PRESS RELEASE: SYDNEY DRONE SPECTACULAR SETS NEW VISION

SYDNEY DRONE SPECTACULAR SETS NEW VISION
Blending art and technology to create an entirely new form of night-time entertainment

January 2022

ELEVATE Sydney, a new festival held 1-5 January, unveiled the largest drone display in the Southern Hemisphere. The ELEVATE SkyShow, lit up Sydney Harbour for the first time with 500 drones, revitalising people’s imagination in a time of uncertainty.

Featuring cutting-edge technology, art and a First Nations narrative, the inaugural ELEVATE SkyShow blended art and technology to create an entirely new form of night-time entertainment. The 500 Intel® drones performed in between the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge to a powerful and moving soundtrack.

AGB Events was commissioned by the NSW Government through tourism organisation Destination NSW to create and produce ELEVATE Sydney (elevatesydney.com). This summer festival was designed to activate Sydney’s CBD and AGB’s SkyShow provided an epic conclusion at the end of every night for thousands lining the Sydney Harbour foreshore.

AGB Events assembled a team of leading creatives to design the show, comprising Anthony Bastic Creative Director, First Nations Advisor Rhoda Roberts AO, Rhyan Clapham (DOBBY) and Senior Producer Olivia Bradley.

Set to an original soundtrack composed by artist DOBBY, the drones danced to powerful orchestral sounds, energetic beats, and indigenous language, bringing First Nations culture to the forefront. The drones served as flying pixels animating an authentic and thrilling narrative of Greater Sydney, paying homage to the ancient wisdom of the Eora People, the unmatched beauty of the Australian flora and fauna and the pure joy of experiencing Summer in Sydney.

To bring the breathtaking vision to life above Sydney Harbour, AGB Events collaborated with Australian drone consulting company Mirragin and world class drone experts from Intel.

Intel, the technologists responsible for the spectacular display at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, deployed specialist pilots to Australia from Germany, United States and Finland specifically to program the Sydney show.

“The innovation and technology offered by Drones is really exciting – they are environmentally friendly with zero emissions, you can create a narrative and tell a story, and the possibilities are endless – they really are the future of major events.” said AGB Events CEO, Anthony Bastic.

“The collaboration created a first for Sydney resulted in something special. The coupling of technologies and applying them to outdoor public events greatly enhances the audience experience and will certainly set a benchmark for future Australian events.” he added.

As a further enhancement, AGB engaged international augmented reality artist Charles Clapshaw of Future of Art, to overlay an augmented reality experience to the drone show. Visitors scanned the QR codes on site and enjoyed added visual elements, further enhancing their live experience.

Placemaking and marketing communications consultants Tomorrow Made developed the strategy supporting the visitor economy and global tourism objectives to share this first with the world, in what will become the new must-see event on Sydney’s events calendar.

In addition to commissioning by Destination NSW, the ELEVATE Sydney SkyShow team was also supported by key landowners and government agencies, including the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Transport for New South Wales, the Overseas Passenger Terminal and Ports Authority, and NSW Place Management.

“We’re very grateful for the support and efforts of the many agencies who have worked with us to realise this project. This is an industry we really want to nurture and promote, the Intel Pilots travelling to Australia and sharing their knowledge is an amazing opportunity to grow the expertise of local drone operators.” Bastic concluded.

ENDS…

Media Contact:
Kylie Millwood
AGB Events
[email protected]
+61 413 026 721

Katrina de Jersey
Tomorrow Made
[email protected]
+61 414 853 943

Katinka Allender
AGB Events
[email protected]
+44 020 8133 0246

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/keqkicm6ct5zuds/AABNxqqniJOsaxIe0ohpDTh3a?dl=0
Photo Credit: Daniel Griffiths, Destination NSW

Highlights Video: https://vimeo.com/662862889.

 
Additional information:
DRONE INDUSTRY

Intel
• The Intel® Premium drones used to create light shows are equipped with the newest technology in the smallest possible design, weighing less than 340 grams.
• Real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS enables increased positional accuracy for higher resolution imagery and more dynamic animations. Powerful LED lights can create more than four billion colour combinations, offering almost unlimited opportunities for artistic storytelling in the sky.
• Intel® drones have performed at some of the world’s largest stages including the Olympic Games and other major national sporting events, music festivals and national cultural celebrations.
• Intel’s cutting-edge performance control software enables a single computer to manage an entire fleet of hundreds, sometimes even thousands of drones. From setting geofences to running fleet checks before flights, this robust software allows them to streamline safety and risk assessments, drone tracking, and regulation compliance.

Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.

Contact: Elvia Watts, Public Relations Manager, Intel M 1+916-356-6082 [email protected]

Mirragin
Mirragin RAS Consulting (Mirragin) is a robotics and autonomous systems consulting company founded in 2017 and headquartered in South Queensland. With a pedigree from the Australian Department of Defence, and experience across commercial aviation, agriculture and mining, Mirragin is positioned as a leader in the drone industry. This position allows Mirragin to maintain a global overview of the industry and the advancements of technology available to support all industries.

Mirragin’s network across private and government organisations including the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and Airservices Australia allows them to solve complex problems for their clients. Mirragin’s strength is supporting large organisations to successfully implement uncrewed system capabilities to reduce costs, increase capability and to keep their people safe.

Mirragin is highly committed to supporting the local community and re-investing back into both this region and the drone industry as a whole. In 2019, Mirragin published the Australian Drone Ecosystem Map (https://www.mirragin.com.au/australian-drone-ecosystem-q3-2019/) to help grow the Australian drone industry. As part of its commitment to giving back to the community, Mirragin donates 1% of all revenue earned to not-for-profit organisations.
Contact: Andrew Crowe +61 421 451 998, [email protected]

CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority)
• Mirragin and AGB Events worked closely with CASA to achieve all necessary approvals and meet essential safety requirements.
• The checks and approvals are part of CASA’s remit to regulate aviation safety, including ensuring safe and legal drone operations.
• CASA Manager Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Operations Scott Duffy said public safety is the top priority when assessing and approving drone displays, especially events of this size.
• “We conduct a number of checks to ensure the displays comply with our safety regulations, including assessing the applicant’s risk assessments and attending the tech rehearsal before the event,” Mr Duffy said.

CASA media contact: Peter Gibson call 0419 296 446 or email [email protected]
CREATIVE COLLABORATORS

Augmented Reality: Future of Art
• AGB Events engaged International augmented reality artist Charles Clapshaw of Future of Art to deliver a world-first experience for ELEVATE Sydney- coupling AR with drones.
• Compatible with all mobile phones and only a link click or QR scan away, anyone watching the skyshow live from 1 – 5 January can enjoy an augmented reality experience as part of this amazing new outdoor public event.
• Futures of Art is a creative agency, created in 2020 by Charles Clapshaw in Sydney. The agency sits at the intersection of Life, Art and Technology and leads international artistic projects in Augmented Reality.
• Charles Clapshaw has been connecting creativity with technology for over 20 years. His rare blend of passion, artistic talent and technical leadership has enabled artists, creative technologists, and galleries to win accolades from all the international awards shows including a Digital Emmy award, Cannes Lions, D&AD, SxSW and Webbys.

Contact: Corinne Estrada on +61 403 413 120 and [email protected]

Soundtrack: Composed by Rhyan Clapham (DOBBY)
DOBBY is a rapper, drummer, speaker and workshop facilitator who proudly identifies as a Filipino and Aboriginal musician. His family is from Brewarrina on Ngemba land, and is a member of the Murrawarri Republic in Weilmoringle, NSW.
DOBBY is a multi-instrumentalist who’s is increasingly being known for bouncing between piano, drums, & drum pads, with his unique signature ‘drapping’ (rapping & drumming at the same time).

Contact: Vyvienne Abia +61 411 549 287 and [email protected]

ELEVATE Marketing and Communications Agency: Tomorrow Made
Tomorrow Made is comprised of global tourism, sport and cultural events specialists with one core vision; to amplify human experiences.

Working collaboratively with experienced partners, Tomorrow Made draws on the specialist expertise required to create success for each individual project, to achieve unique dual results of meeting corporate and government strategic objectives while keeping people at the centre of decision making.

Tomorrow Made specialises in strategic development, placemaking, digital marketing, international media, stakeholder relationship management, government liaison, sponsorship, and communications,

Co-Directors Katrina de Jersey and Renee Malyon draw on their previous experience including Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Sydney New Year’s Eve, Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Ellen DeGeneres Sydney Show, FIFA Fan Fest, City of Sydney,
Recognised as experts in the sport, tourism, culture and sponsorship sectors, Tomorrow Made consistently deliver exceptional results while creating authentic and truly memorable experiences for people.

Contact:
Katrina de Jersey, +61 414 853 943, [email protected]
Renee Malyon, +61 422 299 600, [email protected]

Creative Directors and Producers: AGB Events
www.agb.events
AGB Events specialises in creating public celebrations, iconic events and innovative experiences. Founded in 2006, AGB Events has conceptualised and produced events across Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States.
AGB showcases stories through technology – in an inventive and authentic way! The creative, stunning visuals transcend language barriers and connect audiences through shared cultural experiences.
From the visual storytelling of Beauty, Rich and Rare exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural Resources, and Parrtjima – A Festival in Light an annual event in Alice Springs, AGB Events’ expansive event portfolio also includes Vivid Light Sydney, the Lights of Boston, Macquarie Visions; OZFest Delhi and iLight, Marina Bay, Singapore.
Contact: Kylie Millwood on +61 413 026 721 and [email protected]