World’s first drone circus lands in Amsterdam
Tue 17 Feb 2015
Drone deliveries, drone satellites and even drone waiters – we’ve heard it all … or have we: Enter Dutch performing drone troop, AIR.
Not a flying trapeze artist in sight, these drones are set to star in their own 21st century ‘circus’ Air 2015, which will bring aerial entertainment to the 68,000-seater Amsterdam Arena, in the Netherlands this autumn.
The “first ever drone entertainment show” will be “high energy and explosive” with the “drones [taking] centre stage to bring a collaboration and fusion of music, video, projections and special effects,” the show’s organisers wrote on the Air 2015 website.
Although highly doubtful, the circus will apparently open with drones soaring across Amsterdam, before swooping down into the Arena and kicking off the show with “a variety of ballet and battles, races and lasers, circus, illusions and most of all magic from hundreds of drones.”
The organisers, led by Dutch event planners Fjuze and the Royal Netherlands Air Force, have promised a drone-only spectacle which will completely engross audience members in a 3D experience: “This show reaches a new level in entertainment where visitors will be immersed into 3D effects instead of standard 2D, proving that innovation is sensational and nothing is impossible!”
Details on exact performance dates and ticket sales have yet to be released, but a teaser trailer with a Hollywood-esque voice-over has been posted on YouTube to serve as an official preview for the event.
Fjuze is not the first promoter to consider drone-based display teams with Disney in the process of replacing its traditional live performances with aerial drones to create laser shows and light simulation effects.
With global reports constantly flying in about drone-related incidents and accidents, it seems unlikely that Air 2015 will sail through regulatory protocol or that the organisers will have much artistic license when it comes to occupying Amsterdam airspace.
Expect the drone circus to get a ‘thumbs up’ from animal rights campaigners at least.
