May 26, 2026 — 7:17amDrones raining from the sky in the centre of Sydney have led to a pause in one of light festival Vivid’s centrepiece events.Monday’s 9.30pm “Star-Bound” drone show was cancelled due to “unforeseen technical difficulties” during the 7.30pm display.“We apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience caused to attendees,” a Vivid Sydney spokesperson said in a statement.“Public safety is always the number one priority and a full assessment is now underway with the specialist operators and relevant government agencies advising on next steps,” they added.The 9.30pm event was cancelled and shows on Tuesday and Wednesday night have been called off in favour of a technical and safety review.Organisers warned the drone show was “weather dependent” and conditions were being closely monitored on Monday to determine whether it could proceed before the incident.A drone show over the Opera House at the 2023 Vivid festival.James BrickwoodVivid had planned its largest ever drone series this year, after the shows were cancelled in 2025 on the advice of police and transport authorities following a potential crowd crush around Circular Quay in 2024.The drone show at Darling Harbour was scheduled to take place twice nightly between Sunday and Wednesday with a total of 22 shows over 11 nights during the weeks’ long festival. At least five of those shows are set to be scrapped.The displays feature up to 1000 drones swarming over the harbour for eight to 12 minutes.“We have secured the latest drone technology to ensure these are the brightest drones in the world,” Vivid’s new director Brett Sheehy told the Herald in March.Vivid Sydney began on Friday and runs until June 13.Janie BarrettDrone shows have risen in popularity globally as the technology developed over the past decade.But they have not always run flawlessly.Jack Gramenz is a breaking news reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.From our partners