Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

BoredPanda Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Impressive “Ghost Plane” Performance Out Of 800 Drones Appeared At Chinese Air Show
5.4K

Impressive “Ghost Plane” Performance Out Of 800 Drones Appeared At Chinese Air Show

ADVERTISEMENT

Flying is one of those divisive topics where people either love it or hate it. However, I think we can all agree that airplanes as a man-made invention (and aeronautics in general) are amazing regardless.

Ever since the dawn of humankind, man has been looking up at the skies with hopes of joining the birds in flight. Fast forward to today and we can all partake in the wonder that is flying. Louis CK puts it best: “Did you fly through the air, incredibly, like a bird, did you partake in the miracle of human flight with you contributing zero? […] You are sitting in a chair—IN THE SKY.”

800 multicolored drones took off into the night sky to form a “ghost plane” & other aircrafts

Image credits: China Xinhua Sci-Tech on Twitter

Participants of the 2019 Nanchang Flight Convention had a magnificent chance to witness just how jaw-dropping aeronautics really is. 800 individual drones took flight to light up the night sky in the shapes of airplanes and helicopters.

Image credits: China Xinhua Sci-Tech on Twitter

The spectacular performance of the drones was a coordinated effort to celebrate aeronautics in China by showcasing the different kinds of aircraft available today. Drone formations took the shape of everything from passenger carriers to military helicopters to fighter jets to old-school propeller planes.

ADVERTISEMENT

The performance was part of the 2019 Nanchang Flight Convention program celebrating aviation in China

Image credits: China Xinhua Sci-Tech on Twitter

One of the most spectacular parts of the performance was the “ghost plane”. It illuminated the night sky in eerie blue with a rhythmic red light pulsing front to back every once in a while for added effect.

Image credits: China Xinhua Sci-Tech on Twitter

The aeronautical convention is said to be the first extensive aviation exhibition in Jiangxi Province of such caliber. Its goal is to promote the growth of the Nanchang aviation industry and to urge greater investment in the field nation-wide.

Drones were wirelessly coordinating amongst each other to form spectacular aircraft displays in the sky

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: China Xinhua Sci-Tech on Twitter

Drone technology has progressed quite a bit over the past years. Companies and hobbyists alike are experimenting with a variety of tech, enabling drones to do more than just fly. Coordinated shows such as the one in Nanchang are all thanks to wireless dongles built into the drones, allowing them to communicate their movements in sync based on a set program.

Take a look at the full video of the amazing drone performance

Share on Facebook
Robertas Lisickis

Robertas Lisickis

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

Read less »
Robertas Lisickis

Robertas Lisickis

Author, BoredPanda staff

Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

What do you think ?
Add photo comments
POST
Lynda Momalo
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All the political comments are valid but the story is about a kind of technology and the future possibilities thereof. How about we try to focus on that element of the story and not on the country that put on the show? Was anyone else's first thought that reports of UFOs are going to skyrocket when groups learn how to do similar things? And my second thought was that this opens the doors to our skies being used for massive advertisements? Should countries start now to forbid or regulate the use of collective drones like this for advertising purposes -- if only to determine who owns the rights to the sky. Could people, groups, or even other countries use collective drones for propaganda purposes? There are issues here that go way beyond China.

Cesar Grossmann
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What would happen if the drones fly out of the range of the signal?

RolandD
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Impressive work! In the past, Intel also tried to synchronize multiple drones in the same airspace, but such complex things is the first time to see. I'm curious how many Mavic Mini (https://www.firstquadcopter.com/reviews/dji-mavic-mini-review/) requires to create such air show. Also if they are capable for centralized control.

Load More Comments
Lynda Momalo
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All the political comments are valid but the story is about a kind of technology and the future possibilities thereof. How about we try to focus on that element of the story and not on the country that put on the show? Was anyone else's first thought that reports of UFOs are going to skyrocket when groups learn how to do similar things? And my second thought was that this opens the doors to our skies being used for massive advertisements? Should countries start now to forbid or regulate the use of collective drones like this for advertising purposes -- if only to determine who owns the rights to the sky. Could people, groups, or even other countries use collective drones for propaganda purposes? There are issues here that go way beyond China.

Cesar Grossmann
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What would happen if the drones fly out of the range of the signal?

RolandD
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Impressive work! In the past, Intel also tried to synchronize multiple drones in the same airspace, but such complex things is the first time to see. I'm curious how many Mavic Mini (https://www.firstquadcopter.com/reviews/dji-mavic-mini-review/) requires to create such air show. Also if they are capable for centralized control.

Load More Comments
Related on Bored Panda
Related on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda