Overview
- An operator said 89 drones enacted failsafe procedures and landed in or around Cockle Bay during the 7:30pm Star‑Bound performance on Monday night after an unforeseen change in the radio‑frequency environment.
- Organisers cancelled the 9:30pm show that night and suspended Star‑Bound performances for Tuesday and Wednesday to allow SkyMagic, Vivid Sydney and government agencies to conduct a full technical and safety assessment.
- The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been notified and is gathering information as recovery teams work to retrieve drones from the water and boardwalks to limit pollution from lithium‑ion batteries.
- Witness video and onlookers described drones falling out of formation and striking the marina, though operators say no craft left the event’s exclusion zone and there were no reported injuries.
- The incident revives concerns about large drone swarms in dense urban locations, with regulators likely to press for tighter safeguards on radio links, geofencing and on‑site recovery protocols before remaining shows proceed.