by people. Grateful and loving as you would expect from a Burning Man.

Black Rock City during Free Burn 2021. One of our never to forget Drone Stories moments!

Getting everything there was a hustle because of the lag of resources Charging batteries at 40 degrees celsius 3 shows in 2 days  Making sure all safety measures were good - hard with 20.000 people being free to walk or bike everywhere

Two Days, Three Different Shows

Extra info:

Free Burn 2021

This secret cliënt has a not so secret love for a certain movie. Thus, for his birthday, we created an entire, personalized show surrounding said movie.

Based on different scenes of the movie, we created a show that was personal and recognisable for family and friends. The design we made was very organic but also geometric. A perfect balance between the shapes and movements, leading to a cohesive tribute to the movie.

Yes, we are the first to introduce drones to Montenegro and Montenegro to drones, seeing as this was the very first drone show to take place over there. In order to make this happen, we worked together with the authorities from Montenegro. A first show, where hopefully many more will follow.

at this birthday party in Montenegro, there was the perfect spot to experience the show. Looking out over a beautiful lake with music that was synced to the show, surrounded by people literally and figuratively closest to the client.

Montenegro, drones. Drones, Montenegro

Happy birthday!

This wedding was a very special show. We combined various show elements with drones. In fact, this was the first time ever water projection was used in combination with drones. Because the bridal couple love to travel together, we created unique flashbacks in the skies surrounding their precious travel moments.

Because these moments were so memorable, we challenged ourselves to create a show to top them. The combining of different show elements was our answer to this challenge. Using water projection during the show and fireworks at the end made the entire show stand out. The combination of these elements created new memories of precious, past moments. A brand-new story, serving as the first chapter of their new lives together.

this private event was watched by the bride and groom to be from their own, intimate space on a secret Greek beach, together with their friends and family.

A wedding with old and new memories

Above Amsterdam’s largest river, the famous IJ, Drone Stories was given the honor of highlighting the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Fold 4 5G with a stunning drone show brought to life by 250 drones. The foldability of the new phones and the innovative pens they work with were unique features they wanted to portray and share with the audience through the show.

Samsung showed the world that the tech industry is still booming and their company remains at the forefront of creating the latest innovations. Simultaneously, they promoted new technological advances through groundbreaking technological capabilities. In this case, with Drone Stories’ abilities to create art in the air that transformed before the eyes of the spectators.

250 drones flew high in the sky above this beautiful body of water, depicting shapes and movements for Samsung. They outlined some of their new technical features and movements of products. At the end of the show, a QR code was displayed for the audience to scan. When viewers scanned the code, they were directed to a page where they could learn more about Samsung’s latest foldable smartphones. Now that’s innovation for ya’ll!

Amsterdam above the IJ. The drone show is developed by Drone Stories in collaboration with Blauw Gras.

Completed with a QR-code

Samsung’s Foldable Phone Launch

The Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles was the setting for our choreographed light show in honor of National Streaming Day. The production was organized by the online streaming service Disney+.

Disney+ wanted to promote National Streaming Day. For this purpose, we created an 8-minute choreographed light show, which was part of the accompanying film shoot.

240 drones flew above the Pier to create the outlines of the icons and characters of some of the most popular shows streamed on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN. Illustrations created in the night sky included Grogu from The Mandalorian on Disney+, Captain America's shield from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+, outfits from The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu, and an MLB bat and baseball for ESPN+.

Above the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles. We developed this drone show in collaboration with Epidemic for Disney+.

Recognisable illustrations in the Sky

National Streaming Day with Disney +

At Day Trip LA 2021, we flew a drone show on July 4th to celebrate both the significance of Independence Day and the opportunity for people to come together and celebrate again.

The show began with the message “WE BACK BABY” to announce that Insomniac productions had returned and they would bring people together again. Abstract shapes flowed together that intertwined with the timing of the music’s evolution, and brought Day Trip’s logo to life in lights. This was the first festival hosted by Insomniac since the COVID-19 Pandemic.

For the audience, the show changed the way people interpreted the possibilities of drones. Exciting unique images and dimensional structures were created with the drones that delighted the eyes of the audience and left them in a state of awe.

Los Angeles during the Day Trip 2021 festival, where tens of thousands of attendees cheered to the words of ‘We back baby’. An unforgettable moment!

Delighted the Audience

Day Trip Festival LA

Every year, KWF initiates a lantern walk. These lanterns are the symbol of supporting the ones that are affected by cancer. However, due to covid-19 it wasn’t possible to hold this lantern walk. To show support for KWF and all the people suffering from cancer, we did something special to ensure the lantern walk could still take place.

With Nederland geeft licht (the Netherlands lights up), we had the honor to work with BLØF, one of the most renowned bands of the Netherlands. Together, we created a show that was synced to the song Horizon by Bløf. The show was in perfect synergie with the song's lyrics, using the rhythm of the song to create a memorable, moving drone light show. The show represents the support for the people suffering from cancer, and is also meant to bring strength to everyone affected by this terrible disease.

The total show was broadcasted on national television, where KWF, BLØF and Drone Stories are proud to have made this tribute to the fight against cancer.

KWF’s annual lantern walk

OUR DRONE SHOWS

We love to tell thought-provoking stories in the sky that start spreading by themselves. Not only through the people that were actually there to witness our drone shows in person but through outlets (online, print, tv and social) worldwide. Here's a selection of media outings and what they've had to say about our purpose-driven drone shows.

Acedemy of sciences california

AD Magazine

Artnet

Billboard magazine

Core77

Designboom

DeZeen

DutchCulture-USA

Dwell

Forbes

Frame mag

Hypebeast

Intel

Its nice that

Mashable

Yahoonews

One news

Pace Gallery

Paper

Parool

Rollingstone

Telegraaf

Tweakers

Volkskrant

Urdesign

Wallpaper

The Verge

MEDIA WHO LIKED OUR SHINE

OUR STORIES HAVE BEEN SHARED A LOT ALONG THE WAY

From start to finish, we’ve got your back. An impossible location? Not for us. Want a unique artist? We’ve got you covered. Want your story out there for millions to see? Say no more. If you can dream it, we can create it.

WE DON’T FLY DRONES, WE FLY DYNAMIC PIXELS

We are Drone Stories, leading drone storytelling pioneers. Our goal is to reshape the intersection between art, design and technology, presenting you with inspiring concepts and thought provoking perspectives. In our crew, you will find a mix of specialists who are constantly exploring new frontiers of storytelling on an unlimited canvas; our very own sky.

THE BRIGHTEST LIGHTS OF THE BUNCH

Lucas van Oostrum

Chief Storyteller - Co-founder

Rebecca Fröberg

The boss - Mission Control

Koos Bergmans

The elegant fixer - Mr. Special Projects

Jeppe Bijker

King of binary - Tech wizard

Michael Mackie Kwist

Mr Mackie - Number ninja m’kay

Ralph Nauta

Space explorer at DRIFT - Co-founder

Lonneke Gordijn

Nature’s decoder at DRIFT - Co-founder

Sarah Schulten

Queen bee - Spreading the news

Yorick van Vliet

Fonzie - Spider in web of projects

The team

We are Drone Stories, storytelling pioneers that turn the sky into (y)our canvas. Our mesmerising drone shows are purpose-driven stories that forever change your audience

STORYTELLING PIONEERS, TURNING THE SKY INTO (Y)OUR CANVAS

WE DON’T FLY DRONES, WE FLY DYNAMIC PIXELS

THE BRIGHTEST LIGHTS OF THE BUNCH

LET’S DESIGN YOUR DRONE LIGHT SHOW